50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True

by Harrison, Guy P.

  Supervolcanoes

  The first time I ever heard about supervolcanoes was many years ago during an interview with Apollo Moonwalker John Young. The veteran astronaut was making the point that science isn't only fun and exciting, it also may be the key to saving our species from extinction. Intrigued, I began researching supervolcanoes. To sum up what I learned: they are horrifyingly destructive and one will erupt sooner or later, perhaps destroying civilization. Don't mistake a supervolcano with the run-of-the-mill variety of volcano we are all most familiar with. Supervolcanoes are thousands of times more powerful than those. The problem for modern civilization is that, like nuclear war, supervolcanoes eject tons of smoke, ash, and dust up into the atmosphere, enough to rapidly change the world's climate and cause mass extinctions. Some scientists think a supervolcano almost killed us off at least once already. Approximately seventy thousand years ago the Toba supervolcano erupted in what is now in the region of Indonesia. It triggered a long, cold, dark winter that may have cut human numbers down to less than a few thousand people. That was a scary brush with extinction. But it makes the point that if our ancestors, with nothing more than stone and wooden tools, could survive a global supervolcano catastrophe, so could we.

  Nanobots Eat the World

  One of the more bizarre possible human extinction events is the one in which we and everything else become food for microscopic robots. Crazy as it sounds, it's possible. Nanotechnology is the science and engineering of incredibly small machines that are scaled down to the atomic level. It's exciting, almost intoxicating, to dream about the possibilities. The applications seem infinite, from stronger, lighter building materials to nanobots that swim around inside of us monitoring our bodies and keeping us healthy to tiny probes that scour the universe and send back information about everything they discover.

  Some experts envision miniature machines that are self-sufficient and self-replicating. They would consume available atoms in their environment and reconstruct them to make more nanobots. Such machines could have many practical and positive applications. But there is also a possible downside. Self-replicating nanobots might run amok and become unstoppable eating machines, converting all matter they encounter into more hungry nanobots. Scientists call this the “gray goo” scenario. There was a depiction of something vaguely similar to this near the end of the 2008 remake of the film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. I think we could avoid the gray goo doomsday, however, by programming a kill switch or simply letting loose bigger and badder nanobots that are programed to eat renegade nanobots.

  WE'RE ALL NOT GONNA DIE!

  Wow, what a horrifying list. And keep in mind that these are all things that really could happen. None of them are based on supernatural or paranormal claims. Given enough time, some of them are inevitable. Now here's the good news: None of these events, bad as they could be, are likely to bring about our extinction. A 2009 scientific study looked at various disaster scenarios and concluded that no one disaster is likely to wipe us out. “The human race is unlikely to become extinct without a combination of difficult, severe, and catastrophic events,” said Tobin Lopes, the study's project leader. “[We] were very surprised about how difficult it was to come up with plausible scenarios in which the entire human race would become extinct.”3

  We have faced ice ages, supervolcanoes, and deadly epidemics in the past and survived. We can handle a lot, thanks to language, culture, and the creative power of the human brain. Short of being hit with a series of major events in succession—say the impact of an asteroid that is covered with lethal space viruses and accidently triggers a full-scale nuclear war—we should be able to survive. Groups of people in one or more places would likely find a way to cope. We may suffer and struggle, but the odds are very good that humankind will endure.

  GO DEEPER…

  Books

  Adams, John Joseph, ed. Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse (fiction). San Francisco, CA: Night Shade Books, 2008.

  Anders, Lou, ed. Future Shocks: What Terror Does Tomorrow Hold? (fiction). New York: New American Library, 2006.

  Benton, Michael. When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time. London: Thames and Hudson, 2005.

  Brockman, John, ed. What Are You Optimistic About? Today's Leading Thinkers Lighten Up. New York: Harper Perennial, 2007.

  Clegg, Brian. Armageddon Science. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2010.

  Hanlon, Michael. Eternity: Our Next Billion Years. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.

  McCarthy, Cormac. The Road (fiction). New York: Vintage, 2009.

  McGuire, Bill. Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

  McGuire, Bill. A Guide to the End of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

  McGuire, Bill. Surviving Armageddon: Solutions for a Threatened Planet. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

  Miller, Walter M., Jr., and Martin H. Greenberg, eds. Beyond Armageddon (fiction). Lincoln, NE: Bison Books, 2006.

  Plait, Philip. Death from the Skies! New York: Penguin Books, 2008.

  Rees, Martin. Our Final Hour. New York: Basic Books, 2003.

  Stevenson, Mark. An Optimist's Tour of the Future. New York: Avery, 2011.

  Stewart, George R. Earth Abides (fiction). New York: Del Ray, 2006.

  Wilson, Daniel H. Robopocalypse (fiction). New York: Doubleday, 2011.

  Other Sources

  Earth Impacts Effects Program (website that allows visitors to calculate damage from asteroid strikes), http://impact.ese.ic.ac.uk/ImpactEffects/.

  The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it.

  —Plutarch

  It scares me to imagine how my life might have turned out if I hadn't adopted a skeptical outlook early on. I might have wasted countless hours worrying about psychic readings, horoscopes, and whether or not one or more of a million gods approved of me. That would have meant less time for reading books, exploring the world, flirting with girls, watching sci-fi movies, and eating chocolate-covered peanuts. A diminished life, for sure. I also could have wasted thousands of dollars and possibly harmed my health with medical quackery. Worse, I might have dedicated my life to spreading and selling dangerous irrational beliefs to others. I feel fortunate and proud that I am willing and able to think about what I think. The habit of thinking before believing has served me well.

  No one should think of skepticism and science as too complicated or demanding. You don't have to be a professional scientist to use the principles of science. You don't have to be a card-carrying member of some skeptic society in order to be able to think your way around all the steamy piles of nonsense lying everywhere. It's not difficult to be a skeptic. Just imagine having a skeptical filter or screen wrapped around your brain. Any weird claim that wants to worm its way into your life must first squeeze through that filter. If it can't, then it's not worth your time. The sooner one begins thinking like this, the better. When my children were very young, for example, I explained to them the value of approaching life as amateur scientists. I encouraged them to question everything, consider the source, ask for evidence, look for flaws in a claim, consider alternative explanations, and so on. Today, they routinely impress me with their insightful questions and ability to see through things they see in a TV ad or hear in everyday conversations. I didn't teach them to think like me. I taught them to think for themselves, and their lives will surely be better for it.

  The skeptical life is for anyone and everyone. It's not dependent on extensive education or exceptional intelligence. At its core, being a skeptic means nothing more than recognizing and understanding something about the natural processes, frailties, and vulnerabilities of the human brain—and deciding not to surrender to them without a fight. It's about knowing that we all can and will be fooled, over and over, throughout our lives. It's inevitable. No one is immune to the infection of bad ideas and crazy beliefs. I'm the author of three skept
ic-themed books and I can still fall victim to junk thinking. A few years ago, for example, I was habitually pouring expensive protein shakes down my gullet after workouts. It seemed like the smart thing to do at the time, but I was a victim of advertising and peer influence. I have since realized that a post-workout protein-rich meal is more sensible and better for me. I also briefly bought into the Mozart-makes-you-smarter craze back in the 1990s. I listened while working, hoping it might help me come up with a way to finally prove the existence of parallel universes or maybe invent a better light bulb. Now I know better, however, and I just listen to Mozart's music because I like it. You live and learn. You fall down and get back up.

  This world we have made for ourselves is a maze of madness. Around every corner there is someone waiting to tell you a story about things that never happened or make a promise that will never come true. The best we can do is to fight back against the illusions, delusions, and scams with critical thinking and the scientific method. In my view, skepticism is necessary for everyone everywhere. Who in their right mind doesn't want to avoid being tricked and fooled, wasting time and money? Don't fall for the lie that skepticism equates to cynicism, a negative world view, or requires some great sacrifice. Only those who feel threatened by honest inquiry tend to make such charges. As millions of skeptical and freethinking people prove every day, it is possible to be productive, creative, and content without clinging to irrational beliefs. Besides, once skepticism has done its work of weeding out so much nonsense, there is a lot more time and energy available for family, friends, fun, exercise, self-improvement, and creative pursuits—the very things that can add up to a happy life. There is nothing negative about wanting to live in the real world and deal with life as it really is. Isn't that part of what being an adult is all about? Misery, misfortune, and death are terrible things none of us can avoid. But I contend that tuning out—via fantasy, willful ignorance, or embracing lies—is not the best defense against the hardships of life. Hope is found in reality as well. Inspiration exists in truth, too. We may be momentary specks of existence in an incomprehensibly vast universe, but the amazing human brain has the potential to find some measure of confidence, comfort, and contentment in reality, if we give it a chance. Between the endless gifts of scientific discovery and the warmth of a few fellow humans, what need do we have for the fool's gold of myth and make-believe? Fiction is wonderful —right up to the point where it is confused for reality—then it becomes a liability and a burden.

  We are not necessarily doomed to be forever burdened by irrational belief. Never forget that the brain that so often leads us into traps is the same brain that can free us. We only have to make the necessary effort to be vigilant skeptical thinkers. If we choose to, we can give our lives great meaning and purpose, based on things that are known to be real. Nobody has to take this route, of course, but do not doubt that you can. There is no need to rely on superstition for strength or to let fantasy define your existence. If you want to be a nice person, then be nice. If you want to leave your mark on the world, then go do something. If you want to be a slacker, then stop reading this book and go take a nap. You don't need unproven claims of the supernatural and paranormal guiding you and reassuring you every step of the way. You are a human being with an immensely powerful brain. Don't underestimate its ability to separate you from much of the nonsense and danger out there. Your life is yours, live it wisely.

  INTRODUCTION

  1. James Randi, “The Amazing Randi Wants You to Think,” Caymanian Compass, June 1, 2000, p. A12.

  CHAPTER 1: “I BELIEVE IN THE PARANORMAL

  AND THE SUPERNATURAL.”

  1. “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science,” Talk of the Nation, NPR, November 10, 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6469070 (accessed December 22, 2010).

  2. Andrew A. Skolnick, “Natasha Demkina: The Girl with Normal Eyes,” Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 2005, http://www.csicop.org/si/show/natasha_demkina_the_girl_with_normal_eyes/ (accessed March 23, 2011).

  3. David W. Moore, “Three in Four Americans Believe in Paranormal,” Gallup News Service, June 16, 2005, http://www.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx (accessed March 11, 2011).

  4. Linda Lyons, “Paranormal Beliefs Come (Super) Naturally to Some,” Gallup News Service, November 1, 2005, http://www.gallup.com/poll/19558/paranormal-beliefs-come-supernaturally-some.aspx (accessed March 15, 2011).

  5. Tauriq Moosa, interview with the author, April 26, 2011.

  6. Hank Davis, Caveman Logic: The Persistence of Primitive Thinking in a Modern World (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2009), pp. 183–84.

  7. Michael Shermer, The Believing Brain (New York: Times Books, 2011), p. 5.

  CHAPTER 2: “I KNOW THERE IS AN AFTERLIFE BECAUSE OF ALL THE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES.”

  1. Frank Ward, interview with the author, January 10, 2011.

  2. Kevin Nelson, The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain (New York: Dutton, 2010), p. 95.

  3. Vilayanur S. Ramachandran and Diane Rogers Ramachandran, “Reflections on the Mind,” Scientific American Mind, July/August 2011, pp. 18–22.

  4. Nelson, Spiritual Doorway, p. 130.

  5. Ibid., p. 137.

  6. Ibid., pp. 142–43.

  7. Susan Blackmore, Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1993), p. 263.

  8. Sean M. Carroll, “Physics and the Immortality of the Soul,” Scientific American, May 23, 2011, http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=physics-and-the-immortality-of-the-2011–05-23 (accessed June 22, 2011).

  9. Kevin Nelson, quoted in Amanda Gefter, “The Light in the Tunnel,” New Scientist 208, nos. 2792–93 (December 2010-January 2011): 81.

  CHAPTER 3: “A PSYCHIC READ MY MIND.”

  1. Tauriq Moosa, interview with the author, April 26, 2011.

  2. James van Praagh, Heaven and Earth: Making the Psychic Connection (New York: Pocket Books, 2006), p. 188.

  3. Bootie Cosgrove-Mather, “Poll: Most Believe in Psychic Phenomena,” CBS News, February 11, 2009, www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/04/29/opinion/polls/main507515.shtml (accessed July 1, 2011).

  4. BBC News, “Britons Report ‘Psychic Powers,’” BBC News, May 26, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5017910.stm (accessed December 11, 2010).

  CHAPTER 4: “YOU'RE EITHER BORN SMART OR YOU'RE NOT.”

  1. Guy P. Harrison, Race and Reality: What Everyone Should Know about Our Biological Diversity (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2009), p. 253.

  2. David Shenk, The Genius in All of Us (New York: Doubleday, 2010), p. 16.

  CHAPTER 5: “THE BIBLE CODE REVEALS THE FUTURE.”

  1. David E. Thomas, “Beyond the Bible Code: Hidden Messages Everywhere!” in Skeptical Odysseys, ed. Paul Kurtz (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2001), p. 389.

  2. David E. Thomas, “Hidden Messages and the Bible Code,” Skeptical Inquirer, November/December 1997, http://www.csicop.org/si/show/hidden_messages_and_the_bible_code/ (accessed February 22, 2011).

  3. Brendan McKay, “Assassinations Foretold in Moby Dick!” 1997, http://cs.anu.edu.au/~bdm/dilugim/moby.html (accessed March 17, 2011).

  4. Michael Drosnin, Bible Code II (New York: Viking, 2002), p. 186.

  5. Ibid., p. 101.

  6. Submission.org, “Bible Code vs. Quran Code,” http://www.submission.org/quran/biblecode.html (accessed March 11, 2011).

  CHAPTER 6: “STORIES OF PAST LIVES

  PROVE REINCARNATION IS REAL.”

  1. David W. Moore, “Three in Four Americans Believe in Paranormal,” Gallup News Service, June 16, 2005, http://www.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx (accessed March 11, 2011).

  2. Carl Haub, “How Many People Have Ever Lived on Earth?” Population Reference Bureau, February 1995, www.prb.org/Articles/2002/HowManyPeopleHaveEverLivedonEarth.aspx (accessed January 12, 2011).

  3. ABC News, “Parents Think Boy Is Reincarnated Pilot,” Primetime, June 30, 2005, htt
p://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Technology/story?id=894217 (accessed February 12, 2011).

  4. Judy Kroeger, “About Past Lives…Uniontown WWII Flyer's Memories in Louisiana Boy,” Daily Courier, April 15, 2004, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/news/s_189477.html (accessed October 19, 2011).

  5. J. Allen Danelek, The Case for Reincarnation (Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2010), p. 19.

  6. Terence Hines, Pseudoscience and the Paranormal (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2003), pp. 109–10.

  7. Danelek, Reincarnation, p. 188.

  CHAPTER 7: “ESP IS THE REAL DEAL.”

  1. Richard Wiseman, “‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose,’ How Parapsychologists Nullify Null Results,” Skeptical Inquirer, February 2010, http://www.csicop.org/si/show/heads_i_win_tails_you_loser_how_parapsychologists_nullify_null_results (accessed March 2, 2011).

  2. David W. Moore, “Three in Four Americans Believe in Paranormal,” Gallup News Service, June 16, 2005, http://www.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx (accessed March 11, 2011).

  3. Jonathan C. Smith, Pseudoscience and Extraordinary Claims (West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), p. 251.

  4. Michael D. Mumford, Andrew M. Rose, David A. Goslin, “An Evaluation of Remote Viewing: Research and Applications,” American Institutes for Research, September 29, 1995, http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/air1995.pdf (accessed March 1, 2011).

  5. Michael Shermer, “Freeman Dyson, Miracles, and the Belief in the Paranormal,” eSkeptic, May 4, 2004, http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/04–05-04/ (accessed February 2, 2011).

  6. Ibid.

  7. Jefferson M. Fish, interview with the author, March 26, 2011.

  8. Terrence Hines, Pseudoscience and the Paranormal (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2003), p. 150.

  CHAPTER 8: “NOSTRADAMUS SAW IT ALL COMING.”

  1. James Randi, The Mask of Nostradamus (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1993), pp. 11–12.

  2. Ibid., pp. 6–7.