About Skeptoid®

Celebrating the stories that brought us to science.

Skeptoid is an award-winning weekly science podcast. Since 2006, Skeptoid has been revealing the true science behind popular misinformation and urban legends. Skeptoid generally examines four basic types of popular pseudosciences:

Consumer frauds, like CBD and hair restoration
Urban legends, like Atlantis or the Knights Templar
Useless alternative medicine schemes, like grounding and aromatherapy
Conspiracy theories, like the Apollo "hoax" or QAnon

Skeptoid is a registered trademark of Skeptoid Media, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. Download our most recent Annual Report.

Awards

In 2021, 2016, and 2009, Skeptoid was a finalist in the Education category at the People's Choice Podcast Awards.

In 2018, 2016, and 2014, Skeptoid was a finalist for the Parsec Award for "Best Fact Behind the Fiction" podcast.

In 2016 and 2013, Skeptoid was a finalist in the Best Science and Best Education categories in the Stitcher podcast awards.

Stitcher Awards In 2012, Skeptoid won Best Science Podcast in the first annual Stitcher podcast awards, beating out shows from the BBC, NPR, Scientific American, and others.

In 2010, Skeptoid won the prestigious Parsec Award for "Best Fact Behind the Fiction" podcast, and was a finalist in 2011. Host and producer Brian Dunning was recognized by the Independent Investigations Group (IIG) for "Outstanding Contribution to Science and Skepticism".

About the Host - Brian Dunning

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A few years ago, I began searching for interesting and unusual phenomena in Internet forums and mailing lists. More than once, I tried to open a discourse offering alternate, more reasonable explanations for the reported phenomena, as diplomatically and respectfully as I could. Nevertheless, the most insightful replies I got were:

Warning: skeptoid alert!

and

Another debunkatron rears its ugly head.

OK, fine, I understand that it's their forum, that I'm just a guest, and if they are not open to critical examination, that's their right and they're under no obligation to me. But I marveled that they felt that way, in light of the forum's stated purpose: "Discussion of Fortean phenomena." That their only response was to make up patronizing and dismissive nicknames for me shows that their true interest is certainly not open discussion. In fact, the next time I tried to log in, I found that my account had been banned.

This happened on three different Fortean Phenomena forums, and I'm being completely honest when I say that my posts were respectful and in no way inflammatory. They were much worse than that: they were skeptical.

So, in the interest of improved public relations, I'm going with the flow. If rationally examining pseudoscientific claims makes me an evil skeptoid debunkatron, so be it. I'll even help out by so identifying myself up front.

Thus was born Skeptoid.

By profession I am a computer scientist, both as a Silicon Valley CTO and as a consulting engineer. My only academic credential that bears any scrutiny is in Writing for Film and Television from University of California, Los Angeles. I also have a credential that doesn't bear any scrutiny — and you'll find it at Thunderwood College. I'm also a member of the National Association of Science Writers.

I've written a few books and numerous technical articles. I decided to put this experience to good use, and created the Skeptoid podcast.

I have a great wife, two terrific kids who are smarter than me, a dog who's dumber than me, and some assorted koi who haven't yet been evaluated. We all live happily in beautiful and sunny central Oregon.

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Brian Dunning