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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Controversial knowledge > Conspiracy theories
UFOs. Aliens. Strange crop circles. Giant figures scratched in the
desert surface along the coast of Peru. The amazing alignment of
the pyramids. Strange lines of clouds in the sky. The paranormal is
alive and well in the American cultural landscape. In UFOs,
Chemtrails, and Aliens, Donald R. Prothero and Tim Callahan explore
why such demonstrably false beliefs thrive despite decades of
education and scientific debunking. Employing the ground rules of
science and the standards of scientific evidence, Prothero and
Callahan discuss a wide range of topics including the reliability
of eyewitness testimony, psychological research into why people
want to believe in aliens and UFOs, and the role conspiratorial
thinking plays in UFO culture. They examine a variety of UFO
sightings and describe the standards of evidence used to determine
whether UFOs are actual alien spacecraft. Finally, they consider
our views of aliens and the strong cultural signals that provide
the shapes and behaviors of these beings. While their approach is
firmly based in science, Prothero and Callahan also share their
personal experiences of Area 51, Roswell, and other legendary
sites, creating a narrative that is sure to engross both skeptics
and believers.
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