The official podcast of The Skeptic, the UK’s longest-running publication offering skeptical analysis of pseudoscience, conspiracy theory and claims of the paranormal.
Produced and presented by Michael Marshall.
Latest Episode
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
Previous Episodes
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
- 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
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
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. In this special episode, our editor Michael Marshall announces the winners of the 2025 Ockham awards.
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:
One small step at a time, the alternative medicine industry is radicalising people... with disastrous consequences, by Michael Marshall from November 2020
The Canary Islands' Black Pyramids: history doesn't have to be mysterious to be interesting, by Mark Horne from December 2021
From the archives: Jacques Benoit's (failed) experiments with telepathic snails, by Toby Howard from November 1988
Why Inaccuracies in Bill Cooper's influential conspiracy theory book serve as its strength, by Thiago Vahia from September 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:
What William Radam's "Microbe Killer" can teach us about modern stem cell quackery, by David Weinberg from May 2021
Is the ultra processed food fear simply the next big nutritional moral panic?, by Alice Howarth from July 2024
Despite what Jordan Peterson believes, medical error is not the 'third leading cause of death' by Michael Marshall 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:
Spending time outdoors is healthy and great - we don't need to sell it as "forest bathing"!, by Brian Eggo from August 2022
Cognitive dissonance - the mental gymnastics that help us rationalise our sloppy thinking', by Lee Traynor from April 2006
From the archives: Hear our prayers - the Northern Irish prayer efficacy study, by Wendy Grossman from October 1989
The "purebloods": how the unvaccinated came to see themselves as superior, by Thiago Vahia 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:
If anal sex injuries really are on the rise, it's not a question of anatomy, but of education, by Kat Ford from March 2023
From the archives: The Demise of Parapsychology, 1850-2009, by Ray Hyman from April 2012
How and why to set up and run your own Skeptics in the Pub group: top 10 tips, by Brian Eggo from September 2022
Why I now believe parapsychology is a science not a pseudoscience, by Chris French from September 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:
In modern-day Scotland, there should be no mandatory acts of worship in schools, by Brian Eggo from May 2022
From the archives: Going to great lengths - long-hair pseudoscience, by Wendy Grossman from January 2011
January 8th, and the insurrectionist riot provoked by Bolsonaro and the Brazilian army, by Thiago Vahia from February 2023
The writing's been on the wall for decades, but still the graphology persists, by Mark Horne from September 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:
Does a prohibition-based approach to drugs and disposable vaping make sense?, by Clio Bellenis from March 2024
Walking the alt-med tightrope when a loved one has a terminal diagnosis, by Brian Eggo from January 2024
From the archives: The day I met w orld renowned psychic, Shirley Ghostman, by Chris French from April 2012
From the archives: Mrs Gaskell's Elephant - the true story of a hoax, by Chris Willis from January 2002
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:
In Search of Monsters? A defence of cryptozoology, by Charles Paxton from July 2002
Huge social media accounts glorify ancient architecture, while whitewashing the past, by Mark Horne from December 2024
While Artemis was heading to the moon, moon landing deniers were busy doubling down, by Brian Eggo from January 2023
Eurabia, the Kalergi Plan, and the Great Replacement, by Thiago Vahia from September 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 menopause can be painful, uncomfortable, and debilitating - so why is it under-researched?, by Clio Bellenis, from July 2023
The Oceangate tragedy has brought some of society's ghouls to the surface, by Brian Eggo, from June 2023
Free Will? The role of remorse and rehabilitation within the justice system, by Mike Heap, from January 2011
The continuation of QAnon: the Eternal Sunshine of an Election That Never Ended, by Thiago Vahia, 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:
Questionable accusations over 'woke' climate change solutions empower white genocide conspiracies, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from January 2022
Whatever happened to crop circles?, by Steve Donnelly, from July 2008
Stuff you should know: the dog suicide bridge is just a myth, by Brian Eggo, from April 2021
Making UFOlogy History: the Roswell Incident, and the story of Betty and Barney Hill, by David Clarke from July 2008
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 top 10 most infuriating climate change memes, and how to debunk them, by Mark Horne from September 2023
From the archives: Urban legends - a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, by Toby Howard, from May 1990
A skeptical perspective on the Scottish UFO and Paranormal Conference 2023, by Brian Eggo, from December 2023
On not being wrong: Personal reflections from a lifetime of skepticism, by Chris French, 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:
To Know You More Clearly' what the new catholic school syllabus means one year in , by Abi Kennedy, from April 2024
The Great Reset: political pipe dream, or sinister New World Order plot?, by Thiago Vahia, from May 2021
From the archives: Heaven and Earth - Is the 'curse of Tutankhamen' a curse at all?, by Michael Hutchinson, from November 1988
The recent Glasgow Low Emission Zone protest turned out to be more of a 'low information zone', by Brian Eggo, from October 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:
IQ tests continue to flourish, in spite of inherent biases, because we so badly want to feel special, by Wendy Grossman, from December 1989
A double-edge sword: should we be labeling kids?, by Clio Bellenis, from May 2023
Hugo Talks - a lot: the prominent conspiracy theorist channel that recently found religion, by Mark Horne, from March 2023
I called Scottish Water to solve my supply issue - I never expected them to bring dowsing rods, by Brian Eggo, from September 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:
Behind the slick production values of "The Reason I Jump", lies Facilitated Communication, by Janyce Boynton from August 2021
Ten times the unexpected appearance of pseudoscience ruined entertainment, by Brian Eggo from July 2023
Is there really a recent spike in cases of spiking by injection?, by Chris French, from December 2021
The carefully-woven conspiracy theories behind the attempted US coup of January 6th, by Thiago Vahia 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:
March for Life: The UK's anti-abortion movement is becoming more organised and emboldened, by Abi Kennedy from October 2024
Ten top times skepticism made an unexpected appearance in pop culture, by Brian Eggo from April 2023
What James Randi meant to me: Chris French reflects on the passing of The Amazing Randi, by Chris French from October 2020
From chemtrails to Covid, Naomi Wolf's concerning habit of pseudoscience promotion, by Mark Horne 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:
Qanon's references to 'Adrenochome' echo old, anti-Semitic Blood Libel myths, by Thiago Vahia from January 2021
Weight loss: it's just calories in/calories out... isn't it?, by Clio Bellenis from April 2023
NATO was created to ensure peace - disinformation seeks to undermine that, by Tom Williamson from March 2025
The 10-step guide to sense-checking conspiracy theory claims (take note, Toby Young), by Brian Eggo 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:
Antivaxxers are dangerously wrong, but we should be wary of writing them off as stupid or selfish, by Michael Marshall, from December 2020
A new study suggests vegan diets are healthier for cats and dogs – but is it really true?, by Robyn Lowe, from September 2023
Toxoplasmosis: how worried should we be about the 'mind-control parasite' spread by cats?, by Lydia Hemus, from February 2021
Counting down our top 10 worst pseudoscience pop songs of all time, by Brian Eggo, from November 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:
Haunting the Bereaved: a skeptical analysis of Colin Fry's "6ixth Sense" TV show, by Mark Williams, from July 2007
GESARA: From 9/11 'truth' to global economic conspiracy, by Thiago Vahia, from November 2020
10 songs that show there's space for skepticism in music industry, by Brian Eggo, from June 2021
Redemption or ruse? Russell Brand's conversion to Christianity examined, by Abi Kennedy, 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:
Failure to listen to patients is causing unacceptable delays in endometriosis diagnosis, by Alice Howarth, from October 2020
We all want to feel special and unique - which is what leads some of us to conspiracy theories, by Dave Hahn, from October 2021
Being Reasonable: what we can learn from people who hold fringe beliefs, by Michael Marshall, from June 2022
Ear candling: why putting burning sticks into your ear is actually quite a bad idea, by Michaila Passananti, from December 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:
Nobody undergoes egg donation for the money - it is about altruism, not exploitation, by Emma McClure, from September 2024
From the archive: The Rendlesham Incident - Some Lessons for UFOlogy, by Jenny Randle, from April 2006
Nesta Helen Webster: the far-right author who popularised the antisemitic Illuminati conspiracy, by Mark Horne, 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:
Conspiracy theories give the illusion of control, in a system that leaves people feeling powerless, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from August 2022
HADD it's day: there's no evidence for an inherited hyperactive agency detection device, by Kat Ford, from November 2024
What's the better exercise for our health: lifting weights or doing cardio?, by Clio Bellenis, from September 2023
iNaturalist's flaws can leave people with a false impression of the natural world around them, by Sarah Hearne, 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:
The conspiracy theorists scaremongering about UN Agenda 21 have obviously not read Agenda 21, by Mark Horne, from September 2021
Electrician Sheds Light on Viral Birmingham Ghost Mystery, by Hayley Stevens, from September 2020
An awareness of your body is useful, but the Alexander Technique probably isn't, by Alice Howarth, from August 2024
Who runs the world According to conspiracy theorists, it's Beyoncé, by Pai Jing Wen, 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:
Don't call me skeptic! Should we embrace the label, or focus on the work of being skeptical?, by Jack Lawrence, from March 2023
Pandemic Prediction Problems, by Brian Eggo, from January 2021
Tall tales: ancient British giants, by Mark Horne, from October 2022
What's in Lake Champlain? Analysing historic sightings of the cryptid known as "Champ", by Floe Foxon, from June 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:
Is the US government in contact with an alien "galactic federation"?, by Chris French, from January 2021
The graveyard of skeptical projects suggests it's funding, not talent, that we're lacking, by Jonathan Jarry, from January 2024
Kardecism: the fringe spiritualist doctrine which became the soul of pseudoscience in Brazil, by Carlos Orsi and Natália Pasternak, from January 2021
The strange and deeply unlikely tale of Gef the talking mongoose, by Sean Slater, from March 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:
Ghosts, curses and werewolf sightings: as archaeologists, we see human belief up close, by Paul Duncan McGarrity, from October 2020
Central Bank Digital Currencies, and why conspiracists are urging each other to use cash, by Mark Horne, from April 2023
Well-designed patient outreach can help tackle misinformation where it does the most harm, by Galina Limorenko, from January 2021
A search for meming: fighting the mind-virus virus, by Blake Smith, 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:
Meet the conspiracy theorists who believe Covid isn't real… because viruses don't exist, by Frank Visser, from January 2021
Tree planting schemes look fantastic on paper, but they won't save us from climate change, by Sarah Hearne, from March 2023
The Secret to a bland romance is: victim blaming, by Mark Horne, from December 2020
Do dreams sometimes replay repressed memories of trauma experienced long ago?, by Chris French, from April 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:
Plagues and Plots: COVID-19 and 5G, by Deborah Hyde, from November 2020
It's easier to decry 'kids today' than it is to look honestly at the world we've made, by Brian Eggo, from November 2020
Despite scare stories from holistic dentists, cavitations probably don't exist, by Shaun Sellars, from December 2020
Do we really need supplements? A skeptic's guide to micronutrients, by Pixie Turner, 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:
Time Team's archaeologists showed us how experts can ruthlessly unpick a hoax, by Paul Duncan McGarrity, from November 2020
The story of Phineas Gage's accident is well-known; what happened to him afterwards is not, by Kat Ford, from January 2024
Have we seen the last of the vanishing phantom hitchhiker?, by Deborah Hyde, from January 2021
The meaning crisis, and how we rescue young men from reactionary politics, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from November 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:
How to spot medical misinformation in a pandemic, by Brian Eggo & Matt Kemp, from December 2020
Therapy on tap: Thought Field Therapy offfers superficial solutions to deep disturbances, by Peter Panayi, from November 2020
Could ASMR be a possible explanation for some new age and spiritual experiences?, by Mark Horne, from March 2024
Real in what sense?, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from November 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:
Ethics for Skeptics, by Aaron Rabinowitz, from September 2020
Brazil's government throw their weight behind Creationism and Intelligent Design, by Carlos Orsi and Natália Pasternak, from November 2020
When it comes to science, the standard has to be truth and accuracy - not false balance, by Hayley Stevens, from September 2024
I'll take the COVID-19 vaccine, and here's why I'm telling you, by Matthew Reynolds, 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:
When you understand 5G technology, the conspiracy theories simply don't add up, by Sean Slater, from November 2020
How to start having better arguments, according to the evidence, by Mark Horne & Matt Kemp, from November 2020
"But it's just a joke!": why comedy's right to offend doesn't include the right to harm, by Brian Eggo, from August 2024
Has the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in ghostly encounters?, by Chris French, 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:
Conspiracy theories around the 'feminisation' of Western men shield believers from examining their own prejudices, by Thiago Vahia, from April 2021
By invoking 'Spirit of the Blitz' nostalgia, we do a disservice to what was achieved on the home front, by Victoria Stiles, from October 2020
The wealthy, conservative American Christian groups pushing anti-abortion protests in the UK, by Michael Marshall, from September 2024
Institute of Biomedical Science falls for the Traditional Chinese Medicine hype, by Brian Eggo, 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:
Headlines calling HPV swabs "home smear tests" risk putting people off cervical screenings, by Alice Howarth, from February 2021
Rectal ozone therapy: Brazil's latest COVID-19 pseudoscience, by Carlos Orsi and Natália Pasternak, from October 2020
The "child identifies as wolf" story was only ever about bullying, not 'species confusion', by Brian Eggo, from October 2024
Anti-fluoride activists may disagree, but fluoridation is social justice in dental care, by Shaun Sellars, 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:
Why we should listen to Flat Earth believers (even though they're completely wrong), by Michael Marshall, from February 2021
Are digital pregnancy tests simply taking the pee?, by Alice Howarth, from September 2020
Chiropractors love to claim their treatments are 'individualised', but they're wrong, by Sarah Hearne, from September 2020
First do no harm? Treatments don't need to be harmless, as long they do good, by Edzard Ernst, from November 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 Atacama mummy: putting together the pieces of an "Archaeology bombshell", by Paul Duncan McGarrity, from August 2020
Conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers and alt-med quackery put our pets in harm's way, by Danny Chambers, from September 2020
Putting some skeptical mantras to bed, by Jonathan Jarry, from January 2021
Exploding the myth of the longevity "Blue Zones", where people live beyond the age of 100, by Carlos Orsi, 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:
Coronavirus, conspiracy, challenges and compassion, by Michael Marshall, from September 2020
Hydroxychloroquine: When bad science goes mainstream, by Carlos Orsi and Natália Pasternak, from September 2020
'Mask Mouth': A real dental phenomenon, or merely a confection?, by Shaun Sellars, from September 2020
The Battersea Poltergeist, and the role of the paranormal investigator, by Deborah Hyde, 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