Point of Inquiry

Chris Mooney, a Washington correspondent for Seed magazine, a senior correspondent for the American Prospect, and a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, focuses on issues at the intersection of science and politics in his reporting. He has contributed to a number of other publications over the last few years including Wired, New Scientist, Slate, Mother Jones, The Washington Post, The LA Times, and The Boston Globe, in addition to appearing widely in the media, on shows such as The Daily Show with John Stewart, NPR's Science Friday, and Fresh Air with Terry Gross. His blog, called "The Intersection," was recipient of Scientific American's 2005 Science and Technology web award, which noted that "science is lucky to have such a staunch ally in acclaimed journalist Chris Mooney." In this interview, he discusses his first book, The Republican War on Science, hailed as "a landmark in contemporary political reporting" by Salon.com and a "well-researched, closely argued and amply referenced indictment of the right wing's assault on science and scientists" by Scientific American. Also in this episode, Tom Flynn presents Did You Know? sharing facts and figures on paranormal belief in America and recent growth of religious extremism, Benjamin Radford shares his segment Media Mythmakers, commenting on social myths regarding Barbie Dolls, and in the first of a two part series entitled Investigating Ghosts and Hauntings, Joe Nickell, CSICOP's senior research fellow and renowned paranormal investigator, details specific investigations of haunted scenes he has conducted.