The European Skeptics Podcast

Sorry, we missed our schedule for last week.But we'll be back soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we first chat about the Pegasus project and what implications it might have. We also note that the Russian Nauka module was a little trigger happy when joining with the ISS, turning it around 45 degrees for no good reason. In This Week we salute Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, the excellent science communicator before we have a well-needed Covid-19 update. Then we dig into the news:- Measles follow-up: what became the 2016-2019 epidemic?- Covid-denier‘s Hungarian Chamber of Doctors’ membership suspended- Social media giants criticized for being a ‘safe space for racists’- Massive melting event in Greenland- 14000 scientists warn world about ‘untold suffering’ as result of ignoring climate change- German court faults Facebook‘s past handling of hate speech- Systemic Agro-Homeopathy – the latest craze -86-year-old Basque woman first to get assisted death in SpainTo round off, we hand out a Really Wrong award to Advanz Pharma and a Really Right award to the CMA, all concerning unreasonable pricing of medicat

In this episode we note that skeptics in Germany has raised a lot of money to support victims of the floods. Formidable Dutch skeptic Frits van Dam passed away on 26 July and we want to honor his memory. Listener Marcel-Jan has written a great blog post about his experience with growing up in a woo-family and eventually finding skepticism, and then we get a Polish lesson from listener Max. In This Week we hear about Carl Jung, and then we dig into the news:- Emerging fake news regarding catastrophic floods: - Querdenker fake ”official” car in flood area - Greta Thunberg sticker on flooded car- Climate change scientists call for better computers to work on forecasts- Galileo project to look for UFOs- Vaccine passport rules approved in France despite protests- Chiropractor found professionally liable for harming patient with bogus therapy- Follow-up: Doctor who sold fake covid test results gets prison sentence- New info on the Spanish skeptical congressWe have a double whammy and a bonus for the Really Wrong

In this episode we open up by discussing the terrible floods in Germany, the claims made by esoterics and how you can help. We also note that covid misinformation numbskull Sucharit Bhakdi has lost his publisher for being an anti-Semite. In the This Week we talk about Gregor Mendel and then we hear that Pope Francis is now openly challenging his predecessor Benedict. The we go through the news: - Vaccine protests in Cyprus - Organized tour of Sweden by anti-vaxxers - Multidrug-resistant bacteria found in dog raw-food - Greenland suspends oil exploration because of climate change - Man behind one of the Muhammad caricatures dead - Macchiarini follow-up – whistle-blowers file complaint with the Strasbourg CourtPolish researcher Harald Walach gets today’s prize for being Really Wrong after trying to say that masks and covid vaccinations are dangerous.Enjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode we start with an update on the successful Virgin Galactic flight and congratulate Natalie Grams for getting married(!), and also comment on the Euro 2020 final won by Italy. We then have a chat with Czech GSOW member Pavel Šmejkal, a prolific member of Susan Gerbic‘s Guerilla Skepticism on Wikipedia project. In This Week in Skepticism, Angela Merkel was born 17 July 1954. Then we dig into the news: - Death of 17 year-old girl used by antivaxxers - Teaching handbooks and leaflets to teach and understand CoViD and conspiracy theories - Trust in mainstream news sites up from last year - Amazing verdict regarding homeopathy - Latest craze – Snow White and her skin colour - New book about pseudomedicineEnjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Annika is back making sure we don’t run out of dad-jokes, András’ travel guide work is resuming while Pontus is just playing golf (and not very well). We discuss the new development in space tourism before we get into this week in skepticism with Nicola Tesla. We hear how the pope is coming after Cardinal Becciu, how he still won’t apologies for the Canadian school scandals and how he needed to get his rear end adjusted (insert butt joke here). Then we go into the news: - Tricking the covid-test with orange juice - Promotion of pseudoscience by the UK government - Female Ukraine soldiers made to march in heels - A ruined village is for sale – no inhabitants, but a ghost - Warmest June in Stockholm in 265 years - Spanish congress on conspiracy theories on 9/11Vladimir Putin and the Russian government get a Really Wrong for creating a culture and laws that make it impossible to show an ad depicting a family with two moms. Food company VkusVill gets a Really Right for at least trying to be rational.Enj

This week we’re joined by Brian Eggo who sits in for Annika. We talk about the Edinburgh Science Festival, skeptical events and the recent ESA astronaut recruitments. In This Week we “celebrate” the birthday of debunked fraudster Peter Popoff and then we are horrified by the discoveries of even more graves at the Canadian Catholic Schools. We then go into this week’s news: - Alternative medicine is losing popularity in the pandemic - Manipulated video featuring Greta Thunberg - Scam texts about package deliveries - Health organizations publish free book The Vaccination Book for Everyone - EU Climate Law confirmed by European ParliamentEnjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we chat a bit about Madeira, covid scares and rainbow flags in Germany. In this week we highlight Karl Landsteiner who discovered the human blood groups and Pope Francis asks Italy if his schools could please be allowed to bully anyone who does not fit in to the binary man – woman template. We then head for the news: - Attacks against journalists calls for special measures - Did the WHO tell women to not drink alcohol? - Homeopathy update, France - Healing practitioner in court - Information portal to tackle vaccine misinformation launched - Heatwave with surface temperatures of 48°C - Sense About Science comes out with new tool to help communication about COVID conspiraciesEnjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week summer is here (but András is not) and we get a tip from Bob on about good vaccine tracker. Blaise Pascal was born almost 400 years ago this week (how times fly) and Pope Francis gives Cardinal Marx some good PR while proving he still knows how to play the dictator card. Then we dive into the news:‘Unseaworthy’ Noah’s Ark replica detained at Ipswich WaterfrontWaldorf / Steiner school scandal in SwedenNew law against ‘promotion of homosexuality’Follow-up: Doctor behind fake covid-19 tests and travelers’ certificates to stand trialTo round off, a gross pseudotreatment for babies gets the prize for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we get a well deserved correction from listener Cyril on how to pronounce Marquis de Sade’s full name and we hear about German teenagers party dangerously in secret in strange locations. Vaccinations in Sweden are picking up but in Hungary there is considerable hesitation against Chinese and and Russian vaccines. The Pope continues to have problems with Germany and also refuses to take responsibility for the tragedies of Canadian Catholic boarding schools. Francis Crick, important but controversial figure contributing to the discovery of the DNA molecule, was born this week in 1916. After that, let’s have a look at the news: - Counseling for conspiracy victims - Didier Raoult takes legal action against misconduct consultant - Right wing party with Sucharit Bhakdi - New book out: Maladie de Lyme by Eric CaumesLastly, the conspiracy mongers in the “Freedom for Sweden” movement are Really Wrong.Enjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

This week we find out what Pontus was up to last week, we honor the passing of the great skeptic Kees de Jager and note that covid vaccination for teenagers is coming. Listener Carlos helps us out with Portuguese pronunciation and we urge you to nominate someone for the John Maddox Prize before 14 June. We acknowledge that Marquis de Sade was born this week in 1740 and that the Pope thinks Brazilians are too drunk to deserve salvation. After that, it’s time to get a covid-19 update and to check out the news: - Influencers offered money to spread Pfizer misinformation - EC proposes tougher rules and more factchecking to tackle misinformation - Climate Skeptics are not easily persuaded by evidence - World may hit 1,5 degrees warming within five yearsIn addition, prioritizing the EUFA Champions League football final over covid safety is Really Wrong.Enjoy!The Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we first explore the magnetic properties of covid-19 vaccines and ponder the political meltdown of Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus. Then we celebrate the first publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula, published this week in 1897. We strongly recommend you check out Deborah Hyde's Dracula video on Youtube! After that it's time to check out the news:Portugese MD in need of help from skeptics around the globeHealing practicioner certificate was done on government levelThe problem with non replicable papers being cited more oftenCoViD denier makes songFor continuing to spread misinformation about COVID-19, Nobel Laureate Luc Montagnier gets today's prize for being Really Wrong.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Swedish vaccinations are not too well organised, András has debated homeopaths and the Swedish Skeptics have some cool events coming up. Ranga Yogeshwar (check him out!) celebrates his birthday and then we check out the news: - Looks like we’re very selfish after all… Personal benefit is better driver than greater good - Virtual exhibition in Nuremberg - Edzard Ernst strikes again: Paper on ‘energy medicine’ retracted after reader complaints - Hungarian Competition Authority fines snake oil salesman’s firm - Long-lost letter by Einstein reveals his special insight, making him the predictor of something cool - Accelerated climate change - What’s going on in Chernobyl?The Danish People’s Party think that mandatory prayers in schools and Danish meatballs are something that will “save Danish culture” and for that they are Really Wrong.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we wish Annika all the best in recovering from her first vaccine shot, we learn how to properly pronounce Cardinal ‘Becchiu’ and hear about this week’s birthday boy, Edward Jenner. Pope Francis tries to fight the pandemic with a totally pointless marathon and then we proceed on to check out the news:Instead of a Covid update: watch the latest episode of Last Week Tonight With John OliverCounterfeit covid-19 certificates – digitally signed without doctor’s knowledgeThe Heinz Oberhummer Award goes to…Facebook to warn you when you’re about to share something you haven’t readASA: Homeopaths are not suitably qualified health professionals and claims for homeopathy are improperBefore we go, we hand out an unusual Really Right to members of the German Catholic ‘Leibe Gewinnt’ initiative.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we get to hear Marie Curie’s birthname properly pronounced, curtesy of listener Max (thanks!). One more of us are getting the vaccine and so do pregnant women in Germany. We hear about Pope Francis’ battle against corrupt cardinals and then we get into the news: - Discussions about rules for vaccinated and vaccination jealousy - Ferngespräch – Shirt for charity! - Priest gives school lesson on “treating” homosexuals with electroshock therapy and more - The Risks of Thread Embedding Acupuncture - Whale penises behind sea monster stories?To wrap things up the ‘Schloss-Apotheke’ in Koblenz gets this week’s prize for being Really Wrong after marketing homeopathic Pfizer vaccine.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Pontus Pokes the Pope; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takesThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we first chat a bit and celebrate that we finally have new dates for QED, the fantastic skeptical conference in Manchester, before we mark that it is 35 years this week since the Chernobyl disaster. We hear about Pope Francis’ impossible gig and then we have a Covid-19 update before we dig into the news: - Study explores AstraZeneca vaccine disinformation on Twitter - German actors protest against CoViD rules with weird satire - Pfizer confirms fake versions of vaccine in Poland and Mexico - First ever Flat Earth Award goes to… - Anthroblogger nominated for Grimme online award - Think like Da Vinci and understand the world’s problems betterThe Tobacco Industry gets this week's award for being Really Wrong for continuing to pay for fake science.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Pontus Pokes the Pope; Covid-19 Update; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takesThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we first celebrate the flight of Ingenuity on Mars, the first ever powered flight on another planet. In This week in Skepticism we hear about how Pierre and Marie Curie isolated radium for the first time and what a significant achievement that was. Then we have a Covid-19 update before we dig into the news:Adverse events in children linked to SCAMResearchers investigating AstraZeneca vaccine side effects had undisclosed ties to PfizerHerbal product behind Salmonella outbreak, three dead5G does not present “any new risks” according to ANSESThe Norwegian self-appointed “independent health researcher”, Hans Kristian Gaarder, gets the first ever posthumously award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Covid-19 Update; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takesThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we start by reflecting on the death of Prince Philip and just can’t help mention languages again since a listener sent us sound files to help us with the pronunciations of last week’s Polish names. In This week in Skepticism we hear about the ancient astronaut fantasies of Erich von Däniken, followed by a Covid-19 update before we dig into the news:Popular marionette theatre targeted for COVID test explanation videoTendency to take up vaccine is really highWe are fucked – carbon-dioxide levels at all time high despite lockdownsECHR rules obligatory vaccination may be necessaryOnline hatred against Jews are upClare Relton, senior lecturer in clinical trials at Queen Mary University of London, teaches homeopaths how to cheat in randomized control trials. For that she gets this week’s prize for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Covid-19 Update; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; OutroThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com

This week we first continue to ponder the strange topic of language and we congratulate the Portuguese Skeptics on the anniversary of founding their organization ComCept. Then we have a Covid-19 update before we dig into the news:Analysis of excess mortality in Europe in 2020NEW BOOK: Missing Minimum DistanceSpooky Martian spider shapes explainedFirst helicopter on another planet to go on first mission soonThe 2020 Flying Unicorn Award goes to… Doctors for Truth (Nominations open for 2021)Nominations for the 2021 Maddox Prize now openThe success story of pharmacy students bringing vaccine science to classroomsThe veterinarian Geert Vanden Bossche gets a Really Wrong for discrediting covid-vaccines using pseudoscientific misinformation.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Covid-19 Update; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takesThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Pontus is still mad at English spelling but we hope our listeners will forgive him. In history René Descartes was born this week, the pope cuts the payroll for his cardinals and we have a Covid-19 update before we check out the news: - Court case against SCAM practitioner - NEW BOOK – the Cheaters, about Macchiarini and fraudulent research - NEW BOOK – The great bazaar of irrational - Cheap wine tastes better with a higher price tag - Old-growth forest effect in climate mitigation overestimatedThe Czech Cardinal and Archbishop of Prague Dominik Duka gets a Really Wrong this week using the pandemic as an excuse to peddle anti-abortion propaganda.Enjoy!Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week; Pontus Pokes the Pope; Covid-19 Update; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takesThe Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.