Debunking 9/11 myths : why conspiracy theories can't stand up to the facts

The first conspiracy theories about September 11 began to emerge while the wreckage was still smoldering. Five years later, hundreds of books and thousands of Web pages are devoted to the idea that the U.S. government encouraged, permitted, or actually carried out the attacks. But an in-depth investigation by Popular Mechanics--first published in the magazine's March 2005 issue, and now expanded into book form--definitively proves that the evidence most often cited by conspiracy theorists is inaccurate, misinterpreted, or false. The book covers the 20 most prominent and persistent claims underlying the conspiracy theories, focusing on concrete, physical facts rather than political hypothesizing. The in-depth findings come from leading experts in all the relevant fields, including aviation, air defense, air traffic control, civil engineering, firefighting, metallurgy, and geology.--From publisher description. Read more... Abstract: The first conspiracy theories about September 11 began to emerge while the wreckage was still smoldering. Five years later, hundreds of books and thousands of Web pages are devoted to the idea that the U.S. government encouraged, permitted, or actually carried out the attacks. But an in-depth investigation by Popular Mechanics--first published in the magazine's March 2005 issue, and now expanded into book form--definitively proves that the evidence most often cited by conspiracy theorists is inaccurate, misinterpreted, or false. The book covers the 20 most prominent and persistent claims underlying the conspiracy theories, focusing on concrete, physical facts rather than political hypothesizing. The in-depth findings come from leading experts in all the relevant fields, including aviation, air defense, air traffic control, civil engineering, firefighting, metallurgy, and geology.--From publisher description "9/11 conspiracy theorists beware: Popular Mechanics has popped your paranoid bubble world, using pointed facts and razor-sharp analysis." —Austin Bay, national security columnist (Creators Syndicate) and coauthor of From Shield to Storm Decades after the World Trade Center disaster, rampant speculation abounds on what actually happened. Wild talk flourishes on the Internet, TV, and radio. Was the Pentagon really struck by a missile? Was the untimely death of Barry Jennings, who witnessed the collapse of Tower 7 and thought he heard "explosions," actually an assassination? Not everyone is convinced the truth is out there. Once again, in this updated edition of the critically acclaimed Debunking 9/11 Myths , Popular Mechanics counters the conspiracy theorists with a dose of hard, cold facts. The magazine consulted more than 300 experts in fields like air traffic control, aviation, civil engineering, firefighting, and metallurgy, and then rigorously, meticulously, and scientifically analyzed the twenty-five most persistent 9/11 conspiracy theories. Each one was conclusively refuted with facts, not politics and rumors, including five new myths involving the collapse of 7 World Trade Center and four longstanding conjectures now considered in the context of new research. "A reliable and rational answer to the many fanciful conspiracy theories about 9/11 . . . What happened on 9/11 has been well established by the 9/11 Commission. What did not happen has now been clearly explained by Popular Mechanics ." —Richard A. Clarke, #1 New York Times -bestselling author of Against All Enemies "Do you have a friend who emails you the most recent documentary 'proving' that a missile impacted the Pentagon or that timed explosions brought down WTC-7? Buy him a copy of this book. He'll thank you later." — The Weekly Standard

A decade after the World Trade Center disaster, rampant speculation abounds on what actually happened. Wild talk flourishes on the Internet, TV, and radio. Was the Pentagon really struck by a missile? Was the untimely death of Barry Jennings, who witnessed the collapse of Tower 7 and thought he heard "explosions, " actually an assassination? Not everyone is convinced the truth is out there. Once again, in this updated edition of the critically acclaimed Debunking 9/11 Myths, Popular Mechanics counters the conspiracy theorists with a dose of hard, cold facts. The magazine consulted more than 300 experts in fields like air traffic control, aviation, civil engineering, fire fighting, and metallurgy, and then rigorously, meticulously, and scientifically analyzed the 25 most persistent 9/11 conspiracy theories. Each one was conclusively refuted with facts, not politics and rumors, including five new myths involving the collapse of 7 World Trade Center and four longstanding conjectures now considered in the context of new research.

"The first conspiracy theories about September 11 began to emerge while the wreckage was still smoldering. Today, an array of skeptics still believe the United States government itself orchestrated the attacks and claim they have the evidence to back it up. This updated edition of Debunking 9/11 Myths adresses the 9/11 Commission's final report and takes a hard look at the data behind the conspiracy theories, including those surrounding the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 ..."--Page 4 of cover