The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP

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The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP Podcast

The European Skeptics Podcast is an independent project run buy individuals from across Europe, to provide a forum for European skeptical activism.Hosts: András Pintér, Annika Harrison, Pontus Böckman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. TheESP – Ep. #443 – Scammers in the Moonlight

    3 DAYS AGO

    TheESP – Ep. #443 – Scammers in the Moonlight

    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.html Segments: 0:00:27 Intro 0:00:51 Greetings 0:05:23 TWISH 0:16:33 News 0:39:05 Really Wrong 0:43:28 Word of the Week 0:48:33 Quote 0:50:01 Outro 0:51:16 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min
  2. TheESP – Ep. #442 – Algimantas Kvecys

    30 AUG

    TheESP – Ep. #442 – Algimantas Kvecys

    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.html Segments: 0:00:31 Intro 0:00:55 Greetings 0:10:16 Interview 0:44:33 Farewell 0:47:04 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min
  3. TheESP – Ep. #441 – Choose Your Parents Wisely

    23 AUG

    TheESP – Ep. #441 – Choose Your Parents Wisely

    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 knowing that you have helped getting some people to join, who otherwise would not have had the possibility to do so. Enjoy! Link: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-441.html Segments: 0:00:26 Intro 0:00:51 Greetings 0:08:22 TWISH 0:19:04 News 0:35:39 Really Right 0:37:16 Quote 0:39:35 Outro 0:40:50 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  4. TheESP – Ep. #440 – It’s a spectrum, stupid!

    16 AUG

    TheESP – Ep. #440 – It’s a spectrum, stupid!

    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.html Segments: 0:00:27 Intro 0:00:50 Greetings 0:12:36 TWISH 0:21:14 News 0:57:03 Quote 0:58:25 Outro 0:59:40 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    60 min
  5. TheESP – Ep. #439 – ‘Leakey’ Science

    9 AUG

    TheESP – Ep. #439 – ‘Leakey’ Science

    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 from any medical training going forward, and for that they receive this weeks award for being Really Right. Enjoy! Link: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-439.html Segments: 0:00:26 Intro 0:00:51 Greetings 0:09:41 TWISH 0:19:37 News 0:45:29 Really Right 0:51:32 Quote 0:52:46 Outro 0:54:01 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  6. TheESP – Ep. #438 – Science and fairytales

    2 AUG

    TheESP – Ep. #438 – Science and fairytales

    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.html Segments: 0:00:26 Intro 0:00:52 Greetings 0:05:19 Interview 0:16:52 TWISH 0:25:55 News 0:44:48 Really Wrong 0:53:50 Quote 0:56:43 Outro 0:57:58 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  7. TheESP – Ep. #437 – Just One Black Swan

    29 JUL

    TheESP – Ep. #437 – Just One Black Swan

    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 tool The 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 nut. Enjoy! Segments: 00:00:25 Intro 00:00:50 Greetings 00:05:22 TWISH 00:12:03 News 00:33:51 Really Wrong/Right 00:36:59 Who’s Quacking? 00:41:34 Quote & Farewell 00:44:49 Outro 00:46:04 Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  8. TheESP – Ep. #436 – Piazzi, the skeptical priest

    19 JUL

    TheESP – Ep. #436 – Piazzi, the skeptical priest

    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 Intro 0:00:49 Greetings 0:18:33 TWISH 0:31:15 News 0:49:06 Really Right 0:57:05 Quote and Farewell 0:59:36 Outro 1:00:51 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m
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5
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The European Skeptics Podcast is an independent project run buy individuals from across Europe, to provide a forum for European skeptical activism.Hosts: András Pintér, Annika Harrison, Pontus Böckman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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