The European Skeptics Podcast

As everyone else these days we are moving from X to Bluesky, any help in driving traffic our way is much appreciated. The Humanists UK has published a new exciting book called What I Believe, named after podcast by the same name. You should check it out! In TWISH we hear about how the (then) Prince of Wales got his favorite charity for SCAM (So-Called Alternative Medicine) struck from the UK Charity Commission. Then, we head for the news:INTERNATIONAL: 2024 will be the first year above 1.5°CINTERNATIONAL: Climate crisis to blame for dozens of ‘impossible’ heatwaves, studies revealINTERNATIONAL: Retraction Watch is hiring!SPAIN: Video does not show ‘HAARP ship’ floating near Spain before floodsINTERNATIONAL: WHO teams up with TikTok to combat misinformation on social mediaThe Really Wrong Award goes to the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam for making a chiropractor professor.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-454.htmlS

It’s one election after another. The same day that the US voted orange, Germany decided on a snap election after the current coalition fell apart. Let’s hope people over here are better informed than the American voters. In TWISH we hear about ‘Doctor Universalis’ Albertus Magnus whose scientific mindset in the 13th century helped Europe begin its long and winding road out of the dark ages. Then we explore the news:ONLINE: ‘Akusoli’ is a typical example of woowoo products that are aggressively marketed onlineUK: Assisted dying bill’s ‘strict’ safeguards to include long jail terms for coercionSWEDEN: Warning regarding fake medicine onlineGERMANY: Who trusts science and who doesn’t?UK: The Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandalThe Really Wrong Award is split between oil producer Shell and a Dutch court of appeals that overturned Shell’s requirement to reduce their emission goals.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive

This is the first “regular episode” for a while and of course we cannot help to mourn the stupid results of the US elections. But since this is a European show we cannot let that stop us, so after a TWISH story of how Charles Darwin, 130 years after his death, gained over 4000 votes in the elections in the US state of Georgia, it’s time for the news:BULGARIA / NORTH MACEDONIA: Baba Vanga (баба Ванга), the Bulgarian psychicINTERNATIONAL: Wanna help out the Skeptical Science team?UK: King Charles and Queen Camilla on secret Bengaluru trip for woo treatmentINTERNATIONAL: A little help to nurses in combatting vaccine misinformationNORWAY: Spouse of Norwegian princess, ‘shaman’ Durek Verrett, accused of sexual assaultUK: Religious hate crimes at record high levelsThe NHS in the UK has all but done away with homeopathy, but still funds a number of unproven nonsense treatments and for that the receive this week award for being Really Wrong. And then before we sign of

A longer episode this week, jampacked with interviews from QED! One of the marvelous things with conferences (don’t forget about the upcoming Skepticon XL in Sydney!) is that you meet so many fantastic people. We tried to capture a little of that feeling by recording a bunch of interviews, so tune in to hear from Clio Bellenis, Diana Barbosa, João Monteiro, Igor Stroev, David Glass, and Hayley Stevens! As if that is not enough we also have a longer interview with the winner of this year’s Ockham Award, Dr Flint Dibble!Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:11:57 Interviews:0:12:00 Clio Bellenis0:18:19 Diana Barbosa and João Monteiro0:27:58 Igor Stroev and David Glass0:31:51 Hayley Stevens0:36:05 Dr Flint Dibble1:09:04 Farewell1:12:27 Outro1:13:42 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We celebrate our 450th episode (wow!) live at QED 2024 (wow!!!) with the help of Brian and Claire! We also get special greetings from Annika and Jay Novella, who unfortunately could not attend. A slightly different format due to the occasion, but of course we have the news, which this time has the (not so) cheerful theme of Russian disinformation:SWEDEN: An apparent news site focusing on the 2026 election is in fact an AI-generated propaganda tool that mixes real stories with fake news (Pontus)RUSSIA / EUROPE: Heritage Foundation and the Congress of Families (Claire)UK: MI5 chief warns of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting UK as report warns Western support for Ukraine at risk (Brian)INTERNATIONAL: Doppelganger, the Russian disinformation agency and its recently revealed documents (András)We end the show with a one-question quiz to find this weeks’ “Who’s Quacking?” candidate.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:00 Intro0:01:49 Greetings0:09:23 News

Lot’s of listener feedback in this episode which is delightful! Pontus explains whether there was a scandal concerning the Sami peoples at the Gothenburg Book Fair and we prepare for this weekend’s QED! Speaking of which, this is what we also talk about in TWISH this week. Then, as always, the news:THE NETHERLANDS: Meester Kackadorisprijs awarded to the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO)FRANCE: Minister of Education and Research seems to be at odds with scienceSPAIN: Health Minister denounces homeopathyGERMANY / AUSTRIA: Das Goldene Brett Nominations now open (until 11 November)The Award for being Really Right goes to John Wiley & Sons for their decision to terminate the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, infamous for its terrible track record on retracted articles.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-449.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:10:55 TWISH0:16:18 News0:36:03 Rea

In both Annika's and Pontus' absence, this week András interviews the "Fairy Godmother" of the show, psychic investigator & debunket, "master puppeteer" and tireless leader of the Secret Cabal (and the About Time Project) that is the international Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia Susan Gerbic. We talk about Mark Edward's legacy, how to start a SkeptiCamp in your local area, and what ways there are to help out the skeptical movement.Enjoy!Segments: Intro; Greetings & Interview; Outro; Outtakes0:00:33 INTRO0:01:02 GREETINGS & INTERVIEWSusan Gerbicthe About Time Project: https://www.abouttimeproject.org/find Susan Gerbic on Facebook0:41:03 OUTRO0:42:18 OUT-TAKES Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

András is back in good form and we start with a report from the Swedish Skeptics at the Gothenburg Book Fair – real life astronauts where involved! A little listener feed back and then we go to TWISH to hear about German R&B Singer and conspiracy theorist Xavier Naidoo. Then it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Secret Service confirms State of Iran behind disinformation text messages re Quran burningsINTERNATIONAL: Social media moguls are a concern to most experts regarding misinformationBELGIUM: And the Pope is still a misogynistPORTUGAL: Public trust drives vaccine uptake regardless of ageTo round up we hand a Really Wrong Award to well-known homeopath Michael Frass, who keeps implying that homeopathy can treat cancer – but his arguments are based on falsified research…Enjoy!All show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-447.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:09:45 TWISH0:16:00 News0:45:10 Really Wrong0:50:34 Quote0:5

This week we interview good friend and podcast colleague Richard Saunders. We talk about skeptical activism in general and Richard’s podcast the Skeptic Zone. We also hear all about the upcoming Skepticon XL in Sydney 23 -24 November.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:00:53 Interview0:27:25 Farewell0:31:11 Outro0:32:25 Outtakeshttps://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-446.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start with some follow up from last week – Edward Bach is pronounced [batch], and we have some more thoughts on if plants can really appreciate music. In TWISH we celebrate(?) the birthday of Sally Morgan (‘Psychic Sally’) and find her neither convincing nor a nice person. Then we dig into the news:INTERNATIONAL: Ig Nobel prize winners 2024FRANCE: Brigitte Macron wins lawsuit against fortune-teller and journalist claimins she’s trans-genderFRANCE: Map Shows All French Churches ‘Set on Fire, Vandalized or Attacked in Recent Years’?GERMANY: Dubious homeopathy research funded by manufacturerThe Really Wrong Award this week goes to an old ‘friend’, pope Frankie himself.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-445.htmlSegments:0:00:26 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:28 TWISH0:16:43 News0:36:00 Really Wrong0:42:53 Quote0:45:11 Outro0:46:26 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With an episode number like this, we have to start out with some numerology. Annika will be more off than on for a while and the promised record heat in Sweden actually delivered. In TWISH we hear about the sci-fi / philosophical writer Stanisław Lem who was born this week in 1921. Then we head for the news:SWEDEN: Music makes cucumbers happyUK: Hereditary seats to be removed from LordsINTERNATIONAL: No link between mobile phones and brain tumoursUK / INTERNATIONAL: Bach Flower Remedies for perceived stress of nursesWe hand out a Really Wrong Award to the Carl and Veronica Carstens Foundation for funding dubious research, and that should be the end – but wait! Brian Eggo crashes the party! He tells all about the upcoming Skepticamp at QED. Don’t miss out!Enjoy!Segments:0:00:28 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:06:43 TWISH0:13:07 News0:34:09 Really Wrong0:39:47 Quote0:40:53 Interview0:46:23 Outro0:47:38 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.c

In TWISH this week we hear about August Kekulé, the French organic chemist who redefined his disciplin in the mid 1800s. The we go into the news:INTERNATIONAL: Scammers in the Moonlight – Real vs. fake Tarot readers on social mediaFRANCE: Imane Khelif files lawsuit over cyber-harassment, names JK Rowling and Elon MuskAUSTRIA / THE NETHERLANDS: Climate communication works!ITALY: Shroud of Turin reloadedThe Award for being Really Wrong this week goes to Fleur Agema, Dutch Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister, who refuses to donate vaccines against mpox. We also follow up last week’s interview a Word of the Week in both Lithuanian and Russian.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-443.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:05:23 TWISH0:16:33 News0:39:05 Really Wrong0:43:28 Word of the Week0:48:33 Quote0:50:01 Outro0:51:16 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we go into today’s interview, we elaborate a little on last week’s TWISH about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, adding a bit more details.Then we have a great chat with Algimantas Kvecys who is the chair of Lietuvos skeptikų draugija, the Society of Lithuanian Skeptics.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-442.htmlSegments:0:00:31 Intro0:00:55 Greetings0:10:16 Interview0:44:33 Farewell0:47:04 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

QED is getting a little bit closer and a really good idea is to sign up as a volunteer! Not only will you help creating the skeptical event of the year, it is also a great way to make new friends and become a little “VIP” at the same time.This week saw a “full true blue supermoon” – check out which part of this is nonsense and which parts that are real astronomy. In TWISH we go all the way back to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and why it may not have happened when everyone says it happened. Then, it’s time for the news:GERMANY / US: Link between right-wing politics and vaccine hesitancyUK: Druidic Stonehenge altar stone came from ScotlandINTERNATIONAL: Pointless vitamin infusions are on the rise while there is a worldwide shortage av IV fluidsUK: Humour is allowed to be factual or wrong, but shouldn’t hurt peopleIf you’re thinking about donating to the QED fund, or have already done so, you get to share this week’s Really Right Award. You will also have the satisfaction of

We start with a follow-up on the UK riots and the disinformation that triggered them. Regardless of this we look forward to going to QED where the Ockham Awards will be announced. The nominations are now open! See link in the show notes.In TWISH we hear about how it wasn’t that long ago that Joseph Lister performed the first antiseptic surgery – we sure are lucky that we we were not born back then. Then it is time for the news:RUSSIA: Russian textbook claims that Trump lost in 2020 due to election fraudINTERNATIONAL: Pseudoscientific answers to a medical and environmental mishap at the 2024 Summer Olympic GamesEUROPE: Heat Caused Over 47,000 Deaths in Europe in 2023 – but it could have been much worseINTERNATIONAL: Alleged transgender issue stirs up controversy at the OlympicsINTERNATIONAL: Chemtrails or not, aviation contrails contribute to the climate crisesEnjoy!Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-440.htmlSegments:0:0

We start out with the sad news that Mark Edward has passed away. Mark was a mentalist, an author, and an active skeptic. Mark, sometimes with with his partner (and good friend of the show) Susan Gerbic, investigated many paranormal claims and exposed psychic frauds. He will be long remembered and missed by the skeptics movement.After some listener feedback and catching up, we go to TWISH, where we hear about Louis Leakey and his important, but often controversial, contributions to our understanding of ancient hominids. Then we turn to the news:GERMANY: New book about long COVID and ME/CFS by Dr. Natalie GramsSWEDEN: More fertility nonsenseUK: The role of misinformation in the riots following the Southport stabbingsUK: Practitioner of ‘slapping therapy’ guilty of manslaughterINTERNATIONAL: Reducing the number of AI ‘hallucinations’The Baden-Württemberg Medical Association in Germany has taken the long-overdue, but very welcome decision to exclude homeopathy fro

The three of us are (sort of) together again, so after the customary greetings, András joins us with Adrienne Hill all the way from Canada (Sparky studios?!) for a prerecorded chat. In TWISH we hear about how Adolf Hitler secured his position as Führer, which is scary since the tactics of modern would-be-dictators have not changed that much. Then we take a look at the news:INTERNATIONAL: Science and fairytalesFRANCE: BS and pseudoscience at the OlympicsINTERNATIONAL: Long term use of multivitamins has no effect on mortalityA Swedish clinic calls itself Infertility Aid and promises 90% success rate for people who struggle with getting pregnant. Their “methods” are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all of which is obvious bogus and superstition. For that they are deservedly receive this week’s award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!Link: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-438.htmlSegments:0:00:26 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:05:19 Interview0:16:5

Thirty-two years ago this week the Vatican tried to explain why discrimination against gay people is not reallydiscrimination. That's basically still their position today, which we hear about in this week's TWISH. Then we have quite a few news items to go through:SWEDEN: Swedish telecom companies have blocked more than 50 million scam calls in 2024INTERNATIONAL: Global SCAM markets on the riseINTERNATIONAL: UV index apps used to get MORE sunburnsDENMARK: Widespread practice among athletes might be truly harmfulINTERNATIONAL: ‘Paleodiets’ can be harmfulINTERNATIONAL: Snopes launches AI-based fact-checking toolThe UK ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) shows a bit of teeth and bans ads for supplement that claim to treat autism and other conditions. For that, they receive this week's award for being Really Right. From the Netherlands we get a Who's Quacking? segment about George van Houts, actor and comedian turned conspiracy

Just the boys this week and we have a lot to talk about – climate change (András needs a new job), Türkiye vs. Turkey, Dutch vacations, homeopathy, Skeptical Science, and even some politics. In TWISH we hear about the skeptical priest Giuseppe Piazzi who discovered Ceres, the first asteroid ever detected. Also, if you catch this in time here is the link to the 19 July Global Skeptics in the Pub Zoom meeting. Then we have the news:UK: Are UK adolescents eating too much ultra processed foods?EU: Two major GMO corn crops approved for import as food and animal feedNot that we know how it will all end, but the new UK Labour government is off to a good start from a skeptical point of view and therefore receives this week’s award for being Really Right.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:18:33 TWISH0:31:15 News0:49:06 Really Right0:57:05 Quote and Farewell0:59:36 Outro1:00:51 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p

Some listeners have started to join our Discord – why don’t you do that do!In the news today:TURKEY: Turkey revokes radio station’s license for discussing Armenian genocideUK: Ultra-processed food fear – simply the next big nutritional moral panic?SPAIN: HIV patients often take other SCAM that interfere with their treatmentsThe Church of England has plans to evangelising in UK schools – even the secular ones! For that the receive this week’s award for being Really Wrong. To round off we have a Word of the Week and find out the meaning of ‘Lèse-majesté‘.Enjoy!0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:08:52 News0:28:26 Really Wrong0:32:47 Word of the Week0:41:11 Quote and Farewell0:42:56 Outro0:44:11 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.