Mike Powell

We often hear comments such as, “It’s all about genetics,” “She is naturally good at sports,” “If you practice enough you can be an expert in anything you want,” and “Practice makes perfect.” If it is all about genetics and if you are naturally good in sports, that must mean nature determines the outcome. If …

Anyone who has spent time arguing on social media has heard of the straw man fallacy. It’s a flaw in argumentation in which a caricature of a point is substituted for the real thing, making it easier to refute. If someone posits, for example, that universal basic income (UBI) could ameliorate the loss of jobs …

The new documentary Feels Good Man, directed by Arthur Jones, tells the strange story of how an otherwise obscure and innocuous frog cartoon character became a symbol of hate. The frog in question is named Pepe, created by an unassuming, otherwise unknown and (at times frustratingly) low-key San Francisco artist named Matt Furie.   What happened …

Skeptics appreciate the true value of implementing the scientific method in their day to day lives. Using the scientific method and practicing scientific thinking equates to more than just “asking for evidence.” Having an inquiring mind is only a portion of what is required for scientific thinking. What happens if you are pointed to the …

Language is the primary facilitator of human communication. Without complex syntactical language (the kind used by humans), modern science wouldn’t exist. Science writing is the main avenue for science communication. Science, at its most basic form, is a systematic process for acquiring knowledge. Science is the great reality detector, though it isn’t unusual for teachers, …

It is true that there is no such thing as a selfless good deed. The argument goes that a truly charitable act should bring no benefit to the actor, be it through profit, praise, or even personal pride. If any of these are gained, then selfishness contaminates the deed and lowers its moral value. This …

This is the tenth in a series of original articles on the COVID-19 pandemic by the Center for Inquiry as part of its Coronavirus Resource Center, created to help the public address the crisis with evidence-based information. Please check back periodically for updates and new information.  In early May 2020, a YouTube video titled Plandemic …

Peer review, one of the foundations of modern science, is a safeguard or quality control used in advancing science.  It is an important part of scientific publishing, and it’s often assumed that peer review publications are synonymous with high quality. The use of peer review processes goes back at least 200 years (Kronick 1990). Jefferson and …

It’s often repeated in secular circles that people should keep their beliefs to themselves. On its face, it’s an understandable sentiment, particularly given the source. Many skeptics have had religious dogma forced upon them, sometimes violently, so it’s no shock that they would take to the admonishment, “Believe what you want, just don’t bother me …

In 1862, Charles Darwin received a sample of orchids from Madagascar. Among them, he noticed, was a flower with an unusually long nectary, the orchid’s nectar-producing gland. At nearly a foot in length, this would keep the nectar from any known insect looking to partake. It got Darwin wondering. Days later, Darwin made a prediction: …