0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:10 All Shook Up! What happens when a team of skeptics meet to analyse earthquake predictions? An earthquake! Skeptic Zone reporter Michelle Bijkersma (a friend of the Skeptical Fairy Godmother Angel from the Internet) tells us about the 'moving' experience. 0:09:33 TikTok Tarot A look at the hundreds of TikTokers taking to Tarot Cards. What do they have in common and why is it so popular? 0:26:25 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has ca...
Sep 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:00 The Potential Harm of Psychics A dissussion with Susan Gerbic and Rob Palmer about the potential harm of believing in, and taking the advice of those who claim to be able to see into the future. Prediction Talk for Bay Area Skeptics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Emu-p0vIPU https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/belief-in-psychics-whats-the-harm-and-whos-to-blame https://www.sorryantivaxxer.com 0:24:30 Take Stock... with Shelley Stocken From 2017,...
Sep 19, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:50 Bigfoot Found! An interview with podcaster Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com, who comissioned a local artist in Bend, Oregon to create a giant figure of the mythical Bigfoot. Brian also updates us with the latest information on his documentary "Science Friction". 0:20:12 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:32:30 A Dive into a Trove A wander t...
Sep 12, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:28 Threats made to GPs We read out a letter being sent to GPs in Australia which threatens legal action and other dire consequences if they keep administering COVID-19 vaccinations. Yet another example of what we call "COVID Crazy" by conspiracy theorists. 0:19:07 Freeman on the Land. With Shelley Stocken Shelley looks at a small but noisy movement that started in the US and Canada at the turn of the century and has been simmering in Australia for about...
Sep 05, 2021•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:02 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill. This week Adrienne reports on her visit to the famous tourist area of Jasper in Canada. What she discovers there, apart from the beautiful views, is a classic example of a new-age store. http://jasperrockandjade.com/Rocks/rocks.html 0:13:18 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Thought Reading". http://www.trove.nla.gov.au 0:24:...
Aug 28, 2021•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:05 5G Disinformation Special guest Pascual Romero from the 'Squaring the Strange' podcast gives us his opinions on a full page of 5G misinformation that appeared in the pages of the 'Byron Shire Echo' newspaper from the Northern Rivers of NSW, the heartland of conspiracy theorists in Australia. https://issuu.com/echopublications/docs/byronecho3609/14 https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4677 0:14:00 "Freedom" Protests in Australia As the Delta variation of COV...
Aug 22, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:16 COVID-19 As the COVID-19 situation grows worse by the day in Australia, we look at some of the related news stories from the past week. People travelling while infectious and those who still think protesting in the streets is a smart move. Also the frightening story of a COVID-19 healthcare worker being attacked for doing her job. 0:18:55 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne ...
Aug 15, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:00 Michael Marshall Good Thinking welcomes new Standards. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has announced new Standards for voluntary registers of healthcare providers, causing the Society of Homeopaths (SoH) to withdraw from the accreditation scheme. https://goodthinkingsociety.org 0:30:35 Melbourne Anti-Lockdown Protest Hundreds of protesters descended on Melbourne's CBD on Thursday night as Victoria was plunged into its sixth Covid-19 lockdo...
Aug 08, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:16 Protester's Regrets News of the Sydney lockdown protester who now regrets his actions. Also the sad story of people in the United States who waited too long for their COVID-19 vaccine. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9837377/Covid-NSW-Sydney-anti-lockdown-protester-reveals-friends-deserted-views.html 0:14:11 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skept...
Aug 01, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:15 Freedom Protests in Sydney At the worst possible time, protesters march through the main streets of downtown Sydney, with cries of "freedom". We ask the question, "what's the harm in believing in conspiracy theories?" https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/wild-scenes-as-sydney-antilockdown-protesters-clash-with-police/news-story/e5b47e5103e55a7c6ebd1eb6d0094a78 0:11:06 Past Live Tours Join Richard on a stroll to discover the shopfront o...
Jul 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:00 Lockdown Showdown Anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne. Melbourne was plunged into chaos hours before the state entered its fifth lockdown as protesters took to the streets. https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/antilockdown-protesters-storm-melbourne-hours-after-daniel-andrews-announcement/news-story/b8ddd8f95df6640bd0936add28f6d8f1 0:12:55 Skeptical Prize Money We chat with Leonard Tramiel from the USA and Ian Bryce from Australia about t...
Jul 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:12 You Can Count On Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill What's the deal with 666? This week Adrienne is joined by Kelly Burke to discover that if you look for it, the number 666 pops ups everywhere. Humans certainly are the pattern seeking, storytelling animal. Numberphile 666 - video https://youtu.be/UkZqFtYtqaI 0:22:10 The Book of Tim This week Tim Mendham talks about being on the front line at Australian Skeptics HQ and the work that goes into creating 'The...
Jul 11, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Skeptic Zone #665 - 4 July 2021 Dedicated to the memory of Shelley Stocken The Skeptic Zone is very sad to inform you that our much loved former reporter Shelley Stocken died unexpectedly on Saturday 26 June 2021. She was surrounded by family. Episode #665 is dedicated to her memory, including a replay of one of her reports. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family. Shelley's reports were interesting, funny and educational. Her work in the skeptical community made a difference. She wa...
Jul 04, 2021•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:23 More COVID-19 Madness Thanks to alert listeners of the Skeptic Zone, we have yet more examples of COVID-19 conspiracy flyers. Palmer's dangerous ads https://youtu.be/DKG9jxbqJzU?t=690 0:15:18 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill. This week Adrienne is joined by Kelly Burke for a look at some of the more 'wafflely' predictions from the Great Australian Predition Project. 0:26:38 The Book of Tim Tim Mendham reads from the pages of 'The Skeptic...
Jun 27, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:55 Operation Onion Ring Susan Gerbic strikes again! We are begining to wonder why these "psychics" don't see it coming! Once again Susan and her team go undercover to tumble someone who claims to talk with the dead and this time it involves children. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/right-turns-only-circling-back-to-seatbelt-psychic/ https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/operation-onion-ring-thomas-john-and-the-children/ 0:18:38 The Book of Tim...
Jun 19, 2021•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:18 The Raw Skeptic Report. With Heidi Robertson A hairdressing business in the town of Mullumbimby shows they are not a cut above the rest by displaying their ignorance via a 'hair-brained' poster, "Do not enter if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19". Heidi Robertson is on tne case with scoop for the Skeptic Zone. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/08/vaccine-wont-give-you-covid-health-officials-battle-anti-vaccination-messages-in-norther...
Jun 12, 2021•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders, live from Sydney Skeptics in the Pub 0:02:35 UFOs Those strange lights in the sky are back in the news again with a soon to be released report from the U.S. govenment. Alas, those needing confirmation of their long held belief that earth is being visited by little green men or little blue women may be in for yet more disappointment. https://www.facebook.com/centerforinquiry/photos/a.94000694772/10158405227984773/ https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/03/politics/...
Jun 06, 2021•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Grain of Salt. With Eran Segev Interview with Julia Galef Julia Galef is an author, podcaster, and speaker with a passion for good reasoning. Her first book, The Scout Mindset, is about the skill of looking at things honestly and objectively - why that's so valuable, why it doesn't come naturally to humans, and how we can get better at it. For over a decade, she has been the host of Rationally Speaking, a biweekly podcast featuring interviews with scientists and other thinkers. 00:01:10 Scout ...
Jun 03, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:40 Saunders rolls up his sleeve Join Richard as he makes his way to the Sydney COVID-19 Vaccination Hub to get the first of two shots. Later we catch up with Susan Gerbic , Adrienne Hill , Kelly Burke and Leonard Tramiel as they relay their vaccination experiences. 0:18:46 Back to Mind Body Wallet After a year's break, the Skeptic Zone dives once more into the bizzare world of a new age festival in Sydney. Joining in on the 'fun' is Daryl Coloughn and f...
May 29, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:09 Anti-Vax Hairdressers Gold Coast hair salon refuses customers who have had a COVID-19 vaccine. - 9News https://www.9news.com.au/national/gold-coast-hair-salon-refuses-customers-who-have-had-covid19-vaccine/15755f96-66c0-403f-b951-f3d9ca2bdd13 A hairdresser in south-west Victoria has come under fire from a local health authority for saying she won't accept customers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. - Matt Neal from the ABC https://www.abc.ne...
May 22, 2021•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:58 Maynard's Spooky Action An interview with Dr Sathana Dushyanthen . Cancer research and COVID-19 myths. Dr Sathana Dushyanthen is a Science Communicator and Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. As part of her Sci Comm work, she has a YouTube channel through which she covers popular science topics and current research. Most recently, she has done a series on COVID-19 vaccine conspiracies. https://youtu....
May 16, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:00 Letter to the Editor A follow up to a story we mentioned a few weeks ago where a letter to the editor was published in the Byron Bay Echo newspaper. This week we feature the response from skeptic Ken McLeod. Just who is this mysterious midwife who is complaining about COVID-19 vaccinations? 0:10:20 Crazy COVID-19 Claim You will not believe the crazy claim the Australian government has had to rebut on their official COVID-19 website. Joining Richard t...
May 09, 2021•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Adrienne Hill 0:02:00 Crazy COVID-19 Flyers Dispite the roll out of varoius COVID-19 vaccines around the world and despite the terrible situation in countries like India and Brazil, there are still those in our society who are intent on fear moungering. We read out some typical COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy flyers that were placed on cars in an Australian Hospital car park. 0:13:21 You Can Count On Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Not long ago on the Skeptic Zone, Adrienne looked ...
May 01, 2021•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:02 The Alien Space Ship... that wasn't. We chat to author and podcaster Mick West about his work in uncovering a far more realistic explanation of a UFO seen over the ocean and captured on night vision video from a US navel ship. It turns out that the aliens might well be riding in normal airliners, heading into LA airport. https://www.metabunk.org/threads/pyramid-ufos-in-night-vision-footage-maybe-bokeh.11695/ UFO caught on camera https://www.youtube.c...
Apr 25, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:13 King St. Newtown Join Richard Saunders has he walks the length of Newtown's (an inner west suburb of Sydney) main street, stopping along the way to investigate no end of New Age and health stores. https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.898499,151.1854725,16.1z 0:24:03 Fake Medicine - Book Launch We travel to Geebooks in Glebe, Sydney to attend the launch of the new book by Dr Brad McKay, 'Fake Medicine'. Joining Richard is Australian Skeptics Inc. Presiden...
Apr 18, 2021•55 min•Ep 653•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:55 Maynard's Spooky Action UFOs wirh Dr Steve Roberts and Brian Dunning With the 55th anniversary of Australia's famous UFOs story, 'Westall 1966', Maynard chats to Brian Dunning and Dr Steve Roberts about this strange event. They also look at other famous UFO accounts including the case of the pancake cooking aliens. https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4208 https://podcastufo.com/latest-podcast-irene-previn-stan-gordon https://westall66ufo.com.au 0:30:27 Aus...
Apr 10, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:12 You Can Count on Adrienne with Adrienne Hill Migraines Adrienne has suffered from migraine headaches, with some mind-bending auras, for most of her life. What is a migraine? According to the Mayo Clinic, "migraine can cause severe, throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound." These attacks can last hours or days and many people experien...
Apr 03, 2021•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:23 Dr Siobhan O'Sullivan Around 1,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in Australia. Often, ovarian cancer feels like nothing. For that reason, most women are diagnosed when they are Stage III or IV. Siobhan tells us her story with this cancer and her advice for women. (With the help of Mr. Tom Toms the cat.) Siobhan O'Sullivan is an Australian political scientist and political theorist. Her research has focused, among other things, on ...
Mar 27, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:08 You Can Count on Adrienne with Adrienne Hill Not for Prophet From the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine from Australia, Adrienne reports on the ups and downs of checking thousands of mystical predictions covering the years 2000 - 2020. https://www.skeptics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/magazine/The%20Skeptic%20Volume%2041%20(2021)%20No%201%20(Cover).pdf 0:24:06 Maynard's Spooky Action Dr Brad McKay - Part #2 Dr Brad McKay is an Australian science communica...
Mar 20, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:50 Maynard's Spooky Action Dr Brad McKay - Part #1 The return of Maynard. In this, the first of a three part interview with Dr Brad McKay, Maynard finds out about Dr Brad's new book and asks the big questions about Vampire Facials and much more. Dr Brad McKay is an Australian science communicator, TV host and GP at his clinic in Sydney. He is an experienced broadcaster, interviewer and public commentator, appearing regularly on TV and radio, including a...
Mar 13, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
