Abstract

The religious and superstitious urge is natural to human beings, more common than not. This talk will explore why there are vampires and incubi, as well as gods and angels. We’ll discover:

- Why vampires visit in autumn

- Whether dogs see ghosts

- Whether incubi live in electric clocks

Deborah Hyde writes about belief in the malign supernatural. Her website, ‘Jourdemayne’ has articles and vodcasts on subjects from contemporary belief in witchcraft in Africa, to vampires, exorcism and more. She is currently writing a book ‘Unnatural Predators’ about malign supernatural folkore.

She speaks and debates regularly on her subject, both live and on national media. Within the last year, she has appeared on BBC Radio 4 ‘Woman’s Hour’, ‘This Morning’ and ‘Live With Gabby’ to debunk supernatural belief. She was a guest at the country’s largest Skeptic convention, QED , in Manchester.

Deborah is editor-in-chief of ‘The Skeptic’ Britain’s only magazine to apply a critical thinking and an evidence-based approach to psuedo-science and the paranormal. She is co-convenor of Westminster Skeptics in the Pub.