The European Skeptics Podcast

We talk to leading science and medical reporter Amina Manzoor at the largest Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN). Amina Manzoor fights the good fight in the media to spread an objective and fair view on health myths, alternative "medicine" and she reports on new scientific studies in a popular way. And it works! The readers are interacting and interested!Together with her colleague Maria Gunther, Amina recieved the Swedish Skeptics' "Enlightener of the Year" award for 2016.Segments:Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this one we talk to Norbert Aust about the GWUP and Homeopathy Information Network 50K€ Challange. We also have lots of Skeptical news from around Europe and the Pope gets Poked (naturally), James Braid and Climate Therapy for those who feels the Climate Change is a bit depressing.Segments:Intro; Greetings; Interview with Norbert Aust; This Week in Skepticism; News; Pontus Pokes the Pope: Really Wrong; Quote; Outro; Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we interviewed Annika Merkelbach, who told us what’s new in Germany, how the greatest German skeptical convention SkepKon went and why the country need native speakers to join Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're getting our release schedule back on track, just two days after the previous episode(!).We talk about Worlds in Collision, how the infamous Andrew Wakefield study has had consequences for a whole generation borne in the late nineties / early 2000s, plus how treating cancer with homeopathy is criminal and that Hans Rosling is commemorated with an annual day.We also introduce "Pontus Pokes the Pope" as a new segment and hand out both a Really Wrong and a Really Right award.Segments:Intro; Greetings; This Week in Skepticism; News; Pontus Pokes the Pope: Really Wrong / Really Right; Quote; Outro; Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we interviewed Dutch mathematician and skeptical activist Pepijn van Erp to talk about his blog, his work at Stichting Skepsis and the Dutch skeptical magazine Skepter and all the topics that he likes to blog about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode we start by talking mediums and frauds through the example of Colin Fry, then move on to our news items, including:- Full Fact's survey into how and why people fact-checking- A new book in Portugal to equip readers against the antivax movement- EU actions on vaccine preventable diseases- NHS West Midlands asking parents to vaccinate- The Hungarian Academy of Sciences finally taking a stand against pseudoscience- The new nonsense of intravaginal manipulations done by osteopaths- A fraudulent researcher in Sweden spreading misinformation about HPV vaccines- Former president of Medical Chamber of Slovenia performing "Rigvir" treatments in Latvia- The new minister of Human Capacities in Hungary claiming that following the Ten Commandments can save you from illnesses- The Daily Express claiming that eating blackberries prevents skin cancerThe Really Wrong Price goes to IKEA for a shitty experiment on how plants can't stand bullying. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we interviewed Italian skeptic and podcaster Enrico Zabeo, who's one of the founders and hosts of Radio CICAP, the official podcast for the Italian skeptical organisation CICAP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andras is back to talk about CICAPfest and Massimo Polidoro's book, then Jelena brings on the topic of the Illuminati before we move on to news items including: CEASE, a collection of therapies offered by homeopaths to "cure" autism, bad journalism raising new issues with vaccination, the European Commission's proposed actions to fight preventable diseases, how dog's can not get autism, but are in danger of falling ill due to their owners' actions, Ukraine having more than 9000 measles cases in the first quarter of 2018, the Vatican offering exorcism courses, anti-abortion demonstrations banned in Ealing, survey showing link between being a bad doctor and prescribing homeopathy, Bill Gates promoting ideas expressed in Hans Rosling's book 'Factfulness'.Finally, Pontus presents Jacob Gudiol from Sweden, who breaks down myths about artificial sweeteners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We 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 more information.

It was Homeopathy (and Chiropractic) Awareness Week, but wee had a lot of other stuff like anniversaries and awards to talk about on this episode, including 2 years of Information Netzwerk Homeopathie with Natalie Grams, 6 years of both ComCept running skeptical activism in Portugal and Spanish Skeptics running the show Pensando Críticamente.Also, ComCept just announced their Flying Unicorn Awards, whilst CICAP has announced that there would be a CICAPfest held this year in Padova. In France, physicians appeal to get rid of alternative medicine, and in Italy, Massimo Polidoro recently launched his new video series on YouTube!Let's go nuts and follow Virgin Galactic on their journey to space tourism, but don't forget Mark Zuckerberg's promises to keep fighting against false information and brainwashing with Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Brian Eggo sits in for Jelena as we talk about Hungarian elections, a medium who is shocked to discover that people someimes lie, HIV deniers in Russia, Hans Rosling's last book and how Swedish authorities have been using bullshit data for years without having a clue.And of course the Pope gets a mention for getting rid of hell (or did he?).Plus, we celebrate that QED in Manchester is announced for October with The Skeptics Guide to the Universe crew, George Hrab and Helen Arney!Please also check out our event page at http://theesp.eu/events_in_europeSegments:Intro; Greetings; This Week in Skepticism; Skeptical News; Really Wrong; Quote; Farewell; Outro; Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk to Marko Kovic, social science researcher and former President of Skeptiker Schweiz. We discuss his recent blog post "Some problems of the skeptic movement" and talk about possible ways of addressing these issues.See the show notes at:http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode-118-marko-kovic.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about how our website got attacked by Russian users, then touch on politics before we get on to discuss great minds like the late Stephen Hawking and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.News items include those about MMS and how the Netherlands banned it, a Dutch company offering bogus bioresonance diagnostics and therapy, religion losing ground all across Europe, Doctor of Homeopathy requested to be made obsolete in Germany by Edzard Ernst et al, Spanish quacks promoting apitherapy, and homeopathy on the NHS​ over and done with in London thanks to the efforts of the Good Thinking Society​.Former president of Ireland Mary MacAleese gets this week's Really Right prize for being progressive amongst catholics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diana Barbosa is back to the show after two years to bring us up to date with skepticism related issues in Portugal. She talks about regulations regarding alternative medicine, the advance of the antivax movement, the upcoming Flying Unicorn Awards and a lot more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pontus is finally back and goes on a rant about Lawrence Krauss' reported behaviours then we turn towards the much happier topic of new books coming out for skeptics (Steven Novella and the SGU rogues' 'The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe' and a book in Portugal bearing the title 'Science and Its Enemies'). Jelena brings up yet another woman in science before we move on to Deborah Hyde's article on a rising exorcism. Also, Information Netzwerk Homöopatie goes international thanks to Edzard Ernst et al. Italy introduces mandatory measles vaccinations starting this March and the Skeptic Club Sysifos in the Czech Republic launches the Pro Vax Challenge campaign. Finally, András talks about an online application developed by a Dutch team as an education tool to tackle fake news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we had Ovidiu Covaciu back on the show to talk about his assessment of the situation in Romania regarding vaccinations and the spread of vaccine preventable diseases as well as things we can do to educate people into vaccinating. He also talks about his massive hit of a Facebook group where they spread correct information on vaccinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With guest host Claire Klingenberg sitting in for Pontus, who's on a skiing vacation, this episode brings you updates on ECSO, women in science and skepticism, how Andrew Wakefield's unveiled fraud did not stop the antivaccination movement, why fake news work and debunkings usually don't, what it would be like to have a flat Earth, Massimo Polidoro launching a YouTube series, Susan Gerbic's adventures in Europe written up as a series of articles on CSI and Albert Szent-Györgyi praising science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Slovenian skeptics Maja, Nejc and Mark who run the monthly Ljubljana Skeptics in the Pub and the website skeptik.si. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With this week's episode we bring you Sharon Hill's new book 'Scientifical Americans' and give you more information on Radio CICAP, the new podcast out there for Italian speaking listeners.You can also find that Skeptics in the Pub started 19 years ago and Poland now has a so-called 'Holocaust bill', surpressing open discussion about sensitive topics, Michael Marshall and Prof. Chris French writing about Facilitated communication on The Guardian, and you can also find out that there might be a cure for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections that medicine has struggled with lately, in the form of a herbal treatment. You'll hear about the measles situation in the UK, a group of MMS proponents deleted on Facebook and why banning burkas is a terrible idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lots of news this week, the Devil's Footprints Legend and a new take on the Backfire Effect. Plus as usual a priest has been Really Wrong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.