1. Massimo Polidoro was born on 10 March 1969 and is an Italian psychologist, writer, journalist, television personality, and co-founder and executive director of the Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Pseudosciences.
21 Facts About Massimo Polidoro
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Massimo Polidoro read many books on these arguments that left him with numerous unanswered questions until he came upon Viaggio nel mondo del paranormale by Piero Angela.
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Massimo Polidoro learned in his teens about the work of James Randi, and CSICOP investigating parapsychology from a critical, skeptical point of view.
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Massimo Polidoro corresponded with Randi and Angela by mail, where they planned a skeptical organization in Italy based on CSICOP's work in the United States.
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Massimo Polidoro was invited to meet both Angela and Randi and again later to a meeting in Rome as Angela's guest in 1988.
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Massimo Polidoro studied psychology, and graduated from the University of Padua with a master thesis on the psychology of eyewitness testimony of anomalous phenomena.
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When Martin Gardner left his regular column "Notes from a Fringe Watcher" in The Skeptical Inquirer, the magazine of CSICOP, Massimo Polidoro was asked to take over, and the column was retitled "Notes on a Strange World".
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Massimo Polidoro continues to investigate and test alleged psychics, astrologers, clairvoyants, dowsers, mediums, prophets, psychic detectives, psychic healers, psychic photographers, telepaths and many others.
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Massimo Polidoro has conducted historical investigations on famous cases and personalities of the past, including Eusapia Palladino, Margery and his childhood hero Houdini.
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In 2017, Massimo Polidoro organized CICAP Fest, a festival of science and curiosity held annually in Padua and co-organized with the city and the University of Padua.
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Since 2018, Massimo Polidoro teaches a postgraduate course on science communication at the University of Padua.
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Massimo Polidoro is the author of over 50 books in Italian, some of which have been translated into other languages.
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Massimo Polidoro undertook a touring theatrical performance mixing narrative, science, and art to highlight the man who was Leonardo, exploring how da Vinci came to be regarded as history's best-known polymath despite personal difficulties, societal resistance, and the limits of his own humanity.
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Massimo Polidoro announced that he had begun work on the biography, and had reviewed the material gathered by Jillette and Scheinberg, along with source material used for the documentary An Honest Liar, directed by Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom, which tells the story of Randi's life.
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In September 2017, Massimo Polidoro was able to interview James Randi for attendees at the 17th European Skeptics Congress.
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Massimo Polidoro is the host, special guest, author or consultant of many TV shows, both in Italy and abroad.
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Since 2017, Massimo Polidoro is a featured guest on Superquark, the most popular science television show in Italy, created and hosted by Piero Angela, where he discusses fake news, pseudoscience and how to develop rational thinking skills.
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Massimo Polidoro, when asked about his community on social media replied:.
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Polidoro is the author of a number of podcasts in Italian: in 2006 I Misteri di Massimo Polidoro dealing with the investigation of mysterious subjects both by himself and by other colleagues that contribute to the show.
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Massimo Polidoro's experiences investigating mysteries, legends and other paranormal phenomena inspired the main character in a novel by Giacomo Gardumi, L'eredita di Bric.
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At the time, Massimo Polidoro wrote the articles using a typewriter, and in doing the layout of the magazine, he would physically cut and paste, photocopy, and hand-bind each copy.