Who says there aren’t any disagreements over human origins? Not this guy.
[hat tip the Twitterati]
Teach The Lizard Overlord Controversy
About The Loom
Carl Zimmer writes about science regularly for the New York Times and magazines such as Discover, where he is a contributing editor and columnist.
He is the author of seven books, the most recent of which is The Tangled Bank: An Introduction To Evolution. His website is carlzimmer.com and his address is [ blog at carlzimmer dot com ].
Recent PostsScience Tattoo Emporium
I once wondered aloud if scientists had tattoos of their science. The answer was yes, and this ever-growing collection is the evidence. If you want to share your own scientific ink, send it to me with some explanation.
Books by Carl Zimmer
The Tangled Bank is the best written and best illustrated introduction to evolution of the Darwin centennial decade, and also the most conversant with ongoing research.--E. O. Wilson, Harvard University
Order a copy
"Superb...quietly revolutionary"--Boston Globe
Order a copy
"Fascinating...thrilling... Zimmer has produced a top-notch work of popular science."--Los Angeles Times
Order a copy
"As thorough as it is graceful...This is as fine a book as one will find on the subject."--Scientific American
Order a copy
"A book capable of changing how we see the world."--The Los Angeles Times
Order a copy
"A fascinating story, which Zimmer unfolds as a tale of high-stakes scientific sleuthing."--Booklist
Order a copy
- DISCOVERmagazine: Living World
- DISCOVER Blogs: Bad Astronomy
October 29th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
*sigh*
This calls for the Star Trek Double FacePalm AND a Bear Double FacePalm.
I didn’t see any mention of Icke’s name, but that’s what it sounds like to me.
I liked this part at the end:
October 29th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I always liked Icke. He has a way of making his crazy ideas sound plausible. Especially when he accused George Bush of secretly being an evil reptilian alien seeking to dominate the Earth. I can’t be the only to suspect that Icke may be right about that.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Hmm, he got his PhD at Yale. Seems a bit similar to Jonathan Wells, the ID advocate.
Why does my alma mater keep churning out these people?
October 29th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
My problem with Icke is the vaccine scaremongering. If these were just private beliefs that didn’t affect public health, I probably wouldn’t care about him as much.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Wasn’t Icke also responsible for Balloon Boy?
October 29th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
The first time I stumbled across this reptilian thing, I naturally assumed that it was a joke.
To be honest, my brain still won’t allow me to accept that people believe it. I know that some do, but I’m not strong enough to confront that fact. I just bury the knowledge in the dark recesses of my mind and let it fester.
There’s no place like home…there’s no place like home…
October 29th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Aside from the whack factor here – and, thanks for the laugh – I wondered how a married man could seriously decide to quit his prestigious job and become a professional crackpot. So, I ask, anyone, just how lucrative is a career in woo these days? I’m not talking about what James Randi does, but rather 100% crackpot charlatans.
I also have to wince at the references to Asian woo. Americans have the silliest notion of anything that’s not Christianity.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Reminds me of when the ‘girlfriend’ joined up with the guitarist in SpinalTap; just so much woo, inspired by the love of a woman…
October 30th, 2009 at 11:35 am
It’s a hobby of mine to stay up to date on all the latest conspiracy nut-cases. I’ve spent untold hours reading this stuff, and I have to say it makes for some fantastic storytelling. The lizard-overlord people are kind of a minority fringe themselves, even within the fringe community. But having immersed myself in their “theories”, it’s a *little* less absurd than it appears on the face of it. Certainly doesn’t hold a candle to, say, scientology. Not sure if that’s a comfort to you, Kitty, but, these people at least do volumes of, I hesitate to say “research”, but I can’t find a better word. I mean, hours and hours looking into historical myths and gods, drawing connections between Quetzacotl and Egyptology and Grendl and whatnot. I kind of have a grudging respect for that. I mean, at least they’re reading, right?
October 30th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Good point there Matt. If schools should teach all the theories of creation, then Sitchin gets his slice of time too, and that means the kids have to learn a bit of Sumerian history.
Of course, that wikipedia article claims his translations have been generally found wrong. I haven’t seriously followed up on the citations yet, but someone felt strongly enough to register a whole domain to point out how wrong he is.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Ugh. Why does my state accumulate so many loons? Balloon Boy’s Parents, Ward Churchill, Horn, Ted Haggard. The list goes on but it is too depressing for me to continue.