https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/what-is-a-hyperbaric-chamber-what-to-know-after-explosion-killed-boy-in-michigan/ar-AA1ycEQX

Obviously this is still under investigation, but it’s troubling that a child was undergoing this type of therapy (very usual for a young child) in a clinic that purports to treat things like ADHD and Autism, which can’t be treated with oxygen therapy.

Weeks ago anyone asserting that the drones represented Nlegitimate mystery was downvoted and called a moron, that it was all hysteria and people thinking planes were drones.

What’s the new position?

By abandoning Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, we’re handing the megaphone to fascists. Hitler didn’t just silence opposition—he filled the void with his own propaganda until the public had no choice but to believe it. That’s exactly what’s happening now.

When we leave, the people still on these platforms—your family, your neighbors, the undecided masses—are left with one voice: right-wing extremists. They’re not fact-checking. They’re just absorbing whatever’s in front of them. And when the only thing in front of them is propaganda, they stop questioning it.

Want to fight disinformation? You do it where people are. Not in an echo chamber, not on an alternative platform—right in the trenches. We need to stop ceding ground, it's what they want. We fight, or they win.

As scientific skeptics, we prioritize critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning—but when it comes to consciousness, are we actually any closer to understanding it?

I'm sure many of you are familiar with Alex O’Connor, a well-known atheist thinker and philosophy graduate from Oxford. I wanted to share this episode of Soul Boom where he talks about the limits of materialism in explaining consciousness. While Alex is firmly in the atheist camp, he acknowledges that questions around near-death experiences, subjective awareness, and the origins of consciousness remain unsettled.

Some points this episode brings up:

• Is love just neurons firing, or is there something irreducible about our subjective experience?
• Can near-death experiences be fully explained by neuroscience, or do they challenge our materialist assumptions?
• Does materialism adequately explain first-person consciousness, or is there a missing piece to the puzzle?

Curious to hear thoughts!

Last night I had dinner out with some new friends (3-12 months). It was a birthday dinner and after a couple hours the conversation came around to birthdays and astrological signs. My turn came up and I said "Guess". After some blank stares the hunt began. After three guesses I held up 3 fingers. After six guesses I said "Only 6 left". Guesses got repeated so someone pulled up a list on a phone. Guess number 8 finally got it. Ding, ding ding. It only took 8 out of 12 tries. And a moment later the conversation moved on.

Hullo! I've always considered myself a scientific skeptic since I was a child, as my grandad was a part of the Skeptic Society, very learned in scientific inquiry and a chemical engineer who I looked up to a lot.

I have a good baseline understanding... In the scientific domain, what constitutes best evidence, a bit about research methodology and the underlying math. Skepticism as rational doubt (not doubt of everything - there has to be a tether which is where scientific method comes in), and that in Greek Skeptikos simply means "Thoughtful Inquiry".

What are the most influential books on Scientific Skepticism? Less specific suggestions also welcomed (Skepticism / Scientific method)

Happy inquiring, all.

The ‘Exciting Business Opportunity’ That Ruined Their Lives

Amway Sold Her Family a Life Built on Delusion

Here is a paywall-free link to this article just published by The Atlantic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/01/amway-america/681479/?gift=UyBw-_dr8GQfP-nB65lZdaWt390s5wO5UP-eonJDhJE

Credit to the redditor /u/wenchette at /r/amway/comments/1idvfdp/the_exciting_business_opportunity_that_ruined/

This quote from the mom really makes sense as we think about those embracing cultists like Drumph:

“Going crazy isn’t like being hit by a car,” she said in the middle of our conversation. “People make a small but conscious decision to give up. At some point, it’s easier than living in reality.”

This came in an email:

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• Dear friends and colleagues,

My term as president of the AMS ends Friday, January 31, 2025, with the change in AMS leadership occurring during a tumultuous national moment. Over the past few years, we have accomplished a lot by working together, and there still is much to be done.

With federal policy in flux, many of us are worried about limited resources, potential salary freezes, and changes to our profession. Our Office of Government Relations continues its work in Washington to advocate for mathematics and mathematicians. The AMS is compiling a list of resources to keep our community abreast of recent developments, which we will share soon. In the meantime, if you wish to share news about federal funding changes with the AMS, please use this form.

The timing of funding notifications has direct impact on many members of our community. I encourage departments to adhere to the common deadline of February 10 before which postdoctoral candidates are not asked to decide on offers. I hope that all departments will be understanding if a candidate receives delayed news affecting their choice. I hope that universities find ways to keep salaries of our junior colleagues uninterrupted. I hope that all mathematicians are aware that some colleagues and students are navigating uncharted waters and need our support.

This is a good moment for us to reflect on what we can do as individuals to support our fellow mathematicians and future mathematicians. I encourage mathematicians to find ways — even small ways — to support our students and colleagues, reinforcing our shared humanity.

I leave the AMS in good hands with Ravi Vakil taking over as president. We remain committed to moving forward with the work of the AMS, working with and for our community, focusing as always on “advancing research, creating connections.”

Best wishes,

Bryna Kra

AMS President

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I'm not a member of any scientific or engineering society, but I suspect that similar emails are passing around to their members as well.

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Note to moderators: yes, this is not a question of skepticism of some report or study or pseudo-study, but it IS a matter of great concern to anyone who depends on science (and math) to inform their understanding of reality.