The Science of Sea Monsters
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on December 10th, 2005
From Live Science comes an article by Cryptomundo commenter and managing editor of Skeptical Inquirer, Benjamin Radford. The Article details the pervasiveness of sea monsters on television and in the news today. Several of the items mentioned in the article have been detailed on Cryptomundo here in the recent past. From NBC’s Surface, to the cover story in the December 2005 issue of National Geographic, sea monsters are here to stay.
Also mentioned are the filming of the giant squid by a team of Japanese scientists and the fossil remains found of the prehistoric creature nicknamed "Godzilla".
Mr. Radford has also co-authored with fellow skeptic Joe Nickell a book titled, "Lake Monster Mysteries" that is due out in May of 2006. He also has an article about Ogopogo in the current issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine. I see on Amazon’s site that our own Cryptomundo blogger Loren Coleman wrote the forward for the book. Should be interesting.
Ben, you will have to send me a signed copy.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
It sounds like a very interesting read. I’m wondering how this is going to be the “first book to collectively approach these widespread mysteries from a scientific perspective”, and how it will do it in only 184 pages. I’m also rather curious if this book will take a skeptical stance or an outright debunking stance. Regardless, I’m still interested in this recent and (presumably) critical thought on lake monsters.
Cameron Says: “I’m curious if this book will take a skeptical stance or an outright debunking stance.”
Cameron, if you have read my cryptozoological writings and research, that will give you a flavor of the approach we take. (If you haven’t read my work, you should read more than one side of the story!);-)
Skeptics almost always read (and respond to) the “mainstream” cryptozoologists’ work, but it seems often that cryptozoologists don’t read (or respond to) skeptics’ work. (Example: I published my detailed, critical examination of Sandra Mansi’s Champ photo–“the best evidence for lake monsters”–almost three years ago, and to date no one has shown errors in my research, or even really addressed my findings.)
I do not do “debunking” and have never done it. I do not set out to disprove the existence of any cryptid or phenomena; that would be a waste of my time. I simply try to examine the evidence carefully and objectively, to see where the evidence leads. Instead of starting with the answer (i.e., Champ or Bigfoot does or doesn’t exist, and working backward to try and find evidence to support that assumption), Joe and I make a sincere effort to understand and explain. I think and hope that you will find the book respectful, level-headed, sticking to the facts, and well-argued.
Cryptozoologists like Loren Coleman, John Kirk, and a few others recognize that we are not “debunkers” and because of that, value our contributions. All I ask is a fair hearing, and if our facts or logic are wrong, I sincerely welcome the criticism. It is through honest debate that truth emerges.
I think that skeptics are badly misunderstood, and I hope to speak at a conference on that topic at some point. I think we have much more in common than most people realize.
I hope I didn’t come across as accusing you of being a debunker, I was just curious as to the tone the book would take. I would regard myself as being a “skeptic”, so I am definitely interested in checking out your articles and your book now.
I for one found your article on the Sandra Mansi’s Champ photo quite interesting, well thought out and offering a quite plausible alternative scenario. I actually try to read anything written by you.
I thought I had written to SI about that article. Maybe I didn’t send it after. Sorry about that if I didn’t.
I look forward to the day when Ben actually gets to address us at a conference in person.
Cameron: No offense taken at all; it’s just that it’s a common complaint, and while I admit there are some skeptics who are debunkers, I don’t do it and those who do, give skeptics a bad name. I really make an effort not to just “debunk,” and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify that.
And as for Rick, thank you. I’m glad you liked my piece. I actually did two in-depth pieces on Champ and Mansi; one in Skeptical Inquirer and the other in Fortean Times about a year later. They cover somewhat different territory, and I bring them both together (and more) in my section on Champ in the upcoming book. (Both are available online.) And I do look forward to speaking at a cryptoconference some time. I’m sure I’ll feel a little like I’m walking into a lion’s den, but I just try to show others respect and hope to get the same in return. Thanks again to both of you.