In 1976, Randi and fellow skeptics established the
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal to debunk claims of paranormal pseudoscience. The committee, whose fellows included astronomer Carl Sagan and zoologist and atheist Richard Dawkins, covered everything from debunking the existence of UFOs and the Loch Ness monster to preventing creationist views of science from entering classrooms.
In 1986, he was awarded a
McArthur Foundation "genius grant" for his work exposing quackery -- though most of the prize money, he said, went toward his defense in a series of libel lawsuits brought against him by Geller (the suits were later thrown out).
