Chinese Boy with Ability to See in Pitch Black Stuns Medics

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/08/chinese-boy-with-ability-to-see-in-pitch-black-stuns-medics.html?m=1

by sinofer • 13 years ago

1 5 13 years ago

lutusp3• 13 years ago

This is perfect nonsense -- it's false.

gus_massa2• 13 years ago

I agree that all the reading-in-the-dark ability is fake (or at least extremely exaggerated). Someone posted a skeptical link with more info in another thread about the same boy. http://www.livescience.com/18209-china-cat-eyed-boy-night-vi...

It's very difficult to debunk completely this kind of "discoveries" but a very big red flag is the lack of independent confirmation. In particular they site as a source an article from "worldrecordacademy". (I prefer to not even paste the link here). After reading that I am even more convinced that this is not legit. (If it were confirmed at least by the Guinness World Records, I would start to look for more information, but still be very skeptical.)

lutusp3• 13 years ago

It's very difficult to debunk completely this kind of "discoveries"

Sometimes true, but this one is easy. There are too many impossible claims packed into a single account. By itself, the claim that the boy can function without any source of light in a completely dark environment falsifies the account.

Also, in science, the default assumption is that it's false (null hypothesis) and the entire burden of evidence rests with the claimants to offer evidence.

but a very big red flag is the lack of independent confirmation.

Not very important by itself. Any number of astrologers will independently confirm the accounts of other astrologers, and Bigfoot investigators back each other up all the time. And psychologists are famous for circling the wagons when confronted by skeptics.

After reading that I am even more convinced that this is not legit.

Again, it's not up to the scientific skeptics to doubt and disprove. It's up to the claimants to offer evidence. The burden of evidence rests entirely with those making extraordinary claims.

Chinese Boy with Ability to See in Pitch Black Stuns Medics

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