We received some listener feedback regarding Ricky Gervais , and the Hungarian state media apologizes for the lies during Orbán(!). In TWISH we hear about Robert Chambers , the anonymous publisher who helped pave the way for Darwin . Then, it’s time for the news: SWEDEN / NORWAY : Resurgence of JW in Sweden and Norway AUSTRIA : Austrians seem to have lost confidence in homeopathy INTERNATIONAL : Q...

Science shows that the heatwave in Europe was made much worse by climate crisis , and in TWISH we hear about an old but classic ‘UFO encounter’ in France . Naturally, we also take a look at the news: SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL : Pontus Pokes the Politicians: Psychologist argues that politicians focus too much on values to explain crimes SPAIN / INTERNATIONAL : Boiron shifts to dietary supplements as m...

The applications to talk at SkeptiCamp in October are now open, don’t be shy ! In TWISH we hear about how the jesuit priest Angelo Secchi unwittingly became the origin of tales about green men on Mars . Then, it’s time for the news: EUROPE / WORLD : European heatwave / El Niño officially under way AUSTRIA : Study links authoritarian attitudes to belief in Anthroposophic medicine EUROPE / WORLD : I...

Some people still ignore the climate crises while there have been 200,000 preventable deaths due to heat only in Europe in the last four years. In TWISH we hear about the pope tried to strike back against Martin Luther with a papal bull (isn’t it all bull?) this week in 1520. Then, we turn to the news: NETHERLANDS : Freek Rikkerink of Suzan & Freek-fame is turning to paleo diet to combat termi...

Climate crisis reaches all the way up to Scandinavia and in TWISH we hear about Roger Bacon , an early advocate for investigative science. Then we have the news: SCOTLAND / INTERNATIONAL : Research integrity and transparency in SCAM journals ENGLAND : Church of England spends a fortune on evangelism SWEDEN : Scandals and corruption as Sweden prepares for September elections UK : Doctors and NHS co...

These days even cognitive biases are automated . In TWISH we hear about the skeptical TV-series X-Aknák (X-Mines) that ran on Hungarian TV in the early 2000s. Then, it’s time for the news: UK / INTERNATIONAL : Canadian man admits sending ‘suicide packets’ to hundreds of people in the UK and around the world UK / INTERNATIONAL : John Maddox Prize open for nominations INTERNATIONAL : Online ads are...

Not even June and people are already dying from heatwave in Europe . Skepkon 2026 in Regensburg looks to have been a hit and speaking of conferences – don’t forget to plan your trip to ESC Liverpool in October! In TWISH we hear about the man behind the Watchmaker analogy and then it’s time for the news: NORWAY / SWEDEN : Assisted death pushed too far UK : Wellness coach dies of frog poison INTERNA...

With the return of a super-El Niño it may be a hot year and in TWISH we hear about James Lind ‘s famous scurvy experiment from 1747. Then we have the news: INTERNATIONAL : Antidepressants in pregnancy do not raise children’s risk of autism or ADHD BELGIUM / DENMARK : Attempted control and recommendations regarding meat consumption spark disinformation campaigns INTERNATIONAL : Hantavirus myths and...

The new Hungarian government are making all the right noises and we hope they will live up to it. Don’t forget to get your ESC Liverpool tickets , and in TWISH we here about Magnus Hirschfeld , a pioneer in fighting for what we today call LGBTQ rights . Then, we head for the news: NORWAY / EU : Warning to athletes: Do not buy dietary supplements online, even from within Europe ITALY : PM Georgia M...

ESC Liverpool 2026  tickets are now available!  Get yours now!   Chris French  wrote a eulogy for  Nick Pope , UFO profile who passed away, and in  TWISH  we hear about  Gustave Le Bon  who identified the  mass psychology of crowds  over 150 years ago. Then we head for the news: UK : Humanists UK celebrates 130th anniversary INTERNATIONAL : Ha...

Next week on  6th May  the  tickets are released for ESC Liverpool . They may sell out fast, so be quick! In other news we note the demise of  Desmond Morris  and if you liked are interview with  Kat Ford , a  preprint of her Glastonbury article  is now available online! In  TWISH  we learn about the Scottish polymath  John Arbuthnot , and the...

Lots going on this week! It’s  European Immunization Week ,  Pontus went to a spa and got ‘cupped’ , and we have news about  two skeptical events : the launch of  Skeptival 2026 in Berlin  and  tickets for the European Skeptics Congress 2026 in Liverpool  (ESC 2026) will be released on 6 May! In  TWISH  we take a look at the misinformation surrounding t...

This week we have a great interview with the fabulous  Dr Kat Ford ! Enjoy! Segments : 0:00:34 Intro 0:00:58 Greetings 0:07:47 Interview 0:55:33 Farewell 0:57:19 Outro 0:58:41 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pontus  is back and  Brian  steps in for András, as we discuss  myths and disinformation . In  TWISH  we hear about three common myths regarding  the sinking of Titanic , and then we get into the news: UK : Non-religion is the new normal: six in ten under-35s have no religion, new analysis finds INTERNATIONAL : ‘Stand with Science’ – World Health Day: People live...

In Pontus’ absence, András carries the torch this week and tells about  Italian electoral abstentions  and in  TWISH  we here about  Robert Bunsen , who knew how to burn things with scientific rigor. Then, it’s time for the news: UK : Polls shows public wants religion out of schools AUSTRIA / GERMANY : Florian Aigner’s new book out – ‘Die Wirklichkeit ist auch nicht wahr’...

Despite the bleak outlook we see in the news,  science and critical thinking  is still a thing. In the UK,  Sense about Science  is recruiting and in Toulouse, France, there is a  great festival  coming up in April. In  TWISH  we revisit the legacy of Erik Weisz,  aka Harry Houdini , and then we have a look at the news: INTERNATIONAL : Funeral rights fo...

General elections in Hungary  are coming up and it’s going to be nasty. We get some  listener feedback  and we were on an  video interview for Skeptical Inquirer .  TWISH  looks to  Tesla’s famous “free energy” patent  which was filed 126 years ago, and finds that in doesn’t promise free energy at all (chocker!). Then we look to the news: UK : Survivors of I...

This week we have an interview with author and nuclear advocate  Zion Lights . Enjoy! https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-522.html Segments: 0:00:33 Intro 0:00:56 Greetings 0:07:05 Interview 0:47:09 Farewell 0:51:34 Outro 0:52:57 Outtakes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even in a world on fire with yet another big war there are glimmers of light such as the upcoming  Festival of Humanism  in Bournemouth in June. In  TWISH  we hear about some of the most common myths about  Michelangelo , and then we take a look at the news: EU : Vaccine update: EMA recommends approval of Moderna’s combined flu/covid vaccine and more good news regarding HP...

In a very special skeptical Canadian extravaganza, we are joined by the fabulous  Adrienne Hill  as guest host for the show. A very special treat! In  TWISH  we look into the fourth anniversary of Putins’  invasion of Ukraine , and how  disinformation  has been used as weapon in the war. Then, we dig into the news: UK : Racial Slurs shouted at the Bafta Awards by...

Just like his uncle, even the  Prince of Wales  ( William , that is!) cannot entirely stay out of the  Epstein-files , as his charity gets tangled up in it. In  TWISH  we take a look at famed  Giordano Bruno  to see if he was truly a skeptic or more of a trouble make (admittedly, you can be both). Then we have the news: UK : More than 60 children infected in nort...

We start by wishing for  fast trains  and  maglev transportation  in Europe – much better for the environment than air travel. Because even if we have had a rather cold January here in Europe,  Copernicus  tells us that we are still  warming the globe in a reckless pace . In  TWISH  we remember  István Vágó  on what would have been his 77th bi...

This is an oddly positive episode with a lot of good news, who could foresee that? But do us a favor and help  Skeptical Science  with your translation skills (link in the show notes)! In  TWISH  we dig into the cannibalism that is Christianity with a look into  the legend of St Agatha . Then, it’s time for the news: SWEDEN : Gaming addiction risk greatly exaggerated EUROP...

Canada’s  Mark Carney  could possibly be a role model for our European leaders, and  the Swedish Bar Association  agrees with our criticism of putting  children in prison . In  TWISH  we hear of  Emanuel Swedenborg , a great polymath of the Enlightenment who somehow turned into a religious mystic. Then it’s time for the news: RUSSIA : The Ukraine war has giv...

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 revolutiona...