All Your BS Belongs to Us: Nonsense in the Internet Age
Summary:
Some days it seems like it's impossible to figure out what's real and what's BS on the internet. Never fear. We're here to give you the tools you need to see through the nonsense.
Crazy Conspiracies & Coverups: Secrets THEY Don't Want You to Know About
Summary:
The world is rife with conspiracy theories these days, and it takes time, effort, and an Occam's Razor +2 to cut through the crap. Join us as we discuss JFK, reptilians, and...Avril Lavigne?
Description:
Join the Skeptical Gamers as they take you on a wild ride through the world of conspiracies, coverups, and the tinfoil hat crowd. We'll crack open the secret tomes of the Illuminati, take aim at JFK assassination theories, and figure out whether or not Paul is really dead. Join us for the fun...unless you're afraid the reptoids who run the government will send the black helicopters for you!
From orbs to class 5 free-roaming vapors ghosts seem to be all around us these days. We'll dig through the history of ghost hunting and have a look at their claims...and raise some objections.
Description:
Join the Skeptical Gamers for this courtroom-themed examination of ghost hunting! What's really going on underneath the hood of all of these paranormal investigation groups? How sound is their science? How thoughtful is their theory? We'll discuss and deconstruct and if we do our jobs right you'll leave just a little more doubtful about those who claim they can track ghosts.
Lies, Damned Lies, & Pop Culture: A Choose-Your-Own-Panel Adventure
Summary:
Join us as we discuss and debunk extraordinary claims in this choose-your-own adventure panel! Pseudoscience from movies, comics, games and real life ending in a Q&A!
Description:
In this panel audience members will pick the topics we'll discuss from an exhaustive list. Topics up for grabs include, but are not limited to: *Paranormal claims *Conspiracy theories *Fringe science and pseudoscience *Bad medicine *Scientific claims from movies, TV, comics, and games *Cool science stuff *Science for gamers. We hope to see you there!
What do Nessie, Bigfoot, and Mothman have in common? They probably don't exist...and they're not nearly as cool as some real, documented creatures. Doubt us? Come and see.
Description:
Join us as we examine and dissect various cryptozoological mystery monsters from Bigfoot to Nessie and look at their plausibility and the evidence presented for their existence. We'll delve into the methods used to search for them and look at some real animals who are way cooler than some pretend ones. We'll even tell the story of a real-life Bigfoot hunt and an encounter with the Skunk Ape Sage of Southern Florida. Dress code: please wear your best gorilla costume.
Many theories exist out there concerning the Nazca Lines in Peru. We’ll focus on one in this talk, and then look at the evidence and see which one is supported best. We’ll look at the more recent studies concerning the Nazca Lines and what the best theories are. Bring your Tinfoil hats and be prepared!
After WWII, many Melanesian tribes adopted new religious practices. They imitated the behaviors of the Allies who had used their island homes as staging areas for resource distribution in an attempt to exhort the gods for 'cargo.' These 'cargo cults' are a powerful analogue for pseudoscience and those that practice it. What can Melanesian tribes teach us about the difference between science and pseudoscience? Attend this talk to find out.
Crazy Conspiracies and Coverups: Secrets THEY Don't Want You to Know About
Description:
Join the Skeptical Gamers as they take you on a wild ride through the world of conspiracies, coverups, and the tinfoil hat crowd. We'll crack open the secret tomes of the Illuminati, take aim at JFK assassination theories, and figure out whether or not Paul is really dead. Join us for the fun...unless you're afraid the reptoids who run the government will send the black helicopters for you!
The modern West is awash in the paranormal, from ghost hunting to alien abductions. The paranormal, however, is hardly unique to us. Different cultures have had their own unique conceptions of the paranormal. If we widen our gaze from beliefs espoused by the Ghost Hunters and others, we see that paranormal ideas generally draw from cultural narratives and fill in perceived holes to help explain the anomalous or extraordinary.