Joe Nickell
Center for Inquiry — Amherst, NY
Joe Nickell, Ph.D. (University of Kentucky, 1987) is senior research fellow of the international Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), formerly the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), and an investigative columnist for Skeptical Inquirer science magazine.
A former professional stage magician (the resident magician at the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame for three years) and private investigator for a world-famous detective agency, Dr. Nickell taught technical writing for several years at the University of Kentucky before taking the full-time position with CSICOP in 1995.
Utilizing his varied background, Nickell has become widely known as an investigator of myths and mysteries, frauds, forgeries and hoaxes. Believed to be the world’s only full-time professional paranormal investigator, he routinely explores “haunted” houses, examines “weeping” statues, searches for fabled monsters, investigates psychics and mediums, and probes other “unexplained” phenomena such as crop circles, UFOs, spontaneous human combustion, etc. He insists that mysteries should neither be hyped nor dismissed, but instead carefully investigated with a view toward solving them. Nickell has been called “the modern Sherlock Holmes,” “the original ghost buster,” and “the real-life Scully” (from “The X-Files”).
Nickell is the author, co-author, or editor of more than twenty books, including Inquest on the Shroud of Turin (1983, 1998); Secrets of the Supernatural (1988); The Magic Detectives (1989); Pen, Ink, and Evidence (1990); Missing Pieces (co-author Robert A. Baker, 1992); Mysterious Realms (1992); Looking for a Miracle (1993); Psychic Sleuths (1994); Camera Clues (1994); Entities (1995); Detecting Forgery (1996); The UFO Invasion (1997); Crime Science (co-author John F. Fischer, 1999); Real Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal (2001); The Mystery Chronicles (2004); Secrets of the Sideshows (2005); Unsolved History: Investigating Mysteries of the Past (2005); Relics of the Christ (2007); and Adventures in Paranormal Investigation (2007).
In addition to several documentaries on the Discovery Channel, such as “The Science of Magic,” “America’s Haunted Houses,” and the “Science Mysteries” series, Nickell has appeared on numerous national TV shows, including “News with Brian Williams,” “Dateline NBC,” “Paula Zahn Now,” “Larry King Live,” “Oprah,” “Ricki Lake,” “Jerry Springer Show,” “Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious Universe,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” “Politically Incorrect,” “20/20,” A&E’s “The Unexplained,” and “48 Hours.”
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