The Skeptic Zone

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The Skeptic Zone #460- 13.Aug.2017 Aug 13, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00

Introduction

Richard Saunders

0:05:22

Reports from NECSS

This week we chat to Natalie Newell from The Science Enthusiast Podcast.

http://scienceenthusiast.libsyn.com

0:11:30

Interview with Ann Reid #4

Ann Reid from the National Center for Science Education in the USA tells us about science outreach to schools.

https://ncse.com/

0:21:30

Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee

With Casey Harrigan

Researchers have found a protein that mimics the effects of exercise on the heart, while it's great news for those with heart failure, it's not an excuse to skip your workouts.

https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-theres-no-such-thing-as-an-exercise-pill/

0:24:20

Anti-vaccination advocate 'banned from Australia' after documentary tour

The producer behind a controversial anti-vaccination film which has been touring Australia has been banned from returning to the country for three years.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/controversial-antivaxers-banned-from-australia-after-documentary-tour-20170808-gxs44o.html

0:38:13

Maynard's Spooky Action....

Maynard at Skeptics in the Pub

Do our pubbers have psychic powers? Find out when Maynard reports on a series of tests live from the rooms at the Occidental Hotel.

With Ian Bryce and Jessica Hazzard-White.

Also...

Richard Saunders and Tim Medham - late night radio segment http://www.2gb.com/?s=Skeptics

Maynard and Bunga Bunga maynard.com.au CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org

Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #459 - 6.Aug.2017 Aug 05, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:05:30 The Diet Skeptic... with Mandy-Lee Noble Australia is one of many countries that have water fluoridation programs currently operating, however there are forces at work trying to remove this important health initiative.

0:15:00 Professor Stefan sojka The 'eat less' diet!

0:16:23

VaXXed on Tour in Australia We report on some of the media coverage of this anti-vaccination crusade. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-26/school-tricked-into-allowing-anti-vaxxer-film-screening/8745154 http://www.skeptics.com.au/2017/08/01/anti-vax-film-screened-at-anu https://www.immunisationfoundation.org.au/light-for-riley http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/inside-the-antivaccination-cult/news-story/10ba867d15778a30d88b3ae4ed262a05 http://www.2gb.com/podcast/ray-hadley-bars-anti-vaxxers-for-life https://omny.fm/shows/mornings-with-neil-mitchell/neil-mitchell-speaks-with-dr-john-cunningham-about https://christianporter.dss.gov.au/media-releases/no-jab-no-pay-lifts-immunisation-rates

0:32:00 Interview with Ann Reid #3 This week Ann Reid from the National Center for Science Education in the USA tells us about the work she conducted into sequencing the genome of the 1918 Spanish Influenza Virus. https://ncse.com/

0:45:18 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Ben Lewis Turns out T-Rex was only capable of a 20km/hr power walk, not a flat out sprint. It would still probably catch you though. bit.ly/2ualQW8

0:46:52 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson ANTI-VAXERS and vaccination slackers suffering from preventable diseases are clogging Australia's hospitals and putting a massive burden on the public health purse. People with vaccine-preventable diseases spent a total of 338,686 days in hospital across the nation in 2015-16, new figures reveal. (by Jane Hansen) http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/patients-lacking-vaccination-spend-on-average-nearly-week-in-hospital/news-story/1a04add4738309c9ae6b503c30fd45d9

Also...

Richard Saunders and Tim Medham - late night radio segment http://www.2gb.com/?s=Skeptics Maynard and Bunga Bunga may

The Skeptic Zone #458 - 30.July.2017 Jul 30, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:06:10 More Good Thinking with Michael Marshall Marsh brings us up to date with the latest news on homeopathy in the UK with recommendations being looked at that would help curtail this quackery. http://goodthinkingsociety.org

0:15:00 Reports from NECSS Bob Novella from the The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe Podcast joins us to chat about what it's like to perform live in front of a skeptical audience..

0:23:00 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Shuj Esufali NASA is looking at the art of origami to help it send people to Mars! https://www.australiascience.tv

0:24:40 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson Hendra virus infection is a serious condition which can be fatal. The virus was first discovered after an outbreak of illness in horses Hendra, Brisbane in 1994.

0:35:20 Interview with Ann Reid #2 This week Ann Reid from the National Center for Science Education in the USA tells us about the problems faced when trying to communicate the science of climate change. https://ncse.com/

Also...

Space Time with Stuart Gary and guest Eran Segev https://audioboom.com/channel/starstuffwithstuartgary

Richard Saunders and Tim Medham - late night radio segment http://www.2gb.com/?s=Skeptics

Mordi Skeptics in the Pub https://www.meetup.com/Mordi-Skeptics-in-the-Pub

Maynard and Bunga Bunga maynard.com.au CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org

Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #457 - 23.July.2017 Jul 22, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:05:06 Reports from NECSS Claire Klingenberg joins us to talk about the 17th European Skeptics Congress. http://euroscepticscon.org http://www.sysifos.cz

0:10:52 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Ben Lewis The Government has announced a review into the space industry in Australia. We think it's time we had an agency of our own. Australia - let's go to space. https://www.australiascience.tv

0:14:15 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson This week Heidi gives us an overview of the recent Star Stuff astronomy meetining in Bryon Bay, and even goes for a walk on Mars! Dr Duane Hamacher https://starstuff.com.au/2017/02/21/speaker-spotlight-dr-duane-hamacher/ Mark Gee http://theartofnight.com/ Dr David Malin https://www.davidmalin.com/ Dr Fred Watson http://www.fredwatson.com.au/ Dr Katie Mack http://www.astrokatie.com/ Dr Karl Kruszelnicki http://drkarl.com/ Dylan O'Donnell http://deography.com/ Dr Alan Duffy http://www.alanrduffy.com/ Jamie Anderson https://www.gspacetech.com/ Michaela Jeffery https://starstuff.com.au/2017/05/25/bonus-speakers/

0:33:17 Interview with Ann Reid #1 Ann Reid became the executive director of NCSE in 2014. For 15 years she worked as a research biologist at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, where she was responsible for sequencing the 1918 flu virus. She served as a Senior Program Officer at the NRC's Board on Life Sciences for five years and most recently, as director of the American Academy of Microbiology. https://ncse.com/

0:45:50 Book Review - Nibbling on Einstein's Brain Journal Science affects every part of our lives. It can determine the foods we eat, the clothes we weareven the video games we play. But how do you tell the good science from the bad? Bite into Nibbling on Einstein's Brain and learn some winning strategies for sorting the good from the misleading in science. https://www.bookdepository.com/Nibbling-on-Einstein-s-Brain/9781554511860

Also... Maynard and Bunga Bunga maynard.com.au CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #456 - 16.July.2017 Jul 16, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:05:00 Reports from NECSS Sharon Roney from Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia and Richard Saunders wander around the auditorium before the start of the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism in New York.

https://www.facebook.com/GSoWproject

Later Richard catches up with Dr Harriet Hall, MD to chat about her video series.

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/harriet-hall

0:12:20 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Shuj Esufali A smart device with AI called emergency services during a domestic violence incident and possibly saved lives as a result. When it comes to domestic violence, AI could save a lot more.

https://www.australiascience.tv

0:15:00 Dr Rachie Reports... wih Dr Rachael Dunlop This week Dr Rachie interviews Craig Egan about the Vaxxed bus is tour across the USA, spreading fear and disinformation about vaccines. Craig is following their route, refuting them with facts and evidence and sometimes lulz at every stop.

https://www.gofundme.com/craigs-provax-world-tour

http://www.jhrl.com/toxic-puzzle-hunt-hidden-killer

0:36:15 TGA's list of medical indications full of pseudoscience The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has published a draft list of "permitted indications" for listed complementary medicines that includes many terms and concepts that are straight out of the pseudoscience catalogue.

http://www.skeptics.com.au/2017/07/10/tgas-list-of-medical-indications-full-of-pseudoscience/

0:42:00 Kevin Davies interviews Professor John Carver Professor John Carver has been Director of the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University in Canberra. He undertook his undergraduate (First-class Honours) degree in Chemistry at the University of Adelaide. In 1983, he was awarded his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the Australian National University and subsequently undertook post-doctoral studies in Biochemistry at the Universities of Oxford and Adelaide.

http://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7366

Also...

CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org

Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #455 -9.July.2017 Jul 09, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:05:12 An interview with James Randi From travels in Australia to making TV shows in the UK and Russia, James Randi recounts some of his amazing adventures.

Secrets of the Psychics Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MFAvH8m8aI

James Randi: Psychic Investigator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix_DEto6nH4

0:18:04 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Casey Harrigan Your microbiome might not be made up just of bacteria - if there's less than 12 or more than 59 candles on your birthday cake, you're probably hosting some pretty healthy Archaea as well!

https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-welcome-to-the-microbiome-archaea/

0:20:50 Maynard's Spooky Action.... Maynard at Skeptics in the Pub Another night with Sydney Skeptics. Maynard's big question, do pubbers think skeptics make a differance in the world? Also an interview with Beth Luscombe. With... Jessica Singer Dr Brad Lara Benham Alethea Dean Jessica Hazzard-White and more.

https://veryparanormal.com/

Also...

CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #454 -2.July.2017 Jul 02, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:05:06 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson An interview with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. Heidi and Karl chat about science while they drive along the roads of the far north coast of NSW.

http://drkarl.com

0:27:48 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Kelly Wong Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee. Happy Census results day, data nerds! We reckon an even better way to celebrate would be to have some concrete data on everyday Australian environmental impact

https://www.australiascience.tv

0:29:36 Bees, Bees and is there still honey for tea? Part 2 The science of beekeeping is brought to us by advocate for science education, Dr Eugenie Scott.

https://ncse.com

http://www.worldofbeekeeping.com

0:55:10 Live from Times Square, New York. Join Richard Saunders as he ventures into the madness that is Times Square. His tour guides are Autumn, Julia and Jocelyn Novella.

Also...

Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics chats on radio about the Bermuda Triangle and Hanging Rock.

http://www.2gb.com/podcast/tim-mendham-australian-skeptics

CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org

Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #453 -25.June.2017 Jun 25, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:03:45 Exploring the Exploratorium We join Dr Paul Doherty at San Francisco's premier science outreach centre, the Exploratorium. Will Richard Saunders fall through the looking-glass? Why are there so many sciecne teachers in the building? Find out all this and more as we take a guided tour.

https://www.exploratorium.edu

0:34:20 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Ben Lewis Trees Alone Can't Save UsRelying on planting trees to offset carbon emissions will be physically impossible, as new calculations show that they would take up too much space.

https://www.australiascience.tv

0:36:36 Bees, Bees and is there still honey for tea? The delights of beekeeping are brought to us in the back yard of physical anthropologist and advocate for science education, Dr Eugenie Scott.

https://ncse.com

http://www.worldofbeekeeping.com

Also...

Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics chats on radio about the Bermuda Triangle and Hanging Rock.

http://www.2gb.com/podcast/tim-mendham-australian-skeptics

NECSS - New York https://necss.org CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org

Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #452 -18.June.2017 Jun 18, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:04:45 Queen's Birthday honour for Ken Harvey Dr Ken Harvey, one of Australia's leading campaigners against pseudomedicine, has been honoured with a Member (AM) in the general division of the Order of Australia in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours list. Harvey is well-known to Skeptics for his ongoing battle, both through and with the Therapeutic Goods Administration, over claims made by alt med companies in their advertising and promotional material. His complaints have all been upheld upon investigation.

http://www.skeptics.com.au/2017/06/14/queens-birthday-honour-for-ken-harvey

0:10:50 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Casey Harrigan Alcohol is bad for your health. Then it's good. Now it's bad again? Scientists aren't changing their minds - you might just need to look closer at what they're saying.

https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-cheers-to-brain-health/

0:12:37 Late Night Radio Skeptics Saunders' radio segment throughout Australia with Mike Williams. This week we look at Cold Reading.

http://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/richard-saunders-4/

0:29:16 Susan Gerbic Raod Trip Our international correspondent from Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia reports on the recent SkeptiCal meeting and travels to Los Angeles to attend the world premiere of the new science outreach documentary, Principles of Curiosity.

http://principlesofcuriosity.com

Also...

NECSS - New York https://necss.org CSI Con - Las Vagus http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au

The Skeptic Zone #451 -11.June.2017 Jun 11, 2017

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders

0:06:45 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson An interview with Dylan O'Donnell, an astronomer from Byron Bay who tells of "Star Stuff" where Australia's leading experts on Space, Cosmology, Astronomy, Astrophsyics, Astrophotgraphy and Science come together for a series of keynote talks on everything from Aboriginal astronomy, space photography, and even the end of the universe.

https://starstuff.com.au

0:21:17 The debate about homeopathy is over. These verdicts prove it. Writing at Health Spectator, Prof. Edzard Ernst lists international health organisations that have issued strong statements against Homeopathy. Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor at the University of Exeter, is the author of Homeopathy: The Undiluted Facts and the awardee of the John Maddox Prize 2015 for standing up for science.

https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-debate-about-homeopathy-is-over-these-verdicts-prove-it/

edzardernst.com

0:27:25 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Ben Lewis

https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-humans-just-got-older-and-wiser/

Recently discovered human fossils in Morocco have just added 100 000 years to the history of homo sapiens.

0:29:05 Ghost Tour with Stranger Things Down Under We join the Stranger Things Down Under group, as they set out for a ghost tour of Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. With Lara Benham Trish Hann Alethia Dean

https://www.facebook.com/StrangerThingsDownUnder

http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/haunted-tours

Also...

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