Archive for category Skeptics in the Pub
Charlotte Hardman – Feeding the mind: Is chocolate really as addictive as cocaine?
Posted by Alice in Skeptics in the Pub on August 31, 2018
When: Thursday,November 15th 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: The Casa Bar, 29 Hope Street
Why is it so difficult to stop eating the chocolates even though we’re full? A popular idea is that certain foods like chocolate are addictive and that “food addiction” explains why so many people are overweight.
But does food really have the same effects on the mind and body as hard drugs? Or is food addiction simply a myth or an excuse for over-eating?
To answer these questions, I will talk about the latest scientific research on food and addiction with a particular focus on the role of psychology. I will consider the similarities but also the key differences between eating and substance use disorders.
Dr Charlotte Hardman is a lecturer in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Liverpool. Her research examines the factors which influence appetite, eating and food preferences and she has worked in this area for more than 15 years, including designing and testing interventions to change eating behaviour. She has a PhD in Psychology and has published over 40 scientific papers in prestigious journals including Nature Reviews Endocrinology and the International Journal of Obesity.
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James Crossland – Fake News is Old News: The British Origins of 21st Century Psychological Warfare.
Posted by Alice in Skeptics in the Pub on August 30, 2018
When: Thursday, September 20th 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: The Casa Bar, 29 Hope Street
In recent years, the idea of the internet being “weaponised” to disseminate propaganda and warp public perceptions has been presented as a new means of waging war. The idea of one state using the latest communications technology to engage in psychological warfare against another, however, is far from new, nor is it the uniquely Russian practice that it is often presented as today. As this talk will explain, so many of the psychological warfare techniques used by the trolls of today were not developed in Russian “bot factories”, but in top secret radio stations in Britain over 70 years ago. There, during the country’s darkest hour, a rag-tag group of journalists, poets and political hacks conspired to wage a war of words against Hitler’s Germany, and in so doing pioneered what we in the 21st century now call fake news, targeted propaganda, and communications hi-jacking.
James Crossland is a Senior Lecturer in International History at Liverpool John Moores University. A specialist in the history of modern warfare, intelligence and the laws of armed conflict, he is the author of War, Law and Humanity: the Campaign to Control Warfare, and Britain and the International Committee of the Red Cross, 1939-1945.
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Paul Duncan McGarrity: A Practical Guide to Attacking Castles
Posted by Mike in Skeptics in the Pub on June 9, 2018
When: Thursday, July 19th 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: Frederiks, 32 Hope St, Liverpool
From the age of sieges and chivalry comes a show about medieval love, adrenaline junkies and an insane quest for glory. Join comedian and archaeologist Paul Duncan McGarrity as he explains how modern life could be so much better if we all take a moment and learn how to attack a castle. From the host of the Ask an Archaeologist podcast and live show comes another hour of hysterical historical fun.
‘A more pleasant way to pass an hour could scarcely be found’ (BroadwayBaby.com).
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Pixie Turner: Never Mind The Nutribollocks
Posted by Mike in Skeptics in the Pub on June 9, 2018
When: Thursday, June 21st 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: Frederiks, 32 Hope St, Liverpool
Low-fat, low-carb, lose weight, eat clean…never before have we had access to so much nutrition information, and never before have we been so confused about what to eat. The rise of social media and the ‘wellness’ movement has allowed nutrition misinformation to spread like wildfire. But what is actually fact when it comes to eating healthy? And why are we so eager to fall for pseudoscience when it comes to our diet?
Pixie is a nutritionist (ANutr), food blogger, and avid Instagrammer. She graduated with a First Class degree in Biochemistry, and went on to complete a Masters in Nutrition with Distinction. She runs an award-winning blog, and has been featured as a nutrition expert on BBC and Channel 5. Her first book, ‘The Wellness Rebel’ was published April this year.
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Robin Ince: Pragmatic Insanity
Posted by Marsh in Skeptics in the Pub on March 17, 2018
When: Thursday, May 3rd 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: The Casa, 29 Hope St, Liverpool
Robin Ince’s first new stand up show in three years is a clash of the two cultures, a joyous romp through his favourite artists and strangest scientific ideas. From the work of Stanley Spencer to Niels Bohr, it is 90 minutes fizzing with ideas about creativity in science and art, as well as asking why we believe we see what we see and why we believe what we believe.
As well as being a prolific stand-up, Robin Ince is the co-host of the award winning BBC Radio 4 show Infinite Monkey Cage and author of several books, including I’m a Joke…and So Are You. He is the winner of the Time Out Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award, as well as The Francis Crick Science Journalism Award and 3 Chortle awards. He recently finished a 70-date, record-breaking tour with Brian Cox that concluded at Wembley Arena.
As with all MSS events, tickets are free, but entrance will be prioritised to people who reserve a place via Eventbrite:
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Alice Howarth: Cancer cures – are we nearly there yet?
Posted by Marsh in Skeptics in the Pub on January 10, 2018
When: Thursday, February 15th 2018, 7.30 – 11.00 PM
Where: Hus, Tempest Building, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2DT
One in two of us will suffer with cancer in our lifetime and almost all of us have some experience of the disease. But do we really know what cancer is and how we can work towards a cure? Is a cure even possible? And how can we arm ourselves with the right information to help us prevent and treat cancer?
Alice is a researcher who has worked in the Institute of Translational Medicine at the University of Liverpool with both non-profit and for-profit organisations. In this talk she will discuss what cancer is, how it works and just how we are working towards understanding and curing the disease. She will talk about the complexities of research and some of the big success stories that relate directly to some of the many types of cancer. Only when we understand the difficulties we face can we discern between bogus cancer treatment claims and genuine scientific advancement in this field
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