The European Skeptics Podcast

This week talk about the inspiration for Mel Gibson’s the Passion of the Christ, alternative treatments in Valencia, the Heilpraktiker system in Germany, whether Down’s syndrome has been eradicated in Iceland and the new Full Fact tool. Then we dive deep into the measles epidemic in Europe and the problem of crowdfunding for cancer trips to Mexico.Segments:Intro; Greetings & Feedback; This Week in Skepticism; Skeptical News; Analysis; Really Wrong; Quote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we start our episode with Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic magazine, Deborah Hyde, who tells us about this year's Ockham Awards, the nominations for which are still open.https://www.skeptic.org.uk/ockham-awards-2017/vote/Then we have an interview with Prof. Susan Blackmore, who tells us about her fascinating journey from being a believer in paranormal explanations of out-of-body experiences and the like to becoming a skeptic and a popular author telling the world about the tricks of the mind and what science has to say about all that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're back with a regular episode and joined by Chris Higgins, who talks about SkeptiCamp Manchester. Charles Richet is our special mention on 'This Week in Skepticism'.Then we go on talking about Comité Para, bleach enema treatment on young children, how Sweden's churches are losing their peole, El Esceptico and the great organisation behind it, and how the use of alternative medicine makes you more likely to die of cancer.We also talk about the failed PSI-tests conducted in Germany by GWUP and how the Rationalist Party in Hungary might have taken a silly step towards a public debate about Homeopathy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In anticipation of the upcoming 17th European Skeptics Congress, this week we interview philosopher and cognitive scientist Konrad Talmont-Kaminski, who will be among the speakers at this international event.Ha talks about his research into how our rational and irrational ways of thinking are all part of the same cognitive system and therefore are possible to understand.You can also hear the new ad for the other upcoming international convention: QED - Question. Explore. Discover. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Pontus and Jelena talks about news and have an interview with the humanist Leo Igwe, speaker at the upcoming European Skeptcis Congress in Poland. Nicola Throp of the Measeyside Skeptics also comes on to tell us all about QED in Manchester in October.Leo Igwe is a skeptic and a Nigerian human rights advocate who has played leading roles in the Nigerian Humanist Movement, Atheist Alliance International and the Center For Inquiry - Nigeria. For many years he represented IHEU (International Humanist and Ethical Union) at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and generally in Western and Southern Africa. He specialized in campaigning against child witchcraft accusations and have researched this topic at the University of Bayreuth in Germany.In the news segments we revisit an old Really Wrong winner who is now being extradited to Australia, GWUP warns about a German fake news site and in Ireland, the falling HPV vaccination rates will lead to an increase in cervical cancer. Hosted on Acast.

On this episode our guest was Holm Gero Hümmler, nuclear physicist, management consultant and author of the book ‘Relativer Quantenquark’. He blogs at quantenquark.com and he is one of the speakers on the upcoming 17th European Skeptics Congress in Poland in September. We discuss how ‘relativity’ and ‘quantum’ and other scientific words are misused by charlatans and the importance of proper science communication.SegmentsIntro; Greetings & Feedback; Interview with Holm Gero Hümmler; Farewell; Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Pontus and András are joined by Brian Eggo who sits in for Jelena while she's on a European motorbike trip.We talked about Karl Popper's philosophical system of scientific discovery, how much of what we think of suicide is actually true, why simplicity is not the ultimate goal in understanding science, how the Tories in the UK just sent a crackpot to the EP, why news regarding the dangers of chemotherapy are probably untrue, how much of the Italian demonstrations against the new vaccination strategies are exaggerated and why caution is required when talking about new research on the Shroud of Turin.Also, please check out our calendar of events and don't forget to cast your vote before 31st July for the John Maddox Prize 2017 for standing up for science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unfortunately, due to all three of us hosts being otherwise engaged, we could not provide you with a show this week. But there are a few things we had to mention. Sorry and hope to have your ears next week when we're back to normal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Jelena and Andras explore the world of skeptical conferences like CICAPFest, the European Skeptics Congress and Skeptics on the Fringe in Edinburgh.The Loch Ness Monster, the death of Ryke Geerd Hamer (NGM) are also talked about, as well as another country joining the compulsory vaccination club, cancer quack in action again in Hungary, the Familiarity Backfire Effect revised and evolution forced out of Turkey schools.Also, don't forget that nominations for the Maddox Prize 2017 are still open! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode our guest was Diego Fontanive, who's the founder of the EOF Project (End of Fear) that aims to understand our epistemic acceptances and apply meta-cognition in order to achieve a better understanding of our flaws, memetic choices and ways of getting it all wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about Swedish Skeptics treating their members to 15 tickets to the European Skeptics Congress and how we were interviewed by Skeptical Inquiry before we talk about the famous Oxford Evolution debate. Then we dive into skeptical news around Europe talking about homeopathy being debunked (which does not impress the Homeopathic World Congress), The Good Thinking Society, antivax-sentiments in Italy and Switzerland, mistletoe therapy in Austria, Chinese medicine in Hungary, 30 years of skepticism in Spain, Brian Dunnings new film Principles of Curiosity and how the EU Court of Justice believes science can be ruled on in courts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode is dedicated to our interview with Italian chemist, skeptic and paranormal investigator Luigi Garlaschelli.Andras also announces a road trip between the 17th European Skeptics Congress in Wroclaw, Poland and CICAPfest2017 in Cesena, Italy in September 2017. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are coming back with our regular segments featuring topics like the 17th European Skeptics Congress, CICAPfest2017, James Randi's appearances in Europe, the BMJ being infiltrated by quackery, the harm in using homeopathy (for encephalitis), the latest in the fight against the anti-vaccination movement in Germany and Italy, Spanish skeptics launching a course on how to tackle pseudoscience in the information age, Portuguese skeptics launching a book on how not to be fooled, parents killing their son with gluten-free diet and Denmark repealing their blasphemy law.Also, you can check out our Europe-wide events calendar at http://theesp.eu/events_in_europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode is dedicated to our latest interview with Susan Gerbic, the Wikipediatrician, who's the leader of the international project called Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia. We talked about what's new, how people can join and help the movement and what public engagements Susan has in the coming months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode brings you a lot of news and interesting topics from the world of skepticism across Europe.Firstly, please, consider helping Hayley Stevens raise money to help others attend QED 2017. Then listen to what we have to say about the Charity Commissions consultations, Evidence Matters EU, Pontus being acquainted to someone with the potential to become pope one day, a fishy vaccine study that circulates widely, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales fighting fake news in his own way, All Trials getting more momentum with major sponsors of clinical trials joining their cause, a follow-up on the Kevin case, the Turkish government's blocking of Wikipedia over claims of terrorist links, Natalie Grams and Homeopathy Information Network to receive Wikipedia pages, Academia being under attack by Hungarian government and a silly study on female homosexuality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 74 we interview Teddy Winroth, Swedish psychologist and criminologist, concerning a legal scandal regarding several murder cases in Sweden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week brings you a segment on Florence Nightingale, events across Europe and skeptical news including the latest success story of the Good Thinking Society with getting eBay to remove a dangerous product (Black Salve) from their listings, climate targets not being taken seriously, annual prizes awarded by ARP-SAPC in Spain, Spanish skeptical events mounting to 600 since 2010, the UK foreign secretary making false claims, German podcast award for Schlaulicht and a new skeptical podcast on the market in Germany called Nachgefragt. Also, Metro in Sweden comes out with a demonstrative issue intentionally full of fake news, Hungarian family and their naturopath sentenced to prison for killing an infant out of carelessness, Stephen Fry and his blasphemy case in Ireland and Fiona O’Leary fighting against antivaccination nonsense in the form of a demonstration at the screening of Vaxxed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 72 we interview Alan Henness, co-director of The Nightingale Collaboration, a UK-based group focusing on questionable claims in healthcare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week brings you March for Science, a correction from Bethania Palma regarding last week's interview, Catherine of Siena, more bad measles news in Europe, BBC and homeopathy and new fact checking tools on Google. On top of that you will also be shocked to find that The Daily Fail is spreading that deliberate tape worm infections can treat autism… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is entirely dedicated to our interview with Snopes.com fact checker and journalist, Bethania Palma. We also talked about March for Science across Europe. Please, check out our calendar for more information on those and other events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.