The authors of 'Pseudoscience' explore and debunk your favorite conspiracy theories

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: The Authors of 'Pseudo' Explore and Debunk Your Favorite Conspiracy Theories

Release Date: February 27, 2025
Host: Asia Roscoe
Authors: Dr. Lydia Kang and Nate Peterson
Book: "Pseudo: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them"

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Introduction to the Allure of Conspiracy Theories

In this engaging episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Asia Roscoe delves into the fascinating world of conspiracy theories with authors Dr. Lydia Kang and historian Nate Peterson. Their new book, Pseudo: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them, explores various conspiracy theories, debunking them with a blend of science and humor.

Notable Quote:
"And while, yeah, they are talking about the more amusing stuff, they talked to NPR's Asia Roscoe about how they drew the line between what was funny and what was actually dangerous."
— Andrew Limbong, [00:02]

The Enduring Fascination with Mythical Creatures

Dr. Lydia Kang and Nate Peterson discuss the public's enduring fascination with mythical creatures and pseudoscientific ideas. From the enigmatic Bigfoot to the quirky notion of spontaneous human combustion, these theories captivate our imagination.

Notable Quote:
"There's so much fun to harbor belief that they're still there and they're still mysterious and we can't quite find them."
— Dr. Lydia Kang, [02:28]

Debunking Spontaneous Human Combustion

One of the standout topics in their book is spontaneous human combustion—a phenomenon where individuals allegedly burst into flames without an external source of ignition. The authors provide a scientific explanation known as the wick effect, likening the human body to a candle where clothing acts as the wick and body fat serves as the wax.

Notable Quote:
"Humans are not unlike a candle. Their clothes could act as the wick, and if there's a fire, it will use the human fat as its candle wax."
— Dr. Lydia Kang, [03:47]

Nate Peterson adds historical context, linking the rise of spontaneous human combustion theories to the temperance movement. The discovery of oxygen's role in both respiration and combustion led to misconceptions that breathing was a form of combustion, fueling fears that alcohol consumption could ignite one's lungs.

Notable Quote:
"As you're inhaling and you're exhaling, you're actually sort of like, continually burning oxygen inside of your lungs... [which] the temperance movement could exploit toward their own ends."
— Nate Peterson, [04:31]

Choosing the Right Topics: Balancing Humor and Sensitivity

In crafting Pseudo, the authors faced the challenging task of selecting which conspiracy theories to include. They opted for a lighthearted approach, focusing on theories that are more amusing and less harmful, consciously excluding sensitive and dangerous topics like Holocaust denial and gay conversion therapy.

Notable Quote:
"I don't think it's appropriate to take a lighthearted tone when it comes to hitting some really seriously horrible situations that are surrounded in pseudoscience."
— Dr. Lydia Kang, [05:42]

Why Conspiracy Theories Spread: The Role of Knowledge Gaps and Distrust

Dr. Kang and Peterson delve into the underlying reasons why conspiracy theories gain traction. They highlight that these theories often fill gaps in knowledge and are exacerbated by a distrust of large institutions. When people encounter uncertainties or unanswered questions, they are more susceptible to believing in alternative explanations.

Notable Quote:
"There are gaps in knowledge... combined with distrust of big institutions, and you put those together... that's where a lot of this... kind of stems from."
— Dr. Lydia Kang, [06:29]

Learning from History: The Purpose Behind 'Pseudo'

Nate Peterson emphasizes the historical perspective provided in their book, aiming to educate readers about past pseudoscientific beliefs and the societal impacts they had. By understanding these historical contexts, Peterson hopes society can better navigate and critically assess current and future conspiracy theories.

Notable Quote:
"A book like this... can hopefully serve this purpose of laying history out as something to gradually learn from."
— Nate Peterson, [06:56]

Conclusion: Embracing Knowledge with Humor

Pseudo: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them offers a balanced exploration of various conspiracy theories, combining scientific debunking with humor. Dr. Lydia Kang and Nate Peterson provide valuable insights into why these ideas persist and how society can learn from them without losing the allure that makes them so captivating.

Notable Quote:
"It's kind of an awful idea... But it's so much fun."
— Dr. Lydia Kang, [03:40]

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This episode is a must-listen for anyone intrigued by the quirky side of conspiracy theories and eager to understand the blend of humor and science that dispels these enduring myths.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. It's hard to deny that there's a certain allure to conspiracy theories. I'm not even talking about the more pernicious stuff in our current culture like QAnon or something, but more like do aliens exist? Or what's the deal with spontaneous human combustion? These are the types of questions that Nate Peterson and Dr. Lydia Kang. Yes, doctor as in medical doctor take on in their new book, an Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and why We Love, love them. And while, yeah, they are talking about the more amusing stuff, they talked to NPR's Asia Roscoe about how they drew the line between what was funny and what was actually dangerous. That's ahead.

[NPR Sponsor]

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[Asia Roscoe]

Conspiracies in pseudoscience can be very harmful, but indulging in some of them. I'm looking at you. Mothman can be fun, from traveling sideshows to TV shows like Unsolved Mysteries and the Unexplained with the one and only William Shatner. Could Bigfoot be one of man's ancient ancestors? According to many cultures around the world.

[Nate Peterson]

It'S a distinct possibility.

[Asia Roscoe]

People adore a strange story. A new book explores and debunks some of them using science and humor. It's called Pseudo An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and why We Love them. Co authors Dr. Lydia Kang and historian Nate Peterson join me now to talk about it. Welcome to the program.

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Thanks for having us.

[Nate Peterson]

We're glad to be here. Thank you.

[Asia Roscoe]

Let's get this out of the way. Is Bigfoot real?

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

I think it comes down to what do you think?

[Asia Roscoe]

I don't really want the answer for that.

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Oh, I totally. I get that. One of the fun things about all these creatures, it's so much fun to harbor belief that they're still there and they're still mysterious and we can't quite find them.

[Asia Roscoe]

Yeah. I mean, it is fun. This book is separated into four parts and you have entries here that range from aliens and flat earth and even polygraphs. One of the favorite entries for us here at Weekend Edition, and I learned a lot from this, was the one about spontaneous human combustion.

[Nate Peterson]

Well, ultimately, there's really no such thing as spontaneous human combustion, but unfortunately, there's such a thing as human combustion that appears spontaneous. And the reason that this looks unusual when you're investigating the remains from a human combustion event is for something called the wick effect.

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Yeah, unfortunately, it's that we tend not to think of ourselves as being, like, walking candles, but we kind of are. A couple hundred years ago, there were just several of these episodes that happened where people would, like, be found burned to death and, like nothing else in the room will have, like, turned into ash, just part of the human. And so it just really puzzled people, but it turns out it's just us.

[Asia Roscoe]

You mentioned people becoming a human candle. Can you explain the wick effect?

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Sure. So it's kind of a sort of a horrifying idea, but if you imagine how a candle works, you've got a flame burning on top of a wick, and what the FL does is it actually melts the wax, and it pulls it up through the fabric of that wick, and it burns it slowly but surely, which is why, you see, after a while, a candle will burn down. Unfortunately, humans are not unlike a candle. Their clothes could act as the wick, and if there's a fire, it will use the human fat as its candle wax, so to speak. So it's kind of an awful idea.

[Asia Roscoe]

And, Nate, the history behind how the idea of spontaneous human combustion spreads, some of that was tied. Tied up with the temperance movement. Right.

[Nate Peterson]

So scientists isolate oxygen for the first time in 1774, and they realized that oxygen is necessary for both breathing and for burning. So this gave rise to a theory for a little while that floated around that breathing itself was a form of combustion. So as you're inhaling and you're exhaling, you're actually sort of like, continually burning oxygen inside of your lungs, which I think is kind of this, like, beautiful theory that there's these little fires that are burning away in your lungs all the time. And so there's this growing popular belief and the connection between drinking alcohol and bursting into flames. And so that wasn't lost on folks that were behind the temperance movement because it was a way to drum up popular support. It's something that people would be scared of happening to them. You know, I don't want to. If there's these little fires that are burning away in my lungs, then I don't want to fill my body up with alcohol and potentially ignite. Right. So that's something that they could exploit toward their own ends. But it does show you how anything really, but pseudoscience in particular can be captured by a popular movement and then used for its own ends.

[Asia Roscoe]

How did you choose what to include in the book? Because you start off kind of say that, you know, there's certain things that you made a choice not to touch on in this book.

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

It was a hard decision. And it just. Ultimately we realized that the tone of the book for the most part, was more lighthearted, was more fun. And I was like, I don't think it's appropriate to take a lighthearted tone when it comes to hitting some really seriously horrible situations that are surrounded in pseudoscience, you know, so we made the hard choice of leaving out things like Holocaust denial and gay conversion therapy. And I put therapy in quotes there because there was just nothing to laugh at in any of those subjects.

[Asia Roscoe]

It seems like one thing that makes a conspiracy kind of catch on is not just ignorance, but maybe it's knowing just enough to the point where it could be dangerous or I guess, just to be misinformed. Right?

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, especially with conspiracy theories and pseudoscience in general. I mean, the reason why they even exist is because there are gaps in knowledge. You know, we, for example, can't figure out 100% of the time why people lie, or we don't know exactly what all the UAPS are. But you combine those gaps in knowledge with distrust of big institutions, and you put those together, and that's where a lot of this, you know, kind of stems from.

[Nate Peterson]

From a historical perspective. A book like this, it can hopefully serve this purpose of laying history out as something to gradually learn from, you know, and that we don't always make the right judgment calls about pseudoscience. But, you know, hopefully we can learn a little bit from the past.

[Asia Roscoe]

That's historian Nate Peterson and Dr. Lydia Kang. Their new book is an amusing history of crackpot ideas and why we love them. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Dr. Lydia Kang]

Thanks for having us.

[Nate Peterson]

Yeah, thanks so much for having us.

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