George Maschke's failed FBI polygraph in 1995 shattered his career prospects and sparked a decade-long investigation into lie detection. After being told he showed deception despite telling the truth, he co-founded AntiPolygraph.org to help others navigate the flawed system. His experience highlights how polygraphs can harm innocent people while failing to reliably detect lies.

Despite being inadmissible in most US courts and banned for private employment, polygraphs remain entrenched in law enforcement and security clearance processes. Research shows they correctly identify truth-tellers only 57% of the time while missing 25% of guilty subjects. The 2003 National Academies report found polygraph research quality low and false positive rates unacceptable.

Researchers are now exploring alternatives like eye-tracking and brain activity monitoring, though these methods also face scientific skepticism. Some experts argue that human complexity makes perfect deception detection impossible. As Maschke discovered, the fundamental question may not be whether better technology exists, but whether quantifying human truth-telling is even possible.