Explore every episode of the podcast The Skeptic Podcast

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: 

• "It's in our DNA": the clichés that only confuse the public about genetics and essentialism by Carlos Orsi from March 2024

• The 'raw feeding' fad can cause real harm to your pets - and to you by Danny Chambers & Robyn Lowe from March 2022

• The UK's plan to please India by promoting Ayurvedic medicine puts politics ahead of science by Edzard Ernst from July 2021

• Papaya and milk – the traditional Asian solution to breast augmentation by Rachel Ooi from August 2024

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• MSG and the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome: the persistence of a nutritional myth by Elissar Gerges from August 2022

• Dental surgeries need to reassess Covid safety measures as we recover from the pandemic by Shaun Sellars from October 2021

• Renewable energy could flip the balance of power in the current war between AC and DC by Ian Harrison from May 2024

• Hit them in the feels: Confirmation Bias and the emotional component of reason by Brian Davis from July 2023

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• Joe Nickell, legendary skeptical investigator, dies at the age of 80 by Blake Smith from March 2025

• Has my dog got autism? The online groups that claim vaccines cause autism... in dogs by Robyn Lowe from August 2022

• Not all dentists follow evidence-based medicine - here are some red flags to watch out for by Shaun Sellars from May 2021

• Five persistent myths about caring for houseplants, and why they're wrong by Alice Howarth from January 2024

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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 Beecher story, the origin of the placebo effect myth, likely didn't happen, by Mike Hall from February 2025

• Health food stores - a danger to public health? by Edzard Ernst from February 2021

• #TradWife: the misogynistic movement based on cosplaying an American ideal, by Claire Klingenberg from April 2024

• The Satanic Panic and the McMartin pre-school trial, by Sean Slater from July 2024   

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Irredeemably Flawed: The IPP prisoner scandal, and the death of Matthew Price, by Emma McClure from April 2024

Psychics and mediums: Mad, bad, or dangerous to know?, by Chris French from March 2021

King Charles appoints alt-med fan Dr Michael Dixon as Head of the Royal Medical Household, by Edzard Ernst from May 2023

Reptoids and lizard-like rulers: who truly owns a conspiracy theory? by Dave Hahn from August 2026

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 persistence of error: why longevity doesn't equate to veracity, by Carlos Orsi from June 2023

• Greenwashing: The dark side of the sustainable fashion industry, by Elissar Gerges from November 2023 

• Down the rabbit hole: Why people think rabbit ears act as a dewormer for dogs, by Robyn Lowe from November 2023

• A doomscrollers guide to climate hyperbole: countering the doomism of Deep Adaptation, by Ted Lefroy from January 2021 

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• A brief history of The Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit by Chris French, from March 2025

• Norway banned the breeding of brachycephalic dogs - is it time for other countries to follow suit? By Robyn Lowe, from March 2022

• Professor Christopher Essex: denialism meets philosophy of science by Alfie Hoar, from February 2022

• Definitions matter - say what you mean, and mean the agreed-upon definitions by Brian Davis, from May 2023

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• Regulators take action against dentist offering applied kinesiology and cranial osteopathy by Shaun Sellars, from May 2022

• From the archives: A look at paranormal trends in the Soviet Union by Tim Axon, from January 1992

• When it comes to research, so-called alternative medicine is hostile to progress by Edzard Ernst, from August 2021

• Romance in the stones? The power of crystals vs the power of suggestion by Chris French, from April 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• Critical thinking is trending, so why doesn't it seem like it's helping? by Brian Davis, from March 2023

• Is the US government worried about UFOs? Or is that just what THEY want you to think? By Blake Smith, from November 2021

• Exploding Head Syndrome is no joke – and neither is sleep paralysis by Chris French, from October 2021

• As pet owners increasingly turn to CBD products, do claims match the evidence? by Robyn Lowe, from July 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• A Rotten Apple Spoils the Barrel: Debunking the Fad of Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar to Lose Weight by Claire George, from January 2022 

• Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar shows the shameless reality of Belle Gibson's fraud by Abi Kennedy, from March 2025 

• We can understand the effect of privilege better when we consider it in terms of moral luck by Aaron Rabinowitz, from September 2021 

• Back-masking: You can't always hear what you want by Sean Slater, from April 2025 

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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: 

• BTS = Bow to Satan? How Satanic, Illuminati conspiracies travelled from West to East by Marnell Esmilla, from June 2021 

• The radicalisation of "Joan": a true-life account of one colleagues slide into conspiracism by Anonymous, from November 2023 

• When predictions fail: UFO cults, QAnon and cognitive dissonance by Chris French, from February 2021 

• Could AI generated summaries of scientific consensus help tackle disinformation? by Alfie Hoar, from March 2023 

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• Bizarre double death: spontaneous human combustion, or merely tragic coincidence? by Andy Owens, from September 2022

• Medical mistrust: what to do when the evidence isn't enough by Robyn Lowe, from February 2022

• Sacred Cloths? Flags, outrage, and the skeptical mindset by Gabriel Andrade, from August 2025

• DNA analysis almost certainly hasn't just solved the mystery of Jack the Ripper by Mike Hall, from March 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• Defending Critical Race Theory is impossible without highlighting the moral panic around it by Aaron Rabinowitz, from August 2022

• You should take the opportunity to see pseudoscience up close - here's how by Michael Marshall, from April 2025 

• Obituary: Kendrick Frazier, editor-in-chief of the Skeptical Inquirer and long-time skeptic by Amardeo Sarma, from November 2022

• Alternative medicine for animals: why we should keep quacks away from our furry friends by Edzard Ernst, from March 2023

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• NHS Lincolnshire Reiki-d over the coals for 'Spiritual Healer' job ad by Brian Eggo, from September 2020

• Veterinary Homeopathy: Is the bark worse than the bite? by Robyn Lowe, from April 2022

• Fears of creeping transhumanism give space for overt conspiracism in Gender Critical communities by Aaron Rabinowitz, from February 2022

• Say cheese: we shouldn't listen to scaremongering about oestrogen and dairy by Alice Howarth, from May 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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: 

• Recovering memories: The truth is, the Satanic Panic never really went away by Chris French, from August 2021

• The climate change deniers spreading misinformation... with charitable status by Alfie Hoar, from January 2022

• The Bewilder Gambit: a conspiracy theorist tactic designed to distract by Dave Hahn, from August 2021

• No end of faith: How do religions survive a devastating truth bomb? By Tim Jokl, from August 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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: 

• History is written by the victors, and the losers, and by everyone else as well by Victoria Stiles, from December 2020

• Recovering memories: Could the Satanic Panic happen again? by Chris French, from July 2021

• Fictional impressions: the shaky foundations of many common forensic science techniques by Dave Hahn, from March 2023

• Going cashless may be the future, but we can't afford to leave vulnerable people behind by Alif Yahya, from July 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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:

• Did earthquake guru Frank Hoogerbeets really foresee the disaster in Turkey and Syria? by Frank Visser, from February 2023
• Recovering memories: The Satanic Panic by Chris French, from May 2021
• Darling, you smell lovely: what role does body odour play in dating? by Ginny Smith, from July 2021
• The recent New Jersey drone scare tells us a lot about how panics spread by Dave Hahn, from January 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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: 

• Are the claims for using coffee waste in the garden well grounded? by Sarah Hearne, from September 2021

• The Overton window of conspiracy theories has shifted toward the extreme - we need to drag it back by Dave Hahn, from February 2022 

• The March for Life conference showed the US influence on UK anti-abortion groups by Abi Kennedy, from October 2025 

• The Quantified Self: technological gimmick or genuine game changer?By Al Isthifah Bin Mazlan, from July 2024 

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 by Serdar Basegmez, from February 2025

• Don't Be A Dick: revisiting Phil Plait's 2010 advice to skeptics by Sean Slater, from February 2025

• 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 by Aaron Rabinowitz, from April 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 by Dave Hahn, from February 2025

• 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 by Nick Garratt, from February 2025

• 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, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic 

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 by Sarah Hearne, from June 2021
• 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 by Aaron Rabinowitz, from June 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

• Andrew Tate's misogynistic BRUV political party is a joke we should take seriously by Abi Kennedy from February 2025
• The Truth of Skinwalker Ranch… probably won't shock you by Nick Garratt from April 2025
• Perspectives on Peer Review by Edzard Ernst from November 2020
• The Better Way conspiracy conference went all-in on the moral panic around trans people by Aaron Rabinowitz from August 2023

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 Tartarian Conspiracy: a silly pseudo-archaeology for our serious times by Dave Hahn from April 2025
• In the face of AI-driven encyclopedia, cherish Wikipedia - and original sources by Hayley Stevens from December 2025
• Lytham's 'Beast of Green Drive': The Monster that almost certainly wasn't by Andy Owens from October 2022
• Understanding the origins of the 15-Minute City panic takes just 30 minutes by Tim Jokl from February 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

• Attempts to "bring back" the woolly mammoth distract us from vital conservationist goals by Sarah Hearne from November 2021
• The anti-fluoridation movement is born of public health mistrust and misinformation by Elissar Gerges from January 2025
• Auriculotherapy: why poking needles into your earlobe is, essentially, pointless by Edzard Ernst from December 2023

   

• Patients with Alzheimer's deserve care and dignity - not false hope of miracle cures by Lena Bohman from January 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Conclave raises fascinating questions about hypothetical scenarios within the Catholic Church, by Gabriel Andrade, from January 2025

Coping with Death: Why the 5 stages of grief don't tell the whole story, by Sarah Hearne, from May 2021

A brief history of radio-phobia: new technology is always met with fear and uncertainty, by Sean Slater, from February 2024

Brazil's Covid-19 inquiry puts pseudoscience on trial, by Natalia Pasternak, from June 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Exploring the limits of skepticism. Part 3: The value of adversarial collaborations, by Chris French, from January 2026

Rachel Elnaugh: the Dragon's Den star and Covid conspiracist preparing for the 'food apocalypse', by Mark Horne, from January 2023

Counterweight, and the continued enabling of bad faith 'anti-woke' actors, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from July 2021

The much-hyped UAP report's lack of substance will do little to deter avid UFO believers, by Nigel Watson, from July 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Exploring the limits of skepticism. Part 2: The plot thickens, by Chris French, from November 2025

Cheap talk skepticism: why we need to push back against those who are 'just asking questions', by Aaron Rabinowitz, from January 2021

Fact checking a live debate taught me we shouldn't let political falsehoods stand, by Brian Eggo, from March 2021

How genuine is cultural commentators' 'concern' for OnlyFans model Lily Phillips?, by Abi Kennedy, from January 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Exploring the limits of skepticism. Part 1: We need an Epilogue, by Chris French, from September 2025

Those who define as 'post-tribal' forget that we all have communities - and biases, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from November 2021

From the outset, chiropractors have held anti-vax views – sadly, not much has changed, by Edzard Ernst, from October 2020

Rapa Nui: European myths mask the reason for societal collapse on Easter Island - colonialism, by Sarah Hearne, from August 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Animals, acupuncture and alt-med: the Brazilian penguin being subjected to Enya, by Natalia Pasternak, from November 2024

Donald Trump's survival was no miracle - unlikely things happen, without supernatural interference, by Gabriel Andrade, from July 2024

Another mass shooting in America cites the Great Replacement conspiracy theory as motivation, by Dave Hahn, from June 2022

The assisted dying conversation requires sensitive and compassionate debate, by Brian Eggo, from January 2025

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 shaky evidence for medical cannabis, by Dave Hahn, from June 2023

Paul McCartney and The Bates Method of eyesight restoration, by Mark Horne, from July 2021

Brazil's bogus "Covid kit" represents a failure of private healthcare regulation, by Natália Pasternak, from April 2021

From the archives: Fact checking the decibels at Wimbledon, by Wendy Grossman, from April 2012

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

How Religion Trumped Science in America's Coronavirus Response, by Noah Lugeons, from November 2020

If we're going to convince the vaccine hesitant, we need to tackle conspiratorial thinking, by Dave Hahn, from May 2021

Spotify Trapped? The algorithm is not what's keeping you from new music, by Nick Garrett, from December 2024

The Cost of Loving: falling birthrates, and the increased role of personal choice in procreation, by Deborah Hyde, from July 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Birdfeeders are very popular, but are they what's best for our feathered friends?, by Sarah Hearne, from December 2021

An unconvincing 'psychic' night in Hamilton with medium Elaine Claire, by Brian Eggo, from June 2024

Beware the 'They': once we believe in hidden, evil cabals, we can be convinced of anything, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from February 2021

I will eat the bugs: the latest insect-eating meme from conspiracy theorists doesn't scare me, by Dave Hahn, from May 2024

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

When it comes to conspiracy theories, even the small stuff matters, by Dave Hahn, from July 2021

The life vest uprising, and pandemic science communication, by Natalia Pasternak, from May 2023

Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock: from alien conspiracies to antisemitism, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from February 2023

Activated charcoal is increasingly popular, so let's talk about what makes for a good toothpaste, by Shaun Sellars, from March 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Understanding conspiracy theory tactics: moving the goalposts, by Dave Hahn, from December 2021

How many young people deny the Holocaust? The truth might actually surprise you, by Michael Marshall, from July 2024

ASMR: the emerging scientific quest to understand brain 'tingles', by Sarah Hearne, from October 2021

From the archives: Romancing the Stone - The lure of alchemy continues, by Tom Ruffles, from January 1990

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

A Mystery to Ourselves': from the Witches of Worboys, to an epidemic of Tik Tok tics, by Deborah Hyde, from October 2021

Species, Individual, Gender – biology and taxonomy don't deal in black and white, by Sarah Hearne, from March 2021

The paradox of progress: how some social improvements paper over unfairness and inequality, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from October 2021

From the archives: UFOs Over Russia, by Tom Ruffles, from March 1990

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 real-world harm of nutritional misinformation, by Maeve Hanan, from October 2024

More wishful thinking than medical reality: "Placebos" by Kathryn T. Hall, by Dave Hahn, from December 2022

Toby Young's Daily Sceptic and Free Speech Union are no allies of critical thinkers, by Michael Marshall, from June 2024

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

"Who decides?": how fair questions can derail meaningful action, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from March 2021

From the archives: Twitching sticks - the (pseudo)science of dowsing, by Anthony Garrett, from October 1989

Racism is a real phenomenon, but that doesn't mean that the idea of "biological race" is real, by Natalia Pasternak, from August 2024

Monkey Business: humans aren't alone in recognising a good bargain, by Deborah Hyde, from February 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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 'Cryptoterrestrial Hypothesis' that wants us to believe aliens have always been among us, by Dave Hahn, from August 2024

The story of the Satanic Panic is a tale of religious and cultural paranoia in America, by Deborah Hyde, from June 2021

Moms for Liberty: serving moral panic with a side of BASIC cannibalism, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from April 2022

From the archives: Homeopathy and the 10:23 campaign, by Mark Williams, from July 2012

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Are you skeptical About Free Will? Prove it!, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from December 2020

We all need good hand hygiene, but antibacterial soaps are a waste of time, by Alice Howarth, from December 2020

From the archives: Korean fan death, the curiously-local mass killer, by Deborah Hyde, from January 2011

How to engage with arguments rationally, respectfully, and with humility, by Michael Marshall, from May 2024

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Patience isn't just a virtue, it's a crucial part of showing compassion for conspiracy theorists, by Michael Marshall from May 2023

The mosaic of memory: how we constantly rewrite our memories of our past, by Chris French from January 2004

A visit to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, the UK's only explicitly creationist tourist attraction, by Sarah Hearne, from January 2022

An Unhealthy Dose of Viral Conspiracy, by Hayley Stevens from October 2020

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Whisper it quietly and go heavy on the caveats, but David Icke is right, by Dave Hahn from March 2024

From the archive: Forgive us our trespasses - Rendlesham and diplomacy, by Peter Brookesmith from April 2006

Mas Sajady: the Get Well quantum guru who just wants to know if he makes sense, by Michael Marshall from October 2022

Christmas as we know it is appropriated, co-opted, bastardised… and thoroughly magical, by Paul Duncan McGarrity from December 2020

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Gerson Support Group cancer 'cure' charity removed from register by Charity Commission, by Michael Marshall from March 2022

Rhyme and Reason: a Rael expert takes a look at the Raelian movement, by Steve Donnelly from April 2002

Echo chambers create an illusion of consensus around medical misinformation, by Michael Marshall from March 2022

The many traditions of Christmas that are now lost to history, by Toby Howard from December 1989

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Why I called for the Brazilian Senate to impeach President Bolsanaro over our Covid crisis, by Natalia Pasternack from July 2021

From the archives: Why Do People Believe in the Paranormal? Skeptical happenings in Lowestoft, by Jean Dorricott from May 1990

When we talk about the scientific consensus, we need to be clear what we mean, by Michael Marshall from February 2022

When it comes to conservation, cat-fights only hurt our communication efforts, by Ada McVean from September 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Closing the information gap on GM technology means addressing fear, as well as ignorance, by Natalia Pasternak from September 2021

Is the pandemic turning young people to god? Don't believe the prayer PR, by Michael Marshall from October 2021

Distinguishable from intelligence? Don't mistake technology with superiority, by Wendy Grossman from January 2003

Sine Missione, and the conspiracy theorists who use graffiti to spread pseudoscience, by Mark Horne from May 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Misleading propaganda from 'Care Not Killing' is designed to poison the well on assisted dying, by Brian Eggo from September 2021

Everything you ever wanted to know about astrology – for free, by Chris French from November 2024

A historical Dutch UFO hunt - How one phone call roused all Amsterdam, by Marcel Hulspas from September 1988

Nikola Tesla and the Cult of the Mysterious Genius, by Mark Horne from June 2022

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Natural" health influencers will tell you sunscreen is bad for you - are they right? (No), by Alice Howarth from June 2023

When shows like Pod Save America run psuedoscience ads, they undermine their credibility, by Michael Marshall from February 2021

Are there hidden messages in the Bible? Revisiting the claims of the Bible Code, by Klash Schmeh from October 2011

Blackpool's 'Chariots of the Gods' park is built on racist assumptions about the past, by Mark Horne from February 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

David Icke's 2018 live tour sowed the seeds for his move back to the mainstream, by Michael Marshall from April 2018

10 persistent HIV myths we need to move past to break the stigma of the disease, by Alice Howarth from February 2021

Technophobia: Facebook and computers cause cancer; typewriters apparently don't, by Mark Williams from January 2011

(35:59) 2019's 'The Mandela Effect' is a stylish, shallow exploration of a rather silly conspiracy theory, by Mark Horne from April 2021

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic

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:

Climate change deniers set Net Zero as the new target for their misinformation, by Michael Marshall from January 2022

Science can be a candle in the dark, as long as you're not actively trying to avoid the light, by David Weinberg from June 2022

When The Skeptic came of age: a 2011 reflection on the first 21 years of the magazine, by Wendy Grossman from January 2011

The real story behind those crystal skulls Indiana Jones went looking for, by Sean Slater from July 2023

Find more from The Skeptic at skeptic.org.uk, or to support the show, take out a small voluntary donation at patreon.com/theskeptic