Montreal Mirror: Bunk and debunk

A McGill speaking series tackles the alarming pervasiveness of pseudoscience, from creationism to the dangers of cell phones. Scientists and their supporters are not all meek, bespectacled Poindexters. Some of them, like McGill evolution education expert Brian Alters, are highly articulate, quite funny and increasingly combative. And they are using their positions to push back against pseudoscience and its proponents in the best way possible: educating the populace. Earlier this month, McGill started its “Pseudoscience: From Quirks to Quacks” lecture series, with a different speaker each week addressing a different topic. So far, debunkers have poked gigantic holes in theories about the paranormal/psychics, climate change denial, hypnosis, vaccination fear and the dangers of cell phone use. Next week, Alters will discuss creationism and its junk science equivalent, intelligent design."