The Podcast from Australia for
Science and Reason - Since 2008
Click Here for The Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project
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The Skeptic Zone #781 - 24 September 2023
Show Notes
0:00:00
Introduction Richard Saunders
0:03:24
Reiki on TikTok
We look via TikTok at some of the "practitioners" of Reiki, the fictional enery claimed to actually heal or... something... What is Reiki, who does Reiki and do you need a rake to do it? We wrack our brains for Reiki.
Besh Saab off to Mars? Want to go to another planet on a one way ticket? Beah Saab tells us why he is just the man to do it! - A Week in Science - Maynard's Spooky Action... Maynard chats to Dr Pamela Gay and then to some of the people who came to hear her at Sydney Skeptics in the Pub - Your Stars? What do the stars have in store for you? Find out more...
Join Adrienne for a fascinating virtual tour of Salem, focusing on the infamous Witch Trials and the general supernatural themes tailored to the tourist industry.
Rob Palmer talks about the Havana Syndrome, a cluster of symptoms experienced mostly abroad by U.S. government and military personnel. The symptoms range from pain and ringing in the ears to cognitive dysfunction and were first reported in 2016 by embassy staff in Havana, Cuba.
Dr Pamela Gay. Pamela tells us about CosmoQuest and what you can do to help this wonderful endeavour - A Week in Science - An chat with Evan Bernstien. One of the rouges tells us about the early days of SGU - Maynard's Spooky Action... Maynard heads to the Power House Museum in Sydney and reports of the Big Night of Science with the Mystery Investigators Richard Saunders and Dr Rachie Dunlop. Also a chat to and Isabelle Kingsley from the Museum.
Doctor Google is at it again with millions of people seeking its advice. A classic story from 2017 from our dear late reporter.
0:11:50
UFOs in the Pub
We talk to long time skeptical investigators Ian Bryce and Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics about their opinions on the latest UFO fad. Insights from people who have seen it all before over many decades.
0:22:44
Australian
Skeptics Newsletter
What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill.
Dr Colin Wright. A chat with the juggling mathematician. Is there more than one kind of infinity? Find out over a cup of coffee - A Week in Science - Maynard interviews Hubert van den Bergh, the author of "How To Sound Really Clever" - Saunders on the Radio. From the audio valut, Richard Sanders chats to Mike Williams on Sydney radio about Spontaneous Human Combustion and Fire Walking.
This week Adrienne chats to Kat McLeod from Edmonton, Canada, about the strange practice of mouth taping. Can placing tape over your mouth, improve your health and sleep? Adrienne and Kat look at some of the claims and reality of this medical trend.
0:23:18
The Skeptical Box of Tricks
Clips from "Nerd Night" in the city of Bend in Oregon. Richard Saunders' workshop with spoon bending, body balance tricks and more.
Tess Corkish and the Global Warming Rap - A Week in Science - Interviews from the 15th European Skeptics Congress. Our special guest reporter Shane Greenup - The 15th European Skeptics Congress, 23-25 August 2013, in Stockholm, Sweden. The conference is one in the series supported by the European Council of Skeptical Organisations. With Michael Marshal", Catherine de Jong, PJ and Michael Heap and Marit Simonsen
To celebrate the 777th episode of this podcast, Adrienne looks into the meaning behind the number 777. It's not just a type of airliner, but 777 appears in the most unlikely places. Just think, in another 777 episodes, it will be episode 1554!
0:13:54
Rob Palmer on Psychics
The Well-Known Skeptic talks about how people all over the world are taken in by psychic scams. From contacting the dead, to removing curses and also removing lots of money.
Rob recently interviewed Richard on the subject of UFOs for Skeptical Inquirer. Let's Talk UFOs: A Conversation with Richard Saunders (Youtube)
We catch up with Julie Lada who tells us about her adventures and encounters with woo woo in becoming a vet - A Week in Science - Maynard interviews Marlowe Cassetti about the early days of NASA and his thoughts on the so-called "moon landing hoax" - Eugenie Scott inducted into the IIG Hall of Honor
Psychic and Facilitated Communication, claiming to unlock unheard voices.
Adrienne, Susan Gerbic, and Janyce Boynton delve into the parallels between Psychics and facilitated communicators after viewing videos that exemplify each as frustrating, and heartbreaking.
Did this "entertainer", really see the bodies of dead aliens? Or is this a case of watching too many science-fiction TV shows? When does X turn into the X-Files and who can tell the difference?
CFI calls on their supporters to help defeat a pro-homeopathy amendment being proposed for the federal appropriations bill H.R. 4368. The homeopathy lobby is pushing hard for this amendment, and CFI needs their supporters to voice their opposition to their members of the U.S. Congress.
Skeptics on tour. Susan Gerbic and Kenny Biddle travel to Oregon where Kenny is to give lectures about critical thinking. Find out about how you can benefit from the Center For Inquiry's information.
Richard Saunders and Maynard at the Doctor Who exhibit, ABC centre in Sydney - Science Week at the Australian Museum. Interviews with science presenters doing outreach to students - A Week in Science - Another Big Psychic Show Rolls into Town. By Mal Vickers with assistance from Martin Hadley. Never has any psychic ever passed a rigorous scientific test of their claimed ability. While most skeptics are well aware of this, you'd think the media and society in general knew nothing of it.
A look at the social media reaction to the congressional subcommittee of June 26th to hear testimony from several military officers who allege the government is concealing evidence of UFOs. We discover many people now wrongly think that the US government has admitted to having real alien space ships in their possession.
Nate Eggins' mission is to encourage interest in science, promote critical thinking and offer new perspectives on the world through fun catchy music flavoured with his quirky sense of humour.
Dr Rachie Reports - With Dr Rachael Dunlop. Antivax chiros and accountability as evasive as a
subluxation - ANDINSCIENCE Campaign. We find out about the effort to get more science into the
media - A Week in Science - Extra. Dr Paul Willis from the Royal Institution of Australia - A chat with Radford and Dunning. Be a fly on the wall as Richard Saunders talks with Ben Radford and Brian Dunning - Maynard interviews Marlowe Cassetti about the early days of NASA
From the pages of the Skeptic Magazine, the Journal from Australian Skeptics, Richard Saunders casts an eye to the horizon in search of predicted tsunamis. He's still waiting.
QED is a two-day science and skepticism convention taking place at the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester from the 23rd-24th September 2023. Fantastic speakers from the worlds of science and entertainment will be joining them for a weekend celebration of science, reason and critical thinking. They aim to be an inclusive event, welcoming attendees from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders.
Adrienne plays host to various visiting skeptics from around the world. Listen in as she meets up with Craig and Susan Shearer from New Zealand, Faith and Rodriguez from the United States, and Andras G Pinter (co-host of the ESP Podcast) from Hungary.
0:46:36
A
Dive into a Trove
A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers
on a search for references to "The End of the World".
A interview with members of the Skeptical Society of St. Louis - At the Amazing Meeting we chat to Missy Rung-Blue, Dave Blue and Mike Bateman - A Week in Science (extra update) with Dr Paul Willis - A interview with Derek Colanduno -
At the Amazing Meeting we chat to Derek Colanduno from the popular Skepticality Podcast.
Verna Morris, Maureen Chuck, Ken McLeod, Monica Saville, Dr Richard
Gordon, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, John Bundock, Peter Bowditch and Lauren
Cochrane with Ada and Jack.
Join the cast of the Skeptic Zone Podcast, and a host of
special guests, in their first audio adventure as they board the
Australian Space Ship Solar Flare to fight
the forces of woo thoughout the galaxy!
Ducks
on a Coin 4,961 × 3,508 pixels, file size: 4.65 MB
Folded and Photographed
by Richard Saunders
The Skeptic Zone Podcast
is an independent production by Richard Saunders and the team of reporters.
The views and opinions expressed on the Skeptics Zone Podcast are not
necessarily those Australian Skeptics Inc. or any other skeptical organisation.