NPR's Book of the Day The authors of 'Pseudoscience' explore and debunk your favorite conspiracy theories
Feb 27, 2025
Dr. Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen dive into the quirky world of conspiracy theories, poking fun at bizarre beliefs like Bigfoot. They discuss why humans are drawn to these strange ideas and the risks of misinformation. The conversation highlights historical misconceptions linked to social movements, revealing the humorous side of pseudoscience. It's a light-hearted exploration that balances entertainment with caution about indulging in more serious conspiracies.
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Spontaneous Human Combustion
- The book explores pseudoscientific ideas, including spontaneous human combustion.
- The authors discuss how people were puzzled by cases of burning deaths where only the person turned to ash.
Wick Effect
- The wick effect explains how human combustion can appear spontaneous.
- Human clothing acts as a wick, and body fat fuels the fire, similar to a candle.
Temperance and Combustion
- The temperance movement used the fear of spontaneous combustion to promote abstinence.
- They linked alcohol consumption to the body's "internal fires," exploiting the then-current theory about oxygen and combustion.
