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Fool Me Once is an art installation in the Ashe building on campus hosted by the Lowe Art Museum! It allows people to test how well they can identify AI or real human work.

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The video allegedly captured a ghost on camera. It could be a real video or it could be fake. You decide😁

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This is smart water. I was looking around for pseudoscience examples and saw someone drinking this. There have been times when I have chosen smart water over regular water in times of “need” just because of the label, hoping that it would give me an advantage in my studies. Of course this would be a placebo effect if it did increase my score, but their advertising strategy for this water is definitely a good approach.

Joseph Rizzo

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This is a high school assignment I had about cryptids. While in this case the "cryptids" did turn out to be undiscovered animals, their physical features and descriptions used to be extremely exaggerated.

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These are some of the crystals my friend's mom keeps in their house. She believes they help to clear her mind of bad thoughts and provide good energy.

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This is a post I found on instagram about horoscopes relating to people's relationships.

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Living in Puerto Rico was a unique experience as I witnessed a spiritual and cultural environment that places high importance on the supernatural realm. The belief in psychic abilities is strong throughout the island, and many people seek guidance and advice from psychics. Puerto Rico has many spiritual practitioners and psychics who offer their services in person or online. In today's world, where people rely heavily on reviews and recommendations, having a 5-star rating and positive feedback from trusted sources plays a significant role in decision-making; it is not surprising that this location in Brickell has received a five-star rating. It is not uncommon for some individuals to prefer consulting psychics over psychologists. Although there is more than one psychic, this specific location in Brickell stands out because of the many people who come in contact with it. If you have been to Brickell, you have probably seen this place too, haven't you?

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Paranormal and healing crystals books - Daniela Bazzani

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Paranormal and healing crystals books - Daniela Bazzani

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Found these at a shop not too far from where I live. In this picture you can only see two, but many books were about alien encounters and the paranormal, some were specifically about ghosts. There were also many different books about the healing power of crystals.

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Pseudoscientific books - Daniela Bazzani

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Pseudoscientific books - Daniela Bazzani

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I found these books at a shop inside a mall. Among many historic, scientific or just leisure books, I found these books pertaining the most disparate topics, like astrology, angle numbers, the big foot, the analysis of zodiac signs, the understanding of personal aura and the meaning and power of numbers.

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This is a picture of an evil eye my mom gave me before leaving to college. She is a big believer in it and has many of them around the house and in her car. It is meant to ward off evil intentions and jealously, and have it to protect me.

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This is a picture of a rose quartz crystal/rock. This was included in a little care package after I got a tattoo. The artist said that the stone will "promote unconditional love, a calming energy, and release tension and stress". I thought it was pretty, and just left it on my dresser. I've never been the one to believe in crystals and I think they just look nice aesthetically.

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Tarot Cards and Palm Reading- Lauren Ledon

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Tarot Cards and Palm Reading- Lauren Ledon

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This is a picture of my friend and I getting our palms and tarot cards in New Orleans. We heard that it was popular to get that done there, so we were curious. After the session, we discussed about what she told us during the palm reading and a lot of it was similar and very general. There were some statements that she said that could have related to my life but they were so broad that it could have related to anyone. As far as the tarot cards, she just pulled out random cards, saw what the picture had, and made a general assumption related to that. Some of the statements that she said to me were "you will live a long and happy life", "you have money coming to you soon", "you will start a new beginning", in which she could have said to anyone.

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Shigaraki Tanuki Statue - Nicolas Eshraghi

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Shigaraki Tanuki Statue - Nicolas Eshraghi

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I recently went to Japan and I saw this weird statue in the hotel. It is apparently a Shigaraki Tanuki statue, and it is supposed to bring blessings and luck, they are very commonly placed in restaurants and businesses in Japan.

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A youtuber I watch uploaded a video reacting to Baba Vanga, a Bulgerian mystic that many people believe was able to predict the future. One of the most famous things she is said to have predicted was 9/11. She supposedly said “Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be gushing" in 1989.

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This is a ring of the "Evil Eye." It is one of my mom's rings. The eye is said to ward off bad intentions and envy. My mom does not actually believe in it, it is more cultural as it is popular in the middle east, where my family is from, and she likes how it looks.

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On tiktok this tarot reading video came up on my for you page. Throughout the video the woman reading the card explains her interpretation of their meaning and how a significant life event is on its way. Most of the statements made by the woman are very vague and can easily be generalized to the public. I liked how she began the video by saying that those who are watching stayed because "[they] know what she's talking about," almost priming the viewers about the information that's going to be said. This makes viewers pay attention to the things that are pertinent to their own lives and ignore all the misses. A generic statement that I found funny was something along the lines of 'you've been scared of failure'... well isn't everyone?

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I saw this magazine standing in the line at Publix. It seemed to be targeting women age 50+ who wanted to lose weight. On its borders it also claimed to contain so called 'pantry cure' for wrinkles, cold and flue, etc. To support it's major claim of a 8 week program to lose 25lb it places a small figure of Susan (age 52) who supposedly lost weight following this method. The use of visuals and large fonts also engages the viewers attention to the most pressing topics that are going to be discussed in the magazine.

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I saw these zodiac stone packs at a gift store in San Francisco Int'l Airport. Each box contains 2 different kinds of stones that "match" each zodiac sing.

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Over spring break, I drove past the psychic center that I used to pass every day driving to my high school in my hometown in New Jersey. I never really noticed or thought about this psychic center that was so close to me, but after learning about pseudoscience in PSY272 I want to learn more about psychic readings and how they connect to topics we discussed in class.

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Psychic in my hometown in New Jersey-Emilie Strapp

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Psychic in my hometown in New Jersey-Emilie Strapp

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While on spring break I visited my aunt who is a pretty spiritual person and she had this book/calendar on her table. I couldn't really understand most of the charts and information in the book but she said it was supposed to help you determine the best days for certain events or activities based on astrology and planetary and moon locations.

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I was just scrolling through TikTok when this tarot card reader popped up on my for you page. In the video, she shows three different cards, stating that someone close to me is put off by the way I handled a recent situation. I think it is ironic how 32,000 people liked this video, proving just how broad and relatable it is. 

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Giselle Brummer--Tarot Card Reading on TikTok

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Giselle Brummer--Tarot Card Reading on TikTok

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I went to the Coconut Grove farmer's market a couple weekends back and I was shocked to see how many stands revolved around pseudoscience. Here was one of the many crystal stands, where people were trying to sell us these stones that each had their own "powers" and "energetic properties" that could accomplish things like improve your mood or give you good luck.

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This TikTok came up on my for you page and it was posted by a mother who is helping "heal" her sick daughter. The daughter seemed to have a sore throat, so the mother painted iodine on her neck by where on her throat it hurt. She also placed potato slices on her feet to pull out toxins, put an essential oil diffuser in her room, and gave her Boiron which looked like homeopathic medicine.

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I’m feeling better after only 24 hours and I know she will too! I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do for your family, what feels right for you. #sorethroatremedy #sorethroathack #sorethroatrelief #wellbeingmatters #naturalmindedmama #healthandwellness #holisticwellness #selfcare #momlife #mindbodyspirit #healthcare #fyp #iodine #foryou #sickday #sickmode #momsoftiktok 

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@natural_minded_mama
I’m feeling better after only 24 hours and I know she will too! I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do for your family, what feels right for you. #sorethroatremedy #sorethroathack #sorethroatrelief #wellbeingmatters #naturalmindedmama #healthandwellness #holisticwellness #selfcare #momlife #mindbodyspirit #healthcare #fyp #iodine #foryou #sickday #sickmode #momsoftiktok
♬ Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67 Part 1 - Beethoven

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As I was scrolling on Youtube, I saw a Joe Rogan Video of him discussing Aliens with someone. Joe rogan is a Comedian, Sports commentator, and has one of the biggest podcast on YouTube. While his content ranges from a wide variety of concepts, he tends to have deep conversations of the meaning and reality of life, often dissecting different pseudosciences. In this example particularly, He is exploring the nature of aliens. He has a lot of content like this, it often makes you question.

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This bust in the Frost Museum of Science exemplifies a traditional phrenological map of the head and what each area would have indicated. The tools for examination were also displayed at another window in the museum.

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This post is one of many on my Instagram explore page (which all tend to contradict one another) that displays the horoscope predictions for any given month. If you’re able to find these posts and interact with them, your recommended feed will be flooded with similar content.

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I passed by the church of scientology on my way to a job interview and I don't usually pass by here so was quite shocked to see it. Honestly quite a big building for something seen as toxic and fake in the eyes of most but I will say their big building all to themselves is what can get people to join at times if they are uneducated on what it specifically is and just pass by get called in one might think its legit and trustworthy due to their grand looking space.

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I pass by this small Psychic shop everyday on my way to UM and have always been curious to go in and just see what they say. In this specific picture someone had just pulled in to apparently get more information on it but usually there is just a lone Range Rover that I figure is the Psychics. They did make sure to make their sign real big and red and i have to be honest you cant miss it so I am sure most of their customers are through that.

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Right as I logged onto Max this was the first thing to pop up and was being advertised under "Top 10 series today". Ive never looked much into things like "ghost adventures" except when it pops up like this but platforms that advertise these kind of pseudoscience style shows are the reason why people stay believing in ghosts and why they continue thinking they have "evidence" after watching it even though most of these shows are edited with sound effects and jump scares to make you think its exactly what they experienced therefore ghosts are real through "video footage"

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I found this book at my friends house. Taschen, known for its high-quality graphic books, has created a visually breathtaking voyage through the world of Tarot. The book will most likely feature Tarot decks from diverse artists and traditions, providing insights into the cards' meanings, cultural relevance, and historical use for divination and self-reflection.-Regan Waterman

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My roommate has this book that she keeps on our dining room table. Dane Rudhyar, a well-known astrologer and writer, wrote "Astrology of Personality" as a fundamental book. It was first published in 1936 and delves into the psychological aspects of astrology.-Regan Waterman

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I saw this on instagram reels. It made me laugh that the comments had been turned off. Regan Waterman

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I came across this instagram post which highlighted different psychic abilities. I thought this post was especially interesting because it goes over the difference between psychic ability in great detail and shows that each psychic could have a different specialty.

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Overview of Psychic Abilities-Emilie Strapp

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Overview of Psychic Abilities-Emilie Strapp

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Prayer Coins- not totally sure of their name- Samara Hackett 

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Prayer Coins- not totally sure of their name- Samara Hackett 

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While shopping in the mission district in SF my friend and I came across this very vibrant shop with lots of religious items. Although neither of us are religious the shop owner told us that these could be used for good luck/ to pray with and would basically just improve our lives overall. Because they were fairly inexpensive and the woman was very kind we each bought one and then put them on necklaces. I then began to wear the necklace as a good luck charm, and it worked pretty well honestly.

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Book teaching about healing crystals and a crystal meant to help with focus- Samara Hackett

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Book teaching about healing crystals and a crystal meant to help with focus- Samara Hackett

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I bought this book and crystal from a witch store in SF. The woman who worked there helped me to find a crystal that would help me after I explained issues in my life. The book I bought for my friend who has an extensive crystal collection and often uses them to preform rituals. The store had many different tinctures meant to help with ailments and even some eastern medicines.

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This song is full of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. For example the aliens building the pyramids. This video was stitched on my fyp on tiktok.

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The "Nervo-Scope" is a pseudoscientific device, commonly used by chiropractors, that is purported to detect areas of subluxation. In reality, the device does nothing but provide feedback relating to conductivity between its probes. There are also no standard units on the device. The output of the device itself is meaningless; their is no way to correlate conductivity of the skin and health issues.

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Tarot-themed candles from my mom's candle collection featuring 'The Fool' and 'The Hermit' cards. Originating from ancient traditions, tarot cards are used for divination and self-reflection. 'The Fool' symbolizes new beginnings, innocence, and taking a leap of faith, while 'The Hermit' represents introspection, solitude, and seeking inner wisdom. While these candles add ambiance, it's essential to recognize their historical and symbolic significance beyond any claimed mystical powers.

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Example of the pseudoscience of vampires and werewolves through the lens of books in pop culture. These Twilight books from my little sister's room depict creatures with supernatural abilities. While they make for entertaining fiction, it's crucial to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

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This is a picture of an evil eye hanging from my door, a symbol believed to ward off negativity, originating from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures. Despite its cultural significance, it's essential to remember that its protective powers lack scientific backing.

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My friends and I were driving through Pinecrest and I saw this large, bright Psychic sign and had to take a picture. I thought it was funny that I saw this figuring we just learned about the techniques psychics use to convince audiences their readings are accurate. The sign is a very typical psychic sign with the cards surrounding the hand and the stars that I'm sure this specific psychic would claim represents something. 

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These types of tarot card readings are constantly popping up for me on tiktok. The reader tires to make you feel "special" by saying that this message is meant for you and you need to see this. Then they give a bunch of general statements that can be manipulated into fitting anyone's situation or can't even be confirmed.

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This is an advertisement for making a magical wand out of crystals to direct large amounts of energy to specific places for witchcraft purposes. The “Traveling Witch” says that she can teach you to make a wand for your own witchcraft activities, and that she uses hers for her own personal powers and for spells.

-Joseph Rizzo

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My best friend's younger sister got us all different crystal bracelets. She is about 10 years old and is super immersed in the world of crystal and astrology, she was very excited to tell us about what each of these could for us and that they were "lucky charms"

Mine was rose quartz; she explained that it would support emotions, romantic relationships, and self-love.

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Kim Russo Medium Interview - Yanni Aloisio

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Kim Russo Medium Interview - Yanni Aloisio

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Speaking to one of my friends about how in shock I was with the way that mediums work to trick people; one of my friends recommended this podcast of a very famous podcaster where she speaks about her experience with Kim Russo and her predictions. I would recommend to listen now that we have this knowledge, and it is astonishing how their techniques using generalizability and confirmation bias to lead their readings/commentary really do convince people.

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I was just looking around Five Below when these zodiac protection lamps caught my eye. On the box it claims that this lamp will bring you peace and luck.

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zodiac "protection" lamp at Five Below- Giselle Brummer

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zodiac "protection" lamp at Five Below- Giselle Brummer

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This TikTok has 35k likes, and the creator claims to be able to help people manifest their dream life. I thought this was interesting because it utilizes testimonials for a marketing tactic; the manifestation workshop costs $200. It reminded me of the claims made by Dr. Oz and Oprah for financial benefit. 

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I was standing in line at Publix and looking at the magazines and saw this one. It was with the cooking magazines and home improvement/DIY magazines, so it seemed like it is marketed towards women. There's lots of bold colors and fonts on the cover to catch the eye and the man on the front is supposed to look friendly as well as look like a doctor/authoritative figure you can trust.

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Being half, I have grown up eating at Chinese restaurants and they ALWAYS have these placemats. There are 12 zodiacs and they also tell you your major personality traits, but they are based on the year which you were born. The placemats provide years and short descriptions of each zodiac, then advises you which zodiacs to befriend and which to avoid.

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I was at Universal with my little brother and we passed by this shop offering psychic readings. The shop was pretty dimly lit for how bright it was outside and they had lots of beads and cloth decorations, just like you see in the movies. Inside the sign said a visual reading was $7 and a palm reading was $10, but if you got the palm reading you also got a crystal.

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I was driving around in Orange County in California and saw a place where psychics perform readings to tell you about your future and past. I noticed an emphasis on imagery with hands, in the windows, which tells me this psychic probably does palm readings to learn about you, or act like they are learning about you. This relates to concepts in class like how people use the paranormal to promote pseudoscience.

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I have crystals in my room and some books because I think its an interesting concept. I like the way they look, I used to use them for meditation but upon becoming more religious I just mediate through prayer.

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Catalina Escobar Crystals and Chakra and zodiac Book

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Catalina Escobar Crystals and Chakra and zodiac Book

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My Boyfriend gave me this candle and said that it was meant for me because it is purple and my favorite color is purple and it has a taurus symbol and I am a taurus

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This Instagram ad papered for me as I was going through stories and it was an ad for a love reader and right after a "testimonial" from a random person adhering to her services

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Catalina Escobar INSTAGRAM AD LOVE READER 

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Catalina Escobar INSTAGRAM AD LOVE READER 

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Right by my house is a spiritual psychic consultant.

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While I was checking out at Winn dixie I came across this anti anxiety magazine.

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This is an oil-pulling product that has gone viral on TikTok/TikTok shop for offering a solution to unhealthy gums that is GUARANTEED to work. Any evidence of it's success is only provided through testimonials of influencers who are getting paid to advertise the product. (My boyfriend fell victim to the tiktok ads lol)

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This was a candle I found at target, marketed toward the Aquarius zodiac sign. Unfortunately they didn't have any of the other Zodiac sign candles avaliable. 

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Zodiac sign target candle- Alessandra DeGiorgio

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Zodiac sign target candle- Alessandra DeGiorgio

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Costar is an astrology app that gives daily horoscopes and provides information based on your zodiac sign. They also have an instagram that posts daily little posts such as this one that provide brief information precluding to your Zodiac sign. This was a post I stumbled across on my feed talking about how each sign prepares for a first date. 

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These are chocolate covered "blood pills" from a pharmacy museum. It was unclear what the pills used to be marketed to cure, but all kinds of over-the-counter, unregulated medications were common centuries ago, kind of like the vitamins we discussed in class.

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We learned about pareidolia in our first chapter when we were discussing filling in the gaps in our mind so that things that we are seeing make sense. It was discussed under the Sources of False Belief: The Faker's Dozen. - Ariana Rejas

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I went to CVS to get some medication and as I was walking through the aisles i saw these colorful astrology cups. They're cute and grab your attention so people are more likely to buy them, especially if they see their sign there ! - Ariana Rejas 

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I saw this when I was on line checking out at Target. It is a magazine that about witches and sells the idea of learning mysterious witch practices. I also found it fascinating that it was labeled "Best Seller"

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I saw these a while ago at a farmer's market and they advertised that they will protect you from car crashes! I just thought they were pretty and ended up buying the one on the left!

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My friend searched up “esoteric” while looking for a band and found this 31:51 hour long audiobook that costs 13.49$ (Spotify does that?) about dozens upon dozens of pseudoscientific or just plain mystical topics, each with at least 20 minutes and many close to an hour of focus (there was a chapter listing). I happened to be looking over his shoulder. Spotify’s rabbit hole goes deep…

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Astrology peel-off mask - Daniela Bazzani

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Astrology peel-off mask - Daniela Bazzani

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I saw this mask at Family Dollar close to where I live. Astrology and crystal healing come together in this cosmic hydrating amethyst mask.

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To provide context: this video is in Spanish, but they are in the middle of conducting a group exorcism. This showed up on my FYP on TikTok right after our lesson on demon possessions.

Yanni Aloisio

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I saw the Astro Lab booth at the Chocolate Festival at Fairchild Tropical Gardens.

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I saw these astrology pencils in a shop at O'Hare airport. If you zoom in you can see that there are clever sayings tailored for each sign using characteristics commonly associated with each sign. These pencils and an impressive assortment of non-astrology related pencils with clever sayings are made by and sold at Whiskey River Soap Company.

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There's always a magazine or two on pseudoscience in the checkout lane at Publix. Here's the latest.