The Skeptoid podcast goes where few dare to journey. Host Brian Dunning explores topics that keep some people up at night. He dares investigate the stories many people first hear in childhood. There's the Boogeyman, alien abductions, and strange tales from the Pacific Northwest. Is Bigfoot real? What becomes possible in a conspiracy theorist's mind?

Skeptoid uses critical thinking abilities to reimagine what's real and debunk what's not. Brian is an author, science writer, and executive director of Skeptoid Media. Since he started the podcast in 2006, it has won many awards, including Stitcher's Best Science Podcast in 2012.

The podcast explores four main pseudoscience categories. These are consumer frauds, urban legends, "useless alternative medicine schemes," and conspiracy theories. Brian answers questions like, "Can eye exercises reverse vision loss?" What are Mussolini's aliens? Why did the US Congress believe this Italian hoax?

In "Berberine: Thin Body, or Thin Evidence?" Brian investigates a weight loss supplement. Social media influencers call it "Nature's Ozempic." Is there any truth to Berberine's effectiveness? Is it a marketing ploy luring consumers to waste their money? Brian searches for clinical studies or publications that verify influencers' claims. In this podcast episode and others, Brian offers tips for identifying misinformation.

"The Secret of the Norden Bombsight" podcast episode explores a story from World War II. Brian explores whether the tale passed on through popular culture is accurate. The story of the bombsight seems straightforward. The sophisticated tool had incredible firing accuracy from a long distance. In truth, its capacity was much lower. In one case, the Norden Bombsight failed to a surprising degree. It bombed only ten percent of its targets within a 757-acre radius. How and why do stories like these persist?

In a three-part series on "The Treasure of Victorio Peak," listeners learn about an urban legend. The story involves murder, gold, deceit, outlaws, and presidents. Other episodes explore California's monster salamander, severed feet, and more. Listeners can enjoy past episodes and then pass the Skeptoid pop quiz. There's always new information to learn from the podcast, which arrives on Tuesdays.