The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP

With András unavailable, we drag Annika out of retirement to launch the new year! In TWISH we hear about Martin Luther’s excommunication and while Pontus always enjoy seeing someone stand up to the Pope, Martin Luther himself was far from flawless. Then we have the news-round:SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Multi supplements are at best unnecessary and at worst dangerousEU: Amalgam is historyINTERNATIONAL: World endures ‘decade of deadly heat’ as 2024 caps hottest years on recordElon Musk, already adorned with the shameful Rusty Razor Award of 2024, add this week’s Really Wrong Award to his collection, this time for supporting the German AfD party.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-460.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:03:19 TWISH0:13:46 News0:29:18 Really Wrong0:33:05 Quote0:34:44 Outro0:35:59 Outtakes

We close the year with some topical items related to the season.Happy New Year!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-459.htmlSegments:0:00:25 Intro0:00:49 Greetings0:05:28 TWISH0:21:13 Special segment0:39:37 Quote0:41:35 Outro0:42:50 Outtakes

A little correction to start with, and then in TWISH we hear about the Jesuit and scientist Tommaso Ceva. Of course, we also have the news:SWEDEN: Private clinics on public contracts promoted nonsense cures, denied sick patients and cheatedHUNGARY: Government’s own fact checkers cause for concern in EuropeUK: Boycott against Arla for trying to reduce methane emissionsINTERNATIONAL: New comprehensive review of homeopathy is actually BSUK: Follow up on Church of England scandalROMANIA: Presidential elections called off after Russian meddlingThe EU has a regulation stating that farmers have to prioritize homeopathy before real veterinary medicine to keep their “organic” label, and for that the EU is Really Wrong.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:33 TWISH0:11:56 News0:39:36 Really Wrong0:45:56 Quote0:47:11 Outro0:48:26 Outtakeshttps://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-458.html

We start with the sad news that this is Annika’s last episode as a regular host. Over the last four years she has brought her unique perspective and insights (and puns!) to the show. But being part of a weekly podcast is tough commitment while at the same time balancing a fulltime job, raising a family and participating in other skeptical activities. We will miss her! And we hope to see her back again from time to time for guest appearances.In TWISH this week we celebrate the birth of Robert Koch, one of the ‘fathers of microbiology’ (together with Louis Pasteur). Then we have a look at the news:INTERNATIONAL: Adult skills in literacy and numeracy declining or stagnating in most OECD countriesINTERNATIONAL: Online influencers in urgent need of factchecking toolsINTERNATIONAL: How the far right is weaponising AI generated content in EuropeUK: Update: Sentence announced for ‘slapping therapist’ Hongchi XiaoUK: Resignation at the Royal SocietySWEDEN: Indian sect called ‘Oneness’ opens huge centerRUSSIA: FSB raids international scamming organisation Milton GroupThe Really Wrong Award for this week goes to ‘all politicians worldwide’ for their inability to address the climate crisis. Then we close out with a Word of the Week and a Quote.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-457.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:04:15 TWISH0:13:07 News0:56:34 Really Wrong1:00:36 Word of the Week1:06:09 Quote1:09:04 Outro1:10:19 Outtakes

After the usual pre-amble, we hear about the first prediction of a transit of Venus in TWISH. Calculated by Kepler himself you can only go go “Yay, science!”, and salute the guy. Then we get to the news:INTERNATIONAL: Company linked to cloned journals of major publishers denies cloning journals of major publishersAUSTRIA: The Golden Board in front of the head goes to… HealyUK: The UK ‘Assisted Dying Bill’ – reasons for concern?INTERNATIONAL: 20th translation of the Debunking Handbook now out!INTERNATIONAL: ‘Grey content’: how mainstream journalism accidentally fueled covid vaccine hesitancyWhy is it that all celebrities go bonkers and want to sell nonsense products? We don’t know, but David Beckham is no exception and for that he is Really Wrong.Enjoy!Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-456.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:08:08 TWISH0:13:45 News0:43:47 Really Wrong0:49:08 Quote0:50:14 Outro0:51:29 Outtakes

We start with some reflections on COP29 and then we send our big congratulations to Richard Saunders on receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Skeptics. Well deserved indeed! Another well deserved but shameful award goes to King Charles who received the New Zealand Skeptics’ Bent Spoon Award. In TWISH we look back at the founding of the Royal Society all the way back in 1660. Then, it’s time for the news:INTERNATIONAL: Measles cases at a massive surgeGERMANY: Court ruling states that informed consent is important when using SCAMNORWAY: Update: true con artists – the Princess and the Shaman have not paid the suppliers for their weddingAUSTRIA: Finalists of the Golden Board announcedSWITZERLAND: Deus in machina: Swiss church installs AI-powered JesusThis week’s Really Wrong Award goes to the Dutch minister of Education Eppo Bruins for his plans to slash education funding.Enjoy!Segments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:11:56 TWISH0:17:01 News0:43:00 Really Wrong0:46:48 Quote0:48:32 Outro0:49:47 Outtakeshttps://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-455.html

As everyone else these days we are moving from X to Bluesky, any help in driving traffic our way is much appreciated. The Humanists UK has published a new exciting book called What I Believe, named after podcast by the same name. You should check it out! In TWISH we hear about how the (then) Prince of Wales got his favorite charity for SCAM (So-Called Alternative Medicine) struck from the UK Charity Commission. Then, we head for the news:INTERNATIONAL: 2024 will be the first year above 1.5°CINTERNATIONAL: Climate crisis to blame for dozens of ‘impossible’ heatwaves, studies revealINTERNATIONAL: Retraction Watch is hiring!SPAIN: Video does not show ‘HAARP ship’ floating near Spain before floodsINTERNATIONAL: WHO teams up with TikTok to combat misinformation on social mediaThe Really Wrong Award goes to the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam for making a chiropractor professor.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-454.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:11:56 TWISH0:16:37 News0:36:14 Really Wrong0:40:55 Quote0:42:32 Outro0:43:47 Outtakes

It’s one election after another. The same day that the US voted orange, Germany decided on a snap election after the current coalition fell apart. Let’s hope people over here are better informed than the American voters. In TWISH we hear about ‘Doctor Universalis’ Albertus Magnus whose scientific mindset in the 13th century helped Europe begin its long and winding road out of the dark ages. Then we explore the news:ONLINE: ‘Akusoli’ is a typical example of woowoo products that are aggressively marketed onlineUK: Assisted dying bill’s ‘strict’ safeguards to include long jail terms for coercionSWEDEN: Warning regarding fake medicine onlineGERMANY: Who trusts science and who doesn’t?UK: The Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandalThe Really Wrong Award is split between oil producer Shell and a Dutch court of appeals that overturned Shell’s requirement to reduce their emission goals.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-453.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:53 Greetings0:04:54 TWISH0:12:16 News0:36:35 Really Wrong0:40:13 Quote0:42:08 Outro0:43:23 Outtakes

This is the first “regular episode” for a while and of course we cannot help to mourn the stupid results of the US elections. But since this is a European show we cannot let that stop us, so after a TWISH story of how Charles Darwin, 130 years after his death, gained over 4000 votes in the elections in the US state of Georgia, it’s time for the news:BULGARIA / NORTH MACEDONIA: Baba Vanga (баба Ванга), the Bulgarian psychicINTERNATIONAL: Wanna help out the Skeptical Science team?UK: King Charles and Queen Camilla on secret Bengaluru trip for woo treatmentINTERNATIONAL: A little help to nurses in combatting vaccine misinformationNORWAY: Spouse of Norwegian princess, ‘shaman’ Durek Verrett, accused of sexual assaultUK: Religious hate crimes at record high levelsThe NHS in the UK has all but done away with homeopathy, but still funds a number of unproven nonsense treatments and for that the receive this week award for being Really Wrong. And then before we sign off, we go to Turkey for a Word of the Week.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-452.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:06:01 TWISH0:11:19 News0:37:06 Really Wrong0:39:58 Word of the Week0:43:26 Quote0:48:38 Outro0:49:53 Outtakes