We 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 g...

The 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...

Thirty-two years ago this week  the Vatican  tried to explain why  discrimination against gay people  is not  really discrimination. That's basically still their position today, which we hear about in this week's  TWISH . Then we have quite a few news items to go through: SWEDEN : Swedish telecom companies have blocked more than 50 million scam calls in 2024 INTERNATI...

Just the boys this week and we have a lot to talk about –  climate change  (András needs a new job),  Türkiye vs. Turkey ,  Dutch vacations ,  homeopathy ,  Skeptical Science , and even some politics. In  TWISH  we hear about the skeptical priest  Giuseppe Piazzi  who discovered  Ceres , the first asteroid ever detected. Also, if you catch thi...

Some listeners have started to join our  Discord  – why don’t you do that do! In the news today: TURKEY : Turkey revokes radio station’s license for discussing Armenian genocide UK : Ultra-processed food fear – simply the next big nutritional moral panic? SPAIN : HIV patients often take other SCAM that interfere with their treatments The Church of England  has plans to  evangel...

To start out we nerd out a bit about how to say  ‘hello’ in Hungarian , launch the  new ESP Discord thread  and give a shout-out to  Malmö Pride  where people can team up with Pontus to fight against prejudices at Malmö Pride. In  TWISH  we for once hop across the pond to explain the origin of so-called  Barnum statements . Then it’s time for the news: EU :...

The band is back together for the first time in months! First we mention an important (but likely depressing) new book documenting  Catholic child sex abuse . In  TWISH  we look back at  the Brexit referendum  and analyze why it went so terribly wrong, and then it’s time for the news: SWEDEN : Swedish EU election trends were a bit different GERMANY : New publication out on...

Annika and András talk a bit about the  EP elections  again, mostly reacting to listener feedback. We also mention the Belgian skeptical organisation SKEPP's Skeptical Awards and in  TWISH  we commemorate evolutionary biologist, humanist, eugenicist and internationalist extraordinaire  Sir Julian Huxley . Then in the news: SCOTLAND : Parliament votes to implement abortion...

In Pontus' absence we talk a bit about  EP elections  and in  TWISH  we commemorate the Italian heroine of science and skepticism  Margherita Hack . Then it is time to check out the news: UK : Zero hour for climate action NORTHERN IRELAND : NI Assembly passes motion to ban conversion therapies INTERNATIONAL : Edzard Ernst finds SCAM research to be in decline INTERNATIONAL...

Pontus 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 ‘mille...

We start with some  listener feedback  and also worry if  Neil DeGrasse Tyson  and his  Star Talk  show are falling for some alternative medicine. On the good side  Skeptical Science , led by  John Cook , is continuing their quest for science literacy and has a  new online quiz  you can take to check your “bullshit detector”. In  TWISH  w...

In Pontus' absence Annika is back for a quick visit before her planned return next month. We mention the terrible assassination attempt against Slovakian prime minister  Robert Fico  and how it's a new source of fake news. On  TWISH you can hear about  Franz Anton Mesmer,  who was the foremost proponent of "animal magnetism". Then, we look at the news: GERMANY:  GWUP...

Meeting up with fellow skeptics is always a blast. We recommend reading the recent article in  Skeptic UK  about the  history of European skepticism  and ECSO –  the ESC (European Skeptics Congress)  is only two weeks away! Pontus reports from last week’s annual meeting with  VoF (the Swedish Skeptics)  and in  TWISH  we hear about  Pierre Cur...

Tickets 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 w...

Every Swede has celebrated  Valborg  (Walpurgis / Walpurga) this week although no one really knows why, and András reports from  Sicily  on  volcanic activities . In  TWISH  we hear about  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin , a theologian so controversial that popes nowadays still cannot agree on what to think of him. Then it’s time for this week’s news: INTERNATION...

It is  European Immunization Week!  Get your boosters and jabs folks, and make you and the people around you are safe! In  TWISH  this week we hear about  John Oliver , British comedian who (whether you like him or not) understands science and the need for healthy skepticism. Then we of course take a look at the news: ITALY : Italy passes measures to allow anti-abortion ac...

The report on  DISC  analysis and  Thomas Erikson  from last week generated some good feedback, it’s time for the  John Maddox prize  again and  Susan Gerbic  has a new YouTube channel that you should definitely check out. Don’t forget to book your ticket for  the European Skeptics Congress in Lyon!  In  TWISH  we hear about  Norbert...

A bit of a  correction  first, regarding  earthquakes . Then we get some  Vatican news  with speculation about  a Swedish ‘papabile’ , plus idiotic statements about  genders . In  TWISH  we hear about  Paolo Frisi , an Italian university dropout who in the 18th century went on to become a  polymath . Then we have a look at the news: EUROPE : W...

There are  two great European skeptical events  to sign up for this year –  European Skeptics Congress in Lyon  (30 May- 2 June) and  QED in Manchester  (18 – 20 October) – there is still time to catch the  Early Bird discounts  for both! In  TWISH  we hear about the earthquake in  L’Aquila  in Italy in 2009, that not only shook the groun...

Who knew that Hungarian intellectuals where  numerologists  – András reveals all! We have correction from last week and also reflect over the illness of  Princess Kate , naturally we wish her well. In this weeks  TWISH  we hear about  Percy Shelley  and how his atheism ruined his academic career – to the benefit of mankind. Then, it’s time for the news: INTERNATI...

Flying unicorns exist in Portugal  and you can vote for your favorites on  the Portuguese Skeptics’  web site (COMCEPT) before  1 April . By coincidence this is also the deadline for getting the  Early Bird discount  for  the European Skeptics Congress in Lyon , so sign up in time! On a sadder note,  Annika will have to take a few months off  from the p...

Brian Eggo  is certainly bo no stranger to this podcast. Relentless in his quest to spread the skeptical world, he is known as the main force behind the  Glasgow Skeptics, one of the great people behind Skeptics in the Pub - Onlin and a frequent speaker and guest on several podcasts. This week we interview him about the time when the big C came to his family and he decided to find out wh...

We start with some  listener feedback  and  corrections  regarding  Tridentinosaurus Antiquus  – the origin of its name was wrong and despite what we said, it wasn’t a a dinosaur. In  TWISH  we hear about  Gerardus Mercator , the man behind most world maps. Then we get to the news: SWEDEN : Companies exploit fear of war to sell pretty useless and expens...

This week we have the great pleasure to interview our friend  Prof. Chris French!  We hear a lot about his research into the paranormal – or  Anomalistic Psychology  as he prefers to call it. Chris has a  new book coming out on 19 March . It’s called  “the Science of Weird Shit”  and we cannot recommend it enough! (we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek) Enjoy!...

This week we’ve had some feedback regarding AI – always glad to hear from our listeners! In TWISH we hear about Charles Clermont-Ganneau, famous French archeologist with a flare for spotting fake artifacts. Then we turn to the news: INTERNATIONAL : Fossil forgery – famous specimen shown to be fake, and it is not alone FRANCE : Experts identify Moscow-based disinformation network GREECE : Legalizat...