Luis Alfonso Gámez

Luis Afonso Gámez (Bilbao, 1962) is a journalist. He holds a degree in History from the University of Deusto and a master's degree in Journalism from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the newspaper 'El Correo', where he has developed his career. A freelance professional since January 2023, he is a lecturer at the El Correo-UPV/EHU Master's Degree in Multimedia Journalism, where he teaches a seminar on scientific information and previously gave classes in writing.

A specialist in contemporary mythologies, he was the host and main advisor of the series 'Escépticos' (ETB 2, 2011) and presented the section "El archivo del misterio" in 'Orbita Laika' (La 2, 2015). He has been a contributor to Cadena SER ('Hoy por hoy'), Radio Nacional de España ('Asuntos propios'), Radio 5 ('Ciencia al cubo'), Radio 3 ('Hoy empieza todo'), M80 Radio ('¡Arriba España!'), Radio Vitoria ('El mirador') and Punto Radio Bizkaia ('Bizkaia y punto'). And he had a regular section, "Muy escéptico», in the magazine 'Muy Interesante' between October 2018 and February 2022.

In June 2003 he created the website 'Magonia', dedicated to the critical analysis of alleged paranormal mysteries, and since October 2010 he has written a column in Spanish, "¡Paparrarruchas!", on the website of the Committee for Skeptical Investigation (CSI), the most important organisation in the world dedicated to the scientific analysis of the extraordinary. He was a founder in 1986 of ARP-Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Crítico, an organisation he left at the beginning of the century, and is a member of the Círculo Escéptico, an association that has been organising Darwin Day in Bilbao since 2007 and the 'Enigmas y Más' meetings since 2011, among other activities.

He is the author of 'Reflexión. Guía de lectura para el pensamiento crítico' (2021), a selection of books that encourage skepticism published by the Regional Library of Murcia. He has written the books 'El anciano que murió haciendo el amor con un fantasma' (2024), 'El peligro de creer' (2015), 'Crónicas de Magonia' (2012) and 'La cara oculta del misterio' (2010).

He coordinated the collective book 'Mysteries in the light of science' (2008), published by the University of the Basque Country, in which leading scientists examine the possibility of extraterrestrial life and the existence of monsters, among other issues. And he is the only Spaniard participating in the book 'Skeptical odysseys. Personal accounts by the world's leading paranormal inquirers' (2001), coordinated by the philosopher Paul Kurtz with contributions by Martin Gardner, Philip J. Klass, Joe Nickell, Kendrick Frazier and Eugenie Scott, among others.

He has given numerous talks on the UFO phenomenon -his favourite myth-, ancient aliens, the lunar conspiracy, Atlantis, psychic warfare, spiritualism, fake news... Between 2014 and 2019, he organised four editions of the summer course ‘Science, pseudoscience and magical thinking’ for the University of Burgos.

X: @lagamez