Episode #068

Episode #068

From the pages of The Skeptic magazine, this is The Skeptic podcast, bringing you the best of the magazine’s expert analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal since its relaunch as online news source in September 2020. On this episode: * Contorium: how a conspiracy narrative embraced a Turkish parody crystal [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2025/02/contorium-how-a-conspiracy-narrative-embraced-a-turkish-parody-crystal/] by Serdar Basegmez, from February 2025 * Don't Be A Dick: revisiting Phil Plait's 2010 advice to skeptics [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2025/02/dont-be-a-dick-revisiting-phil-plaits-2010-advice-to-skeptics/] by Sean Slater, from February 2025 * The Russian Game: the conspiracy mongering propaganda techniques designed to stoke division [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/05/the-russian-game-the-conspiracy-mongering-propaganda-techniques-designed-to-stoke-division/] by Dave Hahn, from May 2022 * Bill Cooper: the conspiracy theorist who links afrofuturist "Hoteps" with Alex Jones [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2021/04/bill-cooper-the-conspiracy-theorist-who-links-afrofuturist-hoteps-with-alex-jones/] by Aaron Rabinowitz, from April 2021 Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk [https://skeptic.org.uk/], or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic [https://patreon.com/theskeptic]

Episode #067

From the pages of The Skeptic magazine, this is The Skeptic podcast, bringing you the best of the magazine’s expert analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal since its relaunch as online news source in September 2020. On this episode: * Conspiracy theorists cry betrayal at Trump's selective approach to immigration [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2025/02/conspiracy-theorists-cry-betrayal-at-trumps-selective-approach-to-immigration/] by Dave Hahn, from February 2025 * Cannibalism: The long history of a modern propaganda tool [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2025/04/cannibalism-the-long-history-of-a-modern-propaganda-tool/] by James Williams, from April 2025 * Project Blue Beam is finally happening... as long as you cherry pick very carefully [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2025/02/project-blue-beam-is-finally-happening-as-long-as-you-cherry-pick-very-carefully/] by Nick Garratt, from February 2025 * JD Vance is right - for anti-intellectuals like him, the professors are the enemy [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2024/09/jd-vance-is-right-for-anti-intellectuals-like-him-the-professors-are-the-enemy/] by Edzard Ernst, from September 2024 Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk [https://skeptic.org.uk/], or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic [https://patreon.com/theskeptic]

Episode #066

From the pages of The Skeptic magazine, this is The Skeptic podcast, bringing you the best of the magazine’s expert analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal since its relaunch as online news source in September 2020. On this episode: * Netflix's Seaspiracy, and how to spot misinformation in glossy documentaries [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2021/06/netflixs-seaspiracy-and-how-to-spot-misinformation-in-glossy-documentaries/] by Sarah Hearne, from June 2021 * John Robison, the Illuminati, and the beginnings of a global superconspiracy theory [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/10/john-robison-the-illuminati-and-the-beginnings-of-a-global-superconspiracy-theory/] by Dave Hahn, from October 2022 * Del Bigtree's Better Way conference seeks to turn Covid conspiracists into full-on anti-vaxxers [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/06/del-bigtrees-better-way-conference-seeks-to-turn-covid-conspiracists-into-full-on-anti-vaxxers/] by Aaron Rabinowitz, from June 2022 Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk [https://skeptic.org.uk/], or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic [https://patreon.com/theskeptic]

Episode #065

From the pages of The Skeptic magazine, this is The Skeptic podcast, bringing you the best of the magazine’s expert analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal since its relaunch as online news source in September 2020. On this episode: * The American Culture War: Coming to a politics near you by Aaron Rabinowitz, from June 2021 * Time to ‘drop the crop’ - why cutting off the tips of dogs' ears is never right by Robyn Lowe, from March 2023 * Spontaneous Human Combustion: The truth behind the myth of Mary Carpenter by Matt Mills, from May 2021 Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk [https://skeptic.org.uk/], or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic [https://patreon.com/theskeptic]

Episode #064

From the pages of The Skeptic magazine, this is The Skeptic podcast, bringing you the best of the magazine’s expert analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal since its relaunch as online news source in September 2020. On this episode: * As a teacher, I wish I'd handled the conspiracy theorist in my class differently by Brian Montgomery, from March 2023 * Closed coffins and open coffers: the costs of Singaporean Chinese funeral practices by Ang Kai Randall, from July 2023 * In an increasingly secular America, religious conservatives exert power via the culture wars by Aaron Rabinowitz, from March 2022 * A Swift conspiracy: why almost all major celebrities get accused of being in the Illuminati by Dave Hahn, from November 2023 Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk [https://skeptic.org.uk/], or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic [https://patreon.com/theskeptic]