Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Eugenie Scott

@eugeniescott.bsky.social

170 followers 37 following 36 posts

Little old grey haired lady; scientific skeptic; evolution/climate change defender

Eugenie Carol Scott is an American physical anthropologist who has been active in opposing the teaching of young Earth creationism and intelligent design in schools. She coined the term "Gish gallop" to describe a fallacious rhetorical technique of overwhelming an interlocutor with as many individually weak arguments as possible, in order to prevent rebuttal of the whole argument. .. more

Philosophy 32%

History 15%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Glenn Branch @glennbranch.bsky.social · 2d

Lexicographic enshrinement for Eugenie C. Scott's coinage "Gish Gallop"! @eugeniescott.bsky.social

Gish gallop

Gish gallop (sometimes gish gallop or Gish/gish galloping) refers to a rhetorical technique or strategy by which a debater puts forth too many false arguments for their opponent to be able to refute i...

www.merriam-webster.com

6 11

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Glenn Branch @glennbranch.bsky.social · Sep 8

ICYMI: Richard Katskee discusses "Defending Science Education from Religious Attacks."

Defending Science Education from Religious Attacks | Richard Katskee

YouTube video by Center for Inquiry

www.youtube.com

2 2

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Adam "I Was Hoping We Could Keep It" Laats @adamlaats.bsky.social · Sep 8

Scopes Summer continues--even after Labor Day.

For everyone interested, the good folks at @evolutionvu.bsky.social and @ncse.bsky.social have made all the Vanderbilt talks available.

Check out Ed Larson, Ken Miller, Lee Meadows, Amanda Townley, Barbara Forrest...tons of amazing speakers, plus me.

The Scopes "Monkey" Trial at 100 | National Center for Science Education

The Scopes "Monkey" Trial at 100 NCSE Executive Director Amanda L. Townley presents at the Scopes "Monkey Trial" Centennial Symposium.

ncse.ngo

4 4

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Uncle Duke @uncleduke1969.bsky.social · Aug 30

you just know somebody’s being called by their full name right now

A striped cat appears to be “yelling” at a kitten with the exact same coloring. The kitten’s eyes are wide open and their ears pinned back.

180 1.5K 11K

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Aug 20

I've given a couple of talks on the Scopes Trial. Working to make it different from the others, which makes it more fun for me, too. You can't skip the "greatest hits", though. This version will be at www.SkeptiCalcon.org conference Saturday 8/23. Come by if you're in northern CA or environs!

SkeptiCal Conference

SkeptiCal is the scientific skepticism conference brought to you by Northern California Skeptics.

www.SkeptiCalcon.org

Reposted by Glenn Branch

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Aug 18

Coming up 8/23 -- IRL SkeptiCal 2025! See speakers and the very affordable tickets at www.skepticalcon.com Ross Blocher, Seth Shostak, Kyle Polich me, and others. We're so excited to be meeting in person again. Please share.

5 7

Reposted by Glenn Branch

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Aug 17

If you're in Northern or Central CA, come join us at the 13th SkeptiCal, in person, in downtown Oakland. We're so excited to be meeting IRL again. www.skepticalcon.com Known as the AFFORDABLE skeptics conference! Sat. Aug 23, 2025

SkeptiCal Conference

SkeptiCal is the scientific skepticism conference brought to you by Northern California Skeptics.

www.skepticalcon.com

4 3

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Jun 25

So grateful to NPR and NYT for streaming Trump's press conference at the NATO meeting. Anyone who still thinks that this person is in full command of his faculties is not paying attention. My God, how embarrassing to our country. Just listening makes my head ache.

1 3

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Jun 17

This looks like a very worthwhile conference. Check it out. sites.google.com/view/lilienf... Scott Lilienfeld was pretty awesome. I'm glad the conference continues in his name.

Lilienfeld Alliance - LiliCon 2025

July 10-11, 2025 MacEwan University Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

sites.google.com

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Jun 12

It's tonight! Streaming at 7:30 Pacific, but online from then on for viewing at your leisure at www.bit.ly/BASmatz Kitzmiller v Dover from the guy who taught our lawyers science!

Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn more

www.bit.ly

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · May 14

Forgot to mention: I'm on Randy Olson's ABT interview this AM talking about the Gish Gallop. Open to all so come along

Join Zoom Meeting
us02web.zoom.us/j/8448151733...

Meeting ID: 844 8151 7334
Passcode: 601772

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

us02web.zoom.us

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · May 11

And of course, my champion punster daughter got me mums for mother's Day

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · May 6

For years in the US we have said we like Iranian people, but not the Iranian government. I'm hoping the rest of the world extends the same courtesy to the US these days. In Canada, I'm happy to say, I found welcomes, and hugs. Elbows up, Canada! And good luck Mr Carney.

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · May 3

Thanks, Australia. I hope we can keep the trend going.

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · May 3

My "American apology t-shirt" is going over well in Canada. At the WeCanReason conference in Calgary. Plus a chance to see the "Loons from Canada" from @The Skeptic Zone. Elbows up!

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Glenn Branch @glennbranch.bsky.social · May 2

It's nice to see that NCSE's first survey of climate change educators (discussed in the 2016 report "Mixed Messages") is still influential!

What Schools Can Do About Climate Change Right Now

A new report details how schools can adapt for climate change in both small and big ways.

www.edweek.org

1 1 7

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 29

CBC/Radio Canada just called the election for the Liberals!!! I hope their projections are correct....

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 29

I think you have more management experience than the current Secretary of Defense.... so I'd be on board.

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 24

I'll be speaking at this conference next month. It should be fun. Who wouldn't want to go to Canada these days? Hoping they'll let me in -- and back in. wecanreason.com/post/buy-ear...

Buy Your Tickets for WeCanReason 2025!! - WeCanReason

The tickets for the third WeCanReason are on sale. Check our line up and buy them now.

wecanreason.com

2 3

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 23

So delighted that Joe Nickell got an obit in the NYT. I knew him in the late 1970s at the Univ KY where he was an English PhD student -- and we remained friends as fellow skeptics until his death this year. It's a wonderful obit, too. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/s...

Joe Nickell, Paranormal Investigator and ‘Real-Life Scully,’ Dies at 80

A professional skeptic, he took on hundreds of mysteries, offering rational explanations for the Loch Ness monster, the Shroud of Turin and countless hauntings.

www.nytimes.com

1 4

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 8

Late to report, but the Oakland Hands Off rally was terrific. Aeriel shot credit Brandon Harami -- I wish there was a reliable crowd estimate, but clearly thousands. Good signs, also.

3 3

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · Apr 7

What makes this visual even more stunning is that it was made possible by people who said their #1 concern when voting was the economy. What idiots.

580 5.9K 19K

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

Ari Berman @ariberman.bsky.social · Apr 2

This image is making the rounds among Wisconsin Dems & progressives this am

18 130 350

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Apr 1

Next week at Commonwealth Club in SF,Tues April 8, a topic of particular relevance given impending (probable) HUD cuts for support of homeless services. If you're in the Bay Area, try to attend. It's live and won't be streamed. www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2025-...

The Myth of the Homeless-Industrial Complex: How an Anti-Institution Boogeyman Distracts from the True Problems in the Homeless System of Care

Despite spending billions of dollars to combat homelessness, California has the largest and fastest-growing homeless population in the United States. To explain this result, some have blamed wasteful ...

www.commonwealthclub.org

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Mar 19

1998, at the Univ of Tennessee's Darwin Day, with the late Will Provine, with whom I disagreed about a lot of things. But that shouldn't get in the way of getting along, right?

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Mar 19

Climate scientist has a good op ed here archive.is/QNXrc #politics #doge

archive.is

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Mar 19

All righty -- tomorrow, Thursday, March 20. Be there! It'll be fun. (and if you don't catch the stream, it'll be posted at the same URL thereafter).
skepticalinquirer.org/video/evolut...

Evolution, Education, and a Century of Scopes | John de Lancie and guest moderator Eugenie Scott | Skeptical Inquirer Presents

Science has advanced enormously in the past 500 years, guided by experimental tests of theory and practice. In that same time, science teaching and education—guided primarily by tradition and dogma—h...

skepticalinquirer.org

5 9

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Mar 19

I so very much wish this is a real bumpersticker.

Reposted by Eugenie C. Scott

ButtigiegDem 🇨🇦 📎 @buttigiegdem.bsky.social · Mar 19

Don’t let them fool you into believing ppl aren’t protesting 🇺🇸

youtube.com/shorts/d-2JS...

Veterans March on 3/14

YouTube video by Hawk's Podcasts / mdg650hawk

youtube.com

7 100 230

Eugenie Scott @eugeniescott.bsky.social · Mar 17

In 2025, the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Trial, there is still much to be learned. Like, shouldn't legislators know something about the topics they propose legislation about? My @ncse.bsky.social colleague Glenn Branch has another good article www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...

A century after Scopes 'monkey trial,' U.S. still debates theory of evolution | Opinion

Butler Act banned Tennessee educators from teaching evolution, but the key lawamker later admitted that he didn't know anything about the topic.

www.tennessean.com

2 4 13