Skeptic's Guide Interview
Category: Health
I'm on the latest instalment of the Skeptic's Guide podcast talking about the Mora/Orsa electrophobia case and the Obscurantist of the Year anti-award.
Posted by Martin R at 3:18 PM • 5 Comments •
Aardvarchaeology
Martin Rundkvist's blog. Archaeology, skepticism, Sweden. And books and music and stuff.
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Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, chairman of the Swedish Skeptics Society, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
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Blogroll
Skepticism:
2011 Enlightener & Obscurantist Awards
Category: Skepticism
The Board for the Environment of Mora and Orsa municipalities receives the Obscurantist of the Year anti-award, as it has disregarded scientific knowledge when dealing with so-called electromagnetic hypersensitivity.
Posted by Martin R at 3:33 AM • 10 Comments •
Talking About Heyerdahl On Norwegian Radio
Category: Archaeology
Here I go again, bad-mouthing Thor Heyerdahl to his countrymen.
Posted by Martin R at 4:59 AM • 4 Comments •
The Heating Is Increasingly Turned Off In Swedish Churches
Category: Archaeology
The reason that the heat is getting turned off in more and more churches isn't preservation concerns. It's the shrinking congregations and the price of electricity.
Posted by Martin R at 5:18 PM • 10 Comments •
Radiation Phobia and Wolves
Category: Health
A family has moved out into the deep woods to get away from all electrical equipment. But despite all their attempts to get away from radiation, the malady persists. And they have a theory about why that is.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 11 Comments •
Kon Tiki Airport Restaurant
Category: Archaeology
Last time I passed through Oslo airport I discovered this Kon Tiki-themed restaurant with a faux Ecuadorian stele.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 7 Comments •
Kensington Runestone Faker's Signature Found
Category: Runes
One of the first things that stick out about the Kensington inscription is the unparallelled preponderance of numbers in it. The clincher is found in some simple cryptography.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 31 Comments •
Swedish University Invites Imaginary Bosnian Pyramid Crank
Category: Archaeology
Cornelius Holtorf has now done something completely in line with his convictions, that is, something I consider extremely irresponsible and which causes me to palm my face and groan.
Posted by Martin R at 1:00 AM • 36 Comments •
Gothenburg Book Fair
Category: Books
I visited the Gothenburg Book Fair for the first time because of my new book. The Academy of Letters needed people to put on the Researcher's Square stage, and conveniently one of their staff had just published a book...
Posted by Martin R at 4:15 PM • 13 Comments •
Alopecia: Charm Quark's Non-Cancer
Category: Health
Looking like you have cancer without actually having to go through the disease, treatment and anxiety is a fairly good deal when it comes to undercover work.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 2 Comments •
Swedish Pyramidologist
Category: Archaeology
To my mind, Almkvist's pyramidological studies are a classic case of geometrical pareidolia, apophenia or patternicity.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 16 Comments •
Failed Attempt To Use Aard For Anti-Cult Propaganda
Category: China
FG's prophet actually has made some racist statements, but they are peripheral ideas in the movement and certainly not something a FG proselytiser would shove in someone's face when making a first contact.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 11 Comments •
West African Marabout Con Man
Category: Skepticism
Marabouts are West African con men & fortune tellers who market their services in Europe with little flyers printed on coloured paper. In France, there's an ongoing collectors' craze for these notes. I found one under my windshield wiper...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 13 Comments •
The Lord Is Great Because He Saves/Kills Us!
Category: Skepticism
In the various Ancient Near Eastern religions (including the Hebrew brand), people tended to see all great events as signs of how powerful their respective gods were.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 16 Comments •
Will the New Age Be Here Soon?
Category: Skepticism
The other day I overheard a cringeworthy conversation between two 70ish ladies of the New Age persuasion. They were talking about how a great change is imminent in our society, as heralded by the unusually many catastrophes taking place (huh?),...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 22 Comments •
Talking and Listening in Minneapolis
Category: Travel
I gave two talks and one radio interview this past weekend and just generally had a blast.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 14 Comments •
Kenyan Villagers Deny Chinese Allegations of Being Related
Category: China
Not even the locals, who supposedly tell "legends" about their Chinese ancestry, believe any of it or indeed know of any such legends prior to the recent foreign involvement.
Posted by Martin R at 10:02 PM • 3 Comments •
Chairman of the Swedish Skeptics
Category: Skepticism
I joined the Swedish Skeptics Society in 1997. Not because I was particularly aware of or bothered by paranormal claims or alternative medicine, but because I was an unhappy grad student in an Artsy post-modernist environment that was extremely hostile...
Posted by Martin R at 2:20 AM • 17 Comments •
A Lot Going On
Category: Archaeology
I've got a lot of fun stuff going on right now. Yesterday I drove to Uppsala, talked to the County Archaeologist about a site for almost two hours on an empty stomach, was fed cake by my friend and colleague...
Posted by Martin R at 3:22 AM • 7 Comments •
Juniorette Sings Cohen
Category: Children
Juniorette is a precocious seven years old. Here's her rendition of Leonard Cohen's 1984 song "Hallelujah", with the Swedish lyrics by Py Bäckman. The performance is influenced to a certain degree by another young Swedish singer's version, Molly Sandén's on...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 5 Comments •
Cthulhu Tract
Category: Humour
Jack Chick is an insane Christian cartoonist. Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an atheist horror writer who wrote about people being driven insane. In Fred Van Lente and Steve Ellis's brilliant 2000 tract, Chick and Lovecraft are made one. Thanks...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 7 Comments •
George Hrab Hits Scandinavia: The Golden Ticket Tour
Category: Music
When skeptical darling George Hrab released his latest album, Trebuchet, he placed a golden ticket in the sleeve of one copy that went into regular distribution. On the ticket was Hrab's phone number and a promise to come and...
Posted by Martin R at 3:40 AM • 5 Comments •
Sweden Has Antivaxers Too
Category: Health
Noted skeptical author and podcaster CJ Åkerberg takes a look at one of the most active and visible anti-vaccine cranks in Sweden, Sanna Ehdin, and at the history of vaccination.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 3 Comments •
2010 Enlightener & Obscurantist Awards
Category: Skepticism
The Swedish Skeptics' annual awards for 2010 were just announced.
Posted by Martin R at 5:43 AM • 3 Comments •
I Speak My Mind
Category: Archaeology
Head on over to Skeptikerpodden and hear their long interview with me about the Swedish Skeptics Society, ending with some views on archaeology.
Posted by Martin R at 3:00 AM • 10 Comments •
Swedish Skeptics in Transformation
Category: Skepticism
Excellent Swedish feature-journalism magazine Filter has a 17-page piece about the skeptical movement in its current issue (#17). Magnus Västerbro's take on the movement in general and the Swedish Skeptics Association in particular is supportive yet not uncritical. I've been...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 5 Comments •
Monday Miscellany
Category: Archaeology
Lots of news in archaeology and biology.
Posted by Martin R at 2:14 PM • 24 Comments •
Thor Heyerdahl and Hyperdiffusionism
Category: Archaeology
Thor Heyerdahl could not accept the idea of independent inventions, of convergent cultural evolution. His thinking wasn't just diffusionistic on the small-to-middle scale. Every one of his boat trips was designed to show that hyperdiffusionism was possible.
Posted by Martin R at 10:41 AM • 43 Comments •
Pseudoarchaeology Talk in Uppsala on Thursday
Category: Archaeology
I'll speak about four Scandy writers of pseudoarchaeological books at the Kritisk masse conference in Oslo: Bob G Lind, Lennart Möller, Erling Haagensen and Thor Heyerdahl.
Posted by Martin R at 5:04 AM • 11 Comments •
TAM London, Sunday
Category: Travel
Does a pro-science critical-thinking approach automatically lead to liberal humanism? Maybe.
Posted by Martin R at 12:37 PM • 14 Comments •
TAM London, Saturday
Category: Travel
The first day of the James Randi Educational Foundation's second London conference was jam-packed.
Posted by Martin R at 4:00 AM • 3 Comments •
Science Fraud in Swedish Transplantation Biology
Category: Biology
The Swedish Research Council's expert panel has found professor Suchitra Holgersson guilty of severe science fraud.
Posted by Martin R at 12:50 PM • 12 Comments •
Saint Paul Never Read the Bible
Category: History
Did you know that Mark, the oldest of the Gospels, was written just about the time of Paul's execution in AD 64/65?
Posted by Martin R at 6:18 AM • 37 Comments •
Respected Swedish Archaeologist Joins Cranks
Category: Archaeology
While geologist Mörner and his collaborator homeopath Bob G. Lind are Swedish archaeology's most notorious cranks, Duczko is not. He is a respected senior archaeologist.
Posted by Martin R at 4:02 PM • 17 Comments •
Church of Sweden Ineptly Tries to Smear Humanist Association
Category: Skepticism
Reverend Gerle's argument is that if I dislike woolen hats in general, then this means that I am specifically and discriminatingly hostile to green woolen hats.
Posted by Martin R at 1:33 PM • 13 Comments •
Amateur Impact Hypothesis Makes It Into Major Archaeology Journal
Category: Skepticism
Antiquity's peer review has failed in this case. Before geologists reach a consensus that the Chiemgau craters exist (as seems unlikely right now), archaeologists and historians cannot use them to explain anything.
Posted by Martin R at 8:27 AM • 25 Comments •
Mitchell & Webb Fake the Moon Landing
Category: Humour
Would it have been cost-effective to fake the Moon landing?
Posted by Martin R at 2:52 AM • 3 Comments •
An Apparatus With Which We Think We Think
Category: Skepticism
Hans Alfredson was translating something that Ambrose Bierce said in his Devil's Dictionary (1911): "Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think."
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 11 Comments •
Continued Afro-Chinese History Manipulation
Category: Archaeology
I hope the project does find a 15th century Chinese shipwreck. But if they do, then this will in no way validate the suddenly remembered folklore. It's a ridiculous product of current Afro-Chinese economic relations.
Posted by Martin R at 4:41 PM • 13 Comments •
New Albums: Roy Zimmerman, George Hrab
Category: Music
Californian Roy Zimmerman is a satirical singer in the vein of Tom Lehrer (who endorses him). He recently released his seventh solo album, Real American, and I'm happy to say that Zimmerman has lost none of the brilliance us fans...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 1 Comments •
Skeptics' Conference, Oslo, Norway, 29-31 October
Category: Norway
There's not much detail available yet about the event, but I for one have written an Oslo trip onto my schedule for the last weekend in October. See you there!WWW: www.kritiskmasse.no Facebook: www.facebook.com/kritiskmasse Twitter: twitter.com/kritiskmasse[More blog entries about skepticism, Norway;...
Posted by Martin R at 4:02 PM • 0 Comments •
Randi & Houdi on Swedish Morning News
Category: Skepticism
Posted by Martin R at 6:06 AM • 4 Comments •
A Day With the Amazing Randi
Category: Skepticism
Myself and P.J. Råsmark had taken it upon ourselves to act as native guides and gophers for Randi during his days in Stockholm at the invitation of the Swedish Skeptics.
Posted by Martin R at 12:15 AM • 8 Comments •
The Amazing Randi Tours Sweden
Category: Skepticism
James Randi -- magician, escapist, author and skeptic extraordinaire -- will give three lectures in Sweden next week under the auspices of the Swedish Skeptics Society. Everyone is welcome: entry fee 50 kronor. Be there before the doors open! Among...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 2 Comments •
Lukewarm Normative Scandy Atheism
Category: Skepticism
Because of blogging and my involvement in the skeptical pro-science movement, in recent years I have come into close contact with Americans as never before in my adult life. More than half of Aard's readers are in the US. It's...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 69 Comments •
Why Am I Not Agnostic About Gods?
Category: Skepticism
When attempting to explain observations, a person should be parsimonious, frugal, economic in their hypotheses.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 147 Comments •
Not the Real Face of Jesus
Category: History
The shroud of Turin has been radiocarbon-dated to AD 1260-1390. This date coincides with the first written mention of the cloth from AD 1357.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 387 Comments •
Baby Christened, Dad Unhappy and Surprised to Learn
Category: Skepticism
The priest admits that he should have checked with the dad but that he didn't.
Posted by Martin R at 2:51 PM • 26 Comments •
Pray and Get Rich
Category: China
In China, religious worship is basically about praying to statues for stuff.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 20 Comments •
Swedish Autism & Vaccination Lawsuit
Category: Health
The parents blamed the boy's condition on common vaccines, which would have entitled them to insurance money, while the company held that autism is almost always congenital and never caused by vaccines. The court found the science presented by the defendant convincing.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 18 Comments •
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