The Red Planet Rumble: Claimer vs. Claimer by Craig A. Foster

This installment of The Time Warp revisits a late-1970s Skeptical Inquirer debate over the "Mars effect," exploring how skeptics critically tested—and ultimately undermined—astrological claims while briefly giving claimants a voice. Craig A. Foster uses this historical case to reflect on an enduring tension within skepticism: when, if ever, skeptics should invite credulous viewpoints, and how remaining skeptical of skepticism itself helps keep the movement intellectually honest. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2025/12/the-red-planet-rumble-claimer-vs-claimer/ About the Author:  Craig A. Foster is a CSI fellow and the director of research and evaluation at Northshore School District in Bothell, Washington. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/ Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is a production of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry.