Shows
TheESP – Ep. #515 – Exorcize Religion from Schools!English may not be our first language but we are willing to learn! Hungarian nuts with a nationalist agenda would like you to believe in made up history, including that Jesus spoke Hungarian, and other nonsense. And they are getting a foot in at schools… In TWISH we hear about Joseph Justus Scaliger who took on historical chronology in a revolutionary way back in the 16th century. Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Religious teacher used exorcism against special needs studentsUK: Fake AI doctors endorse weight loss patches on social mediaGERMANY: Changes in German beliefs in pseudoscienc...
2026-01-2357 min
TheESP – Ep. #514 – A Tradition of Informed Fallibility2025 was the third hottest year on record, but that hardly even makes the news. In TWISH we hear about the science communicator Jacob Bronowski, and then it’s time for the news:VATICAN / RUSSIA / USA: The Vatican offered Maduro safe way to RussiaSWITZERLAND: Erich von Däniken dead at 90AI: Followup from last week: Google removes some AI overviewsEU: Authorities do not even open international alerts about medical misconductSWEDEN: Linda Karlström, Confounderer of the year 2020, loses court appealSWEDEN: Enlightener and Confounderer of the year 2025UK: Vaccination schedule changed for the betterThe Really Wrong Award goes to WHO fo...
2026-01-1652 min
TheESP – Ep. #513 – Don’t be a BesserwisserWe have to rant about Trump and Venezuela for a bit, but to take our minds off that, we turn to TWISH and hear about the discovery of the Galilean moons, found by (who could have guessed?) Galileo.Then it’s time for the news:UK: Google AI Overviews put people at risk of harm with misleading health adviceHUNGARY: University of Pécs course on gene therapies lists mRNA COVID vaccines as such – that’s wrong!UK: Hot-reading Psychic Medium DeanSusanne Bügel of Copenhagen University gets the Award for being Really Right for her work to infor...
2026-01-0950 min
TheESP – Ep. #512 – Never Lend Things to a BabylonianWelcome to the new year! Obviously we start with some reflections on 2025 and we also give a shout-out to Haley Stevens and her article about Wikipedia in the Skeptic UK. In TWISH we learn that the practice of New Year’s resolutions is ancient although each resolution seldom lasts longer than a week or two. Then we look into the news for this week:INTERNATIONAL: Five lessons from fact checking in 2025ITALY: Lega only party refusing to agree not to use deepfake to attack political opponentsSWEDEN: Fact check: How Sweden uses imported trash to produce electricity and heat homesINTERNATIO...
2026-01-021h 06
TheESP – Ep. #510 – Wat Are They Sinking?In this week’s TWISH we take a look at the most skeptical saint, Doubting Thomas – not that we feel that he got everything right. In the news today we take a look at the following:INTERNATIONAL / SWEDEN: Rising nicotine addiction in teensHUNGARY: GP about to leave practice due to harassment from antivaxxersSWEDEN: Breast cancer patients turn away from conventional treatment despite 93% survival ratesINTERNATIONAL: Liam Neeson narrates anti-vaccination pseudo-documentaryA bunch of contrarians that call themselves BMTIG insists that there must be a conspiracy behind the sinking of the MS Estonia – no matter how much the facts say otherw...
2025-12-191h 11
TheESP – Ep. #509 – Skepticism is Hard – Even For GeniusesRage bait is the Oxford Word of the Year and that cannot be a a good sign of the times we live in. In TWISH we acknowledge the genius of Ada Lovelace while recognizing that she had some flaws as well, especially when it came to phrenology and mesmerism… Then we take a look at the news:EU: Proposal to allow plants modified using CRISPRHUNGARY: Government campaigns against opposition party with fake election programINTERNATIONAL: Influencers promote bogus health adviceUK: Persuasion through chatbots leads to inaccurate assessmentsThis week’s Really Right Award goes to researcher Rebecca Sear for her commitment...
2025-12-121h 05
TheESP – Ep. #508 – How Many Lobsters Can You Eat?We discuss science communication by the ECDC re vaccinations and have some listener feedback about Dr Who, before with dive into TWISH which this week is about a pioneer of modern chemistry, Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Then of course, there’s the news:INTERNATIONAL: E-trade via dropshipping – the scam has many levelsUK: ChatGPT’s dangerous mental health guidance raises skeptical red flagsSWEDEN: So-called ‘virginity checks’ now finally illegalTÜRKIYE: Case study shows risks with chiropracticThe Green alliance in Germany reverses their stance on homeopathy thanks to the work by Cedrik Schamberger and for that, he deserves the Really Right Award. Well do...
2025-12-0559 min
TheESP – Ep. #506 – Who?This week celebrates the launch of Dr Who way back in 1963, the longest running TV-show in history, and a special favourite for many skeptics. For the news we look into the following:INTERNATIONAL: Updated evidence for Covid-19, RSV, and influenza vaccinesHUNGARY: Parliament votes to issue general ban on artificial meat productsRUSSIA / UKRAINE: Every fifth Russian believes the sun revolves around the earthNETHERLANDS: Vaccine skepticism linked to trust in institutions and susceptibility to misinformationWe hand out a Really Right Award to the Swedish Government for removing state support for Jehovah’s Witnesses and in Who’s Quacking? we examine the...
2025-11-2159 min
TheESP – Ep. #505 – Tough Times for the BeebJames Watson died, and brilliant as his contribution to science was, he also had some very problematic views on race and women. The Church of Scientology seems to be in decline even if they try their best to deny it, claiming huge (but questionable) numbers on their recent big conference. We are happily surprised to see a very nice article about ourselves in the Skeptical Inquirer (thanks Susan!) and in TWISH we hear about the founding of the Pasteur Institute and what an impact it has had on science. Then, let’s look at the news:UK: TikTok trend makes men s...
2025-11-141h 03
TheESP – Ep. #504 – Democracy and Science are InseparableWe’re back home after QED and boy was it great! Last one, we know, but next year will see the European Skeptics Congress in Liverpool and it will largely be following the template of QED. Save the dates, 16-18 October 2026!We note the lessons learned from hurricane Melissa and in TWISH we hear about two milestones of European history, the ECDC and the European Convention om Human Rights. Then, we catch up on the news:UK: The Ockham awards for 2025AUSTRIA: The Golden Board for 2025SWEDEN: Populistic repatriation support meets local pushbackITALY: Senate hosts presentation of bogus devic...
2025-11-071h 05
TheESP – Ep. #503 – Live at QED 2025Note! You can find the video of this live recording here on our Youtube channel! (special thanks to the fantastic SitPO team for the video!)We were live from QED! Best time ever! Joining us for the recording were the fabulous Claire Klingenberg, Deborah Hyde and Brian Eggo, as well as huge crowd of happy QED attendees. We had a TWISH about phrenology and also a line of positive(!) news:INTERNATIONAL: UN demands asylum protection for the non religiousSWEDEN: The Great Pill-ScandalUK: ULEZ is improving people’s healthCZECHIA: Beaver engineered dam saves lots of money for government
2025-10-3150 min
TheESP – Ep. #502 – Psychics in the PubWarming up for QED, we dive directly in to TWISH and talk about – QED(!) and how this weekend will be an historic event as the last one of them all. We’re going to make the most of it!But before we pack our bags, we have some news to talk about:UK: The Conversation seems to endorse spiritual psychic meetingsAUSTRIA: Finalists of the Golden Board in Front of the Head announcedCZECHIA: Another European country goes populistEUROPE: Plug-in hybrids seems to be much worse polluters than previously thoughtNot all influencers are bad, so this week’s ...
2025-10-2445 min
TheESP – Ep. #501 – Of Swans and CarpTo begin with with remember Jane Goodall and we mark that the Dutch Master Kackadoris Award has been awarded to the VU University of Amsterdam – serves them right! In TWISH we hear about the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 (in some places much later!) and then, we dig into the news:INTERNATIONAL: Shingles vaccination associated with lower risk of dementiaVATICAN: Pope Leo stands up for science and humanityGERMANY / DENMARK / SWEDEN / EU: Drones, drones, dronesUK: Nigel F Farage spreads nonsense as hardcore as his American counterpartUK: Cut your energy bills by a third with a gadget?INTERNATIONAL: Here’s the Snopes a...
2025-10-1757 min
TheESP – Ep. #500 – Half a Thousand!It’s official boys and girls, we made it to Episode 500!We celebrated this with a live recording and joining us from all over the world were a whole bunch of the best skeptics you can imagine: Michael Marshall, Chris French, Claire Klingenberg, Susan Gerbic, Deborah Hyde, Adrienne Hill and Richard Saunders. Good friends all! Annika Harrison and Brian Eggo unfortunately couldn’t make it, but went out of their way to record their greetings in advance. What a wonderful time!Enjoy!PS. The edited recording is available on our YouTube channel!Show notes: h...
2025-10-102h 16
TheESP – Ep. #499 – Drones from Outer Space!Next week we’ll livestream our 500th episode (but stick around for this one first!), and also we remind all non-UK QED participants to get their ETAs before they go to Manchester later this month. In TWISH we learn about Alice Stewart and her work for awareness of the risks with radiation. Then we go to the news:INTERNATIONAL: No longer any question: alcohol is bad for your bodyEU: EU transition to electromobility is better than many make it out to beMOLDOVA / RUSSIA: Moldova election results subject to Russian disinformationGERMANY: New podcast of GWUP launchedDENMARK: Drones over Denmark – what are they?
2025-10-0354 min
TheESP – Ep. #498 – Don’t Be Like BobbySwedish glaciers are disappearing and in TWISH we hear about the triumph for science when discovering Neptune. After that, it’s the news:INTERNATIONAL: This year’s Ig Nobel prizesFRANCE: Macrons finally push back on rumors regarding first lady’s genderUK / INTERNATIONAL: Does solving puzzles prevent dementia?EU: Meta and Google to block political ads under new regulationsRFK jr. (or little Bobby) claims that he has a ‘cure for autism’ and that’s such a face plant that he get’s a new Really Wrong Award, just two weeks after his previous.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/pod...
2025-09-2654 min
TheESP – Ep. #497 – Ötzi the Ice ManMake sure to check out András' Skeptics in the Pub Online talk next week on 25 September! In TWISH we meet Ötzi the Ice Man, and a mystery death from 5300 years ago and a invaluable source of archeological science. Then we look to the news:ALBANIA: Albania appoints AI-created ‘minister’ITALY: Arson attack in Sardinia linked to climate misinformationSWEDEN: Princess Madeleine launches her brand of Weleda based cosmeticsAUSTRIA: Nominations now open for the Golden Board 2025SWITZERLAND: Switzerland didn’t ban mammogramsViktor Orbán has done it again, and gets his sixth(!) Really Wrong Award, this time for doubling d...
2025-09-1959 min
TheESP – Ep. #496 – Nail in the CoffinIn the Netherlands, trust in science is increasing which is unexpected good news. We have some thoughts on the election results in Norway, plus you can now hear us on YouTube! In TWISH we hear about a close encounter in France and then it’s time for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Microdosing on weight loss drugs neither proven safe nor effectiveGERMANY: Mysterious deaths among AfD candidates prior to election?ITALY: Bad news for the Shroud of TurinUKRAINE: Europe’s largest paper mill identified?RFK jr. may be American but the dangerous nonsense that “His Wrongness” is spreading reach us world wide. Th...
2025-09-1245 min
TheESP – Ep. #495 – Remember That Your Memory FailsAfter some listener feedback regarding green energy and Pontus reporting back from Lithuania, we go to TWISH where we hear about Wilhelm Ostwald, one of the fathers of physical chemistry. Then, we get to the news:UK: MHRA is cracking down on unlicensed anti-wrinkle products after spate of botulismIRELAND: Equal Memory Fallibility in ‘He Said, She Said’ CasesGERMANY: INH urges new government to ban homeopathyUK: Farage argues for withdrawal from Human Rights ConventionPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain is planning to tackle climate change straight on, and for that he is Really Right.Enjoy!
2025-09-0554 min
TheESP – Ep. #494 – An Everlasting Digital DanceWe’re already looking forward to QED and nominations for the Ockham Awards are still open – if you know someone who deserves it nominate them! After some listener feedback we go to TWISH and hear about the Swing Riots. Then, it’s time for the news:EUROPE: Spread of mosquitoes in EuropeUK / EUROPE: Country on a bumpy road of climate U-turns…SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Crying nurse goes viral and get tons of support – she doesn’t existINTERNATIONAL: Duolingo calls JK Rowling mean, then backs down and apologisesThe UK government has still not acknowledged their part in the tragedy of forced ab...
2025-08-2959 min
TheESP – Ep. #493 – Hot SummerIn TWISH this week we look into the achievements of James Watt who made a whole lot of things, despite not inventing the steam engine. Then of course, there’s the news:ITALY: Government reverses appointment of vaccine hesitant members to National Immunisation Technical Advisory GroupITALY: The Natural Trap: How Conspiracy Beliefs Shape Our Health ChoicesSWEDEN: Renewed warning – Insulin instead of Ozempic in online ordersSWEDEN: Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson under fire for using AI in roleEUROPE: Hot summer: Deaths, fires and evacuationsThe Center for Trial and Error gets this week’s Really Right Award for encouraging the publishing...
2025-08-2249 min
TheESP – Ep. #492 – Conspiracy Theorists, with Steen and ClausEver realized that there are three types of conspiracy theorists and a clear link between them and terrorism? Catch the new book by Steen Svanholm and Claus Larsen and hear them talk about their findings in this week’s interview!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-492.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:02:56 Interview0:52:40 Farewell0:54:02 Outro0:55:25 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025-08-1556 min
TheESP – Ep. #491 – 2.5 million lives savedWe’ve got some listener feedback about the popularity of lie detectors in Ukraine, and in TWISH we hear about the man behind the number, Amedeo Avogadro. Of course, we then get into this week’s news:NORWAY: Russian disinformation regarding made up ecological catastropheRUSSIA / EU: Putin’s disinformation efforts are changing for the worseGLOBAL: COVID Vaccines saved 2.5 Million lives in the first 4 years of the pandemicUK: Has the government learned the lessons from the Southport riots?UK: Funding to promote anti-LGBT conversion practices surgesINTERNATIONAL: Happy 15th anniversary, Retraction Watch!The Really Wrong award goes to the Swedish fundam...
2025-08-081h 04
TheESP – Ep. #490 – A theory is not a personCongratulations to friend of the show Deborah Hyde who has been appointed patron of Humanists UK! In TWISH we hear about to unsolved mystery of the disappearance of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and after that, we dig into the news:IRELAND: Excavation of mass grave of infants in Irish “mother and baby home”INTERNATIONAL: YouTube and Meta seem to finally crack down on political disinformationUKRAINE: Zelensky’s new law mandates regular lie detector testsSCOTLAND: Trump caught on tape cheating in golf?DENMARK / INTERNATIONAL: No link between aluminum in vaccines and chronic diseaseUK / INTERNATIONAL: Nominations for the Ockham Awards are now open!
2025-08-011h 11
TheESP – Ep. #488 – Grok and TrollAs Pontus is off on som some mysterious quest or whatnot, Brian Eggo (Eggman) sneaks back into the driver's seat of the show. In TWISH we hear about the myths surrounding the death of the last tsar of Russia and his family back in 1918. Then we take a look at the news:UK: Child dies at Alder Hey after contracting measlesINTERNATIONAL: Humanists pass global declaration on AI and human valuesINTERNATIONAL: Grok & TrollSWEDEN: New UFO-movie outWales Online is this week’s receiver av the Really Wrong Award after publishing an article about cancer “cures” with no regard for science.
2025-07-211h 09
TheESP – Ep. #487 – Religion has no place in scienceThe heat wave in Europe is back, and in TWISH we learn about the Russell-Einstein Manifesto which was published 70 years ago this week, and we wonder why we haven’t come any further than we have. Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Scammers using fake AI videos of politicians and scientistsDENMARK / INTERNATIONAL: Are ADHD diagnoses misleading millions?INTERNATIONAL: Several problems with viral paper on black plastic kitchen utensilsNORWAY / EUROPE: How misinformation affects efficiency of energy transitionINTERNATIONAL: Does AI make people stupid? It’s complicatedHUNGARY: University disciplines three psychologists for claiming love is more important for children than the gen...
2025-07-1153 min
TheESP – Ep. #486 – Orbánned!Viktor Orbán got his behind handed to him when trying to ban Budapest Pride and that makes us very happy! In TWISH we learn about Attila Pataky who can not only sing but has also repeatedly been abducted by aliens – maybe they just like his music? Then, it’s time for the news:EUROPE: Current heat wave in Europe set to ‘kill 4500 people in the next three days’SLOVAKIA: Government official and antivaxxer Peter Kotlár’s paper condemned by Slovakian Academy of SciencesDENMARK: Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own featuresUK: Weight-loss jabs potentially harm...
2025-07-0455 min
TheESP – Ep. #485 – Barbara BananasIs the virus metaphor for spreading misinformation really as good as we have been led to think? Some psychologists disagree. We again ask everyone to show support their support for the Naked Scientists podcast and then in TWISH we hear about George Orwell whose dark visions of society seems ever relevant. Then, we go to the news:ENGLAND / WALES: Assisted dying set to become law in England and Wales after MPs pass billISRAEL / IRAN: Disinformation to look out forINTERNATIONAL: Climate misinformation turning crisis into catastrophe, report saysSWITZERLAND: Government tries to hide expert report on the carbon footprint of electr...
2025-06-2748 min
TheESP – Ep. #484 – Mystery MoonURGENT! The great podcast the Naked Scientists is in great danger of being cancelled by Cambridge University and we urge everyone to protest this! Information about how to do that is here: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/sos. In other news Pontus will be in Lithuania 29-30 August to participate in the Būtent festival. If you happen to be there too, let us know! In TWISH we hear about a mysterious moon observation from 1178, and then it’s time for the news:SWEDEN / FINLAND / NORWAY: ‘Life’ files for bankruptcyINTERNATIONAL: New toolkit makes post-publication peer-review available for everyoneUSA / SWEDEN: RFK jr. appoints Swedi...
2025-06-2054 min
TheESP – Ep. #483 – Uri Geller vs. Greta ThunbergAs Eggman sits in for András, we look forward to SkeptiCamp at QED and Mike Hall’s Skeptics in the Pub Online talk and are happy to note that not only do we follow the ECDC, but they follow us back. In TWISH we hear about one of the forgotten(?) super villains of the Theosophy movement, Alice Bailey, and then we take a look at this week’s news:SWEDEN: Crystals sold to help fertilityISRAEL: Uri Geller says he used his psychic powers to break the navigation tools on Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla ship, the Madleen, and warned that he...
2025-06-1354 min
TheESP – Ep. #482 – On the Highway of MisinformationWe have some listener feedback about the name of ‘Grok’ and a tip to sign a very important petition regarding NASA. In TWISH we hear how a timely letter kicked Darwin into action and made him finally publish ‘that book’. We then dig into the news:UK: ‘Notable increase’ in scammers tricking people into sending money abroadINTERNATIONAL: Retraction Watch’s ‘Sleuths in Residence’INTERNATIONAL: More than half of top 100 mental health TikToks contain misinformationEU: Gene editing should be allowed in the EU for sustainabilityDENMARK: Paper on ‘wokeness’ and mental health retractedGERMANY: Google’s wrong information reeks havoc on the Autobahns
2025-06-061h 00
TheESP – Ep. #481 – with Deborah Hyde!Deborah Hyde joins us this week, it’s been far too long. We recommend her Youtube series ‘The Green Children of Woolpit‘! The Romanian presidential election is still contentious, and we congratulate Ian Dunt to his position as editor for the New Humanist. In TWISH we learn about the first observational evidences for Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity and then it’s time for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Is it OK to use AI in scientific papers?UK: Are prosecutions for blasphemy coming back to England and Wales?UK: Humanists UK Convention 2025 – Deborah among the speakersFRANCE / INTERNATIONAL: June 16: World EHS Day – World...
2025-05-301h 06
TheESP – Ep. #479 – Hard Core ScienceSo, the conclave elected ‘Papa Bob’ a.k.a. Leo XIV – who is he, and will that bring back the ‘Pontus Pokes the Pope’ segment? Time will tell! In other news, If you catch this episode in time, please consider signing the European petition to ban conversion therapy, last day is May 17th.Inge Lehmann is one of forgotten heroes of science, hear more about her in TWISH. Then we go for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Aspartame – risk vs. hazardAUSTRIA: Michael Frass’ controversial study just lost all validity – and yet, it’s still not retractedBELGIUM: Special report from Josef! The winners of t...
2025-05-161h 04
TheESP – Ep. #478 – Not a Political PodcastQED tickets are available everyone, so we start our count-down to October in Manchester! The papal conclave is currently on-going and we bring you the latest news. In TWISH we hear about John Strachey, the almost forgotten pioneer in the field of basic geology. Then of course, we have the news:INTERNATIONAL / EUROPE: Measles updateEU: Press freedom under threat by foreign disinformationSWEDEN: Swedish climate study stopped due to Trump policiesNETHERLANDS: A PhD position to research paper millsROMANIA: First round of presidential election goes to leader of pro-Putin conspiracy theoristUK: Reform UK wins election, if by six votes onlyThe A...
2025-05-0954 min
TheESP – Ep. #476 – The Last PokeIt’s time for the last Poking of Francis but before we get into that and the other news, we go to TWISH to hear about this week’s birthday boy, Guglielmo Marconi, the pioneer of radio transmissions and his wireless telegraph system.The news list contains the following:INTERNATIONAL: Medical cannabis shows potential to fight cancer, largest-ever study finds – or does it…?HUNGARY: Antivaxx nutjob gets Flat Earth AwardVATICAN: So Frankie died… one last chance to poke the pope (at least this one)EUROPE: RFK Jr having a devastating effect on Europe’s vaccine acceptanceThe Dutch ultra-Ch...
2025-04-2558 min
TheESP – Ep. #475 – Leonardo: the Myth, the Man, the LegendMixed messages from QED – new dates announced but we hear this is the last one(!) and we have a hard time accepting it. At least we’ll do our best to be there and meet (among others) Chris French whose audiobook is currently on sale. In TWISH we hear about Leonardo da Vinci and specifically about some of the myths surrounding him. Then, it’s time for the news:UK: Christian missionary group YWAM accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sinPOLAND: Sanal Edamaruku’s case: what do we know?INTERNATIONAL: Shadowy market for weight-loss drugs has emerged onlineSERBIA...
2025-04-181h 02
TheESP – Ep. #474 – Painful Endometriosis StudyWe first rant a bit about Viktor Orbán and examine some psychic horsing around at the Grand National. In TWISH we hear about the Dead Sea Scrolls and then we dive into the news:UKRAINE / USA: Zelenskyy and Trump look for leaks using lie detectorsINTERNATIONAL: Snopes’ toolkit to guard against online misinformationITALY: AI beats lottery?SWEDEN: Test of phishing attack goes awfully wrongEndometriosis is a serious condition and the topic deserves so much better than this recently published so-called study. Therefore Edinburgh University receives this week’s award for being Really Wrong as they are only raising false...
2025-04-1151 min
TheESP – Ep. #473 – Anthroposophic PrincessWe explore the source of April Fool's day in this week’s TWISH, before we get into the news:UK: Three-quarters of UK fertility patients using unproven add-on treatmentsGERMANY / INTERNATIONAL: Rudolf Steiner’s legacy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his deathINTERNATIONAL: More people leave religion than joinUK: Tory’s U-turn on climate policies attributed to ties with major climate denierFRANCE / RUSSIA: French anti-vaxxer feeds Russian disinformationAnother Nordic princess, Madeleine of Sweden, goes of the rails and announces that she will market Anthroposophic beauty products and that naturally earns her this week’s Really Wrong Award...
2025-04-0450 min
TheESP – Ep. #472 – Shot by the VaccineScience takes an interest in Pontus’ body (who would’ve thought?) and in TWISH we hear about Comenius who got a whole lot of things right already on the 16th century. Of course there are also more current news to take a look at:INTERNATIONAL: Tretinoin, the holy grail in skin care, is dangerousINTERNATIONAL: Are there any nations taking commitments to tackling climate change seriously?UK: Supplements and garlic won’t cure the common cold, despite what the BBC sayINTERNATIONAL: Why do we miss autocratic red flags?UK: Faithful? Tax loophole turns old pubs into places of worshipINTERNATIONAL: New trends in...
2025-03-2856 min
TheESP – Ep. #471 – Without Sleep, Your Brain Doesn’t WorkPontus is back from skiing, Orbán is worse than ever, and an astronaut will photograph the turtle that carries the Earth on its back – just a normal week in skepticism. In TWISH we hear about the successful ban on CFCs to save the ozone layer, and then it’s time for the news:EUROPE: Measles in Europe highest in 25 yearsITALY: Higher levels of spirituality and CAM use increases likelyhood of vaccine skepticismUK: Psychological ‘booster shots’ can strengthen resistance to misinformation over timeUK: Poor sleep could fuel belief in conspiracy theoriesINTERNATIONAL: Press freedom watchdog says Russia ‘stealing’ its identityRUSSIA: Rus...
2025-03-211h 00
TheESP – Ep. #470 – Gross Breach of TrustWith Brian sitting in for Pontus while he’s doing some skiing, we talk events to start with. The Hungarian Skeptic Society just handed out two awards for those enlightening the public by either speaking up directly against pseudosciences and disinformation or choosing to provide detailed analysis on controversial topics. So, we congratulate Professor of molecular biology Zsolt Boldogkői on getting the first ever László Orosz Lifetime Achievement Award, and biologist, PhD candidate Zsófia Tauber who received the first László Orosz Award from the Hungarian skeptics at and all-day event of talks and panel discussions in Budapest.Bria...
2025-03-1657 min
TheESP – Ep. #469 – Hungarian politics à la PutinBelieve it or not, there are more skeptical podcasts out there than ours – check out the Skeptic podcast for example, the newest one out there from the Skeptic UK. Pierre -Simon Laplace is this week’s topic for TWISH, and then we get into the news:SWEDEN: New study confirms: Tens of thousands of lives in Sweden saved by covid vaccinesHUNGARY: State TV keeps citing Russian Defense Ministry’s unreliable dataITALY / UK: Tuscany approves assisted dyingGERMANY: SkepKon 2025 now open for ticket purchasesUK: Conference on Research IntegrityThe Really Wrong Award this week goes to Viktor Orbán as the Budapest Pri...
2025-03-0750 min
TheESP – Ep. #468 – Education FailWe are still fascinated by the on-going planetary alignment and this week is an even better opportunity to watch it. And if it’s cloudy and a Thursday, go back inside and join the SITP Online virtual pub, it’s highly recommended!In TWISH we hear about Émile Coué who popularized autosuggestion which in a way paved the way for all self-help books that we are still riddled with today. Then of course, we have the news:NORWAY: Heat record blown away in northern NorwayGERMANY: Election resultsAUSTRIA / SWITZERLAND: Shaman on the runINTERNATIONAL / WALES: Trust in politics on the declineEU...
2025-02-2851 min
TheESP – Ep. #467 – Tesla-skamWe talk a little bit of the upcoming Germany federal elections this weekend and in TWISH we hear about Carl von Rokitansky the Austrian physician, pathologist, humanist philosopher and liberal politician and founder of the Viennese School of Medicine of the 19th century. How he managed to dissect tens of thousands of bodies is baffling and just a little bit scary…Then, we turn to the news:UK: Prof. Jim Al-Khalili gets Darwin Day MedalSWEDEN: Murder of Quran burnerFRANCE: Didier Raoult can’t stop spreading bullshitITALY: Italian ‘mystic’ may face trial after DNA match with blood on Virgin Mary s...
2025-02-2151 min
TheESP – Ep. #466 – Science and PoliticsLots about guns and politics this week, as well as science, homeopathy and a little bit about lost pants. In TWISH we hear about Descartes and his suspicious death in 1650. Was it murder?Here is a list of the news:SWEDEN: Mass shooting in ÖrebroGERMANY: Is this the descent of Homeopathy?SWEDEN: Government wants stricter laws regarding guns – Sweden Democrats in uproarUK: Evidence week a big successSCOTLAND: Alien abductee trousers(?)The Really Wrong Award goes the Swedish government for their misuse of science to legitimize killing half the wolves.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu...
2025-02-1452 min
TheESP – Ep. #465 – The moon and the planets, with Marcel-Jan KrijgsmanThis week we interview Marcel-Jan Krijgsman, Dutch amateur astronomer, data engineer and science communicator.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-465.htmlSegments:0:00:33 Intro0:00:56 Greetings0:11:04 Interview0:45:58 Farewell0:50:08 Outro0:51:30 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025-02-0751 min
TheESP – Ep. #464 – The lying liars lieAfter discussing Nazi salutes, placebo surgery, scientology follow-up, Massimo Polidoro’s new book and several recommendations for other podcasts, we eventually get down to the meat of the show. In TWISH we hear about Delta, the science TV program that aired 61 years ago on 31 of January. Then, we look to the news:SWEDEN: Swedish Skeptics AwardsCENTRAL EUROPE: Disinformation and conspiracy beliefs in East-Central Europe show significant differencesBALTIC SEA: Follow-up on the alleged cable sabotage in the Baltic SeaUK: Is Google actually gonna crack down on fake reviews?SWEDEN: Against scientific consensus, the age of criminal responsibility could be lowered to...
2025-01-311h 03
TheESP – Ep. #463 – Welcome to the Post-Shame EraThe ECDC has declared January cervical cancer awareness month which we support 100%. We also want encourage local skeptical actions such as speaking up when companies promote nonsense and Pontus gives us an example of how easy it can be, if you just take a few minutes and speak up. We also mention that the planets are lined up in a cool way at the moment, so turn your eyes to the skies! In TWISH we hear about Vladimir Bekhterev who was at least as significant in psychology as Pavlov was, but made the mistake to talk badly about Stalin and as a resul...
2025-01-2454 min
TheESP – Ep. #462 – Bogus Vagus Hocus PocusHappy to be back again and we start by welcoming some new publications by Brian Eggo and Edzard Ernst. In TWISH we wonder if 13 January is Skeptics Day and then we dig into the news:FRANCE: Godfather of modern far-right movement Jean-Marie Le Pen dies aged 96UK / ESTONIA: Nurosym – an example of scam health deviceUK: Poll shows more than half of UK voters dislike Elon Musk and his meddling with UK politicsThis week’s Really Wrong Award was just as hard to guess as the sun going up or down – Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are going full MAGA on u...
2025-01-1757 min
TheESP – Ep. #461 – Orbán to go Barefoot?Quite a few things to dive into this week: the Medici popes, some listener feedback, cool dinosaur tracks and some sad news from France. In TWISH we we have an epiphany and then we go through the news:NORWAY / UK: Who Believes in Alternative Medicine?RUSSIA: Cancer vaccine announced, with no published evidenceUK: Over 40% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medications while receiving anticancer treatmentINTERNATIONAL: Another year of Retraction Watch being awesome! Want to work for and with them?INTERNATIONAL: Recent global temperature surge intensified by record-low planetary albedoHUNGARY: Viktor Orbán travels to India, pos...
2025-01-101h 08
TheESP – Ep. #460 – Faith or reason?With András unavailable, we drag Annika out of retirement to launch the new year! In TWISH we hear about Martin Luther’s excommunication and while Pontus always enjoy seeing someone stand up to the Pope, Martin Luther himself was far from flawless. Then we have the news-round:SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Multi supplements are at best unnecessary and at worst dangerousEU: Amalgam is historyINTERNATIONAL: World endures ‘decade of deadly heat’ as 2024 caps hottest years on recordElon Musk, already adorned with the shameful Rusty Razor Award of 2024, add this week’s Really Wrong Award to h...
2025-01-0336 min
TheESP – Ep. #459 – Holy Year, holey doorWe close the year with some topical items related to the season.Happy New Year!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-459.htmlSegments:0:00:25 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:05:28 TWISH0:21:13 Special segment0:39:37 Quote0:41:35 Outro0:42:50 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2024-12-2942 min
TheESP – Ep. #458 – Who checks the fact checkers?A little correction to start with, and then in TWISH we hear about the Jesuit and scientist Tommaso Ceva. Of course, we also have the news:SWEDEN: Private clinics on public contracts promoted nonsense cures, denied sick patients and cheatedHUNGARY: Government’s own fact checkers cause for concern in EuropeUK: Boycott against Arla for trying to reduce methane emissionsINTERNATIONAL: New comprehensive review of homeopathy is actually BSUK: Follow up on Church of England scandalROMANIA: Presidential elections called off after Russian meddlingThe EU has a regulation stating that farmers have to priori...
2024-12-2049 min
TheESP – Ep. #457 – Tschüss!We start with the sad news that this is Annika’s last episode as a regular host. Over the last four years she has brought her unique perspective and insights (and puns!) to the show. But being part of a weekly podcast is tough commitment while at the same time balancing a fulltime job, raising a family and participating in other skeptical activities. We will miss her! And we hope to see her back again from time to time for guest appearances.In TWISH this week we celebrate the birth of Robert Koch, one of the ‘fathers of microbio...
2024-12-131h 10
TheESP – Ep. #456 – Don’t Bend it like BeckhamAfter the usual pre-amble, we hear about the first prediction of a transit of Venus in TWISH. Calculated by Kepler himself you can only go go “Yay, science!”, and salute the guy. Then we get to the news:INTERNATIONAL: Company linked to cloned journals of major publishers denies cloning journals of major publishersAUSTRIA: The Golden Board in front of the head goes to… HealyUK: The UK ‘Assisted Dying Bill’ – reasons for concern?INTERNATIONAL: 20th translation of the Debunking Handbook now out!INTERNATIONAL: ‘Grey content’: how mainstream journalism accidentally fueled covid vaccine hesitancyWhy is it that all celebr...
2024-12-0652 min
TheESP – Ep. #455 – AI JesusWe start with some reflections on COP29 and then we send our big congratulations to Richard Saunders on receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Skeptics. Well deserved indeed! Another well deserved but shameful award goes to King Charles who received the New Zealand Skeptics’ Bent Spoon Award. In TWISH we look back at the founding of the Royal Society all the way back in 1660. Then, it’s time for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Measles cases at a massive surgeGERMANY: Court ruling states that informed consent is important when using SCAMNORWAY: Update: true con artists...
2024-11-2950 min
TheESP – Ep. #454 – Make Earth Flat AgainAs 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...
2024-11-2244 min
TheESP – Ep. #453 – Who trusts science?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 coercio...
2024-11-1543 min
TheESP – Ep. #452 – Royal WooThis 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 co...
2024-11-0850 min
TheESP – Ep. #450 – Live from QED!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...
2024-10-2545 min
TheESP – Ep. #449 – Surrounded by QuacksLot’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 Wi...
2024-10-1850 min
TheESP – Ep. #447 – Flying high!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...
2024-10-0453 min
TheESP – Ep. #446 – Richard SaundersThis 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.
2024-09-2732 min
TheESP – Ep. #445 – Leave the cows alone!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 ‘...
2024-09-2047 min
TheESP – Ep. #443 – Scammers in the MoonlightIn 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...
2024-09-0652 min
TheESP – Ep. #442 – Algimantas KvecysBefore 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.
2024-08-3048 min
TheESP – Ep. #441 – Choose Your Parents WiselyQED 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. The...
2024-08-2341 min
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 e...
2024-08-1659 min
TheESP – Ep. #439 – ‘Leakey’ ScienceWe 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 C...
2024-08-0954 min
TheESP – Ep. #438 – Science and fairytalesThe 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 rat...
2024-08-0258 min
TheESP – Ep. #430 – Patron saint of the internetPontus comes back from the European Skeptics Congress with a new title, applications to talk at Skepticamp QED is now open and Evidence Week is postponed by UK elections. In TWISH we hear about James Hutton, the father of modern geology, and then it is time to check out the news:INTERNATIONAL: The Catholic church’s first ‘millennial saint’INTERNATIONAL: Edzard Ernst did it againINTERNATIONAL: ‘Foolproof’ gives us vaccination without needlesINTERNATIONAL: Fact Brief by Skeptical Science – Have climate models estimated warming correctly?The country of Georgia is going full Putin with the new law targeting the LGBTQ community and for that the...
2024-06-0750 min
TheESP – Ep. #426 – Educational MalpracticeTickets for QED in Manchester (19-20 October) are now on sale and don’t forget Skepticamp on the day before! If all goes to plan, both András and Pontus may be among the speakers. But first we are looking forward to the European Skeptics Congress 2024, less than a month from now, 31 May – 2 June in Lyon, France! In TWISH we hear about how smallpox was announced eradicated this week in 1980 and then we take a look at the news:INTERNATIONAL: Big data reveals true climate impact of worldwide air travelSWEDEN: Swedish Skeptics’ awards for 2023INTERNATIONAL: Scottish Medical Journal retracts 13 pape...
2024-05-1046 min
TheESP – Ep. #410 – Retract homeopathy!By the time this episode comes out, Sweden hopefully has its third and latest astronaut in space! Marcus Wandt is schedule for launch on Wednesday, (nope) Thursday evening, European time. For a little more down-to-Earth skeptical fun, sign up for the European Skeptics Congress, 30 May – 2 June, in Lyon, France. Registrations are now open! No TWISH today in this slightly shorter than usual episode, but we still take a look at the news:SWEDEN: Family awarded damages for covid vaccine deathINTERNATIONAL: RETRACTIONS 1: Studies claiming Islamic practices protect against disease and sexual harassment retractedINTERNATIONAL / FRANCE: RETRACTIONS 2: Several studies by Didier Raoult has...
2024-01-1929 min
TheESP – Ep. #404 – The world is really oldDespite the numerology, this episode CAN be found wherever you get your podcasts. We will give you tips about The Conspiracy Test, the Humanist UK 2024 Convention, the latest Skeptical Inquirer interview and Skepticon 2023 in Australia – all good things to check out! In TWISH we hear about one of Darwin’s buddies, the groundbreaking (pun intended) geologist Charles Lyell, born this week in 1797. Pope Frankie has been given a free pass for too long and therefore gets poked before we get to the news:GERMANY: Nutrition companies are preying on people and ignore health adviceUK: Humanists UK welcomes Private Member’s Bill t...
2023-11-1751 min
TheESP – Ep. #240 – SARS-CoV2 Virology w. Gábor KemenesiThis week we interview Hungarian researcher and virologist Gábor Kemenesi. He is a research fellow at the Virological Research Group within the Szentágothai Research Centre of the University of Pécs in Hungary, specializing in zoonoses, or viral diseases that spread from animals to humans. He’s also a member of Hungary’s COVID-19 Task Force for the research of the virus and in the last few months. He has become the number one go-to expert in the field for the country’s media, working hard to educate the public, debunking myths and fighting misunderstandings along the way.Enjoy!Seg...
2020-09-1756 min
TheESP – Ep. #239 – “Gossip is Worse than Covid”This week we start off with having a quick chat with our old buddy Michael (“Marsh”) Marshall regarding the relaunch of the UK magazine called the Skeptic.In this week’s history segment we talk about the LHC that powered up 12 years ago this week without the world vanishing into a black hole, and then Pope Francis gets poked for several things, including his claim that gossip is worse than covid.Speaking of covid-19, the pandemic gets a separate segment about the latest developments, before we get into the news:The 1st randomised clinical trial of a Chinese herbal medicine for CO...
2020-09-101h 19
TheESP – Ep. #238 – Brian Deer and The Doctor Who Fooled the WorldThis week we interview none other than Brian Deer, the investigative journalist that spent years digging up how the discredited ex-doctor Andrew Wakefield misled the public about the safety of vaccines. We dig deep into how Wakefield through dishonesty and deceit became the poster boy of the anti-vaxx movement and how his misinformation made it as big as it is today.Deer’s new book “The Doctor Who Fooled the World: Andrew Wakefield’s war on vaccines” is out this week! Make sure to check it out!Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-takesEvents Calendar: http://theesp.eu/events_in_europ...
2020-09-031h 06
TheESP - Ep. #237 - Plandemic II - worst movie everThis week András returns to the mothership to hear us discuss the UFO sighting in Cussac in France. Francis gets a pass this week and then we dive into the news:- Covid-19 update- Children in Germany are falling behind their vaccination schedules- Does flu claim more deaths the covid-19?- People who react negatively to rules and recommendations use more SCAM (so-called alternative medicine)- Does homeopathy “also” work for women (spoiler: it does not work, period)- Why is there a priest in the Swedish Corona commission?- Unprecedented levels of CO2 rise caused by humans- European Commi...
2020-08-271h 05
TheESP - Ep. #236 - Martin Moder of the Austrian Science BustersThis week we interview molecular biologist, science communicator and overall cool guy Martin Moder, who is one of the Austrian “Science Busters” and who is also active in the Austrian “Society for Critical Thinking”. We found ourselves discussing everything from the dangers of farting Coronavirus to GMO, philosophy, designer babies, how to make booze out of toilet paper and the optimal way of cutting a birthday cake. There were unexpected turns at every corner of this interview…Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-takesEvents Calendar: http://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...
2020-08-2056 min
TheESP - Ep. #235 - Show Me a Real AcupuncturistThis week Brian is back(!) as András has gone missing(?) We chat again about the wonderful online events out there: you should definitely check out the Edinburgh Skeptics on the Fringe productions. We then talk about the Wow! signal that was recorded this week in 1977 and also find that Francis seems to have done something good for once.In this week’s news:- Two outbreaks in Mamming, Bavaria- Danish abattoir closed over COVID-19 cluster- Disinformation not only consumed by young or uneducated- Countries with mandatory BCG vaccination might actually be better off in the fight against COVID-- 19- 10 Cor...
2020-08-131h 18
TheESP - Ep. #234 - Lysenkoism, science and BSThis week we first chat about some of the great current skeptical online events, like NECSS and Skeptics in the Pub. We also enjoy the good news that the worlds largest fusion reactor is now being assembled in the South of France.In this week in history we learn about “Lysenkoism” which Stalin decided should replace all other science. In current affairs Pope Francis has issues with Chinese infiltrators and French women who demands to be bishops.In this week’s news:- What’s the truth about face masks and covid-19?- What lies behind conspiracy theories- Misleading claims on pre-e...
2020-08-061h 20
TheESP - Ep. #233 - HomeomathematicsThis week starts with the wonderful news that Annika is now a full time ESP member and co-host. We couldn’t be happier!We start with a minor correction to a story from last week and then chat a bit about the latest astronomy news before we celebrate this week in history: Happy birthday to the great skeptic and parapsychology researcher Susan Blackmore! (Also see our episode #088 when we had her as a guest)Giving the Pope more or less a pass this week, we then dive into the news:- Covid-19 update- Austrian Science Busters- (Not so) scientific paper on...
2020-07-301h 21
TheESP - Ep. #232 - Assisted DeathThis week we welcome Annika back and first chat a bit about comets and astronomy and about some of the excellent online skeptical events there now is to follow, like the UK Skeptics in the Pub Online, the new Cologne events and Susan Gerbic’s About Time project.In this week in history we hear about Carl Jung, who was born on 26 July in 1875. Just like Freud he got a lot of things terribly wrong, but his ideas still inspired a lot better psychology later on and they continue to be part of the present-day culture. Then we poke the po...
2020-07-231h 25
TheESP – Ep. #231 – How to Argue with a Racist, with Adam RutherfordThis week we are joined by the brilliant British geneticist, broadcaster, science journalist and author, Dr Adam Rutherford.He’s written several books of international acclaim like “Creation: The Origin of Life and the Future of Life”, “A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived”, “The Book of Humans: The Story of How We Became Us” and “Humanimal: How Homo Sapiens Became Nature’s Most Paradoxical Creature”.Avid podcast listeners might know him from the BBC Radio 4 shows ‘Inside Science’ and ‘The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry’, but he also frequently appears on TV both as presenter and as an expert in genetics. Adam fre...
2020-07-161h 06
TheESP - Ep. #230 - Tinfoil hats against nonsenseThis week Europe has lost a star in the sky and we hear about how Louis Pasteur managed to create a rabies vaccine back in 1885 (he wasn’t even a medical doctor). Pope Francis seizes even more control about the Vatican’s finances and appoints an “extraordinary commissioner” to raid the entity looking after St Peter’s Basilica. Apparently, someone has been cooking the books.In the news this week:– After a new outbreak the German authorities suggest people stay at home for vacation– Was SARS-CoV-2 really present in Barcelona in March 2019? – WHO stops Hydroxychloroquine tests– WHO launches new podcast - Health in Europe...
2020-07-091h 04
TheESP - Ep. #227 - Thank you, Jelena!This week we first learn about how the 1854 cholera outbreak led to advances in the knowledge about diseases and outbreaks thanks to the clever and rigorous work by the physician John Snow, now regarded as one of the founders of modern epidemiology. Pope Francis is getting closer to his vision of “a poor church for the poor”, perhaps just a little bit faster than he bargained for as the pandemic is hitting the Catholic finances. Then Andras delves into how we can begin to measure the success of covid-19 related restrictions.In the news this week:– Swedish Snake Oil advertisement is str...
2020-06-181h 12
TheESP – Ep. #213 – Double feature – Lithuanian Skeptics plus Parlia.comThis week we have no less than two separate interviews, both of which we’ve been looking forward to for some time.First, we talk to Šarūnas Bačiliūnas, the founder of the rather new “Lithuanian Skeptic Youth” Organisation. Started from scratch in 2018 they organize events, workshops international exchanges and educate both the public and even teachers on critical thinking. Impressively they have already had the Lithuanian health minister as speaker on one of their skeptics in the pub and on top of that they are also doing charity work and are setting up a play about Polish-Lithuanian 17th century...
2020-03-1254 min
TheESP - Ep. #212 - Corona Corona CoronaThis week it cannot be helped that a lot of the episode is about different aspects on the Coronavirus and Covid-19. But we also want to remind everyone about our SkepKon raffle where we have one ticket to hand out to the conference in Berlin 21 - 23 May! Just send us an email to participate.After the greetings we hear about holocaust denier David Irving, who was declared bankrupt This Week in History in 2002 after he sued a writer for libel and lost the subsequent trial. Pontus Pokes the Pope and tells about the new papal “task force” that will try to g...
2020-03-0556 min
TheESP - Ep. #211 - Dinosaurs in the Garden of EdenThis week we talk about the John Maddox Prize, the BBC’s new show series about Greta Thunberg and about Darren Brown, born on this day in 1971. Pontus Pokes the Pope and finally we get Francis’ take on celibacy in the Amazon (or do we?), and of course the highlights from the latest sex abuse scandals.In the news we hear the latest regarding the CoViD-19 Coronavirus, more details about dangerous measles complications and check how much of the climate change debate that are driven by twitter-bots. The latest mass shooting in Germany shows that conspiracy theories are not something to t...
2020-02-271h 11
TheESP - Ep. #210 - Cranky Uncle vs Climate Change with John CookOn this episode we interview Australian cognitive scientist and founder of the Skeptical Science website John Cook about his upcoming book 'Cranky Uncle vs Climate Change' that showcases typical climate science denial situations in a cartoon format. We also talk about other projects John has been busy with, including the Cranky Uncle app, The Debunking Handbook and a lot more. Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-takesEvents Calendar: theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2020-02-2059 min
TheESP - Ep. #185 – Rain dance for the AmazonThis week it is true that the Amazon (Amazonas? Amazonia?) is burning and glaciers are dying, but misinformation is still everywhere. Especially, meditation and rain dances will not help.Instead we should learn from John Locke, born this week in 1632, and who taught us the benefits of empiricism.Even though the Cardinal Pell story seems to be all over for him, the Vatican still faces a giant dilemma on how to handle it.There’s a 1 million Euro award for you if you can prove that a German city doesn’t exist, Nobel laureates are sometimes cranks, but you can lear...
2019-08-291h 00
TheESP - Ep. #184 - Not well for PellThis week we start by noting that the measles numbers in Serbia from last week must be nonsense (it’s much worse) and again urge you to support Retraction Watch. We then report on Cardinal Pell’s failed appeal in Australia and the pope’s totally misguided efforts to help the people of Syria.Brexit spells disaster for science in the UK, a British ‘Grief Vampire’ is touring in Sweden, but on a positive note, the Homeopathy Information Network provides help on fighting homeopathy in all of EU.A Lithuanian man wants you to sleep with bees (don’t try this at home...
2019-08-2247 min
TheESP - Ep. #183 - Free Energy, 'Flygskam' and hard numbers on MeaslesPontus was interviewed by Richard Saunders on The Skeptic Zone this week, check it out at http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-564-11august2019In this episode we hear about free energy devices, about Pope Francis’ friend who stands accused of sex-abuse, and that Metro in Sweden is closing down taking with it their ‘Viral Examiner’ that has corrected and explained internet myths for almost five years.We hear about the first publicly known (but certainly not only) victim of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘vagina steaming’, how to sign up for Shaman Summer School and of ‘Flygskam’, the Swedish flight shaming that now goes interna...
2019-08-1540 min
TheESP - Ep. #177 - Monarchy is stupid!This week Jelena discloses the location of her new place to live - and it's far away! Then we hear about how Pasteur would not have been even close to pass today’s ethical guidelines when he tested his rabies vaccine, that the Catholic Church will discuss marriage for priests but rather walk out of the game than play football against pro-choice opponents.A huge meta-analysis covering 60 million people clearly shows the benefits of HPV vaccinations, the Good Thinking Society needs our help in challenging the PSA over homeopathy accreditation and France will stop funding homeopathy which directly hits the fi...
2019-07-0438 min
TheESP - Ep. #176 - Fighting Pseudo-therapiesThis week we clarify the difference between a ‘skeptic’ and a ‘denier’ when it comes to climate change and plug the Rationalist International Conference (Cambridge, 27-28 July) before Jelena debunks the myth that an American businessman once got tricked into buying Tower Bridge in London.In a special interview we talk to Fernando Cervera, one of the founders behind the European manifesto against pseudo-therapies.Pontus pokes the pope for the way the Catholic Church keep screwing (pun intended) their congregations.Then we get a new segment, ‘Annika Reports!’, where she interviews speaker and archaeologist Mirko Gutjahr at Cologne Skeptics in the Pub.In t...
2019-06-2748 min
TheESP - Ep. #175 - The Brilliant Mind of Gwyneth PaltrowThis week we remember Willem (‘Wim’) Betz, the iconic Belgian physician, researcher and skeptic, co-founder of SKEPP (Belgian Skeptic Organisation) and CSICOP fellow, who sadly passed away on 8 June.Pontus reports his experiences at the big political event in Stockholm last week (Järvaveckan) and then Jelena talks about the life and times of William Crookes, who was a brilliant scientist, but also a believer in paranormal phenomena.When Pontus pokes the Pope, we find that Pride month is not for the Vatican, who felt the need to issue a 31-page document to say that trans people ‘annihilate the concept of natu...
2019-06-2058 min
TheESP - Ep. #174 - Eating beaverThis week András sticks his neck out, announcing that he will give a talk at the upcoming CICAP Fest in Padua in September - in Italian!We then learn about Margherita Hack who was a formidable Italian astronomer, skeptic and co-founder CICAP, we hear more interviews from SkepKon, curtesy of special correspondent Annika Merkelbach and hear how Cardinal Pell is trying to get out of his legal problem while Francis are creating new ones. Meanwhile the Vatican has spent a fortune to stop legal protection of child abuse victims in the US.Britt Hermes has won her court case (y...
2019-06-1346 min
TheESP - Ep. #173 - The ‘Tender Pope’, Homeopathy and SkepKon interviewsThis week we catch up a bit regarding VoF (the Swedish skeptics) and talk about a new Manifesto against pseudoscientific treatments. We also get a bit nostalgic about a UK referendum about Europe - in 1975.Then we get two interviews from SkepKon by our special correspondent on the ground, Annika Merkelbach. We check in with Francis who has been in Romania and also apparently is happy to cultivate his future legacy as the ‘tender’ pope.Sense About Science calls for volunteers for their Evidence Week, Amazon, Facebook and Youtube take a stance against MMS (Miracle Mineral Solution) and other dangerous nons...
2019-06-0657 min
TheESP – Ep. #172 - The Measles Disaster, Abortions and Lying StonesIn this week’s episode we have some remarks about the EU Elections, before we hear about the Beringer hoax and his lying stones. The pope has outrageous views on abortions and thinks that women and unborn foetuses must suffer for God.The measles situation is getting even worse than we could imagine with cases more than tripling in the EU. The EU elections predictably brought a new high to fake news on social media and we find yet another example that proves that religious schools is a really bad idea. We have an update on last week’s Rigvir inte...
2019-05-3046 min
TheESP - Ep. #121 - Dan Katz and Cognitive Behavioral TherapyWe talk to Swedish renowned Psychologist and skeptic, Dan Katz. Dan specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and has a very cool book out which is on its way to be translated into several languages: "The Lizard in Your Head". He is also a member of the Swedish Skeptics (aka VoF)Please also check out our event page at http://theesp.eu/events_in_europemember of the Swedish Skeptics (aka VoF)Please also check out our event page at http://theesp.eu/events_in_europeSegments:Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...
2018-04-2652 min