The Skeptic Zone

Latest Episodes:

The Skeptic Zone #559 - 7.July.2019 Jul 06, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:50 Harmful Homeopathic 'Cures' We interview Michael Marshall from The Good Thinking Society in the U.K. about the action being taken to fight the extreme foolishness that is Homeopathy.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/gts-cease-psa/

0:20:02 Chabot Space & Science Center A tour with Leonard Trameil The only thing more extraordinary than the science we are learning about the Moon is its incredible beauty. Chabot's stunning new photographic essay explores the Moon's sweeping craters and once-active volcanoes, with photos by NASA astronauts who witnessed its beautiful desolation firsthand, new views captured by their astronomers using Chabot's reflecting telescope, and images taken via satellite that allow us to explore places we have not even yet visited.

https://chabotspace.org/visit/exhibits/luminous-moon/

Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au Canberra Skeptics Talks https://www.meetup.com/SocialSkepticsCanberra/

The Skeptic Zone #558 - 30.June.2019 Jun 29, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Ben Radford 0:07:04 Trish & Chips... with Trish Hann Sally Morgan is a British television and stage performer who claims to have psychic abilities. In mid 2019 she brought her stage show to Australia. On hand outside the theatre for her Sydney performance were members of Australian Skeptics.

Mark Tilbrook confronted my Sally Morgan's people - video https://youtu.be/sCdvA7Lu1jM

BBC News - Paul Zenon on 'Psychic Sally' - video https://youtu.be/4Xu2cUAVlr8

0:16:05

The long and the sad history of Psychic Detectives Ben Radford joins Richard Saunders to once again look into people who think they have magical, psychic powers and have plagued the police for decades.

1935, 26 January - Australian Women's Weekly

https://trove.nla.gov.au

0:36:45 Interview with Tony Ortega Guest reporter Susan Gerbic interviews Tony Ortega an American blogger who is best known for his daily blog about the Church of Scientology called The Underground Bunker.

https://tonyortega.org

The Skeptic Zone #557 - 23.June.2019 Jun 22, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:06:54 Psychics and Missing Persons Again and again, so-called "Psychics" chime in with mystical informaion on missing persons. Worse still they send usless information to the Police and give false hope to heartbroken parents. We look at a few cases in the news.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Theo+Hayez+Psychic http://www.google.com/search?q=William+Tyrrell+Psychic http://undeceivingourselves.org/S-ican.htm

0:23:50 Bugs in Berkeley We join Dr Eugenie Scott for a visit to the Berkeley Botanic Gardens, where we find a table dedicated to science outreach from the National Centre for Science Education.

https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu https://ncse.com

0:38:55 ESP... Sence or Nonsence? How did the popular magazine 'The Australian Woman's Weekly' cover the topic of the paranormal over 40 years ago. Find out as we dive into the pages from 1977. A report by Patricia Angly

https://trove.nla.gov.au/aww https://trove.nla.gov.au/aww/read/340143?q=ESP&s=0&resultId=num2#page/18/mode/2up

Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au NZ Skeptics 2019 https://conference.skeptics.nz Award for Dr Pamela Gay https://thehumanist.com/news/aha_news/meet-the-2019-isaac-asimov-science-award-recipient-pamela-gay Canberra Skeptics - talk by Trish Hann https://www.meetup.com/SocialSkepticsCanberra/events/262279997/ The Well Known Skeptic https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/qa-with-john-de-lancie/

The Skeptic Zone #556 - 16.June.2019 Jun 15, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes

0:00:00

Introduction

Richard Saunders

0:08:10

Flat Earhers flat out with excuses

We talk to Ross Blocher from the Oh No! Ross and Carrie Podcast about the day members of the Committee For Inquiry set out to prove (again) that the world really is a sphear.

CFI Investigation Video

https://youtu.be/CnrjdD08dWg

Oh No! Ross and Carrie

https://www.maximumfun.org/shows/oh-no-ross-and-carrie

0:24:42

Skeptical Con Interview

Guest reporter Susan Gerbic reports from Skeptical 2019 in San Francisco where she interviews Thomas Westbrook from Holy Kool-aid on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/faBIIFA5wng

0:28:50

Poles Apart

Are the magnetic poles about to flip? Ken McLeod takes a break from the AVN - sort of - to look at some silly science.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Also

Skepticon 2019

https://skepticon.org.au

Maynard's Love Shack and Movie nights

http://www.maynard.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #555 - 9.June.2019 Jun 08, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes

0:00:00

Introduction

Richard Saunders

0:03:35

Bigfoot and the FBI

We catch up with famed skeptical investigator Ben Radford for his opinion on the latest news regarding Bigfoot in the FBI.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/us/fbi-bigfoot-file.html

0:13:13

Britt Hermes successful in defamation lawsuit

Britt Hermes has been successful in the defamation law suit brought against by US naturopath Colleen Huber.

On May 24, 2019, the District Court (Landgericht) of Kiel, Germany ruled against Huber in the lawsuit that Huber brought against Hermes in September 2017.

https://www.skeptics.com.au/2019/06/04/britt-hermes-successful-in-defamation-lawsuit/

https://www.naturopathicdiaries.com/justice-prevails-cancer-quack-colleen-huber-loses-her-defamation-suit-against-me

0:19:36

Cold Feet over Cold Fusion with Ian Bryce

Long time skeptical investigator from Australia Skeptics Ian Bryce has been published in the Skeptical Inquirer regarding a claim of cold fusion.

0:35:50

Where to look online for reliable, skeptical information

We head to Sydney Skeptics in the Pub to ask pubbers where they prefer to look online to get their skeptical news and information.

Potholer54

https://youtu.be/siCEByV9F7Y

0:47:26

Sad day for Embiggen

As you might have heard, Embiggen Books is closing down on June 22. Embiggen has been a perennial presence on skeptical bookshelves and at Skeptics conventions from their beginnings on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to their more recent presence in Melbourne. Refusing to stock pseudoscience, they have promoted science and skepticism relentlessly, but the trials of the book trade and publishing in general have finally caught up. So, send Embiggen off with pride and at least a little cash in the pocket - go down to 197 Lt Lonsdale Street in the middle of Melbourne and buy a boxload.

Also

Skepticon 2019

https://skepticon.org.au

Social Canberra Skeptics

https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/SocialSkepticsCanberra/

The Skeptic Zone #554 - 4.June.2019 Jun 01, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:15 "Chemtrails" on TV Ken Mcleod is a retired air traffic controller and national manager of aviation search and rescue, Australian aviation representative on two UN committees, and once upon a time a private pilot. Recently he appeard on national TV in Australia to cross swords with a Chemtrail Conspiracy Theorist.

Video: Studio 10 segment https://youtu.be/UkLfPtYiidQ

0:18:36 UFOs - the first 50 years From the pages of 'The Skeptic', the journal of Australian Skeptics. Dr Steve Roberts takes a look at how UFOs and movie cultures have interacted from the 1940s up to the 1990s.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

0:38:06 Pint of Science in Canberra Belinda Wilson is a conservation ecologist who specialises in reintroduction biology, behavioural ecology, and spatial dynamics.

She has worked in the university, government and private sectors, and is currently undertaking a PhD in the Fenner School of Environment and Society at The Australian National University, researching the reintroduction biology of the eastern quoll. Interview by Kevin Davies.

https://www.facebook.com/ecologibel

https://belindawilsonresearch.weebly.com

0:43:43 Maynard's Spooky Action.... Join Maynard and Lance Leopard in Glebe, Sydney on the 4th of June for Maynard's Movie Night. http://maynard.com.au/maynard-lance-leopard-barbarella/ Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au

Skepticamp Brisbane https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/skepticamp-2019-tickets-60661983626

The Skeptic Zone #553 - 26.May.2019 May 25, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:00 CFI takes legal against Walmart Walmart is committing wide-scale consumer fraud and endangering the health of its customers though its sale and marketing of homeopathic medicines, the Center for Inquiry alleges in a lawsuit filed in the District of Columbia on May 20. We talk to Nicholas Little CFI's Vice President and General Counsel

https://centerforinquiry.org/press_releases/walmart-sued-for-fraud-homeopathy/

0:22:00 The ghost tour of haunted Melbourne On Saturday July 10, 1999, three adventurous Victorian committee members (Rosemary Sceats, Bob Nixon and Jane Curtain) embarked on a fascinating journey through "haunted Melbourne". By Jane M Curtain

https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine/

0:37:08 Maynard's Spooky Action.... We look at the number of votes for 'The Involuntary Medication Objectors (Vaccination/Fluoride) Party (IMOP)' at the 2019 Australian Federal Election. Also we hear from Brian Dunning about his new film 'Science Friction'. https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/results/senate https://sciencefriction.tv 0:55:43 Local Council shuts door on Anti-Vaxxers The Inner West Council in Sydney is taking a strong stand for the health and safety of its local residents.

http://newslocal.smedia.com.au/iw-courier-west/

Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au

Surf Coast Spring Skepticamp https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/surf-coast-spring-skepticamp-2019-september-tickets-62100278605

The Skeptic Zone #552 - 19.May.2019 May 18, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:50 Down the Rabbit Hole An interview with author Mick West about his new podcast and a discussion about conspiracy theories is in general.

https://www.tftrh.com

0:21:00 Skeptics Vs Psychic Surgeon In 1984, two members of Australian Skeptics went undercover to try and expose a psychic surgeon. The whole thing ended up in court with surprising results.

https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine/

Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #551 - 12.May.2019 May 11, 2019

Show notes

The Skeptic Zone #550 - 5.May.2019 May 05, 2019

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:52

M S S X Alice Howarth and Laurie Phillips Celebrate ten years of the Merseyside Skeptics Society at the special one-day event at the Liner Hotel in Liverpool.

It's been ten years since the first meeting of the MSS, and ten years since the first episode of Skeptics with a K – the UK's longest-running skeptical podcast.

http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/category/mssx/

0:13:46 Astrology in the White House Astrology, which seems to be enjoying a renaissance among millennials and Gen Xers, is only one sad example from our flabby-minded post-truth era. - By Ron Reagan

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2019/04/25/feature/spring-cleaning-2019-eight-things-to-toss/

0:28:50 Jessica Singer on SitP What does it take to run a Skeptics in the Pub event? We ask Jessica Singer from Australian Skeptics about her trip to vist SitP in London.

http://london.skepticsinthepub.org/

0:42:08 Maynard's Spooky Action... Once again Maynard heads for Sydney Skeptics in the Pub to find out what people think of the large cash prize offered by Australian Skeptics. Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au Skepticamp in Brisbane http://www.brisbaneskeptics.org/2019-skepticamp

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