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Welcome to the new year! Obviously we start with some reflections on 2025 and we also give a shout-out to Haley Stevens and her article about Wikipedia in the Skeptic UK. In TWISH we learn that the practice of New Year’s resolutions is ancient although each resolution seldom lasts longer than a week or two. Then we look into the news for this week:
The EU Chat Control 2.0 regulation is meant to prevent the spread of child abuse material but gets the Really Wrong Award for being ineffective and because it would have very serious effects on integrity. It’s a well meaning by bad idea.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-512.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:22:32 TWISH
0:27:56 News
0:59:16 Really Wrong
1:02:39 Quote
1:05:02 Outro
1:06:25 Outtakes
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Merry Christmas everyone! This is an episode unlike any other in the ESP history, hope you will enjoy it!
See you again in 2026!
Segments:
0:00:27 INTRO
0:00:50 GREETINGS
0:05:11 FACT CHECKERS
0:08:39 REASON TELLS
0:12:11 FAREWELL
0:14:11 OUTRO
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In this week’s TWISH we take a look at the most skeptical saint, Doubting Thomas – not that we feel that he got everything right. In the news today we take a look at the following:
A bunch of contrarians that call themselves BMTIG insists that there must be a conspiracy behind the sinking of the MS Estonia – no matter how much the facts say otherwise and for that they ar Really Wrong.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-510.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:05:33 TWISH
0:17:29 News
0:52:12 Really Wrong
1:07:40 Quote
1:09:17 Outro
1:10:40 Outtakes
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Rage bait is the Oxford Word of the Year and that cannot be a a good sign of the times we live in. In TWISH we acknowledge the genius of Ada Lovelace while recognizing that she had some flaws as well, especially when it came to phrenology and mesmerism… Then we take a look at the news:
This week’s Really Right Award goes to researcher Rebecca Sear for her commitment in tracking down all studies based on the infamous National IQ database.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-509.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:52 Greetings
0:11:45 TWISH
0:24:03 News
0:53:12 Really Right
0:59:37 Quote
1:01:56 Outro
1:03:18 Outtakes
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We discuss science communication by the ECDC re vaccinations and have some listener feedback about Dr Who, before with dive into TWISH which this week is about a pioneer of modern chemistry, Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Then of course, there’s the news:
The Green alliance in Germany reverses their stance on homeopathy thanks to the work by Cedrik Schamberger and for that, he deserves the Really Right Award. Well done!
Enjoy!
Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Right; Quote; Outro; Outtakes
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-508.html
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We start by noting that COP30 was pretty disappointing although we are not too surprised. On another, more positive side, Michael Frass‘ terrible study claiming that homeopathy can help in cancer treatment finally has been retracted! Also, get your flu vaccines, everyone.
In TWISH we hear how António Egas Moniz invented lobotomy and was awarded one of the most controversial Nobel prizes for it, but also why it cannot be retracted. Then, we go to the news:
The Really Wrong Award goes to Steiner schools, that thankfully are in decline. A Really Right Award goes to the EU Court of Justice for affirming that also same-sex marriages have to be recognized throughout the union.
Enjoy!
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:12:40 TWISH
0:22:27 News
0:59:46 Really Wrong / Really Right
1:03:33 Quote
1:05:06 Outro
1:06:28 Outtakes
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This week celebrates the launch of Dr Who way back in 1963, the longest running TV-show in history, and a special favourite for many skeptics. For the news we look into the following:
We hand out a Really Right Award to the Swedish Government for removing state support for Jehovah’s Witnesses and in Who’s Quacking? we examine the pseudoscience of Spanish neuroscientist Álex Gómez Marín.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-506.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:07:11 TWISH
0:22:28 News
0:44:01 Really Right
0:47:55 Who's Quacking?
0:55:37 Quote
0:57:05 Outro
0:58:28 Outtakes
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James Watson died, and brilliant as his contribution to science was, he also had some very problematic views on race and women. The Church of Scientology seems to be in decline even if they try their best to deny it, claiming huge (but questionable) numbers on their recent big conference. We are happily surprised to see a very nice article about ourselves in the Skeptical Inquirer (thanks Susan!) and in TWISH we hear about the founding of the Pasteur Institute and what an impact it has had on science. Then, let’s look at the news:
Watch out for ‘Black Fraud Day’ whose many scammers get this week’s prize for being Really Wrong.
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-505.html
Enjoy!
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:52 Greetings
0:15:16 TWISH
0:23:11 News
0:52:10 Really Wrong
0:57:37 Quote
1:01:11 Outro
1:02:33 Outtakes
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We’re back home after QED and boy was it great! Last one, we know, but next year will see the European Skeptics Congress in Liverpool and it will largely be following the template of QED. Save the dates, 16-18 October 2026!
We note the lessons learned from hurricane Melissa and in TWISH we hear about two milestones of European history, the ECDC and the European Convention om Human Rights. Then, we catch up on the news:
In Finland the nonsense of DISC personality tests are inexplicably popular and the company MLP gets the Really Wrong Award for promoting it, while philosopher of science Inkeri Koskinen gets the Really Right Award for speaking up about it.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-504.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:15:12 TWISH
0:24:02 News
0:56:51 Really Wrong / Really Right
1:01:48 Quote
1:03:20 Outro
1:04:43 Outtakes
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Note! You can find the video of this live recording here on our Youtube channel! (special thanks to the fantastic SitPO team for the video!)
We were live from QED! Best time ever! Joining us for the recording were the fabulous Claire Klingenberg, Deborah Hyde and Brian Eggo, as well as huge crowd of happy QED attendees. We had a TWISH about phrenology and also a line of positive(!) news:
Special thanks to friend of the show Rob McDermott for the great photos!
Enjoy!
Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-503.html
Segments:
0:00:50 Intro
0:01:43 Greetings
0:05:44 TWISH
0:18:21 News
0:47:17 Quote
0:49:29 Outro
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Warming up for QED, we dive directly in to TWISH and talk about – QED(!) and how this weekend will be an historic event as the last one of them all. We’re going to make the most of it!
But before we pack our bags, we have some news to talk about:
Not all influencers are bad, so this week’s Really Right Award goes to the Instagram account Kvinnokliniken that keeps fighting for good and science-based information regarding women’s health issues.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-502.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:04:03 TWISH
0:14:38 News
0:36:53 Really Right
0:41:37 Quote
0:43:42 Outro
0:45:05 Outtakes
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To begin with with remember Jane Goodall and we mark that the Dutch Master Kackadoris Award has been awarded to the VU University of Amsterdam – serves them right! In TWISH we hear about the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 (in some places much later!) and then, we dig into the news:
The Really Wrong Award goes to Meta and the EU for their inability to handle political ads.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-501.html
Segments:
0:00:26 Intro
0:00:53 Greetings
0:11:23 TWISH
0:20:12 News
0:48:39 Really Wrong
0:53:26 Quote
0:54:31 Outro
0:55:53 Outtakes
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It’s official boys and girls, we made it to Episode 500!
We celebrated this with a live recording and joining us from all over the world were a whole bunch of the best skeptics you can imagine: Michael Marshall, Chris French, Claire Klingenberg, Susan Gerbic, Deborah Hyde, Adrienne Hill and Richard Saunders. Good friends all! Annika Harrison and Brian Eggo unfortunately couldn’t make it, but went out of their way to record their greetings in advance. What a wonderful time!
Enjoy!
PS. The edited recording is available on our YouTube channel!
Show notes: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-500.html
Segments:
0:00:29 INTRO
0:03:02 GUESTS
0:03:02: Michael Marshall
0:16:55: Chris French
0:33:02: Claire Klingenberg
0:48:26: Susan Gerbic
1:02:29: Deborah Hyde
1:19:11: Adrienne Hill
1:34:37: Richard Saunders
1:58:10: Annika Harrison
2:04:02: Brian Eggo
2:15:12 OUTRO
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Next week we’ll livestream our 500th episode (but stick around for this one first!), and also we remind all non-UK QED participants to get their ETAs before they go to Manchester later this month. In TWISH we learn about Alice Stewart and her work for awareness of the risks with radiation. Then we go to the news:
Dick Erixon of the Sweden Democrats wants to investigate George Soros only because that’s what daddy Trump wants, and for that he is Really Wrong.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-499.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:50 Greetings
0:06:41 TWISH
0:16:16 News
0:45:26 Really Wrong
0:50:45 Quote
0:52:20 Outro
0:53:43 Outtakes
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Swedish glaciers are disappearing and in TWISH we hear about the triumph for science when discovering Neptune. After that, it’s the news:
RFK jr. (or little Bobby) claims that he has a ‘cure for autism’ and that’s such a face plant that he get’s a new Really Wrong Award, just two weeks after his previous.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-498.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:05:56 TWISH
0:14:42 News
0:46:07 Really Wrong
0:50:15 Quote
0:51:19 Outro
0:52:41 Outtakes
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Make sure to check out András Skeptics in the Pub Online talk next week on 25 September! In TWISH we meet Ötzi the Ice Man, and a mystery death from 5300 years ago and a invaluable source of archeological science. Then we look to the news:
Viktor Orbán has done it again, and gets his sixth(!) Really Wrong Award, this time for doubling down on crime information.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-497.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:52 Greetings
0:07:29 TWISH
0:21:06 News
0:51:22 Really Wrong
0:56:33 Quote
0:57:55 Outro
0:59:18 Outtakes
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In the Netherlands, trust in science is increasing which is unexpected good news. We have some thoughts on the election results in Norway, plus you can now hear us on YouTube! In TWISH we hear about a close encounter in France and then it’s time for the news:
RFK jr. may be American but the dangerous nonsense that “His Wrongness” is spreading reach us world wide. This time he has decided that paracetamol (aka Tylenol) is causing autism and for that he is Really Wrong.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-496.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:50 Greetings
0:09:15 TWISH
0:19:05 News
0:38:42 Really Wrong
0:42:58 Quote
0:44:01 Outro
0:45:24 Outtakes
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After some listener feedback regarding green energy and Pontus reporting back from Lithuania, we go to TWISH where we hear about Wilhelm Ostwald, one of the fathers of physical chemistry. The, we get to the news:
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain is planning to tackle climate change straight on, and for that he is Really Right.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-495.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:49 Greetings
0:12:47 TWISH
0:22:42 News
0:46:48 Really Right
0:50:09 Quote
0:52:17 Outro
0:53:39 Outtakes
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We’re already looking forward to QED and nominations for the Ockham Awards are still open – if you know someone who deserves it nominate them! After some listener feedback we go to TWISH and hear about the Swing Riots. Then, it’s time for the news:
The UK government has still not acknowledged their part in the tragedy of forced abortions from British ‘Mother and Baby homes’, and for that the get this week’s Award for being Really Wrong.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-494.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:09:23 TWISH
0:19:07 News
0:50:48 Really Wrong
0:55:03 Quote
0:56:42 Outro
0:58:04 Outtakes
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In TWISH this week we look into the achievements of James Watt who made a whole lot of things, despite not inventing the steam engine. Then of course, there’s the news:
The Center for Trial and Error gets this week’s Really Right Award for encouraging the publishing of negative studies.
Enjoy!
https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-493.html
Segments:
0:00:27 Intro
0:00:51 Greetings
0:04:39 TWISH
0:13:26 News
0:41:18 Really Right
0:45:11 Quote
0:47:12 Outro
0:48:35 Outtakes
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