NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Alternative science

The following is a list of fields of endeavor and concepts that critics have characterized as being pseudoscientific or having pseudoscientific aspects. Some of these fields, or parts of them, may be the subject of scientific research and may not be wholly dismissed by the scientific community. Note that the pseudoscience label may be applied by disputants working in the same field to disparage a competing theory or form of argument used by a rival; by commentators from outside a field to disparage a whole field; merely to characterise the fact that a theory published in a popular book has no academic credibility whatsoever; or in reference to a theory now discarded. See the individual articles for more information. Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ... Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of scientists in a particular field of science at a particular time. ...

Reasons for inclusion as pseudoscientific

The neutrality of this article or section may be compromised by "weasel words."
You can help Wikipedia by improving weasel-worded statements.

Inclusion in the list is due to the fact that a given concept or field of endeavor is considered by scientific critics and a significant portion of the scientific community to be: Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ...

Asserting claims without supporting experimental evidence;
Asserting claims which contradict experimentally established results;
Failing to provide an experimental possibility of reproducible results.

Characteristics of pseudoscience

Obsolete scientific theories

Pseudoscience should not be confused with obsolete scientific theories, such as luminiferous aether or the steady state theory of cosmology. The fact that a scientific theory has fallen into disfavour does not render it pseudoscience. An obsolete scientific theory is a scientific theory that was once commonly accepted but (for whatever reason) is no longer considered the most complete description of reality by mainstream science; or a falsifiable theory which has been shown to be false. ... The luminiferous aether: it was hypothesised that the Earth moves through a medium of aether that carries light In the late 19th century luminiferous aether (light-bearing aether) was the term used to describe a medium for the propagation of light. ... In cosmology, the steady state theory (also known as the Infinite Universe Theory or continuous creation) is a model developed in 1948 by Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold, Hermann Bondi and others as an alternative to the Big Bang theory (known, usually, as the standard cosmological model). ... // Cosmology, from the Greek: ÎºÎ¿ÏƒÎ¼Î¿Î»Î¿Î³Î¯Î± (cosmologia, ÎºÏŒÏƒÎ¼Î¿Ï‚ (cosmos) order + Î»Î¿Î³Î¹Î± (logia) discourse) is the study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanitys place in it. ... In mathematics, theory is used informally to refer to a body of knowledge about mathematics. ...

Pseudoscience as stubbornly held obsolete or prescientific ideas

An obsolete or prescientific phenomenon can follow at least one of three paths leading to extremely different conclusions: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

It can be scientifically validated and accepted, becoming a part of scientifically accepted fact. In medicine, such phenomena often start as traditional medicine, or "alternative" medicine, and end up becoming evidence based medicine (EBM).
It can be disproven and rejected after much experimentation shows negative results. Such phenomena are relegated to the history books as historic artifacts.
It can, in spite of a lack of scientific validation - and even in spite of clear rejection - be preserved and believed, thus becoming a current pseudoscientific phenomena. In medicine, such phenomena are often labeled quackery by the medical community and skeptics.

Such stubbornly held ideas fail to become totally obsolete, simply because often large numbers of true believers keep them alive. The term traditional medicine is used with two main meanings. ... It has been suggested that Complementary and Alternative Medicine be merged into this article or section. ... Evidence-based medicine is a medical movement based upon the application of the scientific method to medical practice, including long-established existing medical traditions not yet subjected to adequate scientific scrutiny. ... A pseudoscience is any body of knowledge purported to be scientific or supported by science but which fails to comply with the scientific method. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that Debunker be merged into this article or section. ... The true-believer syndrome is a term coined by the reformed psychic fraud M. Lamar Keene to refer to an irrational belief in the paranormal. ...

Minority-opinion scientific theories

Pseudoscience should not be confused with unpopular or minority-opinion scientific theories. For example, some currently respected theories, such as the big bang theory, plate tectonics, or the idea that stones could fall from the sky (meteorites) were rejected simply because there was insufficient empirical evidence to support them at the time of their proposal; however, none of these theories were ever regarded as "pseudoscience"; rather they were scientific hypotheses which had insufficient evidenciary support for wide-spread acceptance. A minority-opinion, or unpopular, scientific theory is a scientific theory which has not gained wide-spread acceptance in the scientific community, usually because of lack of supporting evidence, or because it challenges a well-established current theory or scientific assumption. ... According to the Big Bang, the universe emerged from an extremely dense and hot state (bottom). ... Bridge across the ÃlfagjÃ¡ rift valley in southwest Iceland, the boundary of the Eurasian and North American continental tectonic plates. ... A meteorite is an extraterrestrial body that survives its impact with the Earths surface without being destroyed. ... Empirical research is any activity that uses direct or indirect observation as its test of reality. ... A hypothesis (from Greek ) is a suggested explanation of a phenomenon or reasoned proposal suggesting a possible correlation between multiple phenomena. ...

As a practical matter, the topics of heated debate between scientists are rarely pseudoscience, even when the opinion is held by an extremely small minority of the scientific establishment. Notable exceptions are polywater and N-rays, although these might be more appropriately called scientific fraud, than pseudoscience. The label of pseudoscience is usually reserved for (pseudo-)theories advanced by non-scientists or those lacking in formal training or practical experience in matters of science. Philosophers have long considered it difficult if not impossible to develop a strict criteria to distinguish between science and pseudoscience (see demarcation problem). Polywater was a hypothetical polymerized form of water that was the subject of much scientific controversy during the late 1960s. ... The so-called N rays (or N-rays) were a phenomenon described by French scientist Jean-Pierre Dupont but subsequently found to be illusory. ... Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. ... The demarcation problem in the philosophy of science is about how and where to draw the lines around science. ...

Pseudoscience as pathologial science

A small number of pseudoscientific concepts are considered pathological science: a psychological process in which believers in a position, who may have originally conformed to the scientific method, unconsciously veer from that method and begin a pathological process of wishful data interpretation. The term ironic science was used by John Horgan in his book The End of Science to describe a "speculative, non-empirical mode" that mainstream science sometimes enters. Such theories are non-verifiable but not necessarily pathological (string theory for example), and are not listed here. Pathological science is a neologism to pejoratively describe the pursuit of pseudoscientific claims as being irrational to the point where they like a pathology or disease. ... Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena and acquiring new knowledge, as well as for correcting and integrating previous knowledge. ... Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence or rationality. ... Interaction in the subatomic world: world lines of pointlike particles in the Standard Model or a world sheet swept up by closed strings in string theory String theory is a model of fundamental physics whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects (strings) rather than the zero-dimensional points (particles...

Because the term pseudoscience is almost universally regarded as a pejorative label (usually because it implies that the concept being criticized is not what it represents itself to be), those who adhere to such concepts almost always challenge them, often on either epistemic grounds (challenging the diagnosis), or by pointing out that many mainstream fields of science can fail the same criteria. This last resort is an expression of a logical fallacy of the tu quoque variety. A word or phrase is pejorative if it implies contempt or disapproval. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with fallacy. ... An ad hominem argument, also known as argumentum ad hominem (Latin, literally argument to the man), is 1) a logical fallacy that involves replying to an argument or assertion by addressing the person presenting the argument or assertion rather than the argument itself; 2) an argument pointing out an inconsistency...

List

Anthropology and Archaeology

Ancient astronaut theory, the theory that ancient extraterrestrial contact was involved in some way with the origin or development of human culture.
Lemuria, and Atlantis, the theory that sunken continents in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans were once home to lost civilizations.
Mount Ararat, the theory that the Biblical Noah's Ark was real and ended its journey on the mountain known now as Mount Ararat. Theories about the survival and location of Noah' Ark often form the core of creationist archaeological programs.
African Olmecs theory, the theory that the Olmec civilization, which was the first high civilization of the Americas was of African origin. This theory is a part of the Afrocentric way of thinking.

Anthropology (from the Greek word , human or person) consists of the study of humanity (see genus Homo). ... Archaeology, archeology, or archology (from the Greek words Î±ÏÏ‡Î±Î¯Î¿Ï‚ = ancient and Î»ÏŒÎ³Î¿Ï‚ = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... // Paintings from Val Camonica, Italy, c. ... Lemuria is the name of a hypothetical lost land variously located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Atlantis (Greek: , Island of Atlas) is the name of an island first mentioned and described by the classical Greek philosopher Plato. ... Mount Ararat (Armenian Ô±Ö€Õ¡Ö€Õ¡Õ¿; Turkish AÄŸrÄ± DaÄŸÄ±; Kurdish AgirÃ®, Ararat; Persian Ø¢Ø±Ø§Ø±Ø§Øª Ararat; Hebrew ××¨×¨×˜, Standard Hebrew Ararat, Tiberian Hebrew ), the tallest peak in modern Turkey, is a snow-capped dormant volcanic cone, located in the far northeast of Turkey, 16 km west of Iran and 32 km south of Armenia. ... A painting by the American Edward Hicks (1780â€“1849), showing the animals boarding Noahs Ark two by two. ... Mount Ararat (Armenian Ô±Ö€Õ¡Ö€Õ¡Õ¿; Turkish AÄŸrÄ± DaÄŸÄ±; Kurdish AgirÃ®, Ararat; Persian Ø¢Ø±Ø§Ø±Ø§Øª Ararat; Hebrew ××¨×¨×˜, Standard Hebrew Ararat, Tiberian Hebrew ), the tallest peak in modern Turkey, is a snow-capped dormant volcanic cone, located in the far northeast of Turkey, 16 km west of Iran and 32 km south of Armenia. ... In part because the Olmecs developed the first Mesoamerican civilization and in part because so little is known of the Olmecs (relative, for example, to the Maya or Aztec), a wide number of Olmec alternative origin speculations have been put forth. ... Afrocentrism holds that Eurocentrism has led to the neglect or denial of the contributions of Africas original peoples and focused instead on a generally European-centered model of world civilization and history. ...

Astronomy

These topics are listed by Andrew Franknoi and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific as common cases of astronomical pseudoscience [1] A giant Hubble mosaic of the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant. ... The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) was founded in San Francisco in 1889. ...

Ancient Astronauts and Erich Von Daniken - proposals that ancient extraterrestrial contact was involved in some way with the origin or development of human culture.
Apollo moon landing hoax accusations - suggestions that the Apollo moon landings were staged
Astrology - the ancient belief that the position of celestial bodies affects personal lives and events on Earth
Crop circles - consideration of these objects as being messages from intelligent aliens
Dogon astronomy - suggestions that the Dogon tribe of Africa knew of the existence of Sirius B before its existence was proven by astonomers.
Face on Mars - promoted by Richard Hoagland as evidence for an ancient Martian civilization
Ufology - the belief that UFOs are evidence for extraterrestrial visitors.
Immanuel Velikovsky and Worlds in Collision - catastrophic proposals based on interpreting ancient mythological and historical narratives.

... Erich von Däniken (born April 14, 1935 in Zofingen, Switzerland) is a controversial Swiss author who is best known for his theories about extraterrestrial influence on human culture since prehistoric times, known as paleocontact and ancient astronaut theory. ... Extraterrestrial, as an adjective, refers to something that originates, occurs, or is located outside Earth or its atmosphere. ... Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong in NASAs training mockup of the Moon and lander module. ... Description Role: Earth and Lunar Orbit Crew: 3; CDR, CM pilot, LM pilot Dimensions Height: 36. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut. ... This article is about the band, Crop Circles, for information about the controversial phenomenon, see crop circle. ... The Dogon village of Banani. ... The Dogon village of Banani. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ... This article is about the star. ... Mars Orbital Cameras 2001 image of the face The Face on Mars is a large feature on the surface of the planet Mars located in the Cydonia region, thought by many to resemble a human face. ... Richard Hoagland is a leading contributor of controversial astronomical theories, especially concerning Mars. ... Ufology is the study of unidentified flying object (UFO) reports, sightings, alleged physical evidence, and other related phenomena. ... UFO can mean: Unidentified flying object United Future Organization, a Japanese-Brazilian electronic jazz band UFO, the rock band that previously featured Michael Schenker UFO, the Gerry Anderson TV series United Farmers of Ontario, a political party that formed the government in Ontario from 1919 to 1923 U.F.O... Extraterrestrial, as an adjective, refers to something that originates, occurs, or is located outside Earth or its atmosphere. ... Immanuel Velikovsky (June 10, 1895 (NS) â€“ November 17, 1979) is best known as the author of a number of controversial books on pre-history, particularly Worlds in Collision 1950), Ages in Chaos 1952, and Earth in Upheaval 1956. ... Worlds in Collision book cover. ... Catastrophism is the theory that Earth has been affected by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope. ...

Biology

See also Medicine below.

Biological transmutation, see Corentin Louis Kervran, the hypothesis that organisms can convert chemical elements, e.g. copper to iron.
Biophotons, a postulated communication mechanism of cells by the means of light, sometimes claimed to be the scientific substrate of Qi.
Creationism is the belief that the origin of everything in the universe is the result of a first cause, which was creation brought about by a creator deity. 'Creationism' generally refers to the version of this concept of natural history that is opposed to the theory of Evolution. See creation science.
- Creation biology is the subset of creation science that tries to explain biology without Evolution. Its cladistics are known as baraminology.
Erototoxin, a neurological chemical postulated by Judith Reisman, PhD, an anti-pornography activist. It is triggered in the brain by exposure to pornography, and "mimics the 'high' from a street drug". She considers erototoxins addictive substances which represent the alleged link between pornography and such things as serial murder, rape, child molestation, and erectile dysfunction.
Intelligent Design scenarios hold that life and living things show signs of having been designed. ID's primary argument is that life is too complex to have simply "happened by random chance" or evolved via millions of years. (Intelligent Design is sometimes considered to be a form of Creationism, though many who advocate ID suggest it may be the other way around.)
Irreducible complexity is a concept which considers that the generally accepted scientific theory that biological Evolution by natural selection alone is incomplete or flawed, and that some additional mechanism is required to explain the origins of life.
Japanese blood type theory of personality, a popular belief in Japan that a person's ABO blood type is predictive of their personality, character, and compatibility with others.
Odic force is a theory that all life is permeated and bound together by a vital property.
Specified complexity is a concept which considers that modern information science can only deal with the probabilities of genetic evolution if it considers the context of the information contained within a gene.
Vitalism, theories claiming that understanding of the living matter should be radically different from that of non-living matter, e.g. biodynamic agriculture.
Morphogenetic fields supposedly cause things (particularly, but not exclusively, living organisms) to grow or behave in patterns laid down by previous similar things.
Quantum evolution (alternative), the hypothesis that genetic mutation is directed through quantum effects.
Vibration theory of smell, the hypothesis that the sensation of smell arises from the nose's sensing of the rate of electron tunneling into the scent molecule.

Biology (from Greek Î²Î¯Î¿Ï‚ Î»ÏŒÎ³Î¿Ï‚, see below) is the branch of science dealing with the study of living organisms. ... A biological transmutation is a supposed nuclear transmutation that occurs in living organisms. ... Corentin Louis Kervran (1901 - 1983) was a French scientist best known for his defense of biological transmutation. ... A biophoton (from the Greek Î²Î¹Î¿ meaning life and Ï†Ï‰Ï„Î¿ meaning light) is a photon of light emitted in some fashion from a biological system. ... QI, standing for Quite Interesting, is a comedy panel game television show hosted by Stephen Fry and shown on BBC Two and BBC Four. ... The Creation of Light by Gustave DorÃ©. In many religious traditions, creationism is ideological support of the belief that humanity, life, the Earth, or the universe as a whole was specially created by a supreme being (often referred to specifically as God[1]) or by other forms of supernatural intervention. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos, the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. ... Categories: Wikipedia cleanup | Stub | Philosophy of science | Religious Philosophy | Theology ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Table of natural history, 1728 Cyclopaedia Natural history is an umbrella term for what are now usually viewed as several distinct scientific disciplines. ... The word theory has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion. ... In 1832, while travelling on the Voyage of the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... Creation science is an umbrella term for the creationist movement to reconcile the biblical account of creation with modern science. ... Creation biology is the attempt by certain creationists to study biology from a young earth creationist perspective. ... In 1832, while travelling on the Voyage of the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ... In creation biology, Baraminology is the effort to classify created kinds. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Judith Reisman. ... Judith A. Reisman, Ph. ... Pornographic movies Pornography (from Greek Ï€ÏŒÏÎ½Î· (porni) prostitute and Î³ÏÎ±Ï†Î® (grafi) writing), more informally referred to as porn or porno, is the representation of the human body or sexual activity with the goal of sexual arousal. ... Serial killers are individuals who have a history of multiple slayings of victims who were usually unknown to them beforehand. ... Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence is a sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis for satisfactory sexual intercourse regardless of the capability of ejaculation. ... Intelligent design (ID) is the concept that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection. ... This article covers irreducible complexity as used by those who argue for intelligent design. ... It is popularly believed in Japan that a persons ABO blood type or ketsu eki gata is predictive of their personality, character, and compatibility with others. ... The ABO system is the most important blood type system in human blood transfusion. ... Also called Od [Ãµd] and Odyle, Odic Force is the 19th century name given to a hypothetical vital energy or life force that proponents say permeates all living plants, animals, and humans. ... Specified complexity is a concept developed by intelligent design proponent William Dembski. ... Information science is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information. ... Vitalism is the doctrine that vital forces are active in living organisms, so that life cannot be explained solely by mechanism. ... // Biodynamic agriculture, or biodynamics comprises an ecological and sustainable system of agricultural production, particularly of food for humans that claims to respect all creation. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Morphic field. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... According to this theory the sensation of smell arises from the noses sensing of the rate of electron tunneling into the scent molecule. ...

Divination

Astrology refers to any of several systems of understanding, interpreting and organizing knowledge about reality and human existence, based on the relative positions and movement of various real and construed celestial bodies.
Cartomancy is a form of fortune telling -- divination -- using a deck of cards.
Channeling is a supposed special ability of a person to receive information from a supernatural source.
Chiromancy evaluates a person's character or future life by "reading" the palm of that person's hand.
Dowsing is a divination method which empowers the dowser to find water, metals and hidden objects by carrying a form of stick (dowsing rod) and watching its motion.
Fortune telling is the practice of predicting the future, usually of an individual, through mystical or supernatural means.
Geomancy is a method of divination based on the interpretation of markings on the ground or the pattern of scattered dirt or pebbles. It also refers to a set of practices and theories based on the identification or manipulation of energies tied to the earth (see Sacred Geometry), including dowsing, feng shui, and ley lines / dragon lines.
Numerology is an arcane study of the purported mystical relationship between numbers and the character or action of physical objects and living things.
Ornithomancy is a form of divination using the flight of birds to predict future events.
Pyramid power theory states that the shape of the pyramid has healing power and spiritual energy.
Remote viewing is a form of clairvoyance by which a viewer is said to be able to perceive objects or events separated from the viewer in space or time.
Scrying is the name given to the ancient technique of gazing into an object for the purpose of clairvoyance.
Telepathy is the claimed ability for humans to communicate information from one mind to another without the assistance of outside tools such as speech or body language.
Levitation is the act of rising up from the ground without any physical aids, usually by the power of thought.

This article is about the religious practice of divination. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut. ... Cartomancy is a form of fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards. ... This article is about the religious practice of divination. ... Channeling can refer to Channeling (physics) Channeling (mediumistic), a term used in reference to the process of receiving messages or inspiration from invisible beings or spirits This is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Fortune Teller, by Caravaggio (1594-95; Canvas; Louvre), depicting a palm reading Chiromancy or cheiromancy, (Greek cheir, â€œhandâ€; manteia, â€œdivinationâ€), is the art of characterization and foretelling the future through the study of the palm, also known as palmistry, palm-reading, chirology or hand analysis. ... Dowsing, also called divining or water witching, is a generic term for practices which proponents claim empower them to find water, metals, gem stones and hidden objects, usually by fluctuations of some apparatus (typically a Y-shaped twig, rod, rods, or pendulum) over a piece of land or a map. ... For prophecy in the context of revealed religions see Prophet. ... Geomancy (from Old French geomancie <Late Latin geÅmantia <Late Greek geÅmanteia< geo, earth + manteia, divination) from the eponymous ilm al-raml (the science of sand), is a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground, or how handfuls of dirt land when someone tosses them. ... Sacred geometry is the deceptively simple yet profoundly insightful topic describing the underlying geometrical order of everything we call reality. From atomic structure and crystals to galactic spirals and super clusters, all life conforms to the information contained in just six geometrical shapes - the five Platonic solids (these are fixed... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ornithomancy is the practice of Ancient Greek augury of birds. ... The term pyramid power was coined by Patrick Flanagan in 1973, to describe alleged supernatural properties of the ancient Egyptian pyramids and scale models thereof. ... Remote viewing (RV) is purported to be the ability to perform clairvoyance under controlled conditions. ... Clairvoyance noun from late 17th century French [clair (clear) & voyant (seeing)] - is defined as a form of extra-sensory perception whereas a person perceives distant objects, persons, or events, including perceiving an image hidden behind opaque objects and the detection of types of energy not normally perceptible to humans (i. ... Scrying is the occult practice of using a medium, most commonly a reflective surface or translucent body, to aid perceived psychic abilities such as clairvoyance. ... Telepathy (from the Greek Ï„Î·Î»Îµ, tele, distant; and Ï€Î¬Î¸ÎµÎ¹Î±, patheia, feeling) is the communication of information from one mind to another by means other than the known perceptual senses. ... A cubical magnet levitating over a superconducting material (this is known as the Meissner effect). ...

Geology

Catastrophism claims that Earth has been affected by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope. Immanuel Velikovsky's theories fall under this category. (An exception, one specific type of catastrophism that is no longer significantly disputed, is the theory that the Earth has occasionally experienced collisions from astronomical objects such as asteroids and comets large enough to temporarily affect global climate and cause extinction events.)
Flat Earthism is the idea that Earth is flat, not a spheroid, as has been observed since the time of the Greeks.
Flood geology is the creationist form of geology that advocates most of the geologic features on Earth are explainable by a global flood.
Hollow Earthism theory claims that the Earth is hollow, and its inside is possibly populated by a race of superbeings, humans or aliens, and possibly dinosaurs.
Ley lines are alignments of a number of places of geographical interest, such as ancient megaliths.
Normally undetectable Monoatomic Elements make up 5% of the earth's crust.

This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Catastrophism is the theory that Earth has been affected by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope. ... Immanuel Velikovsky (June 10, 1895 (NS) â€“ November 17, 1979) is best known as the author of a number of controversial books on pre-history, particularly Worlds in Collision 1950), Ages in Chaos 1952, and Earth in Upheaval 1956. ... 253 Mathilde, a C-type asteroid. ... Comet Hale-Bopp For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ... 15th century adaptation of a T-O map. ... In mathematics, a spheroid is a quadric surface in three dimensions obtained by rotating an ellipse about one of its principal axes. ... Flood geology (also creation geology or diluvial geology) is a creationist perspective on geologic phenomena which assumes the literal truth of the Great Flood described in Genesis. ... The Deluge by Gustave DorÃ©. The story of a Great Flood sent by God or the gods to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution is a widespread theme in myths. ... A Hollow Earth theory posits that the planet Earth has a hollow interior and probably a habitable inner surface. ... Ley lines are alignments of a number of places of geographical interest, such as ancient megaliths. ...

Medicine

Acupuncture, in the traditional sense, is the practice of inserting very thin needles in particular points on the body to redirect qi thereby improving health and well-being. While acupuncture has documented theraputic effects, mainstream medical science attributes the mechanism for these effects to sources other than qi. This is one component of traditional Chinese medicine.
Applied kinesiology is a method of diagnosing malfunctioning organs and what the effect of substances on the body is or would be by testing whether certain muscles are weakened or not. See also Kinesiology.
The Bates Method of vision improvement, based on a theories of accommodation and myopia pathogenesis which are not accepted by mainstream ophthalmology or biology.
Biorhythm theory claims that there are measurable patterns of alterations in physiology, emotions, and intellect that can be charted over the course of days or weeks.
Chiropractic's original vitalistic assertion that vertebral subluxations block the ability of Innate intelligence (when used as non-reducible spiritual entity) to heal the body of all diseases.
Crystal healing theory states that crystals have alleged healing and mystical paranormal powers.
Dianetics is a pseudoscientific therapy that evolved into the Church of Scientology.
Demon possession was a theory for explaining some forms of mental illnesses; the theory was once widely held and was believed by many to have had Biblical support; most modern mental health professionals, today, have rejected this theory.
The Duesberg hypothesis claims that recreational and pharmaceutical drug use, rather than HIV, is the primary cause for the progress of the disease AIDS. See also AIDS reappraisal.
Food faddism refers to the tendency for idiosyncratic diets and eating patterns.
Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine involving the use of highly diluted substances with similar (i. e. homeo-) characteristics to the condition being treated. In many cases, not a single molecule of the substance remains in the diluted solution.
Iridology is the practice of examining the iris to evaluate and recommend treatments for specific health problems. (See also eyology and sclerology.)
Magnet therapy is an alternative medicine based on the concept that certain medical disorders (particularly pain or muscle spasms) can be effectively treated by exposure to magnetic fields.
Prayer healing is the belief that praying for someone to get well from an illness or injury will cause them to get well, even if the object of the prayer is unaware of the prayer.
Psychic surgery is a type of apparent surgery performed by the healer with bare hands or unorthodox instruments.
Reflexology claims that by massaging specific parts of the foot, one can improve the health of various other parts of the body.
Reiki is the use of 'healing hands' to allow a patient to experience Universal Lifeforce Energy to create physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
The opposition of Scientologists to psychiatry
Thought Field Therapy claims that it can heal of a variety of mental and physical ailments through specialized "tapping" with the fingers at meridian points on the upper body and hands.
Trepanation is the act of drilling a hole in one's head to release built-up pressure and move the person to a higher plane of consciousness. (Not to be confused with more generic medical procedure of trepanation used in neurosurgery to access the cerebrum.)

Medicine is the branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of disease and injury. ... Acupuncture (from Lat. ... QI, standing for Quite Interesting, is a comedy panel game television show hosted by Stephen Fry and shown on BBC Two and BBC Four. ... QI, standing for Quite Interesting, is a comedy panel game television show hosted by Stephen Fry and shown on BBC Two and BBC Four. ... Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... It has been suggested that Diagnostic kinesiology be merged into this article or section. ... Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. ... The Bates Method is a controversial system of practices that are claimed to improve sight and reverse ocular disorders to normal by eliminating mental strain and restoring the natural habits of seeing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chiropractic is a complementary and alternative health care profession which focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, their effects on the nervous system, and on general health. ... Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, [1] is a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical forces a doctrine that the processes of life are not explicable by the laws of physics and chemistry alone and that life... The vertebral column seen from the side The current chiropractic definition of a vertebral subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Reductionism in philosophy describes a number of related, contentious theories that hold, very roughly, that the nature of complex things can always be reduced to (explained by) simpler or more fundamental things. ... Crystal healing is the belief that crystals have energies and properties that are able to improve health. ... Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the relationship between mind and body that were developed by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. ... A pseudoscience is any body of knowledge purported to be scientific or supported by science but which fails to comply with the scientific method. ... The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. ... Demonic possession is a form of spiritual possession; specifically, the act of one or more demons entering a living or dead human or animal body or an object with the intention of using it for a purpose, normally evil but sometimes instead as a punishment or test. ... The Duesberg hypothesis is the claim that chemicals from recreational and pharmaceutical drug use, and not HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), is the primary cause of AIDS. In this approach, AIDS is taken to be a name for a group of unrelated diseases caused by abuse of recreational drugs such as... Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a retrovirus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. ... Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections in humans resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ... The AIDS reappraisal movement (or AIDS dissident movement) is a loosely connected group of activists â€” journalists, scientists, HIV-positive persons, and concerned citizens â€” who dispute the consensus view that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). ... Food faddism and fad diet are terms which refer to the tendency for idiosyncratic diets and eating patterns. ... It has been suggested that Classical homeopathy be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Complementary and Alternative Medicine be merged into this article or section. ... Iridology, also known as iridodiagnosis[1], is an alternative medicine practice in which patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris are examined for information about a patients systemic health. ... The human iris The iris is the green/grey/brown area. ... Eyology is a term that encompasses the various iridologies (physical iridology, personality iridology, etc. ... Sclerology is an alternative medicine practice in which the sclera is examined for information about a patients systemic health. ... Magnet therapy, or magnetic therapy, or magnotherapy is an alternative medicine claiming that certain medical disorders can be effectively treated by exposure to magnetic fields. ... Maria Magdalene in prayer. ... Psychic surgery is allegedly a paranormal surgical procedure, practiced chiefly in the Philippines and Brazil. ... This is an example of a reflexology chart, correlating areas of the feet with portions of the body. ... Reiki is performed through a technique similar to the laying on of hands. ... Scientology is publicly, and often vehemently, opposed to psychiatry and psychology and offers itself as an alternative to psychiatry, which Scientologists believe to be a barbaric and corrupt profession. ... Thought Field Therapy, or TFT, is a fringe psychological treatment, developed by Dr. Roger Callahan. ... 18th century French illustration of trepanation Trepanation (also known as trepanning, trephination, trephining or burr hole) is a form of surgery in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, thus exposing the dura mater in order to treat health problems related to intracranial diseases, though in the... Consciousness is a quality of the mind generally regarded to comprise qualities such as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and ones environment. ...

Planetary science

Tiamat is the name of a hypothetical planet theorized to have existed between Mars and Jupiter (Tiamat is from the Babylonian mother goddess "Tiamat").

Phaeton is the name of a hypothetical planet posited to once have existed between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter whose destruction supposedly led to the formation of asteroid belt. The name "Phaëton" is from Greek mythology and refers to the son of the sun god Helios.

Nibiru is the name of a hypothetical planet or brown dwarf in the solar system which supposedly collided with Tiamat (see above) and formed Earth, the asteroid belt, and certain comets.

Planetary science, also known as planetology or planetary astronomy, is the science of planets, or planetary systems, and the solar system. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... See also: List of hypothetical planetary bodies A hypothetical planet is a planet whose existence is not known, but has been inferred from observational scientific evidence. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Adjective Jovian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 70 kPa Hydrogen ~86% Helium ~14% Methane 0. ... Babylonia was an ancient state in Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... It has been suggested that Mother (neopaganism) be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Tiamat (disambiguation). ... Proposed astronomical symbol for the hypothetical planet Phaeton as proposed by Phaeton proponent J. Timothy Unruh (from Phaeton, The Lost Planet) Phaeton (or PhaÃ«ton, less often Phaethon) is the name of a hypothetical planet posited to once have existed between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter whose destruction supposedly... See also: List of hypothetical planetary bodies A hypothetical planet is a planet whose existence is not known, but has been inferred from observational scientific evidence. ... In physics, an orbit is the path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force, such as gravity. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Adjective Jovian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 70 kPa Hydrogen ~86% Helium ~14% Methane 0. ... Image of the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. ... The fall of Phaeton, Johann Liss, beginning of 17th century. ... The Oricoli bust of Zeus, King of the Gods, in the collection of the Vatican Museum. ... Helios in Greek In earlier Greek mythology, the sun was personified as a deity called HÃªlios (Greek for the sun), whom Homer equates with the sun Titan, Hyperion. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This brown dwarf (smaller object) orbits the star Gliese 229, which is located in the constellation Lepus about 19 light years from Earth. ... Major features of the Solar System (not to scale): The Sun, the eight planets, the asteroid belt containing the dwarf planet Ceres, outermost there is the dwarf planet Pluto (the dwarf planet Eris not shown), and a comet. ... Zecharia Sitchin is a best-selling author promoting the ancient astronaut theory of mankinds origins. ... Earth (IPA: , often referred to as the Earth, Terra, or Planet Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth largest. ... Image of the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. ... Comet Hale-Bopp For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ...

Physics

Alchemy, the attempt to turn various metals, such as lead, into gold. This view still has adherents. (Some maintain that this is a mistaken view of alchemy, which often had more sophisticated goals. See the article for details.)
Autodynamics is a theory proposed as a replacement for special relativity, which is claimed to have been based on erroneous assumptions.
Creationist cosmologies offered by Young Earth Creationists as alternative ideas about cosmology to allow for a universe that is only thousands of years old.
Nikola Tesla's unpublished (and "lost") Dynamic theory of gravity.
ECE theory, an alleged unified field theory,
Electric Universe, an idea that electricity plays a larger role in the universe than is commonly accepted.
Emitter theory, another now-obsolete theory of light propagation.
Fine-tuned universe, a theory based on the claimed probability that the Cosmological constants could not have arisen by chance.
Hydrino theory proposes the hydrino, or miniature hydrogen atom with the electron pushed closer than usual to the nucleus.
Kirlian photography is high-voltage contact print photography. Its existence is not disputed, but the paranormal interpretations of some images thus produced are.
Modern geocentrism, citing uniform gamma ray bursts distribution as evidence that we are at the center of the universe, and other ideas of this type.
Non-standard cosmologies, a summary of the alternatives to the Big Bang offered by various groups who claim varying levels of scientific legitimacy.
N-ray, an alleged new form of radiation first "observed" by René-Prosper Blondlot, and soon debunked by Robert W. Wood and others.
Wilhelm Reich's Orgone energy is an unproven form of energy, both cosmic and biological.
Perpetual motion machines are a class of hypothetical machines in which the inputs of energy (including the energy equivalent of any fuel) are less than the outputs, a result that would violate the principle of conservation of energy. These should not be confused with energy processes that use various forms of latent energy (such as nuclear fission) and may to an untrained eye appear to be energy from "nowhere".
Polywater is a supposed polymerized form of water.
Polarizable vacuum is a supposed alternative to general relativity introduced by Harold Puthoff, which claims that gravitation is merely an electromagnetic phenomenon.
Process physics by Reginald Cahill. "Process physics comes together with physics, automata theory, and cognitive science into a holistic area known as generative sciences, towards the unification of all systematic knowledge about the universe and the world."
Red mercury, code name for a supposed energetic substance that could allow creation of hydrogen bomb without preceding fission explosion, promulgated by Samuel Cohen, sometimes claimed to be a ballotechnic substance.
Riemannian Cosmology, proposed by Igor Bogdanoff, regarded as illucid or cranky by most mainstream physicists, but defended by a vocal minority.
Scalar field theory is a set of theories in a model which posits that there is a basic mechanism that produces the electric field and the magnetic field and which normal electromagnetic theory does not acknowledge or account for.
Scalar waves says there are electromagnetic longitudinal waves
Synchronicity is the claim by Carl Jung that some mysterious alignment of forces in the universe create apparent coincidence which according to Jung are imbued with profound meaning. In a strange aberration, late in his life (age 55), the prince of skeptics, Wolfgang Pauli, coauthored a book on this topic with Jung.
Time Cube says that time is cubic, the claims are those of Gene Ray first appeared on a website of the same name in August 1997. The claims relating to physics and mathematics attempt to redefine basic scientific principles and terminology thus rely on circular logic of Time Cube instead of established scientific conventions. The lack of academic interest in the claims is always attributed to conspiracies, and/or the educated people are evil/stupid.
Yilmaz theory of gravitation, regarded as illucid or cranky by mainstream physicists.

Physics (from the Greek, (phÃºsis), nature and (phusikÃ©), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space and time. ... For other uses, see Alchemy (disambiguation). ... General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish white Atomic mass 207. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Autodynamics is a replacement for special relativity and general relativity proposed by physicist Ricardo Carezani, in the early 1940s. ... The special theory of relativity was proposed in 1905 by Albert Einstein in his article On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies. Some three centuries earlier, Galileos principle of relativity had stated that all uniform motion was relative, and that there was no absolute and well-defined state of rest... Creationist cosmologies are pseudoscientific arguments by various creationists that a significant portion of the observable universe is a few thousands of years old, and as such, run contrary to the Big Bang Theory, which states that all of the universe is billions of years old. ... Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)[1] was a world-renowned Serbian inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... In physics, unified field theory is an attempt to unify all the fundamental forces and the interactions between elementary particles into a single theoretical framework. ... A sunspot. ... Emitter theory was a competing theory for the special theory of relativity, explaining the results of the Michelson-Morley experiment. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. ... Hydrino theory is a colloquial term for one aspect of a controversial Grand Unified Theory developed by Randell Mills, termed Classical Quantum Mechanics, which is claimed to be entirely based on classical physics. ... Kirlian photography refers to a form of contact print photography, theoretically associated with high-voltage. ... The term modern geocentrism refers to a belief currently held by certain groups that the Earth is the center of the universe and does not move. ... A non-standard cosmology is a cosmological idea that contradicts the standard model of cosmology. ... According to the Big Bang, the universe emerged from an extremely dense and hot state (bottom). ... The so-called N rays (or N-rays) were a phenomenon described by French scientist Jean-Pierre Dupont but subsequently found to be illusory. ... RenÃ©-Prosper Blondlot (July 3, 1849 - November 24, 1930) was a French physicist, best remembered for his mistaken identification of N rays, a phenomenon that subsequently proved to be illusory. ... Robert Williams Wood (May 2, 1868 - August 11, 1955) was a physicist. ... Dr. Wilhelm Reich Wilhelm Reich (March 24, 1897â€“November 3, 1957) was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and a member of Sigmund Freuds inner circle. ... Dr. Wilhelm Reich Wilhelm Reich (March 24, 1897–November 3, 1957) was an Austrian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who was trained in Vienna by Sigmund Freud. ... This article or section should include material from Parallel Path See also Perpetuum mobile as a musical term Perpetual motion machines (the Latin term perpetuum mobile is not uncommon) are a class of hypothetical machines which would produce useful energy in a way science cannot explain (yet). ... Conservation of energy states that the total amount of energy (often expressed as the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy) in an isolated system remains constant. ... For the generation of electrical power by fission, see Nuclear power plant An induced nuclear fission event. ... Polywater was a hypothetical polymerized form of water that was the subject of much scientific controversy during the late 1960s. ... In theoretical physics, particularly fringe physics, polarizable vacuum (PV) most often refers to a proposal by Harold Puthoff, which has been various characterized as an attempt to reformulate general relativity in terms of a purely formal analogy with the propagation of light through an optical medium, an attempt to replace... General relativity (GR) is the geometrical theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915. ... Harold E. Puthoff, PhD, is an American physicist. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In theoretical computer science, automata theory is the study of abstract machines and problems they are able to solve. ... Cognitive science is usually defined as the scientific study either of mind or of intelligence (e. ... Red mercury is a discredited substance that was thought to be used in the creation of nuclear bombs (some believed that red mercury was a ballotechnic material). ... For the generation of electrical power by fission, see Nuclear power plant An induced nuclear fission event. ... Sam Cohen, neutron bomb inventor and author of Shame For the composer, see Samuel Cohen (composer). ... Ballotechnics is a speculative field within nuclear physics and is concerned with ballotechnic nuclear reactions, also called induced gamma emission (often abbreviated as IGE). ... The Bogdanov Affair is an academic dispute regarding a series of theoretical physics papers written by French twin brothers Igor and Grichka Bogdanov (or Bogdanoff). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Longitudinal waves, also referred to as compressional waves or pressure waves, are waves that have vibrations along the their direction of travel. ... synchronicity - graphic by Christoph Balzar, copyright VG-Bildkunst 2006 Synchronicity is a word coined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung to describe the temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events. ... Carl Jungs autobiographical work Memories , Dreams, Reflections, Fontana edition Carl Gustav Jung (July 26, 1875, Kesswil, â€“ June 6, 1961, KÃ¼snacht) (IPA: ) was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology. ... This article is about Austrian-Swiss physicist Wolfgang Pauli. ... The layout (reduced) and writing style of the Time Cube website. ... Gene Ray, self-proclaimed discoverer of Natures Harmonic Simultaneous 4-Day Time Cube Gene Ray (born Otis Eugene Ray, 2 July 1927) claims in his writings relating to Natures Harmonic Simultaneous 4-Day Time Cube, that they represent the ineffable truth of the universe. ... The Yilmaz theory of gravitation is an attempt by HÃ¼seyn Yilmaz and a handful of coworkers to formulate a classical field theory of gravitation which closely mimics general relativity in weak-field conditions, but in which event horizons cannot appear. ...

Probability

Gambler's Fallacy, the claim that truly random events which have happened less often than the frequency expected by random chance in the past are more likely than random chance to happen in the future.
Luck, the claim, common in fiction and folk wisdom, that random events not causally linked to a person or ritual happen in a way that systemically favors or disfavors the interests of that person, or someone who has carried out a ritual. One important subtype of luck belief is a popular version of the concept of karma which asserts that good things are more likely to happen in the future to people who have been good, and that bad things are more likely to happen in the future to people have been bad, as a result of a cosmic principle of balance.

This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The gamblers fallacy is a logical fallacy which encompasses any of the following misconceptions: A random event is more likely to occur because it has not happened for a period of time; A random event is less likely to occur because it has not happened for a period of... A four leaf clover is often considered to bestow good luck This article is about fortune. ... Karma(Sanskrit: from the root , to do, [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) means (the result of) action, generally taken as a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. ...

Psychology

Characterology method of character reading developed in the 1920's.
Couéism, or the Coué Method, method of healing and self-improvement through autosuggestion.
Engrams, a phenomenon claimed by Dianetics (see Scientology), are claimed to be mental patterns connected through activation at the same time.
Enneagram is a classification of personality characteristics claimed to give insight into intra- and interpersonal relationships.
Graphology is the study of handwriting and its connection to behavior, personal information and other human traits.
Indigo children refers to a New Age concept used to classify children with certain "unusual" psychological characteristics or abilities
Parapsychology is the study of purported paranormal mental phenomena.
Pathognomy is the study of passions and emotions.
Phrenology claims to be able to determine personality traits and criminality on the basis of the shape of the head.
Photoreading is "mentally photographing" printed pages.
Physiognomy is based upon the belief that the study and judgement of a person's outer appearance, primarily the face, reflects the contents of their personality.
Recovered memory is the act of discovering repressed memories and therapy to achieve such ends.
Sentience Quotient is a concept invented by Robert A. Freitas Jr. The theory defines sentience according to a relationship between information processing rate and brain mass, yet there is no evidence that such a relationship is in any way related to the measure of sentience.

Psychology is an academic and applied field involving the study of the human mind, brain, and behavior. ... Characterology is a method of character reading developed in the 1920s that attempted to combine revised Physiognomy, reconstructed Phrenology, and amplified Pathognomy with ethnology, sociology, and anthropology. ... Ã‰mile CouÃ© (born in Troyes, France, 26 February 1857 of old noble Breton stock; died 2 July 1926 in Nancy, France) was a French psychologist and pharmacist who introduced a method of psychotherapy, healing, and self-improvement, based on autosuggestion or self-hypnosis. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, an engram is defined as an unconscious, painful memory. ... Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the relationship between mind and body that were developed by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... The Enneagram Figure The Enneagram (also sometimes called Enneagon) is a nine-pointed diagrammatic figure used for various purposes in a number of teaching systems. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Indigo children is a term used within the New Age movement to refer to children who are believed to possess certain special psychological and spiritual attributes. ... Parapsychology is the study of certain types of paranormal phenomena (parapsychology comes from the Greek para, â€œbeside, beyond,â€ + psychology, derived from the Greek psyche, â€œsoul, mind,â€ + logos â€œrational discussionâ€). The term was coined by Max Dessoir (1889). ... Anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge, e. ... Pathognomy is the study of passions and emotions. ... A 19th century Phrenology chart Phrenology (from Greek: Ï†ÏÎ®Î½, phrÄ“n, mind; and Î»ÏŒÎ³Î¿Ï‚, logos, knowledge) is a theory which claims to be able to determine character, personality traits, and criminality on the basis of the shape of the head (reading bumps). Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall around 1800, and... PhotoReading is a purportedly whole-mind system which it is claimed, allows people to read books at speeds exceeding 25,000 words per minute. ... Physiognomy (Gk. ... A repressed memory, according to some theories of psychology, is a memory (often traumatic) of an event or environment which is stored by the unconscious mind but outside the awareness of the conscious mind. ... The Sentience Quotient concept was invented by Robert A. Freitas Jr. ...

Sociology

Eugenics, a term variously defined but generally meaning attempts to use social control to improve the human gene pool, is often labeled as a pseudoscience when referring to its status in the first half of the twentieth century as practiced in the United States and under Nazi Germany, which rested on methodologically problematic assumptions and very sloppy data. Depending on the definition of the term, though, it is not necessarily pseudoscience.^[1]
Social Darwinism is a set of theories which proponents argue govern the natural sociological relations of humanity; these theories are putatively an application of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection to society as a whole. They generally claim that current social structure is governed by purely biological considerations (i.e. the poor are poor and the rich are rich because they are biologically inclined to fall into those categories).

Social interactions and their consequences are the subject of sociology. ... Eugenics is the self-direction of human evolution: Logo from the Second International Congress of Eugenics, 1921, depicting it as a tree which unites a variety of different fields. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Xenology

Cryptozoology is the study of rumored or mythological animals that are presumed by many to exist, but for which proof does not yet exist.
Pseudoarchaeology refers to the ideologically-driven, usually sensational interpretation of the past outside of a critical, scientific framework. Pseudoarchaeology also includes forms of protosciences.
Scientology, often categorized as a UFO religion, makes complicated claims of ancient alien civilizations and promises supernatural abilities.
Ufology is the term describing the study of the UFO (unidentified flying object) phenomena, including claims that some UFOs are extraterrestrial vehicles manned by aliens.
Vril - A worldview involving Nazi mysticism, and an interpretation of Ufology relating to a Hollow earth and subterranean Nazi-friendly super beings, rather than "space" extraterrestrials.

Xenology (from Greek language xenos = â€žforeign, guestâ€œ and Î»Î¿Î³Î¿Ï‚ (logos) = â€žwordâ€œ) denotes research or information about foreign, alien, secret or generally unknown things. ... Pen and wash drawing by malacologist Pierre Denys de Montfort, 1801, from the descriptions of French sailors reportedly attacked by a Kraken off the coast of Angola. ... Pseudoarchaeology is an aspect of pseudohistory. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... The Message Given To Me By Extra-Terrestrials, the book that forms the basis of the RaÃ«lian movement A UFO religion or UFO cult is a faith community that involves a belief in the existence of extraterrestrials and UFOs. ... In Scientology doctrine, space opera was the term used by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to describe extraterrestrial civilizations and alien interventions. ... In Church of Scientology doctrine, the subjects of supernatural or superhuman powers and abilities are ones that recur often. ... Ufology is the study of unidentified flying object (UFO) reports, sightings, alleged physical evidence, and other related phenomena. ... Vril is a word from a science-fiction novel by Edward Bulwer-Lytton titled Vril: The Power of the Coming Race and published in 1870. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction, this article may require cleanup. ... Ufology is the study of unidentified flying object (UFO) reports, sightings, alleged physical evidence, and other related phenomena. ... A Hollow Earth theory posits that the planet Earth has a hollow interior and probably a habitable inner surface. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Extraterrestrial life refers to forms of life that may exist and originate outside of the planet Earth. ...

Miscellaneous

Anthroposophy, also called spiritual science by its founder Rudolf Steiner, is an attempt to investigate and describe spiritual phenomena with the same precision and clarity with which natural science investigates and describes the physical world.
Bible codes research states that the future can be predicted by examining Hebrew letters arranged in blocks and making various skips (every 4th letter or every 6th letter, etc). Critics say that similar "codes" can be found in any book of similar length (for example: War and Peace).
Biblical scientific foreknowledge, which asserts that the Bible makes predictions about science.
Facilitated communication is viewed alternative means of expression for people who cannot speak, or whose speech is highly limited (e.g. echoed, limited to one or a few word utterances), and who cannot point reliably. Critics charge that actual communication is only done by the facilitator.
Ghost hunting aka Paranormal investigation, collecting and measuring evidence of paranormal activity using a variety of electronic gadgets, such as EMF Meters, digital thermometers, infrared and night vision cameras, handheld video cameras, digital audio recorders, and computers.
Laws of Form, to the extent that it is claimed to be anything more than an unorthodox presentation of propositional logic
Materialization creation of matter from nowhere and out of nothing by somebody's will power or concentration.
New Chronology consists of various competing theories which claim that currently accepted chronology presents a history that lasts either much longer or much shorter than it should (e.g., that Jesus was born around 1000 years ago).
Novelty Theory An eschatology-like theory proposed by its creator, ethnobotanist Terence McKenna to have a firm mathematical basis (McKenna is not a mathematician), although its rationale and sources are primarily numerological, for example the Maya Calendar and a list of numbers from the I Ching. Its main feature is a plotted waveform McKenna calls "Timewave Zero," which he claims shows that "something" significant will happen in the year 2012, which corresponds to an abbreviated form of the date which marks the end of the Maya Calendar.
Reincarnation, a doctrine or mystical belief, that holds the notion that one's 'Spirit' ('Soul' depending on interpretation), or critical parts of these returns to the material world after physical death to be reborn in a new body.
Welteislehre is the theory developed by Hanns Hörbiger in the early 20th century. It states that the universe is based on a constant struggle between ice and fire.
Yin and Yang is the theory that everything is based on a constant struggle between two opposing forces.

Anthroposophy is a spiritual science founded by Rudolf Steiner. ... Rudolf Steiner. ... Bible codes, also known as Torah codes, are words, phrases and clusters of words and phrases that some people believe are meaningful and exist intentionally in coded form in the text of the Bible. ... War and Peace (Russian: Ð’Ð¾Ð¹Ð½Ð° Ð¸ Ð¼Ð¸Ñ€, Vojna i mir; in original orthography: Ð’Ð¾Ð¹Ð½Ð° Ð¸ Ð¼Ð¸Ñ€ÑŠ, Vojna i mir) is an epic novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published from 1865 to 1869, which tells the story of Russian society during the Napoleonic Era. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The word Bible refers to the canonical collections of sacred writings of Judaism and Christianity. ... Facilitated communication (FC) is a method intended to help people with communication disorders to use communication aids with their hands. ... Ghost hunting is a general phrase used by paranormal enthusiasts to describe the process of investigating an alleged haunting. ... Paranormal Investigation is the investigation of paranormal phenomenon. ... The book Laws of Form (hereinafter abbreviated LoF), by G. Spencer-Brown, describes three distinct logical systems: The primary arithmetic (described in Chapter 4), which can be interpreted as Boolean arithmetic; The primary algebra (chapter 6), an algebraic structure that is a provocative and economical notation for the two-element... Propositional logic or sentential logic is the logic of propositions, sentences, or clauses. ... A materialization is the creation or appearance of matter from nowhere and out of nothing. ... Cover of History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 1 The New Chronology of Anatoly Timofeevich Fomenko is an attempt to rewrite world chronology, based on his conclusion that world chronology as we know it today is fundamentally flawed. ... Pictoral chronology of intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency Chronology is the science of locating events in time. ... Jesus (8â€“2 BC/BCE to 29â€“36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... A screenshot of the Timewave Zero software. ... // Look up eschatology in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between plants and people: Fromethno - study of people and botany - study of plants. ... Terence Kemp McKenna (November 16, 1946 â€“ April 3, 2000) was a writer and philosopher. ... The Maya calendar is actually a system of distinct calendars and almanacs used by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. ... Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... The Maya calendar is actually a system of distinct calendars and almanacs used by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. ... According to Hinduism, every living being is an eternally existing spirit (the soul or the self). ... Welteislehre (also known as Glazial-Kosmogonie) is a theory first published by the Austrian Hanns Hörbiger, a refrigeration engineer, in 1913. ... Taijitu, the traditional symbol representing the forces of Yin and Yang The concepts of Yin and Yang originate in ancient Chinese philosophy and metaphysics, which describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. ...

References

^ Diane Paul, Controlling human heredity: 1865 to the present (New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1995), 18.

External links

Baez, John, "The crackpot index : Method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to physics.".
Kruger, Justin, and David Dunning "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments". Department of Psychology, Cornell University.

COMMENTARY

Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.

Contents