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Brian Dunning is an American writer and producer who has dedicated his career to promoting science and skepticism. Since 2006, he has hosted the weekly podcast Skeptoid, which critically examines pseudoscientific claims and popular misconceptions. Many of his books are based on the podcast's content, aiming to replace unfounded beliefs with rational explanations. Dunning has also produced educational films focused on critical thinking and scientific skepticism, such as "Here Be Dragons" and "Principles of Curiosity."

Beyond his work in skepticism, Dunning has a background in the technology sector, co-founding a business-to-business service provider in the late 1990s. However, his business activities led to legal issues, including a conviction for wire fraud related to fraudulent commissions from eBay. He was sentenced to prison and subsequent supervision. Dunning has also been involved in other media projects, including video series and documentaries exploring scientific misrepresentation and UFO phenomena.

Brian Dunning is best known for hosting and producing the weekly podcast Skeptoid, which began in 2006. The podcast's stated mission is to debunk pseudoscience and popular misconceptions by replacing them with factual reality. Dunning has authored multiple books that expand on the topics covered in Skeptoid, including "Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena" and its sequels. These works delve into subjects ranging from medical quackery and urban legends to cultural myths and religious concepts. Dunning also continues to engage in web development for his Skeptoid website, demonstrating a sustained connection to his technical background. His podcast is distributed by PRX, a public media organization.

In addition to his podcasting work, Dunning has produced several educational films. "Here Be Dragons" (2008) serves as an introduction to critical thinking, and "Principles of Curiosity" (2017) offers a foundational look at scientific skepticism. Both films are intended for broad audiences and are made available for educational purposes. Dunning also created the short-form video series "inFact" and "The Feeding Tube" for YouTube, which tackle similar subjects to Skeptoid in a more accessible format. More recently, he co-wrote the documentary "Science Friction" (released 2022), which examines how scientists and skeptics are portrayed in the media, and produced "The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See" (2023), exploring UFO phenomena from a scientific perspective.

Before his extensive work in science communication, Brian Dunning co-founded Buylink Corporation in 1996, a business-to-business service provider. He served as its chief technology officer until 2002. Later, he became a significant affiliate marketer for eBay. However, his business dealings led to legal consequences. In 2010, he was indicted on wire fraud charges related to a scheme where his company, Kessler's Flying Circus, fraudulently obtained commissions from eBay. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2013 and was sentenced in 2014 to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervision, for his company's fraudulent acquisition of between $200,000 and $400,000 from eBay.