The Skeptic Zone

Latest Episodes:

The Skeptic Zone #690 - 26.December.2021 Dec 26, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:02 Flags, Magna Carta and Anti-Vaxxers We take a look at why some anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists and 'sov-cits' carry upside down flags and quote the Magna Carta of 1215 while marching in the streets. What would King John say?? 0:20:11 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:34:16 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Orgone Energy". Orgone is a pseudoscientific concept variously described as an esoteric energy or hypothetical universal life force. 1963.10.31 - The Highpoint Enterprise 1972.05.14 - The Jefferson City News and Tribune http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

The Skeptic Zone #689 - 19.December.2021 Dec 18, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders The Great Australian Prediction Project From the pages of 'The Skeptic', the journal from Australian Skeptics, comes the long awaited offical report into the accuracy of so-called "psychic predictions". Find out the background, the methodology and the all important results and conclusions. Read by Adrienne Hill and Richard Saunders.

00:02:14: The Great Aust. Psychic Prediction Project 00:05:19: History of Prophecies 00:10:37: The Project 00:13:34: Methodology 00:17:53: The Flow of Time 00:19:49: Assessing the Predictions 00:23:03: Correct or Wrong 00:27:41: Too Vague 00:30:30: Expected 00:32:34: Unknown 00:33:50: Many Predictions in One 00:34:56: Easy to Predict but Difficult to Analyse 00:36:29: Predictable Complaints 00:43:10: Self-Assessment, Cherry Picking and Shoehorning 00:49:12: They did not see that coming 00:50:22: Control Group 00:51:54: If predictions worked as claimed 00:54:08: Looking into the Future 00:55:57: Conclusions 00:58:41: Some Statistics 00:59:14: Credits 01:00:10: About The Author

Download the PDF of the report

https://www.skeptics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/magazine/The%20Skeptic%20Volume%2041%20(2021)%20No%204%20(Cover).pdf

Media coverage of The Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project

Point of Inquiry Podcasy

https://pointofinquiry.org/2023/07/the-great-australian-psychic-prediction-project

Skeptical Inquirer Volume 46, No. 2

https://skepticalinquirer.org/2022/02/the-great-australian-psychic-prediction-project-pondering-the-published-predictions-of-prominent-psychics/

Rob Palmer video at National Capital Area Skeptics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR3PtgRl-vM

Data Skeptic Podcast

https://dataskeptic.com/blog/episodes/2022/the-great-australian-prediction-project

Radio 4BC Brisbane (Audio) Interview with Richard Saunders

https://tinyurl.com/bdb2e9v4

The Skeptic (UK)

https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/03/the-great-australian-psychic-prediction-project-finds-psychics-perform-worse-than-random-chance/

The Sydney Morning Herald

https://www.smh.com.au/national/psychics-mostly-wrong-but-you-may-have-seen-that-coming-20220130-p59sdo.html

Psychic Predictions: The Track Records of Professed "Seers"

https://www.spreaker.com/user/thethinkingatheist/podcast609-psychicpredictions

The Skeptic Zone #688 - 12.December.2021 Dec 12, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:45 The Ockham Awards We talk to Michael Marshall from the UK about the recent Ockham Awards. Michael is the project director of the Good Thinking Society and president of the Merseyside Skeptics Society. https://www.skeptic.org.uk 0:18:20 The Book of Tim Tim Mendham calls in to give us an overview of what to expect in the new addition of 'The Skeptic' the journal from Australian Skeptics. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:31:06 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Seances". http://www.trove.nla.gov.au https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-468508573/view?partId=nla.obj-468562297#page/n3/mode/1up Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

The Skeptic Zone #687 - 5.December.2021 Dec 04, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:30 A Day in Court Bradley John Hill - the licensee of a Hunter Valley pub that breached public health orders in regards to COVID-19 - was fined in a Singleton courthouse on Thursday. But just who exactly was in court? Strange story indeed. https://www.singletonargus.com.au/story/7534943/singleton-caledonian-licensee-fined-for-repeatedly-flouting-covid-19-public-health-orders/ 0:11:35 Take Stock - With Shelley Stocken Twins! Are you a twin? Are you psychic? Shelley Stocken asks her twin sister or is it the other way around? Another classic from our late and much missed reporter Shelley. 0:20:25 "Freedom" Protest in Melbourne Reporter Michelle Bijkersma ventures out into the streets of Melbourne to observe firsthand an anti-vaccination, so-called "freedom" rally and reports on some of the placards and signs she saw. 0:33:12 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:42:42 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to 'Homeopathy'.

1867, 11th May - The Geelong Advertiser
1963, 13th October - Glen Innes Examiner
2015, 27th July - Education NSW Teachers' Federation
2015, 7th September - Education NSW Teachers' Federation
2004, 2nd January - Torrens News

http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud SitP Sweden https://youtu.be/s8vYh8tm9m4

The Skeptic Zone #686 - 28.November.2021 Nov 27, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:06:00 Squaring the Strange with Celestia Ward Our favourite and very talented caricature artist from Las Vegas Celestia Ward drops by to chat about her career as a skeptical podcaster on 'Squaring the Strange'. https://linktr.ee/Squaringthestrange https://www.2headsstudios.com Extra video content. You can watch the complete interview with Celestia Ward, with Richard Saunders, on YouTube via the link below. https://youtu.be/RWFbBW4iPM8 0:34:20 The Book of Tim Tim Mendham reads from the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine, from Australian Skeptics. Bookkeepers - Magicians - Witches and Scientists. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:42:36 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Reiki. http://www.trove.nla.gov.au https://quackwatch.org/related/reiki Also Skeptics in the pub, Sweden - with Richard Saunders https://www.vof.se/blogg/skeptics-in-the-pub-online-the-adventures-of-richard-saunders Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

The Skeptic Zone #685 - 21.November.2021 Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders With Susan Gerbic, Rob Palmer, Michelle Bijkersma, Lara Benham and Lynden Shields. 0:05:00 The ESP We catch up with the team from the European Skeptics Podcast to congratulate them on reaching 300 episodes. The European Skeptics Podcast (The ESP) is a weekly podcast recorded in English and hosted by three skeptics from several different European countries: Andras Gabor Pinter from Hungary, Pontus Bockman from Sweden and Annika Harrison from Germany. https://theesp.eu 0:14:50 Australian Skeptics Awards for 2021 Tim Mendham presents The Fred Thornett Award - Prof Kristine Macartney The Barry Williams Media Award - Melissa Davey Jessica Singer presents The Bent Spoon Award - Craig Kelly Richard Saunders with in memoriam Michael Wolloghan Shelley Stocken Martin Hadley 0:19:00 The Book of Tim Loch Ness #2 - Tim takes a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most famous pictures of the Loch Ness monster, known as the surgeon's photograph. What is the truth behind this mysterious image? http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:29:52 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:37:04 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Acupunture. http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #684 - 14.November.2021 Nov 13, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:00 COVID vaccine nurse at Perth clinic charged with fraud Western Australian Police have charged a nurse with fraudulently recording that a patient had been given a COVID-19 vaccine when the jab was allegedly never administered. https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/4296-Registered-Nurse-Charged--Vaccine-Fraud https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-08/nurse-who-allegedly-faked-covid-vaccines-charged/100602566 0:14:42 The Book of Tim Loch Ness #1 - Tim takes a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most famous pictures of the Loch Ness monster, known as the surgeon's photograph. What is the truth behind this mysterious image? http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:23:16 The Think Tank Joining us this week in our virtual restaurant for a drink and discussion are Susan Gerbic, Adrienne Hill, Lou Hillman, Rob Palmer, Leonard Tramiel and Kelly Burke. Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #683 - 7.November.2021 Nov 07, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:47 Uri Geller, James Randi and the CIA We find a document written by James Randi that was circulated in the CIA concerning so-called psychic Uri Geller. What did Geller's former manager have to say about the tricks and shenanigans in the 1970s? Find out with this review. https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/uri-geller-no-faker-really-25333616 https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00791R000100450002-7.pdf 0:24:40 The Book of Tim Tim Mendham reads from the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine, from Australian Skeptics. Resistentialism. Vol 40 No 1 - June 2020 http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:32:25 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:40:28 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to yet more UFOs. http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Donation for Ovarian Cancer research https://www.facebook.com/donate/4426098814149126 Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #682 - 31.October.2021 Oct 30, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:10 Maynard's Spooky Action Maynard and Richard Saunders join Dr Siobhan O'Sullivan on a field trip to visit Sydney's most "haunted" street. We also find out more about Dr Siobhan's journey with Ovarian Cancer. Special extended content of this story on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykB67Sj5cYs 0:24:55 The Book of Tim Tim Mendham reads from the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine, from Australian Skeptics. Sturgeon's Law. Vol 32 No 2 - June 2012 http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:31:15 The Arm of the Octopus Our reporter Michelle Bijkersma was surprised to find a strange letter in her letterbox. On the envelope was a hand-drawn picture of an octopus and the letter itself posed questions about the creature's arm. What does it all mean? Find out with Michelle. 0:35:40 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Halloween. http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #681 - 21.October.2021 Oct 23, 2021

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:10 Dr Karl Kruszelnicki - Part #2 Famed science communicator Dr Karl tells us about COVID in chickens, making vaccines on a 3D printer, fighting climate change and Mr. Spock. Dr Karl is an Australian science communicator and popularizer, who is known as an author, and as a science commentator on Australian radio and television. Dr Karl is the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow in the Science Foundation for Physics at the School of Physics, University of Sydney. http://www.drkarl.com http://www.tiktok.com/@drkarl 0:25:44 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Michelle Bijkersma. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:32:10 I Think We Need To Think Susan Gerbic tells us about putting together Wikipedia pages for noted skeptics and celebrating the fact that her organisation has now chalked up over 100 million page views. http://www.facebook.com/GSoWproject Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud https://www.skepticon.org.au

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