The European Skeptics Podcast - The ESP

We start with some listener feedback from Poland and a short follow-up regarding last week’s report on pet whisperers. In TWISH we hear about Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, a German astronomer, physicist and mathematician whose way of thinking still influences both scientific rigor and skepticism today.Then, we take a look at the news:INTERNATIONAL: New weather-related threat: Forecast prediction scamsHUNGARY: Chief Medical Officer issues statement to warn against use of ivermectin and the like as cancer cureSCANDINAVIA: Forget the Vikings? Postdoctoral fellow critical of image portrayed by museums of the Viking eraThe Really Wrong Award goes to BB Gårda, a so-called “Birth Center” in Sweden and the idea that such centers would be a positive development.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-541.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:07:16 TWISH0:16:09 News0:33:03 Really Wrong0:42:03 Quote0:43:33 Outro0:44:56 Outtakes

The heatwave continues and analysis finds that most news reporting fails to mention climate change. In TWISH we hear about the founding of Accademia del Cimento, in many ways the start of scientific experimentation during the enlightenment. Then we go into the news:UK / RUSSIA / US: Musk family foundation funded Tommy Robinson’s trip to MoscowGERMANY: IGeL Monitor rates osteopathy for non-specific low back pain as unclearSWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Quackery round-up: Excessive testosterone usage, and pointless IVF supplementsSo-called ‘pet whisperers’ are all around us, making money by pretending to talk to our dogs and cats. Of course, they are Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-540.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:07:16 TWISH0:16:09 News0:33:03 Really Wrong0:42:03 Quote0:43:33 Outro0:44:56 Outtakes

We received some listener feedback regarding Ricky Gervais, and the Hungarian state media apologizes for the lies during Orbán(!). In TWISH we hear about Robert Chambers, the anonymous publisher who helped pave the way for Darwin.Then, it’s time for the news:SWEDEN / NORWAY: Resurgence of JW in Sweden and NorwayAUSTRIA: Austrians seem to have lost confidence in homeopathyINTERNATIONAL: Quackery round-up: misused Alzheimer’s test, cancer treatment with bleach, and fake diabetes supplementGERMANY: Couple on trial for mistreatment of child’s illnessSelf-appointed (is there any other kind?) psychic Christoffer Norén receives this week’s award for being Really Wrong, while Susan Gerbic gets the Really Right Award for her ‘Psychics Explained’ Youtube channel.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-539.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:15:49 TWISH0:22:16 News0:41:06 Really Wrong / Really Right0:46:17 Quote0:47:41 Outro0:49:04 Outtakes

Science shows that the heatwave in Europe was made much worse by climate crisis, and in TWISH we hear about an old but classic ‘UFO encounter’ in France. Naturally, we also take a look at the news:SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Pontus Pokes the Politicians: Psychologist argues that politicians focus too much on values to explain crimesSPAIN / INTERNATIONAL: Boiron shifts to dietary supplements as market for homeopathy is shrinkingINTERNATIONAL: Are AI tools left, right, or just plainly wrong?UK: Conversion practices ban introduced in three out of four partsWe celebrate the success of HPV vaccination program by handing a Really Right Award to – Science!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-538.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:07:55 TWISH0:15:04 News0:41:18 Really Right0:45:12 Quote0:46:32 Outro0:47:54 Outtakes

The applications to talk at SkeptiCamp in October are now open, don’t be shy! In TWISH we hear about how the jesuit priest Angelo Secchi unwittingly became the origin of tales about green men on Mars. Then, it’s time for the news:EUROPE / WORLD: European heatwave / El Niño officially under wayAUSTRIA: Study links authoritarian attitudes to belief in Anthroposophic medicineEUROPE / WORLD: Is EU falling for the great replacement theory?The European Commission gets today’s award for being Really Right since they finally are easing the rules for CRISPR crops in the EU.In Who’s Quacking? we feature Paulo Zampolli, sel-appointed “Envoy to Italy” who has tried to sneak Italy back into the World Cup, even though they clearly did not qualify.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-537.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:03:25 TWISH0:10:38 News0:30:06 Really Right0:33:48 Who's Quacking?0:39:31 Quote0:40:57 Outro0:42:20 Outtakes

Climate crisis reaches all the way up to Scandinavia and in TWISH we hear about Roger Bacon, an early advocate for investigative science.Then we have the news:SCOTLAND / INTERNATIONAL: Research integrity and transparency in SCAM journalsENGLAND: Church of England spends a fortune on evangelismSWEDEN: Scandals and corruption as Sweden prepares for September electionsUK: Doctors and NHS could be sued for mistakes caused by AITommy Robinson cynically exploits tragic attack in Belfast which earns him this week’s Really Wrong Award.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-535.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:03:42 TWISH0:11:41 News0:40:16 Really Wrong0:44:10 Quote0:45:00 Outro0:46:23 Outtakes

These days even cognitive biases are automated. In TWISH we hear about the skeptical TV-series X-Aknák (X-Mines) that ran on Hungarian TV in the early 2000s. Then, it’s time for the news:UK / INTERNATIONAL: Canadian man admits sending ‘suicide packets’ to hundreds of people in the UK and around the worldUK / INTERNATIONAL: John Maddox Prize open for nominationsINTERNATIONAL: Online ads are becoming harder to spot – but we’re not powerless to stop itGERMANY: Interviews from SkepKon 2026 now availableThe Conference of Deans of Faculties of Medicine in France aims to throw out alternative medicine from the universities and for that they are Really Right!Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-534.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:51 Greetings0:06:54 TWISH0:14:38 News0:31:22 Really Right0:36:13 Quote0:38:03 Outro0:39:25 Outtakes

Not even June and people are already dying from heatwave in Europe. Skepkon 2026 in Regensburg looks to have been a hit and speaking of conferences – don’t forget to plan your trip to ESC Liverpool in October! In TWISH we hear about the man behind the Watchmaker analogy and then it’s time for the news:NORWAY / SWEDEN: Assisted death pushed too farUK: Wellness coach dies of frog poisonINTERNATIONAL: Smart phones are promoting populismGERMANY: Historical cryptozoological find has been elegantly debunkedA bunch of AI LLMs mislead voters before the Scottish election this month, and for that they share the Award for being Really Wrong.Enjoy!https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-533.htmlSegments:0:00:27 Intro0:00:50 Greetings0:08:36 TWISH0:20:26 News0:39:06 Really Wrong0:43:13 Quote0:44:48 Outro0:46:11 Outtakes