Examples of Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience includes beliefs, theories, or practices that have been or are considered scientific, but have no basis in scientific fact. This could mean they were disproved scientifically, can’t be tested or lack evidence to support them. 

Pseudoscience Related to Space and Astronomy

• 2012 Phenomenon - Expectations that 2012 would bring large-scale disasters or even the end of the world
• Ancient Astronauts - Proposes that aliens have visited the earth in the past and influenced our civilization
• Astrology - Belief that humans are affected by the position of celestial bodies
• Crop Circles - Some believe these are made by aliens
• Face on Mars - A rock formation on Mars that resembles a face and is believed to be evidence of life
• Flat Earth Society - Claims the Earth is flat and disc-shaped
• Moon Landing Conspiracy - Contends the original moon landing was faked

Pseudoscience Related to the Earth

• 366 Geometry or Megalithic Geometry - Based on dividing a circle into 366 degrees and is used by Freemasons
• Hollow Earth Theory - A belief that the Earth is hollow, at least somewhat, and it is expanding
• Bermuda Triangle - An area where unexplained events, like disappearances of ships and airlplanes, have occurred
• Cryptozoology - The search for Bigfoot (Yeti), the Loch Ness monster, El Chupacabra and other creatures that biologists believe do not exist
• Biodynamic Agriculture - Organic farming that has some non-scientific methods of crop cultivation
• Mythical Creatures - The belief that fairies, elves, pixies and gnomes exist

Pseudoscience Related to the Paranormal

• Channeling - Involves communicating with a spirit through a person
• Dowsing - A method of finding water, metals, or precious stones underground by using a divining rod
• Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) - Used by ghost hunters to record messages from spirits
• Extra-sensory Perception (ESP) - Covers several methods of gaining information, like clairvoyance, telepathy and remote viewing
• Levitation - Raising something and suspending it in mid-air
• Numerology - A belief in a relationship between certain numbers and people or events

Pseudoscience Related to Psychology

• Conversion Therapy - Attempts to change a person’s sexual preference from homosexual to heterosexual
• Hypnosis - A method of deep relaxation where the subject is open to suggestions
• Primal Therapy - Belief that experiences before and during birth influence the way our life unfolds
• Polygraphy - A lie detector test used to determine if the subject is lying by measuring changes in some vital signs
• Psychoanalysis - Developed by Sigmund Freud, this psychiatic treatment method is still controversial
• Subliminal Advertising - Receiving data through seeing or hearing, while not being aware of receiving it

Other Pseudoscience Examples

• Denial of the Holocaust - Belief that the genocide of Jews did not happen
• Dianetics - Developed by L. Ron Hubbard, this system is believed to cure all mental disorders by dealing with the relationship between the mind and body
• Feng Shui - A Chinese method of arranging objects and living spaces in a certain way
• Handwriting Analysis - A belief that a person’s personality can be seen in their handwriting
• Scientific Racism - A belief that certain races are inferior to others due to scientific evidence

As you can see, there are pseudoscience examples in a variety of different fields and in a variety of different areas.