The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP

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 north London measles outbreakAUSTRIA: Group of scientists on how difficult it is to try to uphold scientific standardsINTERNATIONAL: Climate change confusion?INTERNATIONAL: Study finds deepfake to be alarmingly prevalentOn the same topic as two weeks ago, the Really Wrong Award goes to the UK education system for their very questionable religious education syllabus, while the Humanists UK get the Really Right Award for fighting back.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-519.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:09:46 TWISH0:19:07 News0:41:30 Really Wrong / Really Right0:45:54 Quote0:47:43 Outro0:49:06 Outtakes

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 birthday. Vágó was the first president of the Hungarian Skeptics and also a TV personality specializing in quiz shows and a famous promoter of the virtue of facts. Then, we turn to the news:UK: Only 4 of 66 ‘statin side effects’ are actually from the drug itselfHUNGARY: Meta fails to filter political ads, Tisza fails to use statistics correctlySWEDEN: Exorcism in SwedenUK: Young people fearful of false claims and AI misleading votersSWEDEN: Murder of Olof Palme: Attorney General has some explaining to doRussia is now so short of labor and soldiers due to their invasion of Ukraine that they use any means to lure foreigners to sign up as cannon fodder. For that, and for ruining not just Ukraine but also Russia itself, Vladimir Putin (again) gets the Award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-518.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:46 TWISH0:18:34 News0:52:11 Really Wrong0:54:53 Quote0:57:05 Outro0:58:27 Outtakes

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 exaggeratedEUROPE: Council of Europe calls for ban on conversion therapiesUK: Gen Z churchgoing is actually still decliningPOLAND: MMS use strongly discouraged by scientist based on latest researchSWEDEN: COVID-19 vaccination carries no association with childbirth rates in SwedenINTERNATIONAL: AI safety report indicates we’re not doing enoughJaved Love is a teacher in Northern Ireland who is exercising his right not to spread religious beliefs in the classroom. For that he is Really Right!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-517.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:06:22 TWISH0:17:40 News0:54:17 Really Right0:57:32 Quote0:59:21 Outro1:00:44 Outtakes

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 given rise to an ‘exorcism economy’ in RussiaUK: The current status and concerns of the proposed ban on social media for under 16sSPAIN / SWEDEN: More immigrants, please!Spain to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrantsSwedish Communes say they want more immigrants – for the community and added workforceINTERNATIONAL: So, where do we actually stand on microplastics?UK: Bigfoot has crossed the pondThe Really Wrong Award goes to the UK House of Lords, where a few unelected persons are somehow allowed to filibuster the Assisted Dying Bill.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-516.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:10:45 TWISH0:28:07 News1:00:57 Really Wrong1:05:35 Word of the Week1:06:54 Quote1:08:18 Outro1:09:40 Outtakes

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 revolutionary way back in the 16th century. Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN: Religious teacher used exorcism against special needs studentsUK: Fake AI doctors endorse weight loss patches on social mediaGERMANY: Changes in German beliefs in pseudoscienceTÜRKIYE: Technobabble papers by professor and editor under scrutinyThe Faculty of Law in Lund gets a Really Right Award for speaking up against an unscientific and fact resistant new legal reform.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-515.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:08:58 TWISH0:21:47 News0:46:48 Really Right0:53:02 Quote0:54:20 Outro0:55:42 Outtakes

2025 was the third hottest year on record, but that hardly even makes the news. In TWISH we hear about the science communicator Jacob Bronowski, and then it’s time for the news:VATICAN / RUSSIA / USA: The Vatican offered Maduro safe way to RussiaSWITZERLAND: Erich von Däniken dead at 90AI: Followup from last week: Google removes some AI overviewsEU: Authorities do not even open international alerts about medical misconductSWEDEN: Linda Karlström, Confounderer of the year 2020, loses court appealSWEDEN: Enlightener and Confounderer of the year 2025UK: Vaccination schedule changed for the betterThe Really Wrong Award goes to WHO for continuously promoting the idea that traditional “medicine” should be integrated in modern health care.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-514.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:02:43 TWISH0:11:11 News0:44:30 Really Wrong0:49:49 Quote0:50:58 Outro0:52:20 Outtakes