Buzz
Pseudosciences are practices or beliefs that appear scientific at first glance but lack rigorous testing or evidence. Examples include theories like extraterrestrials constructing the Egyptian pyramids, the mysterious powers of the Bermuda Triangle, and the legendary creature Bigfoot. While some pseudosciences, such as homeopathy, might seem plausible, many others are so outlandish that they defy logic and leave you utterly baffled.
Regardless of your stance on their validity, these ten entries undoubtedly rank among the strangest pseudoscientific beliefs ever conceived.
10. Rumpology
The next time you find yourself gazing at someone’s backside, simply explain that you’re a rumpologist offering a complimentary psychic reading. If they remain skeptical, direct them to the works of Jacqueline Stallone, Ulf Buck, Sam Amos, and others—who all claim that the buttocks can reveal insights into a person’s destiny. Rather than analyzing palms, rumpologists study the curves, folds, dimples, and contours of the posterior.
While every individual’s behind is distinct, rumpologist Sam Amos notes that a rounded bottom indicates someone who is “cheerful, optimistic, and open-minded,” while a flatter bottom may suggest traits like “negativity, vanity, or sadness.”
America’s top rumpologist (with little competition in the field) is Jacqueline Stallone, mother of Sylvester Stallone. She asserts that the left buttock reflects a person’s past, the right buttock their future, and the crease symbolizes the division between the brain’s two hemispheres. Stallone also emphasizes that she is reviving an ancient practice once embraced by early Babylonians, Indians, Greeks, and Romans.
Although most rumpologists prefer in-person evaluations, Stallone offers readings using just a digital photo and a fee of $125.
9. Flat Earth
Although many of us were taught that people in the Middle Ages believed the Earth was flat and feared Columbus might sail off its edge, modern historians have debunked this idea. They confirm that as early as the fourth century B.C., most people understood the Earth to be spherical.
However, there have always been—and still are—a few individuals known as “flat-earthers.” Despite Magellan’s global voyage, advancements in aviation, and satellite images showing a round Earth, members of the Flat Earth Society insist these are part of an elaborate conspiracy.
As stated on the Flat Earth Society website, “The ground appears flat, clouds have flat undersides, and the sun’s movement all suggest that we do not inhabit a spherical, heliocentric planet.”
Flat-earthers explain the absence of pancake-like Earth sightings by astronauts by claiming space agencies fabricate space travel. They argue the moon landing was staged and that photos of Earth are manipulated or distorted by camera lenses, barrel effects, and the sun’s circular spotlight, creating the illusion of curvature.
8. Psychic Surgery
Psychic surgeons claim to cure individuals suffering from cancer and other life-threatening illnesses simply through touch. These practitioners are widespread, with significant popularity in Brazil and the Philippines. In Manila alone, hundreds of psychic surgeons are reportedly active.
During a session, the surgeon typically places their hands on the patient’s abdomen, mimics an incision with their finger, and manipulates the skin as though accessing internal organs. While no actual cut is made, observers often witness blood and tissue being “extracted,” with the surgeon asserting they are removing diseased material. Skeptics argue that these procedures rely on sleight-of-hand techniques, using animal blood and organs to deceive audiences. Illusionists such as Criss Angel and Penn & Teller have replicated these tricks on their shows to expose the fraud.
7. Pyramid Power
Some believe that “pyramid power” can achieve remarkable feats, such as preserving food, maintaining razor blade sharpness indefinitely, enhancing health, boosting libido, and more. It’s theorized that ancient Egyptians were aware of these mystical energies and harnessed the pyramid’s unique shape for their benefit.
The concept of Pyramidology gained traction in the 1970s with Patrick Flanagan’s book “Pyramid Power.” Flanagan and others cite Antoine Bovis’ research, which suggests that organic matter decays more slowly or not at all when placed under a pyramid modeled after the Great Pyramid of Giza’s precise dimensions and aligned with the Earth’s north-south axis (regardless of the pyramid’s construction material).
Many enthusiasts recount a tale of Bovis discovering non-decomposed animals inside the Great Pyramid during a visit, sparking his research. However, Bovis himself denied this story, stating he never visited Egypt and instead made his discoveries by experimenting with pyramid models.
Proponents argue that Egyptologists have uncovered well-preserved grains and meals in ancient tombs, which—despite being over five millennia old—show better preservation than items stored for mere months using modern methods.
Despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting or refuting pyramid power, enthusiasts continue to sleep beneath pyramids, store food under them, reside in pyramid-shaped structures, and even construct replicas of the Pyramid of Khufu for purposes like operating a winery.
6. Attachment Therapy
Attachment therapy posits that children’s behavioral issues stem from a lack of proper bonding with their parents or caregivers. To address this, therapists guide parents in using various techniques to help the child reach a state of emotional release, after which the child is expected to exhibit appropriate affectionate behavior.
The methods used to push children toward this emotional breakthrough are often intense. As reported by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, treatments may include coercive practices such as scheduled holding, binding, rib cage stimulation (e.g., tickling, pinching, or knuckling), and even licking. Children might be restrained, have multiple adults lie on them, or be forced into prolonged eye contact. These sessions can last three to five hours or even longer.
Even if a child avoids physical harm, the psychological toll of practices like rebirthing or forced bottle feeding can leave lasting emotional scars.
Some attachment therapists persuade parents to adopt extreme measures by warning that untreated children might develop psychopathic tendencies, akin to figures like Ted Bundy.
5. Melanin Theory
Imagine a substance capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation, transforming light and magnetic fields into sound, processing information without a brain, and even possessing a soul. While this might sound like science fiction, proponents of melanin theory argue that all these extraordinary properties are inherent in melanin.
Since everyone possesses some melanin, this theory suggests we all share a few of the extraordinary traits mentioned. However, those with the highest melanin levels—typically individuals with darker skin—are considered the true superhumans. Melanists further claim that black people have more melanin in their brains and bodies, enhancing their superiority. As you might have guessed, this theory is fundamentally racist.
While interpretations of the theory differ, a common belief is that ancient Egyptians were black-skinned and the originators of all civilization—a connection deemed intentional. White individuals are portrayed as having lower melanin levels compared to their darker-skinned counterparts, described as genetic deviations from the ideal human form—Africans.
Professor Leonard Jeffries, a prominent advocate of melanin theory, labeled white people as pigment-deficient “ice people,” characterizing them as cold, selfish, and exploitative. In contrast, he described black people as “sun people”—warm, compassionate, deeply humanistic, and spiritual.
Scientific studies by geneticists and biochemists confirm that all humans have comparable levels of neuromelanin (brain melanin) and that melanin lacks any supernatural properties.
4. Body Earthing
There are numerous theories about the rise of modern illnesses. Some attribute it to processed foods, inactive lifestyles, or increased exposure to pollutants. However, Body Earthers believe the root cause is insufficient time spent barefoot on damp grass.
Body Earthers propose that an excess of free radicals in our bodies contributes to conditions like diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and other health issues. While certain antioxidant-rich foods can combat free radicals, Earthers argue that we’re neglecting one of the most powerful antioxidants—the Earth itself.
According to this theory, the Earth can transfer beneficial electrons into the body, which neutralize harmful free radicals. The ball of the foot is considered the optimal area for electron absorption, as it “links to all acupuncture meridians and connects to every part of the body.” However, simply making contact with the ground is believed to offer health benefits.
Unlike our ancestors, who frequently walked and slept on natural terrain, modern lifestyles—featuring rubber-soled shoes, concrete surfaces, and skyscrapers—are thought to harm our health by reducing our connection to the Earth.
3. Dowsing
Dowsing involves using a rod or stick to find underground objects, such as water, oil, metals, gems, or even gravestones. Practitioners typically hold a Y- or L-shaped stick and follow its movements, which may dip, rise, or tilt, seemingly guiding them to the desired location.
Though it may seem strange that a simple stick could locate water, dowsing has many adherents. For centuries, dowsers have formed communities across America and Europe, and today, they gather at national conventions. Some believe the rods react to underground minerals, while others see them as tools to connect with a spiritual force, requiring no scientific explanation.
Several scientific studies have attempted to validate dowsing. The most notable, conducted by Hans-Dieter Betz in 1987, found that most self-proclaimed dowsers lacked exceptional abilities, though a few showed skill in locating water. Betz suggested there might be some truth to the practice. However, J. T. Enright and others later criticized the study, arguing it was conducted in a biased environment and that the data was misinterpreted. Other studies have shown dowsers perform no better than random chance.
The effectiveness of dowsing remains difficult to confirm or refute, given the abundance of materials underground. When water is found, it reinforces the faith of believers, encouraging them to continue the practice.
2. Memetics
Watching grumpy cats, honey badger videos, or ridiculously photogenic individuals isn’t just a way to pass time at work. Advocates of memetics argue that these memes are cultural units capable of evolving and replicating independently, much like human genes.
While we might casually remark that a meme has “gone viral,” proponents of memetics take this idea seriously, claiming that memes replicate for their own survival and propagation, rather than for human benefit.
The core idea of memetics existed long before the internet era, introduced by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book “The Selfish Gene.” Dawkins suggests that memes use human minds as hosts, evolving and spreading as they move from person to person. Their cultural success hinges on the willingness of their hosts to share and propagate them.
In chapter eleven of his book, Dawkins writes: “When a fertile meme enters my mind, it essentially hijacks my brain, using it as a tool for its own spread, much like a virus exploits a host cell’s genetic machinery. This isn’t just metaphorical—the meme for, say, ‘belief in life after death,’ is physically embodied millions of times as neural structures in people worldwide.”
Some proponents even describe God as the ultimate meme. They don’t dispute God’s existence but argue that God exists solely as an idea that has evolved over millennia, adapting and transforming based on the interpretations and mutations introduced by its hosts.
1. Urine Therapy
Believers claim that urine is a miracle substance, capable of curing ailments ranging from the flu to cancer, enhancing skin beauty, and even unlocking spiritual enlightenment by opening the third eye. It is consumed, applied topically, and used either warm (directly from the body) or cold.
This practice isn’t new; it traces back to Ancient Rome and is mentioned in several ancient religions. In India, urine therapy is so popular that in 2009, a Hindu group planned to create a health product combining aloe vera, gooseberry, and cow urine to promote wellness and resist Western food imports—though Coca-Cola likely has little to fear.
Medical experts argue that drinking urine is ineffective at best and potentially harmful at worst. Healthy urine contains urea, kreatine, uric acid, ammonia, and other toxins, while urine from ill individuals may include acetone, heavy metal salts, or harmful bacteria. Pregnant women are especially at risk, as it can cause miscarriages or fetal diseases.
Even using urine to treat jellyfish stings is discouraged, as it can worsen the condition by triggering remaining nematocysts at the sting site.
