Cryptozoology is often considered pseudo-science because the
research is focused on legendary and mythological creatures such as Loch Ness’
monster, bigfoot and yeti. Some people, like Reinhold Messner trekked the Himalayas
for physical evidence and stories about the yeti. Messner’s conclusion was that
the yeti was a type of bear. Yet other scientists including biologists and
anthropologists give credence to the evidence that is supposedly out there. You
can start your own research on this topic by visiting the Thunder Bay Public
Library. Come in and browse our shelves or connect to our online resources. Magazine
and peer-reviewed journal articles are available 24-hours a day through the Library’s
online databases and it’s gratifying to see the debate unfold throughout the
literature. Just click on My Giant Search under the Research tab on our website.
Things that are “mainstream” are often considered
“conspiratorial” by the pseudo-science community. For instance, the Great
Pyramid at Giza is generally considered by Egyptologists to have been built as
Khufu’s tomb. Pseudo-scientists claim that the pyramid is a giant
power-producing battery or a giant light-reflecting beacon for extraterrestrials
to use for landing. Mainstream science says these ideas are poppycock but
pseudo-scientists wonder how pink granite could have been cut with such
precision without diamond-tipped, electrically-powered cutters. I’m left
somewhere in the middle reading and wondering.
Luckily there are millions of things to read. If you want to
really get in-depth on a topic, the library is the place to be. The internet is
great for starting your research, but when I wanted to learn more about jets, I
went through our databases and found quality information easily. I could have
done a similar search on the internet, but I would be concerned about the credibility
of the source. I’m less concerned when going through the databases because
results can easily be filtered, for example, by peer-reviewed or even
government documents! Within minutes of looking for F-35 information a few
months ago, I came across an American Justice Department document. It was
nothing top secret, but nonetheless interesting.
I do the same sort of literature review for any topic I’m
interested in, for example, quantum consciousness. This is an emerging fringe
science that indicates that our minds co-create reality, rather than just
observe it. Like the battle in scientific literature surrounding Bigfoot, there
is also a scientific battle occurring about our mental role in the nature of
reality. I can stay up-to-date on
experimental findings with just a few mouse-clicks. Ironically, this
“cutting-edge” science might be re-discovering what mystics have said for
thousands of years, “it is your mind that creates reality.”
Thankfully, we have a plethora of books and resources on
mind, brain and spirit that fill my world with wonder and awe.
Chris Waite
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