Written by Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero; illustrated by Daniel Loxton
Foreword by Michael Shermer

Abominable Science!: Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids (Columbia University Press, 2013)

THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, humans have been captivated by mythic beasts and legendary creatures. Tales of Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Loch Ness monster are part of our collective experience. Now comes a book from two dedicated investigators that explores and elucidates the fascinating world of cryptozoology.

Daniel Loxton and Donald R. Prothero have written an entertaining, educational, and definitive text on cryptids, presenting the arguments both for and against their existence and systematically challenging the pseudoscience that perpetuates their myths. After examining the nature of science and pseudoscience and their relation to cryptozoology, Loxton and Prothero take on Bigfoot; the Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, and its cross-cultural incarnations; the Loch Ness monster and its highly publicized sightings; the evolution of the Great Sea Serpent; and Mokele Mbembe, or the Congo dinosaur. They conclude with an analysis of the psychology behind the persistent belief in paranormal phenomena, identifying the major players in cryptozoology, discussing the character of its subculture, and considering the challenge it poses to clear and critical thinking in our increasingly complex world.

Awards

2014 Choice Outstanding Academic Titles (Top 25 Books)
2014 Book Industry Guild of NY Excellence in Book Design (Winner)
2014 Association of American University Presses Jacket Design (Winner)

eBooks

Abominable Science! is also available in popular eBook formats including Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iTunes (for Mac OS or iOS), and Kobo.

Praise for Abominable Science!

[A] gripping read…a sensitive but devastating takedown of an entire subculture.
—Nature

Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero…offer us a sharp analysis of the quest for unreal critters…and the people who pursue them, shining an arc light onto the hoaxes and faked photos, the made-up films, faux corpses, delusions, lies and plain bad science that plague the field.
—The Wall Street Journal