Tuesday 20 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
71%
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It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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01ScienceNorth America

Kelvin wave raised West Coast sea levels, NPR reports

Scientists cited by NPR link the wave to El Niño and expect the phenomenon to recur.

NPR reports that a large underwater Kelvin wave moved up the West Coast and raised sea levels. Scientists cited in the summary attribute it to El Niño and say it will happen again. The item supplies no measurements or forecast timetable.

What holds up

  • ✓NPR reports a wave moving up the West Coast and an associated rise in sea levels.
  • ✓The summary explicitly attributes the El Niño explanation and recurrence forecast to scientists.

What doesn't yet

  • ?No named scientists, observational data or magnitude of sea-level change are included.
  • ?The recurrence forecast has no supplied timing, probability or geographical detail.

Ask before you share

  • →Which measurements establish the wave's size and sea-level effects?
  • →When is another wave expected, and what impacts are forecast?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]NPR · Published 19 Oct 2026 · npr.org