HeyJaredSquaring the Strange
Not just another "skeptical" podcast, it's a show about critical thinking and evidence-based analysis, using science and critical thinking to examine the world around us, from the mysterious and paranormal to the mundane.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 6
- Latest publication
- Sep 11, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 4, 2026
Latest episodes
Episode 288 - Dragon Con, 9-11 and Sci-Fi Skepticism with Paul and Andy (opens the original)
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First, we recount a tiny bit of the beautiful chaos that was Dragon Con. Then, after a few current event tidbits related to 9-11, we are joined by Andy Taylor of Geekshock and (retired Klingon) Paul Mattingly of Matt & Mattingly's Ice Cream Social. With our geeky nerd power tripled, we discuss all flavors of sci-fi and how various franchises have approached critical thinking, gullibility and other skeptic-adjacent topics. Does Kubrick's dense cinematic style attract lovers of conspiracy thinking
Episode 287 - Roswell Rods, a.k.a. Skyfish (opens the original)
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First, housekeeping about our upcoming visit to DragonCon in Atlanta next week (come say hello if you plan on going!). Ben and Celestia lament the latest measles news, pay respects to Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, and discuss the ever-present "rule of threes" when it comes to celebrity deaths. Then for our main topic Ben talks about Jose Escamilla and his decades-long obsession with what he termed "Roswell rods" or "skyfish." They were an ill-defined phenomenon, somewhere between UFOs, interdimens
Episode 286 - Bob Nygaard, psychic-busting investigator (opens the original)
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First, we chat about what's making us skeptical these days, from the latest executive order targeting vaccine access to a really creative way to fund a biology lab. Oh, and we didn't experience zero gravity for seven seconds this week, did you? Then we bring on the legendary private investigator Bob Nygaard, who parlayed his career as a New York City cop into a busy life as the world's most effective psychic buster. And we don't mean he spills their secrets -- we mean he gets them put behind bar
Episode 285 - Grab Bag! Jimothy and Dr. Fauci walk into a bar... (opens the original)
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1:30 Clamper Mea Culpa 4:00 Lara Benham and Richard Saunders report on Not A Con Australia 17:00 Drinking conspiracies in Las Vegas 26:00 JIMOTHY JIMOTHY JIMOTHY JIMOTHY SO MUCH JIMOTHY 31:15 Dr. Fauci questioned in bad faith by senators 52:15 "Curse of Mayo" is broken 1:00:20 Giant of Kandahar shows up on Joe Rogan show 1:04:00 American Trickster, Carlos Castaneda and Marlo Morgan
Episode 284 - Author Elizabeth Shreeve on Dinosaurs to Dragons (opens the original)
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First, Ben and Celestia chat about reflecting pool gashes, a biohacking longevity guru's diagnosis, the new Info Wars, and two anti-vaxxers in the news. Then we are joined by children's author Elizabeth Shreeve to discuss her new book Dinosaurs to Dragons: The Lore and Science of Mythical Creatures. Elizabeth takes a clever approach in structuring her book, which invites kids to think about monsters and fairies but also sneaks in evolutionary knowledge, folklore detective work and critical think
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