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More than just a collection of factual entries, this rich resource explores the difference between scientific and pseudoscientific pursuits in a way that spurs readers to ask questions and formulate answers. Turning metals into gold. Reading head bumps for personality clues. Finding water in the ground with a stick. At some point, all of these were considered legitimate scientific practices. But efforts to pass similar activities off as genuinely scientific are by no means confined to a less enlightened age. From homeopathy to UFO hunting to Creationism, the practice of stamping unscientific activities with the imprimatur of science is alive and well today. What makes science science? How do we tell which assertions, beliefs, and methods are scientifically sound, and which are not? Brian Regal's authoritative, entertaining new reference, Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia gets at the heart of these questions by helping readers understand how the scientific method works, how to critically analyze all kinds of “evidence,” and how to sort through long-running myths and current pseudoscience controversies. Ranging from the dawn of history to the present and across world cultures, Pseudoscience uses a field of endless fascination as a means of driving home the importance of solid scientific reasoning. The encyclopedia spans the full spectrum of scientific and nonscientific pursuits, from chemistry, biology, psychology, and medicine to eugenics, religion, cryptozoology, the occult, and paranormal activities. Specific entries focus on general concepts of science, the lives of individuals, and claims of abilities. Throughout, these entries go beyond simply stating facts by constantly engaging readers in a discussion about the very nature of true scientific discovery. Title Features 124 entries, from alchemy and alien abductions to yetis and zombies, that continually focus readers on the true nature of legitimate scientific methods and findings An introductory essay, drawing on the work of genuine historians and philosophers of science, offering guidelines for assessing topics in pseudoscience 40 original line drawings created specifically for this reference, depicting key individuals, creatures, artifacts, and more An extensive bibliography of current and classic works on the full range of pseudoscience topics covered in this volume An index that makes it easy to locate specific topics, terms, names, and ideas Highlights Uses the fantastic yet inherently intriguing claims in various areas of pseudoscience as a means of teaching how real science works Provides entries that go beyond facts and figures to address crucial ideas at the core of real scientific inquiry Explores current controversial topics such as Creationism, intelligent design, and eugenics Gives students and other interested readers the tools they need to debunk unscientific claims and myths

By the nineteenth century, an extensive body of literature had appeared arguing that Norse explorers (exemplified by Leif Erikson) had arrived in North America centuries before Christopher Columbus and thus are the true\" discoverers of America.1 One of the most ambitious of these authors was Harvard chemist Eben Norton Horsford, who wrote a number of lavishly produced tomes on the subject. With no formal training, Nellie Horsford, because ofher Boston Brahmin pedigree, gained entrée into the world of professional archaeologists in ways her university-trained female contemporaries rarely received. Pouring over the Vinland Sagas (a collection of Norse stories supposedly dating back to the time of Leif Erikson in the early second millennium), rare books, and maps, Horsford became convinced he had made several discoveries. Besides observations of everyday life, she often wrote herself inspirational notes.

While a few modern-day witnesses have reacted fearfully, most view the \"monster\" as peaceful, even harmless. Since the 1970s, there have been several extremely strange reports. According to Ernestine McHugh, a cultural anthropologist from Rochester: A lot of people are disenchanted with everyday life, and they long for something that seems magical.