An extended excerpt from this book was published in Salon. The book was featured in an analysis released by the University of McGill Office for Science and Society in 2018. Celestia Ward points out that "Debunking conspiracy theories is a lot of work. But it's worthwhile if you are helping a loved one out of a mindset that can cause them harm. Mick West has shouldered a tremendous amount of the work himself, summarizing some conspiracy beliefs and demonstrable facts to refute those beliefs..." West started a podcast in April 2019, "Tales from the Rabbit Hole," in which he interviews "conspiracy culture" guests. West is often cited as an expert analyst on chemtrails and UFOs by the media. In 2010, he appeared on CBS evening news and KPCC radio news to comment on a viral video of what appeared to be a "mystery" missile launch. In September 2016, Radio New Zealand profiled West as a science writer and someone who “is dedicated to the art of debunking wild theories that circulate online and helping other people do the same, with his website, Metabunk.” In the interview he described how his passion for debunking comes from a concern that real problems are being ignored because science is ignored. In particular he talked about the harm conspiracy theorists can cause when they accuse the families of victims of gun massacres as being crisis actors. He also explained that when “dealing with conspiracy theorists the best thing is to be polite. You’ve got to be a kind of gentleman scientist. If people are polite then you will get listened to. Never misrepresent yourself, never lie, never fake evidence, never indulge in hoaxes. You’ve got to be 100% beyond reproach at all times.” He has also made a number of appearances on podcasts discussing his life and debunking career. These include being interviewed by Richard Saunders on the "Skeptic Zone" and Benjamin Radford on "Squaring the Strange", as well as "Something You Should Know". He has made several appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience to discuss various conspiracy theories. In 2013, West appeared in the documentary film "Overcast” as a rebuttal to promoters of chemtrail conspiracy theories. West grew up in the small town of Bingley, on the outskirts of Bradford, England. As a child he was fascinated by the paranormal, UFO's and stories of alien abductions, also believing he had psychic abilities. As he grew older, he began to realise that these phenomena weren't real, and instead, that there were rational explanations to explain them.