Skeptical TV this weekend

[onager]

All on NatGeo. History Channel and The (Mis)Learning Channel are up to their usual hijinx with Haunted This and Supernatural That.

The shows below have a common theme, whether it's 9/11 or the Bermuda Triangle. We see actual scientists, engineers, experts etc. conducting experiments in the lab or in the field. Then we cut to some asshat in an office, smugly proclaiming that the experiments are invalid because of his theories. But they never prove any of their theories, just talk them to death. It reminds me a lot of the Resident Philosopher's Brigade in R/T.

Anyway, the shows:

"The Truth Behind..." - 3 shows ran back-to-back yesterday, covering the Bermuda Triangle, Noah's Ark and crop circle jerkers.

I haven't seen these. DVR'd all 3 and watched the Bermuda Triangle show today. How refreshing to hear words like "pseudo-science" and "myth-mongers" used in this kind of show.

The show also interviews one man who actually helped search for Flight 19, back in 1945. He had no doubt about what happened: "They got lost, ran out of fuel, and crashed into the ocean."

9/11: Science and Conspiracy - NatGeo actually paid to have some expensive experiments conducted, testing various Twoofer claims. You'll be amazed to hear that not one of them held up.

I didn't see the Flaming Bunny Cage Test, but maybe I just missed it.

The show visits the site of a controlled demolition. When they laid out the Twoofer claims for a contractor who blows up buildings for a living, you could almost see his jaw hitting the ground.

He did some quick calculations on what he would need to bring down the Twin Towers in a controlled demolition - a crew of 100 people, working daily for about 6 months. Remaining unobserved by several thousand occupants, the workers would be knocking holes in walls and slicing thru support beams with cutting torches.

If you miss these, I think all of them are available on the internetz.

[TZ]

1. I've seen the Bermuda Triangle ones

Pretty good. Even the more outlandish theory ( wormhole) was based on scientific if slightly fringe theory. Very interesting!

[EvolveOrConvolve]

2. "Crop circle jerkers" - that's an apt description

These are people who believe in a conspiracy that has been shown to be demonstrably false (ie, the perpetrators of the acts came forward), and still continue to carry on as true believers. Even in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

Some people will believe anything...