Introduction to forteana :

Generally: any subject or data regarded as anomalous relative to specific or general orthodox opinion. Falls into two major classes:

Hard: phenomena yeilding tangible evidence Soft: largely relying on narrative or inferred evidence

There are erroneous usages of the word Fortean too. I have seen it applied generally to mean useless knowledge and curious trivia (which might be true to some extent) - and it is used by some Skeptics as being synonymous with a credulous belief in the supernatural (which is wholly untrue).

What Forteanism is *not* is a belief in the Supernatural. Forteans are rationalists in the sense that they accept that the 'unknown' is simply the mis-perceived, mis-understood and the not-yet-explained. A belief in God-derived miracles - by definition, external interventions in, or overturnings of, Nature itself - is diametrically opposed to Forteanism which, nevertheless, regards supernatural belief as a 'system of explanation'.

The list serves a number of functions. Some are using to report news items. Some are using it to discuss those items and even other Fortean threads. Still others treat it as a kind of rolling party conversation around the themes that interest Forteans.