The following press conference is scheduled for the American Physical Society (APS) meeting in Minneapolis March 20-24, 2000, the largest gathering of physicists this year.

Tuesday, March 21, 10 AM----QUESTIONABLE SCIENCE Joel Achenbach (paper G8.1), popular columnist for the Washington Post, recounts his visits to the set of the X-Files, to the Mars Society, and to Roswell, NM, scene of a supposed alien landing. Robert Park (G8.4) of the University of Maryland, who writes a tart weekly newsletter about science and public affairs, as well as frequent op-ed pieces in the New York Times and the Washington Post, surveys the road from foolishness to fraud in scientific claims. David Lykken (G8.2) of the University of Minnesota will describe the details and fallibility of polygraph tests, at present a considerable tool of national security. Michael Shermer (G8.3) of the Skeptics Society, and a radio commentator in Los Angeles, will discuss how people form their scientific beliefs.

Press Conference location:
Minneapolis Convention Center, room 203B.

APS Virtual Pressroom, with over 20 lay-language papers:
http://www.aps.org/meet/MAR00/baps/vpr.

Journalists intending to attend the meeting should send in their request for a press badge to Ben Stein at bstein@aip.org.