Dunning - Conspiracies declassified: the Skeptoid guide to the truth behind the theories

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Adams Media

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Copyright 2018 by Brian Dunning.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Adams Media Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Adams Media trade paperback edition June 2018

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Interior design by Katrina Machado

Cover design by Sylvia McArdle

Cover images Shutterstock/Oxlock

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dunning, Brian, 1965, author.

Conspiracies declassified / Brian Dunning, creator of the Skeptoid podcast.

Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2018.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

LCCN 2018003627 (print) | LCCN 2018005579 (ebook) | ISBN 9781507206997 (pb) | ISBN 9781507207000 (ebook)

LCSH: Conspiracies--History.

LCC HV6275 (ebook) | LCC HV6275 .D86 2018 (print) | DDC 001.9--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018003627

ISBN 978-1-5072-0699-7

ISBN 978-1-5072-0700-0 (ebook)

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Simon & Schuster, Inc., was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Skeptoid is a registered trademark of Skeptoid Media. Used with permission.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the many supporters of my nonprofit, Skeptoid Media, whose generosity has made this work possible.

My thanks to a plethora of colleagues with whom Ive spent much of the preceding decade exploring myths and mysteries from popular culture, in the quest to promote public understanding of science and the tenets of scientific skepticism. They include (in alphabetical order): Rachael Dunlop, Mark Edward, Emery Emery, Pamela Gay, Susan Gerbic, Ryan Johnson, Karl Kruszelnicki, Michael Mann, Joe Nickell, Steven Novella and company, Ben Radford, James Randi, Natalia Reagan, John Rennie, Tamara Robertson, Lee Sanders, Kirsten Sanford, Richard Saunders, Eugenie Scott, Michael Shermer, Blake Smith, Joe Uscinski, and Reichart Von Wolfsheild.

Did you know that the Earth is flat? That the world is run by a shadowy cabal of reptilian beings who wear human disguises to avoid detection? That Finland doesnt really exist, but aliens (who are kept hidden by the government) do? That powerful navies across the globe trained dolphins to act as weapons of war? Welcome to the world of conspiracy theorieswhere members of the powerful elite fight for control of your mind, your money, and even your health.

If youre nervous about entering this world of conspiracies alone, dont worry. Ill be here to walk you through it, every step of the way. As a professional science writer, Ive been hosting and producing the weekly podcast Skeptoid (https://skeptoid.com) for more than a decade, revealing the true science and real history behind conspiracy theories. My job has been to do the research and separate the fact from the fiction. Ive found the most success by examining each conspiratorial belief purely upon its actual merits and how well it fits with the proven historical record.

So here in Conspiracies Declassified well take a look at fifty of the most notorious (and well-known) conspiracy theories of all time. To qualify for inclusion in this book, each must satisfy two criteria:

1. They must be specific enough to be falsifiable. Too often, proposed conspiracy theories are so uselessly vague that they are always going to be true. The government is up to something secret. Well, of course they are, nobody doubts that. There are still unknown details about Lee Harvey Oswald. Of course there are, probably unimportant ones that werent published. Claims such as these are always going to be true. They dont prove youve uncovered a conspiracy theory.

2. They must be known by the conspiracy theorist before being revealed by the media or law enforcement. Many times, conspiracy theorists will look back on historical conspiracies and claim they are examples of conspiracy theories proven true. But in so many cases, the story never existed as a conspiracy theory; history shows that it remained unknown and unsuspected until it was revealed to the world by investigators or whistle-blowers.

For each entry that meets these criteria, youll learn the who, what, when, where, and why of the theory; youll discover how each theory was formed, why it exists, and the historical or sociological context that allowed it to thrive; and youll see each and every theory either debunked or proven.

Debunked or proven ? Yes, its true that most of the conspiracy theories in this book, and most conspiracy theories in general, are just that: theories. This is what youll see when we investigate various conspiracies having to do with suspicious deaths, government oppression, suppressed science, and more throughout the book. But the conspiracy theories that well investigate in the final section of the book? Well, some of these have elements of truth that are tough to deny. And, as frightening as it may be to examine these theories, its worth it to know just what those in power are really up to.

So lock your doors, make sure your phones not tapped, and lets take a look at these conspiracy theories that are now declassified.

The ultimate conspiracy theory is that the illuminati run the world, and that all governments and corporations are willingly subservient to the secret powers that be. It is the conspiracy theory that best satisfies our most primal need to believe that everything happens for some reason, according to some plan; that there is a method to every apparent madness; and that we ourselves are the ultimate targets of this simmering malevolence.