About SkeptiCal
What is SkeptiCal?
SkeptiCal is a conference for curious, science-loving people to learn about science, scientific skepticism, and critical thinking in an informal setting, at an affordable cost.
Who Sponsors SkeptiCal?
The sponsoring organizations are the Bay Area Skeptics (BAS) , the Sacramento Area Skeptics (SAS), the Monterrey County Skeptics (MCS) and the Center for Inquiry-San Francisco (CfI-SF). These are nonprofit organizations composed of scientists and non-scientists who are interested in science, critical thinking, and the public understanding of science. We are part of a national scientific skepticism movement begun in the 1970s and 1980s by Carl Sagan and other scientists who were concerned about the public embrace of various pseudosciences.
BAS, MCS, and SAS remain focused on what Sagan called “extraordinary claims” (which require “extraordinary evidence,” as his adage reminds us) but we also seek to improve the general public understanding of science and critical thinking. Scientific skepticism is independent of other movements which sometime also claim the term “skeptic.” Scientific skepticism can be embraced by all, whether religious or non-religious, trained in science or new to the scientific method, or anyone interested in better understanding truth and reality.
Find out more about BAS at http://www.baskeptics.org/ , about SAS at https://www.meetup.com/sacskeptics/ , about MCS at https://abouttimeproject.wordpress.com/monterey-county-skeptics/ , and CFI-SF at https://cfisf.org/ .
Why Should I Go To SkeptiCal?
SkeptiCal is a great opportunity to hear accomplished and entertaining scientists and other critical thinkers speak about fascinating topics in an informal setting. Our conferences have considered a range of topics including GMOs, science denialism, climate change, science literacy, evolution, medical pseudoscience, extraterrestrials, astronomy, and many others. At previous SkeptiCal meetings we have hosted local scientists from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, several California State Universities, Stanford, NASA, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, and many other notable local institutions. For our virtual conferences, we are not restricted to local talent, and have chosen speakers both nationally and internationally.
There is something for everyone at SkeptiCal!