Were humans created by "God" as Slaves? Was Abraham the first human Spy? Was Jesus an accidental Messiah? The author takes readers on a remarkable odyssey of the true origins of humankind in which he: draws clear and startling analogies between new discoveries in genetic engineering and ancient archaeological finds...; highlights emerging scientific information overlooked in the past... ; unravels the Bible's often obscure stories by linking these to their original forms in Sumerian clay tablets and other pre-historic writings..; provides explicit answers to why our modern world has become so senseless and chaotic by revealing the very secrets of our prehistory... While shattering myths about evolution and God, Michael Tellinger's "Slave Species of God" enables evolutionists and creationists to finally co-exist in one pond. The arguments are compelling, simple and refreshing, retracing the path of human evolution from the murky distant past to the religious dogma that haunts humankind today.;The question of who we are and where we come from takes on a new meaning as we discover that our DNA may have been manipulated by our Creator some 200,000 years ago to produce a less intelligent 'primitive species'.

In QAnon and On, Guardian columnist Van Badham delves headfirst into the QAnon conspiracy theory, unpicking the why, how and who behind this century's most dangerous and far-fetched internet cult. From Gamergate to Pizzagate and beyond to QAnon, internet manipulation and disinformation campaigns have grown to a geopolitical scale and spilled into real life with devastating consequences, entangling everyone from politicians to Hollywood celebrities. But what would motivate followers to so forcefully avoid the facts and surrender instead to made-up stories designed to influence and control? It's a question that has haunted Van, herself a veteran of social media's relentless trolling wars. In this daring investigation, Van exposes some of the internet's most extreme communities to understand conspiracy cults from the inside. QAnon and On is the story of the modern internet, the farscape of political belief and a disinformation pipeline built between the two that poses an ongoing threat to democracy itself. Shocking and mesmerising in equal measure, this book will open our eyes to the dangers of partisan belief.

How is public morality understood in the twenty-first century, and what effect does this have on legislation and social policy? Public Morality and the Culture Wars is a strictly non-polemical analysis of the intellectual and ideological conflicts at the heart of the 'culture wars'. Taking debates on human nature, sexuality, gender identity, abortion, censorship, and free speech, Bryan Fanning offers an accessible analysis of modern public morality, identifying a 'triple divide' between conservative, liberal and progressive viewpoints. A nuanced analysis of 'culture wars' now dividing Anglophone democracies is badly needed. Public Morality and the Culture Wars makes a vibrant and invigorating contribution to the debate, essential reading for scholars and students in the fields of social policy, law, politics, philosophy, sociology and social justice.

From the author of Fake History, Otto English, comes a shocking yet hilarious look at ten of the greatest liars from our past, examining these previously unquestioned idols and exposing what they were trying to hide.

Was Che Guevara really a revolutionary hero? Should Mother Teresa be honoured as a saint? Is Henry V actually England's greatest king? And why does JFK's legend continue to grow?

Having exposed some of the greatest lies ever told in Fake History, journalist Otto English turns his attention to some of history's biggest (and most beloved) figures.

Whether it's virtuous leaders in just wars, martyrs sacrificing all for a cause, or innovators changing the world for the better, down the centuries supposedly great men and women have risen to become household names, saints and heroes. But just how deserving are they of their reputations?

Exploring everything from Captain Scott's reckless hunt for glory and Andy Warhol's flagrant thievery to Coco Chanel's murky Nazi past, Otto English dives into the hidden lives of some of history's most recognisable names. Scrutinising figures from the worlds of art, politics, business, religion and royalty, he brings to light the murkier truths they would rather have kept buried away, at the same time as celebrating the unsung heroes lost to time.

Fake Heroes exposes the truth of the past and helps us understand why that matters today.

Uses the tools of critical thinking, historical research, and philosophical inquiry to debunk the many myths and conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's shocking and untimely death. Serves as a comprehensive case study of paranoid reasoning and modern mythmaking. Discusses the causes and consequences of paranoid thinking in contemporary public discourse.

Where did the Coronavirus outbreak originate and was the pandemic predicted? Did aliens help to build the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza, and what were they trying to tell us? Is the food industry colluding to make us addicted to sugar? Prepare yourself for some startling revelations on these topics and many more in this updated and expanded compendium of the world's scariest and strangest conspiracy theories. Leaving no stone unturned, it delves into such conundrums as: the growing number of people who believe the Earth is flat the unsolved disappearance of Flight MH370 the uncertainties surrounding the assassination of Osama Bin Laden the mysterious circumstances of Bruce Lee's death Whether you're a doubter or a self-confessed conspiracy junkie, you'll find a cover-up for every occasion. And remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you...

Do ancient maps prove that the planet was surveyed 12,000 years ago? Were the poles once in a different position to where they are today? Is there a secret pattern joining the great sites of antiquity? In this revolutionary little book, ancient sites expert Hugh Newman outlines various theories concerning geometry in the distribution of sacred sites on Earth and comes to some startling conclusions. Illustrated throughout with fantastic graphics, this book will change your world. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

There is no doubt science is currently suffering from a credibility crisis. This thought-provoking book argues that, ironically, science's credibility is being undermined by tools created by scientists themselves. Scientific disinformation and damaging conspiracy theories are rife because of the internet that science created, the scientific demand for empirical evidence and statistical significance leads to data torturing and confirmation bias, and data mining is fuelled by the technological advances in Big Data and the development of ever-increasingly powerful computers. Using a wide range of entertaining examples, this fascinating book examines the impacts of society's growing distrust of science, and ultimately provides constructive suggestions for restoring the credibility of the scientific community.

Conspiracy theories seem to be proliferating today. Long relegated to a niche existence, conspiracy theories are now pervasive, and older conspiracy theories have been joined by a constant stream of new ones - that the USA carried out the 9/11 attacks itself, that the Ukrainian crisis was orchestrated by NATO, that we are being secretly controlled by a New World Order that keep us docile via chemtrails and vaccinations. Not to mention the moon landing that never happened. But what are conspiracy theories and why do people believe them? Have they always existed or are they something new, a feature of our modern world? In this book Michael Butter provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the nature and development of conspiracy theories. Contrary to popular belief, he shows that conspiracy theories are less popular and influential today than they were in the past. Up to the 1950s, the Western world regarded conspiracy theories as a legitimate form of knowledge and it was therefore normal to believe in them. It was only after the Second World War that this knowledge was delegitimized, causing conspiracy theories to be banished from public discourse and relegated to subcultures. The recent renaissance of conspiracy theories is linked to internet which gives them wider exposure and contributes to the fragmentation of the public sphere. Conspiracy theories are still stigmatized today in many sections of mainstream culture but are being accepted once again as legitimate knowledge in others. It is the clash between these domains and their different conceptions of truth that is fuelling the current debate over conspiracy theories.

The ritual of rainmaking is one of half a dozen Japanese folk practices and festivals described in this book. The story of rainmaking ceremonies begins with personal experience and then draws on the work of Japanese folklorists to record significant local variations and to construct a general account of the history and purpose of the ceremony. Field research was conducted during study visits to Kyoto, to Tenri in Nara Prefecture and to Shiga Prefecture. The chapter order follows the year cycle, from New Year via early summer purificatory festivals and rainmaking ceremonial to the feast of Bon, which with New Year ceremonies divides the year. Alongside these community or public rites are described private or family rituals concerned with birth, marriage and death. The introductory chapter relates aspects of Japanese culture, myth and language to the constant features of folk practice recorded or extant in 1950s Japan. Originally published in 1963.

75,000 years ago... early humans built a stone calendar that predates all other man-made structures found to date. Who were they? Why did they need a calendar?

Adam's Calendar firmly places the many ancient ruins of southern Africa at a point in history that we modern humans have never faced before some 75,000 ago.

It therefore symbolises the first conscious human looking at his first sunrise as a free species on planet Earth.

Concise introduction to the development of conspiracy theories during the pandemic. Takes a balanced approach drawing on empirical data and social science research rather than sensationalism. Seeks to understand rather than just condemn or mock conspiracy theorists.

This is the book that publishers withdrew because their lawyers said it was very dangerous. This book seeks justice for Diana and presents extremely incriminating evidence that all democratic nations should embrace. It's proven the paparazzi were kept away from court through "political intervention"; the decision to embalm Diana was taken at a "diplomatic level"; MI6 previously attempted to "pervert the course of justice" and are forced into acknowledging they murder people; senior police officers compared evidence to "get their stories straight" during the inquest and repeatedly sidestepped crucial questions, plus much more. The authorities are examined both pre and post the Paris attack. Disturbing evidence is presented and questions are raised over Britain's "democracy" where the people are supposed to be the law. If you share this book's view that this heinous act was intolerable then consider; Diana's murder needed the nod from someone in a position of considerable power; so, who gave the order? Post attack, the authorities were shamefully coerced into cooperating with a subterfuge just because the people's justice endangered one family and, of course, MI6; clearly an abuse of the people's democracy. This book shows evidence of murder that any honest court would accept. Murderous monsters assassinated Diana to preserve the status quo; an act of which the Nazi SS or the KGB would have been proud. But instead of burning books, these people now intimidate writers who seek justice and they are, in my view, guilty of treason; please read and consider your verdict.

The Secrets of Life series is written for everyone who, frankly, needs a spot of cheering up, and will provide conversation starters for years after reading! O'Connor's easy-going, conversational style brings an outsider's questioning eye to the great forces behind life. The final in the four-part series shows what the theories, research and science all add up to. It examines the evidence that illustrates how wrong most people in thinking the world is descending into darkness and chaos, and shows instead that it's actually improving at an astonishing rate. This explains, the author says, why in spite of the constant challenges our world faces, the human race is actually improving by the day, rather than becoming worse. Book Four points out that many people say that humans are the ultimate triumph for the selfish gene, yet we've now developed to the point where we can choose to overrule so many of its instructions. As the facts about the world's population, its life expectancies, birth rates, poverty, food security, violence, natural disasters, energy, climate and all the other major indicators are laid out in So What Does It All Mean?, it becomes ever clearer that the resultsofourevolutionshouldgiveusreasonsforoptimism,notdespair. The Secrets of Life series concludes by showing us why we are often wrong in ourviewofeachother,whywe'rebecomingeverhappierandmoremoral,andwhy we're so frequently mistaken in our views about the future. Yes, it concludes, life does have a meaning, it does have an arc of evolution, non- zero cooperation is what makes things win... and that includes us humans. Example questions posed (and answered) in Book 4 - So What Does It All Mean? What are the problems that arise from our free will? Why are we capable of so much selfishness and cynicism - and yet also such sympathy, empathy, compassion, and sacrifice? How have we come to realise that self-interest is quite different from selfishness? Why have we become so driven by the need for fairness and trust in our societies - and how can less control over a society lead to people behaving better? What's the problem that life is solving? Are we becoming happier? Is violence reducing or increasing?

Did Michael Jackson fake his own death in a bid to escape financial ruin or was he murdered? Was it aliens that helped to build the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids and what were they trying to cover up? Is the food industry colluding to make us addicted to sugar? You'll discover startling evidence on these topics and many more in this compelling compendium of the world's scariest and wackiest conspiracy theories. It leaves no stone unturned as it delves into such conundrums as: the mysterious circumstances of Bruce Lee's death the alleged withheld evidence pertaining to the 7 July bombings the controversy surrounding Barack Obama's rise to power the unsolved disappearance of Flight MH 370 Whether you're a sceptic or a self-confessed conspiracy junkie, you'll find a cover-up for every occasion. And remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you...

Learn shocking stats and facts that will surprise you, expand your knowledge, and help you impress your friends! Astonish yourself and your friends with Stats to Blow Your Mind & Everyone Else You're Talking To. Seeing is believing with the many intriguing charts and graphs in this book. Take your learning on the road, this book is perfect for reading during family vacations or to friends at parties. This is the perfect gift for someone who loves to learn. Spark your own curiosity with the compelling statistics in Stats to Blow Your Mind & Everyone Else You're Talking To.

The Secrets of Life series is written for everyone who, frankly, needs a spot of cheering up, and will provide conversation starters for years after reading! O'Connor's easy-going, conversational style brings an outsider's questioning eye to the great forces behind life. The second book in the four-part series debates the steps that led to us being so completely different to anything that had ever appeared before. If we really were just another kind of animal off the production line of life, then what were the revolutions that turbo-charged our abilities? How is it possible that we only arrived a fluttering of an eyelash ago compared to evolutionary time, yet we are now so completely dominant over everything else in life? Book Two also sets out to answer the questions around what we did that meant we could alter ourselves in an instant, and so avoid being stuck in an evolutionary niche like every other organism. Why, for example, was it such a huge step forward when we began to run? Why was the taming of fire arguably the most important thing we ever did? How did we manage to create the intelligence and insights that allowed us to make our own life decisions? Why was gossiping so critical? With the same writing approach that typified Book One, in How Did We Get To Be So Different? O'Connor sets out to answer these and other questions by summarising the views of the great biologists, anthropologists, and revolutionary theorists - and then adding some opinions of his own.. Example questions posed (and answered) in Book Two - How Did We Get To Be So Different? If we have a degree of control over our lives, then why were our rulers always so horrible- and why did we put up with them? Why do we copy each other so much, and yet we'd accept that others could be so unbelievably violent? How did fire make us so different? Where did the free will come from that let us override the drives of our animal pasts - something that no other organism had ever managed before in the long history of evolution? How did we develop language? Why was gossip so critical? How did printing and reading completely change our world?