The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake

by Steven Novella

Here are some common conspiracy theories with the percentage of believers, according to Public Policy Polling: • 20 percent of voters believe there is a link between childhood vaccines and autism, 46 percent do not. • 7 percent of voters think the moon landing was faked. • 13 percent of voters think Barack Obama is the Antichrist, including 20 percent of Republicans. • Voters are split 44 percent to 45 percent on whether President Bush intentionally misled us about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. 72 percent of Democrats think Bush lied about WMDs, Independents agree 48–45 percent, but just 13 percent of Republicans think so. • 29 percent of voters believe aliens exist and are visiting the Earth. • 14 percent of voters say the CIA was instrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic in America’s inner cities in the 1980s. • 9 percent of voters think the government adds fluoride to our water supply for sinister reasons (not just dental health). • 4 percent of voters say they believe “lizard people” control our societies by gaining political power. • 51 percent of voters say a conspiracy was at work in the JFK assassination, whereas just 25 percent say Oswald acted alone.