Science Myths

Turtles All the Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth will resolve the vaccine question for you, once and for all. By the time you finish, not only will you see the answer clearly for yourself, you will also have the scientific references and specific quotes at your disposal that prove it – more than 1,200 of them – all from mainstream scientific papers and textbooks, the official publications of relevant government agencies, or manufacturers’ documents.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer. Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom. And Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people.

What if charisma could be taught? For the first time, science and technology have taken charisma apart, figured it out and turned it into an applied science: In controlled laboratory experiments, researchers could raise or lower people's level of charisma as if they were turning a dial. What you'll find here is practical magic: unique knowledge, drawn from a variety of sciences, revealing what charisma really is and how it works. You'll get both the insights and the techniques you need to apply this knowledge. The world will become your lab, and every person you meet, a chance to experiment.

It was just an innocent game of dragon poker. But soon Ogres were high, unicorns wild, and the pot was half a million! Skeeve bluffs his way into a high-stakes game of dragon poker - and wins! But now he's left with Markie, a pint-sized IOU left by a player who went broke. She conjures up a house full of trouble every time she tries to cast a spell. And now the dragon poker champion has challenged Skeeve to a game - with a pot of half a million.

One of the most influential works of this century, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays is a crucial exposition of existentialist thought. Influenced by works such as Don Juan and the novels of Kafka, these essays begin with a meditation on suicide; the question of living or not living in a universe devoid of order or meaning.

Can tweakments do me any harm? Does deodorant cause breast cancer? Does eating chocolate give you acne? Do I need to wear sunscreen every day? What exactly is in my serum? Are collagen supplements the fountain of youth? What's the best way to fade scars? And is "clean beauty" really as healthy as it sounds? The Science of Beauty reveals the truth behind the bold marketing claims and viral TikTok trends, and tells you what you really need to know about the products you use every day, form good habits, and learn what really works.

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.

Skeeve is a magician’s apprentice (and a wanna-be thief) until an assassin’s bolt kills his master, Garkin. Along with Aahz, the green-scaled, purple-tongued demon and master magician summoned by Garkin, he sets out on a quest to get even. The road to vengeance is bound to prove rocky, however, because Skeeve can barely light a candle with his beginning magic, and Aahz has lost his own considerable magical abilities as a consequence of Garkin’s summoning spell.

Do "In God We Trust", the Declaration of Independence, and other historical "evidence" prove that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles? Are the Ten Commandments the basis for American law? A constitutional attorney dives into the debate about religion's role in America's founding.

The Myth of Capitalism tells the story of how America has gone from an open, competitive marketplace to an economy where a few very powerful companies dominate key industries that affect our daily lives. Digital monopolies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are gatekeepers to the digital world. Amazon is capturing almost all online shopping dollars. We have the illusion of choice, but for most critical decisions, we have only one or two companies when it comes to high speed internet, health insurance, medical care, mortgage title insurance, or even consumer goods like toothpaste.

Having defeated the mad wizard, Isstvan, Skeeve, and Aahz have taken over the remote inn that was the enemy’s hideout. They’re generally safe from visitors, and if not, Skeeve’s growing magical abilities allow him to disguise himself and his friends as such repulsive serving staff that potential guests flee, screaming. Skeeve has grown bored of studying magic at the isolated inn, however, and one visitor who does not flee offers him an invitation for employment as court magician in the kingdom of Possiltum.

Although eugenics is now widely discredited, some groups and individuals claim a new scientific basis for old racist assumptions. Pondering the continuing influence of racist research and thought, despite all evidence to the contrary, Robert Wald Sussman explains why - when it comes to race - too many people still mistake bigotry for science.

Skeeve is just settling into his duties as court magician of Possiltum and his training as sorcerer’s apprentice to Aahz, his scaly green demon mentor, when Aahz is suddenly called back to his home dimension on family business. Skeeve figures he can handle things on his own for a while, but then King Roderick convinces Skeeve to use his powers of illusion to take the king’s place while Roderick takes a little “vacation”. That’s when Hemlock, the ruthless, ambitious queen of a powerful neighboring nation, turns up to fulfill her part in an arranged marriage with Roderick.

The trophy is just about the ugliest piece of “art” that apprentice magician Skeeve has ever seen, but the beautiful Tananda wants to steal it for a special occasion. Skeeve’s not above indulging in a daring act of interdimensional thievery for a good cause and the chance of adventure, and he figures that between his abilities and Tanda’s, the guardians of the trophy won’t stand a chance. That’s where their plan goes horribly wrong.

The emperor has spoken, and the portals are opening. The Event is larger than anyone anticipated with Emerilia’s people needing to band together to survive. The creatures of nightmares and children’s stories might roam Emerilia, but this isn’t their land - it isn’t their home. The Terra Alliance will use everything at their disposal to gain strength and push back the forces that roam Emerilia. The Pantheon moves in the shadows, the forests, and across Markolm. Light, Earth, and dark’s forces only grow as they recruit those from The Event into their ranks.

Josephson-Storm traces the history of the myth of disenchantment in the births of philosophy, anthropology, sociology, folklore, psychoanalysis, and religious studies. Ironically, the myth of mythless modernity formed at the very time that Britain, France, and Germany were in the midst of occult and spiritualist revivals. It was specifically in response to this burgeoning culture of spirits and magic that they produced notions of a disenchanted world.

Skeeve is a powerful magician, and he always means well...but he is more than a bit naive when it comes to romance. And suddenly, he’s drowning in a sea of romance! There’s Bunny, the brilliant mob moll, Cassandra, the friendly neighborhood vampire night-club queen...and of course, there’s the sexy but dangerously twisted Queen Hemlock. Only one of his nubile suitors can assure his future - and maybe even keep him alive.

Multiple myth-perceptions! M.Y.T.H. Inc. is experiencing growing pains. Everyone is trying to contribute and getting used to being partners instead of employees, but any time you fool around with business or magik, things can get dangerous. The Great Skeeve, the boss of the organization, has had many adventures with his scaly green demon mentor, Aahz, but each of the partners has his or her own take on the operation.

Stranded in the myth-begotten world of Perv, it’s home to Ahaz, Skeeve’s scaly green demon mentor and partner in crime, but it’s no place for a human. When Ahaz takes exception to something Skeeve says, he walks away from M.Y.T.H., Inc. and goes back to Perv. Skeeve realizes that he must apologize for his thoughtless behavior and convince his stubborn, thin-skinned cohort to rejoin the firm - and finds himself trapped in the most demonic dimension of them all!

What if charisma could be taught? For the first time, science and technology have taken charisma apart, figured it out, and turned it into an applied science: In controlled laboratory experiments, researchers could raise or lower people's level of charisma as if they were turning a dial.