Events

For over 60 years the interpretation of “Things” in the sky has led to mythology about “Aliens” and their “Spacecraft.” These myths are fused with images from science fiction and enhanced by spiritual mysticism. Anomalous events in the sky are enlarged by anecdotal stories and conspiracy theories of “Space Gods” coming to earth for either salvation or destruction. Can “Lights in the Sky” really save us from the modern world? This workshop will consider these and other questions about the role of science and skepticism in evaluating extraordinary claims.

A creation of Ray Hyman, The Skeptic’s Toolbox began in 1989 with a workshop in Buffalo on the topic of Skeptical Inquiry: The Role of the Skeptic. In subsequent years the workshop became anchored at the University of Oregon in Eugene where Hyman taught psychology. Each summer, people from all over the country would convene in Eugene for an intense weekend of skeptical investigation.

Now available: Materials from Harriet Hall's 2009 presentation, Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine