Ah, pseudosciences. Sometimes, they’re a sham to fleece gullible punters of their hard‑earned coin. Other times, they’re practiced by earnest (or delusional) individuals who truly believe they hold the missing pieces of the scientific puzzle. Below, we count down the 10 truly bizarre fields that have managed to capture imaginations despite lacking solid evidence.
10 Truly Bizarre Pseudoscientific Practices: An Introduction
10. Thought Field Therapy
Thought Field Therapy (TFT) emerged in the early 1980s when psychologist Roger Callahan was treating a patient terrified of water. The woman’s phobia was so intense that merely being near a pool triggered stomach cramps.
Callahan, having recently studied Chinese medicine, recalled that acupuncturists speak of a point on the cheekbone linked to the stomach meridian. He instructed his patient to tap that spot, hoping to ease her abdominal pain.
Amazingly, the pain vanished on the spot, and, even more astonishingly, the entire water phobia dissolved. She could now run to a pool, jump in, and splash around without distress. Thus, TFT—later popularized as “tapping”—was born.
Practitioners claim that by thinking of a problem and then stimulating specific acupressure points, both emotional and physical ailments can be alleviated. They tout success rates ranging from 75 % to 97 %.
Unfortunately, no rigorous empirical studies have substantiated these lofty claims, leaving the purported percentages unsupported by any solid data.
9. Magnetic Therapy
Magnetic bracelets, rings, shoe inserts, and even mattresses flood the market with promises of curing back pain, headaches, and a host of other ailments. Sellers offer a variety of rationales, from influencing your chi to drawing blood flow via iron in hemoglobin.
The latter argument falls flat because hemoglobin’s iron is not ferromagnetic; a quick magnet‑over‑blood test proves nothing happens. To date, scientific investigations have found no credible evidence supporting any of these assertions.
Beyond wearable gadgets, magnetic water—claimed to become “soft and easily absorbed”—has also been marketed, promising triple hydration. Yet, no research links magnetic exposure to improved water absorption, leaving the claim entirely unverified.
8. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy technique aimed at reducing the distress linked to traumatic memories, primarily used for PTSD treatment.
During a session, patients keep a distressing memory in mind while following the therapist’s finger as it glides back and forth. Over multiple sessions, they also learn coping strategies such as imagery techniques to manage emotional stress.
The therapy seeks to help patients identify visual imagery, negative self‑beliefs, and bodily sensations tied to the trauma, attempting to reframe these experiences.
Extensive research yields mixed results. One prevailing theory suggests that EMDR’s effectiveness stems not from the eye movements themselves but from the conventional talk‑therapy and coping methods integrated into the sessions.
7. Rumpology
Yes, it sounds exactly as it is—Rumpology is the practice of interpreting the lines, creases, dimples, and overall shape of a person’s buttocks to glean insights into their character, past, and future.
One of its most vocal advocates is Jackie Stallone, mother of Sylvester Stallone, who claims the art dates back to ancient Babylon, Greece, India, and Rome. According to her, the left cheek represents past events and the right hemisphere of the brain, while the right cheek reflects future possibilities and the left brain.
6. Ear Candling
First, a safety warning: do NOT stick burning objects into your ears at home. That’s a hard rule.
Ear candling involves lying on one’s side, inserting a long hollow candle into the ear canal, and lighting it for about fifteen minutes. Proponents claim the flame creates a suction that draws wax and debris out of the ear.
However, skeptics have burned the candles without placing them in ears, only to find the same debris inside—mostly burnt wax and candle fabric—demonstrating that the “suction” claim is bogus.
Supporters argue that all passages in the head are interconnected, so cleaning the ears clears the mind. In reality, solid barriers like the eardrum prevent any such suction, and the pressure required to extract wax would likely rupture the eardrum, making ear candling both ineffective and unsafe.
5. Gua Sha
Gua sha (literally “scraping sha bruises”) involves using a flat, board‑like instrument to scrape the skin, thereby purportedly improving circulation and blood flow to the treated area.
Practitioners argue that the scraping breaks up stagnant chi energy, reducing inflammation and chronic pain. The method often leaves patients with noticeable bruises or even minor bleeding—an impressive “battle wound” of sorts.
Scientific literature on gua sha is sparse, offering limited empirical support for its claimed benefits. The practice’s risk profile includes potential skin infections from broken skin and the chance of bleeding.
Anyone considering gua sha should ensure the practitioner sterilizes all tools and follows strict hygiene protocols to mitigate infection risks.
4. Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) involves a practitioner lightly cradling the skull and sacrum, executing barely perceptible movements. Advocates believe these subtle manipulations can alter cerebrospinal fluid pressure and circulation, influencing overall health.
John Upledger, who popularized CST, claims the technique works with the body’s natural rhythms to locate and correct imbalances.
Critics point out that the skull’s bones are essentially immobile, making it biomechanically implausible for such minute touches to meaningfully affect cerebrospinal fluid dynamics.
3. Metoposcopy
Metoposcopy, the art of reading a person’s forehead wrinkles, peaked during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Practitioners believed that the pattern of forehead lines could reveal character traits and forecast future events.
This pseudoscientific discipline was pioneered by 16th‑century mathematician and astrologer Girolamo Cardano. Legend claims he starved himself at 75 rather than live to see his astrological predictions disproven.
Despite Cardano’s extensive work—over 800 facial diagrams—metoposcopy never gained lasting traction and faded into obscurity after his death.
2. Biorhythms
Biorhythm theory posits that human lives are governed by three primary rhythmic cycles: a 23‑day physical cycle, a 28‑day emotional cycle, and a 33‑day intellectual cycle. Some followers even claim additional hybrid cycles exist.
According to proponents, these cycles dictate daily performance. For instance, a low physical cycle might make you clumsy, suggesting you postpone a sports tryout until your peak physical phase.
Comprehensive reviews of experimental studies reveal that none have produced statistically significant findings beyond what poor study design can explain, effectively debunking the theory.
1. Color Therapy
Color therapy hinges on the belief that energy flows through seven main centers—chakras—each linked to a specific color: violet (crown), indigo (third eye), blue (throat), green (heart), yellow (solar plexus), orange (sacral), and red (root).
Practitioners argue that imbalance among these chakras leads to physical and mental ailments. To restore harmony, they “apply” the deficient colors, typically by bathing patients in vibrant lights.
While the approach sounds visually appealing, there is no scientific evidence supporting its efficacy. Nonetheless, proponents claim it’s a more pleasant alternative than therapies that involve bruising or bleeding.