The Skeptic Zone Richard Saunders
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- Science
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The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason.
Join Richard Saunders and his team of reporters for your weekly dose of skeptical news and interviews, reports and comments.
Past guests have included, James Randi, Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin, Eugenie Scott, Dr Phil Plait, Michael Marshall, Dr Steve Novella, Dr Pamela Gay, Jon Ronson, Dr Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Prof. Richard Wiseman, Dick Smith, Banachek, Prof. Chris French, George Hrab, Tim Ferguson, Dr Paul Willis and many, many more.
Featuring Australian radio legend Maynard with his Spooky Action, Jo Alabaster from the 'Evidence Please' blog, Eran Segev's Grain of Salt, Dr Rachael Dunlop with 'Dr Rachie Reports' and Heidi Robertson aka 'The Raw Skeptic'.
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The Skeptic Zone #814 - 12.May.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:04:14 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill.
This week, Adrienne gives us an overview of the recent 'We Can Reason' conference held in Calgary, Canada. We hear about each of the invited speakers and meet one of the delegates, a listener of the Skeptic Zone right from episode #1, Brenda Hill.
Next it's a road trip to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, which houses one of world's premier collection of dinosaur fossils. Here Richard Saunders gives us his thoughts on this wondrous example of science in action.
Finally, on the drive home, Adrienne interviews Jonathan Jarry, one of the hosts of the popular Body of Evidence podcast from Canada. Jonathan was also an invited speaker at the conference.https://tyrrellmuseum.com
0:23:18 Australian Skeptics Newsletter
What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week?
Read by Adrienne Hill.
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:35:48 A Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Psychic Predictions.
1972.01.02 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1973.12.30 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1981.01.02 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1989.01.01 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1992.12.30 - The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
Also Sckepticamap New Mexico. 1st - 2nd June, 2024
https://www.skepticampnm.com
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The Skeptic Zone #813 - 5.May.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders with Adrienne Hill and Kat McLeod
0:02:20 Kate & Allie at We Can Reason - Calgary Canada
We are delighted to accounce that 'Kate', Kat McLeod from Edmonton, is our newest reporter on the Skeptic Zone. Hear her reaction as Richard Saunders confirms her appoitment. Weclome Kat! Her segment will be know as "For Cryin' Out! It's Kat McLeod".
Also we hear more about the convention, Adrienne's video presentation from LA Skepticamp, and a short interview with speaker Jonathan Jarry.
LA Skepticamp Videos
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb82CF-DGYCfxT6IKckZtm6KnMNMqxDQr
0:09:34 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham
This week Tim heads to the regional city of Armidale in Australia's 'New England' area to help launch a new Skeptics in the Pub. We hear from the organiser, Walkely Award winning journalist Amelia Willmer.
Armidate Skeptics in the Pub is held at the Wicklow Hotel, 6pm last Wednesday of the month.
https://www.facebook.com/WicklowHotel
0:22:38 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill.
This week Adrienne tries her luck with AI as it writes two scripts for her. One in 'her' style, and one in the style of a skeptic from Newfoundland! What could possible go wrong?
0:28:28 A Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Uri Geller.
1977.10.11 - The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au -
The Skeptic Zone #812 - 28.April.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:03:48 Can AI Replace Your Host?
Is AI all that it's cracked up to be? This week Richard Saunders tempts fate by asking AI to write a script in his own style. Are the results worth it? You be the judge..... Mate!
0:12:12 Australian Skeptics Newsletter
What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week?
Read by Adrienne Hill.
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:24:58 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham
What Goes Around By Tim Mendham
The Vatican, Meteorites and Science.
A reading from The Skeptic, Vol. 43 No. 4
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:33:22 A Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Haunted Houses
1955.07.19 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1955.07.30 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1970.02.25 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1986.10.26 - The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
Also We Can Reason - Calgary Canada
https://wecanreason.com -
The Skeptic Zone #811 - 21.April.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:04:34 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill.
Kate and Allie revisit another frightening herbal development this time from Japan. With guest Kat McLeod.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/japan-supplement-pill-recall-death-illnesses-kobayashi-pharmaceutical-co
0:12:38 Dr Steve and the UFOs
For many decades, Dr Steve Roberts has been investigating reports of UFOs. In this informal chat with Richard Saunders, Dr Steve looks at various recent UFO fads and some from history.
0:23:08 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham
What Goes Around By Tim Mendham
Scares, Sounds, Sickness and Spooks!
A reading from The Skeptic, Vol. 42 No. 3
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:30:54 A Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Crop Circles", a blast from the past.
1991.12.22 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1991.06.24 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1991.09.10 - The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
Also We Can Reason - Calgary Canada
https://wecanreason.com
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The Skeptic Zone #810 - 14.April.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:02:00 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill
This week Adrienne talks to the organizers of the Los Angeles Skepticamp on the day after the event which was held on March 24, 2024.
Interviewed are Wendy Hughes, Heather Henderson, Paula Lauterbach, Jane Selkie, Deborah Warcken, and Susan Gerbic.
https://skepticampla.fmtpo.com
https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherHenderson
https://www.abouttimeproject.org
0:14:16 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham
Join Tim Mendham and Richard Saunders at Sydney Skeptics in the Pub as they talk about the special guests lined up for the Australian Skeptics national convention in November.
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:21:48 Australian Skeptics Newsletter
What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week?
Read by Adrienne Hill.
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:34:12 A Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Australian Skeptics.
1984.07.05 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1987.02.11 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1989.03.17 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1994.11.14 - The Sydney Morning Herald
1998.03.30 - The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
Also We Can Reason - Calgary Canada
https://wecanreason.com -
The Skeptic Zone #809 - 7.April.2024
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:04:30 My Mum Talks To Aliens - Or Does She?
A review of a TV documentary from 2010. Mary Rodwell travels Australia seeking out those who claim to be abducted by UFOs. Can she convince her son during the course of the two week adventure? What, if any, real evidence does the documentary provide?
https://youtu.be/zZ6dJergQ8o
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/debunked-2007-avebury-ufo-sighting-military-exercise-flares.6411/
0:18:34 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham
The Pauline Conspiracy By Dr Paul Willis
Paul Willis puts on both his pop hat and his tinfoil hat to look at a classic plot from the Fab Four.
A reading from The Skeptic, Vol. 34 No. 3
http://www.skeptics.com.au
0:30:18 Milbourne Christopher
Milbourne Christopher (1914 - 1984) regarded those individuals who claimed extrasensory perception or psychic powers to be actually using magic trickery. He wrote three book-length exposes regarding those he said were false seers or psychics: ESP, Seers & Psychics; Mediums, Mystics & The Occult; and Search For The Soul.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milbourne_Christopher
0:47:18 A Dive into a Trove
With Kat McLeod
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Anti-Vacation in tne 1950s.
1952.03.14 - The Barrier Miner
1954.10.25 - Daily Mercury in Queensland
1955.05.26 - The Central Queensland Herald
1958.10.03 - The Australian Jewish Times
http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
Also We Can Reason - Calgary Canada
https://wecanreason.com
Customer Reviews
Love it!
Informitive, entertaining and just fun!
Bravo from an American
Although the podcast typically deals with Australian issues regarding pseudoscience and quackery, much of this is universal - even to an American like me.
This was one of the first skeptical podcasts I discovered, and the show pushed me off the fence and got me to become a skeptical activist myself. In fact, several years after I found the podcast, I was interviewed on it, and then went on to serve as a guest reporter for three episodes!
Good job
Keep up the good work.