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 activists to enter abortion clinics
• HUNGARY: The Flat Earth Award goes to the Hungarian Association of Homeopathic Doctors
• EUROPE: ‘Extreme heat stress’ pushing temperatures to record highs and numbers of death
• AUSTRIA / GERMANY: The Heinz Oberhummer Award for Best Science Communicator goes to Methodically Incorrect!
• EUROPE: EU elections in times of propaganda, misinformation and spies
• UK: Creating sexually explicit images to be made illegal in UK

The Really Wrong Award this week goes to NutriLight with their silly “Red Light Therapy”

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:08:01 TWISH

0:12:56 News

0:35:09 Really Wrong

0:43:28 Quote And Farewell

0:45:42 Outro

0:46:57 Out-Takes

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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 Schobert, the Hungarian fitness guru that seems to keep asking for a Flat Earth award. Then, we look at the news:

• SCOTLAND: NASA asked to help find Loch Ness monster
• UK: Sense About Science asks people to show parliament they care about evidence

Back to Hungary for the Really Wrong Award, where a public Hungarian Hospital in Orosház is offering Reiki treatment to patients.

Enjoy!

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:15:28 TWISH

0:21:12 News

0:32:59 Really Wrong

0:38:30 Quote And Farewell

0:40:36 Outro

0:41:51 Out-Takes

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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: Whooping cough on the rise – due to covid
• BELGIUM: Alternative medicine and god hindering willingness to vaccinate?
• FRANCE: Didier Raoult and his unethical research

Long time charlatan Thomas Erikson finally gets his dues when he receives a Really Wrong Award as his latest book on nonsense personality types is published.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:12:20 TWISH

0:18:19 News

0:29:16 Really Wrong

0:41:31 Quote And Farewell

0:43:24 Outro

0:44:39 Out-Takes

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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 ground but also the trust in science. Of course, we also give our take on the news:

• UK: Rumours about King Charles III’s illness on the rise
• RUSSIA: Russia linked to ’Havana Syndrome’. We’re not convinced…
• NETHERLANDS: New study may help us understand wishful thinking

This week we hopefully hand out our last PiS related Really Wrong Award. More specifically it goes to Polish president Andrzej Duda who did a doo-doo and vetoed access to women’s health care.

Enjoy!

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:49 Greetings

0:06:36 TWISH

0:16:35 News

0:40:22 Really Wrong

0:45:54 Quote And Farewell

0:46:58 Outro

0:48:12 Out-Takes

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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:

• INTERNATIONAL: Nordic people are the happiest in the world
• RUSSIA / UKRAINE: Russian TV channel using deepfake to blame Moscow attacks on Ukraine
• ICELAND: Did Iceland ban covid 19 vaccinations?
• UK: It’s Acupuncture Awareness Week!

This week’s Really Right goes to the EU parliament though we until the last minute we thought they had messed up.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Right; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:49 GREETINGS

0:10:45 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

0:17:58 NEWS

0:41:10 REALLY RIGHT

0:46:43 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

0:47:58 OUTRO

0:49:12 OUT-TAKES

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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 podcast, but she promises to return in June. But before that, we have a whole lot of news to go through:

• INTERNATIONAL: AI will increase energy use and climate misinformation
• INTERNATIONAL: Is rapamycin a cure for old age?
• GERMANY: Arson attacks against Tesla Giga factory driven by misconceptions regarding electromobility
• UK: Helpline for people leaving faith
• INTERNATIONAL: Are there any benefits to the Wim Hof method?
• UK: London Eye moving to Scotland?

For a change we have a Really Weird Award to hand out – the man who got hundreds of covid shots just to be on the safe side (we suppose). Luckily he seems to be OK.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Weird; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:52 Greetings

0:12:42 TWISH

0:22:23 News

0:49:49 Really Weird

0:56:34 Quote and Farewell

1:00:51 Outro

1:02:06 Out-takes

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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 what the internet would have to recommend someone in his position. While a lot of the advice he got was likely given in good faith, it was nevertheless pretty bad. Hear him tell all about everything from totally ineffective "cures" like homeopathy to downright dangerous modalities like black salve and MMS.

Enjoy! (if that's the word)

Segments: 

0:00:26 INTRO

0:00:49 GREETINGS

0:02:19 INTERVIEW

• Brian Eggo: The Eggman himself tells all about his adventures in woowoo land when it comes to alternative cancer cures. He is also head honcho over the Glasgow Skeptics and a wellknown speaker, as well as occational co-host of the ESP.

0:46:02 FAREWELL

0:47:03 OUTRO

0:48:03 OUT-TAKES

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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 expensive “emergency equipment”
• RUSSIA: Rumors surrounding the death of Alexei Navalny
• INTERNATIONAL: How harmful are ultra-processed foods?
• UK: Cochrane UK closing shop

The UK government gets this week’s Really Wrong Award for covering up the statistics about the deaths of homeless people.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

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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!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; Interview; Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

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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: Legalization of same sex marriage

Good news for once! The French National Assembly has adopted a new law aimed at charlatans, and sects or sect leaders who tries to influence their followers to reject science based medicine. We think that is worth a Really Right Award!

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Right; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

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Luna sits in for András(!) and we talk about conspiracy theories regarding the earthquake in Turkey last year, a new study about peoples worldview and in TWISH we get into the curse of Tutankhamun – what really was going on? Then we have a look at the news:

• UK: Sexual harassment anyone? Chiropractic council is there for chiropractors, not for patients
• EU: EU won’t use dental amalgam anymore
• EU: EU parliament votes to ease regulation of gene edited crops
• GERMANY: Tiktok proves harmful again
• INTERNATIONAL: Paper rejected for using ChatGPT – author says it’s not true, and what if it was?

The German Federal Ministry is funding the SCAM institute ARCIM and for that they are Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.