Edinburgh Skeptics Presents...

It's that time of year again! Only it isn't, and we're all (mostly) couped up in our homes and not having fun. But, thanks to the wonders of the internet, we're able to bring you some lockdown Fringe events! Join Mark Pentler, Sean Slater & Heather Pentler as they discuss the three events EdSkeptics will be running during what SHOULD have been the Edinburgh Fringe. The events are on 11/18/25th August at 8pm BST. For more details visit our website: www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk - or check out our Facebook and MeetUp events for details. We're also on Twitter as @EdSkeptics As ever, we're running our events under the banner of the PBH Free Fringe and we're encouraging people to donate directly to them this year since you can't drop money in a bucket at the end of our talks. See https://paypal.me/freefringe for details and help the Fringe get back to its old self again in 2021.

8/8/20 • 12:10

We're back! For one episode. Maybe more, we don't know. But we had a lot of interest in this talk from people who couldn't make it for whatever reason (mostly the novel coronavirus, as it turns out). So we popped a C90 in, hit record and play, and we're happy to bring you it just in time to kill 69 minutes-worth of lockdown. After its victory in the December 2019 election, Johnson’s radicalised Conservative Party succeeded in implementing the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. But leaving the EU was the easy part. Now, a large number of complex and controversial policy choices, international negotiations and domestic challenges have to be addressed. And so far, the evidence suggests that the Johnson Government is committed to an extreme form of Brexit far removed from the original promises of the Leave campaign, the “deep and special partnership” model of Theresa May or even the revised Political Declaration signed off by Johnson himself in October 2019. So what will the next stage of Brexit really look like? Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law at the University of Liverpool and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world’s leading scientific journal for European legal studies. Twitter - @mdouganlpool https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/law/staff/michael-dougan/

3/15/20 • 69:03

Join us for a special episode of the podcast recorded at QEDCon 2018. QEDCon is the UK's best (only?) skeptical conference and each year a large contingent of Edinburgh Skeptics migrate south for the weekend to Manchester for it. There are talks, panels, podcast recordings, and the chance to mingle with like-minded people and swap ideas for the future. As we have done for the past few years we took the opportunity to talk to some interesting people who we bumped into over the weekend to find out what's going on right now in science and skepticism, as well as find out about QEDCon itself. In this episode: - Comedian and archaelogist Paul D. McGarrity - QEDCon 2018 compere and science communicator Helen Arney - American skeptic and podcaster Eli Bosnick - QEDCon and Greater Manchester Skeptics' co-organiser Rick Owen https://www.qedcon.org Twitter: @QEDCon

10/20/18 • 48:46

Are you enjoying this year's Fringe? Why not step into our time machine and enjoy something you may have missed from last year's Fringe! Traditionally we have a few nights every year where we find the best in nerdy, scientific and skeptical content from around the Festival. Whether you like maths, music, gay animals or the power of the mind there's something in this episode for you. @BabaBrinkman - the evidence based rapper @BenDaliHypno - stage hypnotist and Edinburgh Fringe regular @kyledevans - the folk mathematician  @floschechter - curator of the Vagina Museum! Details of our current 2018 Skeptics on the Fringe run can be found on social media and on our website. You can also find us in the various Fringe programmes and guides. Skeptics on the Fringe is part of the PBH Free Fringe.

8/19/18 • 54:58

From the middle of last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe run we present an amuse bouche of acts from this year's Free Fringe that have a skeptical bent. We scoured the festival to find the best in nerdy material, rationalism, skepticism and other cool stuff and the result is this podcast of three cracking acts. Go and see them if they're on near you! Your MC for this podcast is ex-EdSkeptics chair Ewan Leeming. Charlotte Mykura - Comedy spliced with genetics Kate Oliver - Real Research, Really Unnecessary Kate Smurthwaite - Comedian, skeptic & token atheist *** SotF 2018 is coming soon! Full details on social media and on our website. ***

7/23/18 • 36:17

Theoretical zombiologist Dr. Smith joined us during the 2017 Fringe to explore the real science behind a potential zombieism outbreak. Zombieism is a fairly new field but has great relevance in our everyday lives. Unfortunately Dr. Smith's very interesting talk was heavy on visuals/video and not really appropriate for audio release. Thankfully he very kindly agreed to answer our questions beforehand on this very important issue and its implications for the field of disease and infection control. Dr. Smith has been giving talks on the science of zombies for many years from Brighton to Unst, informing and inspiring over 20,000 people. When not lecturing, he works for the Zombie Institute for Theoretical Studies, where he and his colleagues prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse. With the motto "love the zombie, hate the zombieism", the group focuses on how the condition could come about and how it could be prevented and treated. He is often asked if he has ever seen a real zombie, but, thanks to the groups preventative measures, none has yet been forthcoming. Supported by the Wellcome Trust and University of Glasgow. http://www.zombiescience.org.uk/ Twitter - @ZombieScience1Z

7/8/18 • 10:34

Join the current members of the Edinburgh Skeptics committee for the official unveiling of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2018 programme. This year’s diverse roster includes talks on blasphemy, historical medical woo, fracking and many other interesting and varied topics. Plus we have details of our super special Fringe competition! All of our events are at The Banshee Labyrinth Chamber Room (Venue 156) on Niddry St. (just off the Royal Mile near North Bridge) from 4th-26th August and all events start promptly at 7:30pm. Our events are free to enter but donations are gratefully received to enable us to keep Edinburgh Skeptics going through the year. Skeptics on the Fringe is part of The PBH Free Fringe. Roll on August!

7/1/18 • 48:02

Here's our interview with Dr. Paul Dimeo from the University of Stirling on drug testing in sport. In it we introduce Paul to skepticism, hear what a mess cycling is, and generally have one of the most depressing conversations about sport that might have ever taken place. But it was a good one. Dr Paul Dimeo has been a lecturer at Stirling since 2002. He began researching drug use in sport and testing from a historical perspective. In essence, he wanted to find out when and why athletes used drugs and when, who and why policies emerge to control this usage. These questions underpinned his first book 'A History of Drug Use in Sport: Beyond Good and Evil' (Routledge, 2007). Subsequently, he researched doping in the context of the Cold War, spending a semester at the University of Texas on a Fulbright Commission scholarship (2012). Whilst a resident in Austin (Lance Armstrong's home town), all the evidence about organised doping in the American professional cycling team was published. This inspired him to develop more contemporary interests in the social impact of anti-doping policy, and the relationship of media scandals with policy organisations. he is currently working on a second book with Professor Verner Moller which explores the reasons for the current crisis in anti-doping, questions of human costs of the war on drugs in sports, and potential ways forward.

6/10/18 • 16:42

Drug testing is a perennial topic in sports these days. High profile suspensions, accusations at world champions and a clamour for "clean competition" in the face of apparent state-sanctioned doping has seen the subject's importance to the public seemingly increase in recent years. This talk - part of our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe run - will explore the reasons why drug testing fails to catch organised cheats, and in many cases punishes the wrong people. Dr Paul Dimeo has been a lecturer at Stirling since 2002. He began researching drug use in sport and testing from a historical perspective. In essence, he wanted to find out when and why athletes used drugs and when, who and why policies emerge to control this usage. These questions underpinned his first book 'A History of Drug Use in Sport: Beyond Good and Evil' (Routledge, 2007). Subsequently, he researched doping in the context of the Cold War, spending a semester at the University of Texas on a Fulbright Commission scholarship (2012). Whilst a resident in Austin (Lance Armstrong's home town), all the evidence about organised doping in the American professional cycling team was published. This inspired him to develop more contemporary interests in the social impact of anti-doping policy, and the relationship of media scandals with policy organisations. he is currently working on a second book with Professor Verner Moller which explores the reasons for the current crisis in anti-doping, questions of human costs of the war on drugs in sports, and potential ways forward.

6/10/18 • 49:35

Note: Bit of mic trouble in this one - sorry! Quite some time after the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe our chair Mark Pentler sat down in his own living room with his fellow committee member Heather Pentler to chat about autism and the many myths surrounding it. They also talk about Issac Newton and the ghosts, plus there's a preview of our 2018 Meadows Festival stall. Heather has been an active skeptic for the last 7 years and is currently on the committee of Edinburgh Skeptics. She has previously spoken about her experiences exposing dodgy alternative medical practices. Heather's day job is a support worker working with autistic adults for a charity.

5/27/18 • 21:33

Ever wondered what is the difference between Aspergers and autism but been too embarrassed to ask. There are many myths and misunderstandings about people with autism. EdSkeptics' very own Heather Pentler is here to fill your knowledge holes. Heather's talk seeks to dispel some of the myths and expose some of the awful practices and "cures" that are on offer. Heather has been an active skeptic for the last 7 years and is currently on the committee of Edinburgh Skeptics. She has previously spoken about her experiences exposing dodgy alternative medical practices. Heather's day job is a support worker working with autistic adults for a charity.

5/27/18 • 23:48

Dr Katie Speckles spoke for us during the 2017 Fringe about Mathematical Life Hacks. It's a talk she's done for lots of SITP groups across the country and we were very pleased to welcome her to Edinburgh. Unfortunately her talk was quite visual in nature, so there's no real point podcasting it. However, we did interview Katie about maths and it's use in real life, her own life as a maths communicator, and of course we asked her our incredibly tough regular questions as well. Katie Steckles is a mathematician based in Manchester, who gives talks and workshops on different areas of maths. She finished her PhD in 2011, and since then has talked about maths in schools, at science festivals, on BBC radio, at music festivals, as part of theatre shows and on the internet. She enjoys doing puzzles, solving the Rubik's cube and baking things shaped like maths. In 2016, Katie was awarded the Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement. Web: www.katiesteckles.co.uk/Twitter: @stecks

5/22/18 • 14:43

In part two of our "we're actually releasing an episode!" special we sit down with Tamasin Cave from Spinwatch to delve even deeper into the murky world of politics and corporate lobbying. Tamasin is a writer and campaigner with Spinwatch, which investigates corporate PR and lobbying. She is co-author of A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain, which shines a light into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture: the UK’s £2 billion commercial lobbying industry. http://www.spinwatch.org Twitter - @Spinwatch

4/17/18 • 10:07

Sorry for the long break. We'll really try our best to get out this last few podcasts and then we'll probably take an even longer break... who knows. Here's a full talk and interview from last year's Edinburgh Fringe run. Tamasin Cave will talk about the UK’s £2bn lobbying industry and the tactics they use to bend government to their will: how lobbyists build relationships with government; their manipulation of the media; the way that they use academics, scientists, think-tanks, front groups and others to spread their messages; and their attacks on opposition groups. She will talk about how the private healthcare industry has lobbied to open up the NHS to more private operators – and how schools are going the same way; how energy companies have hired a small army of lobbyists to persuade government and local communities to support fracking; how the ‘revolving door’ works to support the arms industry; and more. Tamasin is a writer and campaigner with Spinwatch, which investigates corporate PR and lobbying. She is co-author of A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain, which shines a light into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture: the UK’s £2 billion commercial lobbying industry. http://www.spinwatch.org Twitter - @Spinwatch

4/17/18 • 47:22

Before her talk on the dangers of the Jehovah's Witnesses and cults in general our chair Mark Pentler sat down for a conversation with Lydia Finch to learn more about her life both in and out of the church, along with some silly stuff as well to lighten the mood a bit... Lydia Finch was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness (JW), but left the organisation at age 18 over twenty years ago. Recently, she has directed her attention to the harmful practices of JWs and other cults, such as shunning, child abuse, and the forbidding of blood transfusions. Twitter - @FinchLydia

1/22/18 • 14:56

[A few tech issues on this one, folks. Sorry about the audio quality] Cults and Skepticism: How one ex Jehovah's Witness fell into the 'trap of independent thinking' Historically the purview of atheist, secular, and humanist organisations, Ms. Finch wants to expose the workings of these cults to the scientific and skeptical communities and show why although, Jehovah's Witnesses are considered a small fringe religion, their policies should concern the wider community. Lydia Finch was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness (JW), but left the organisation at age 18 over twenty years ago. Recently, she has directed her attention to the harmful practices of JWs and other cults, such as shunning, child abuse, and the forbidding of blood transfusions. Twitter - @FinchLydia

1/22/18 • 44:15

On a cold and raining late-December evening EdSkeptics chairperson Mark Pentler sat down with ex-Beagle 2 team member Dr Dean Harris to talk about space, the perils of going to Mars, and whether a failure is really a failure if you learn from it. Also some silly stuff... Dean started his career working on the British-built Beagle 2 Mars at Leicester University. Although it was declared lost, 11 years later the craft was found to have made it in one piece to the Martian surface and most probably conducted some science. It was immediately declared the winner of the interplanetary hide and seek competition 2004-2015. He enjoys reading science fiction (hard, not soft), trolling conspiracy theorists on the internet and generally not to taking life too seriously.

1/14/18 • 27:35

In the early 21st century, a group of British adventurers, scientists, engineers and explorers launched a mission to Mars. The mission was called Beagle 2 and was led by the late Professor Colin Pillinger. The mission attempted to answer one of the most profound questions asked by humanity (and David Bowie): Is there life on Mars? Beagle 2 was expected to land in 2003, but fell silent. A core of enthusiasts continued the hunt for Beagle 2 and, 11 years later, it was found. Beagle 2 had not crash landed and recent analysis suggests that it may still be operating today. We will tell the amazing story of how the UK became the third nation in history to land on Mars with the help of a group of Christmas-jumper-wearing-boffins, led by a mutton-chop wearing farmer, who designed a probe on the back of a beer mat and knocked it up in a shed. Dean started his career working on the British-built Beagle 2 Mars at Leicester University. Although it was declared lost, 11 years later the craft was found to have made it in one piece to the Martian surface and most probably conducted some science. It was immediately declared the winner of the interplanetary hide and seek competition 2004-2015. He enjoys reading science fiction (hard, not soft), trolling conspiracy theorists on the internet and generally not to taking life too seriously.

1/14/18 • 45:23

Before her talk for us as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017 Deborah Hyde sat down with Heather Pentler to talk about her love of vampires and her skeptical history... Deborah Hyde wants to know why we believe in things that probably aren't there. What's the story behind the folkore of the macabre, from fairies to ghosts to werewolves to vampires? Using history, folklore and psychology, she has spent many years writing, talking and broadcasting to shine a light on the dark half of our psyches. Editor of The Skeptic Magazine - http://www.skeptic.org.uk http://www.deborahhyde.comTwitter - @jourdemayne

1/6/18 • 08:42

The Vampire has fascinated Western Europe from the early 1700s, but the tradition was a real part of Eastern European lives for a considerable time before that. In the last three centuries, the icon has been taken up in art of all kinds – literature, film and graphics – and it has had a lasting effect on fashion and culture. But what is the authentic story behind tales of the predatory, living dead, and can we understand a little more about being human by studying these accounts? We will look at recent attempts to understand the folklore and try to work out how an Eastern European ritual made its way to late nineteenth century New England, USA. Deborah Hyde wants to know why we believe in things that probably aren't there. What's the story behind the folkore of the macabre, from fairies to ghosts to werewolves to vampires? Using history, folklore and psychology, she has spent many years writing, talking and broadcasting to shine a light on the dark half of our psyches. Editor of The Skeptic Magazine - http://www.skeptic.org.uk http://www.deborahhyde.comTwitter - @jourdemayne

1/6/18 • 50:27

Before her talk for us on the relationships that people have with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Dr Louise Todd sat down with Heather Pentler to talk more about her research and how it came about, plus her thoughts about events and festivals in general and their future. Dr Louise Todd is a lecturer and researcher in Festival and Event Management based in the Tourism and Languages subject area at Edinburgh Napier University. Having previously studied and worked in the arts, Louise’s relationship with the Fringe started in the 1990s as an audience member and seasonal festival worker. Louise has since gone on to research the Fringe, firstly while undertaking her PhD, and has since published her research into stakeholders’ experiences, roles and relationships with the Fringe. Louise is currently investigating visual portrayals of Edinburgh as the festival city. http://www.napier.ac.uk/louise-todd

1/2/18 • 08:50

Edit: had to take a few clips out of this one. Sorry! Often skeptics are charged with only concentrating on hard, physical sciences. Well, that shouldn't be the case. Recorded during our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe run, this talk from Dr Louise Todd is the perfect antidote as we hear her describe her research into the Fringe itself... Everyday branded products, from instant coffee to cars, have long been imbued by marketers with human traits as a means of appealing to consumers’ self-image. Indeed an interpersonal relationships metaphor is applied to some products, with them viewed as people – such as friends, partners, family members and even enemies. Since its origination in 1947, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has grown in a relatively organic way to become the largest and most renowned festival in the world. Louise's talk will consider if a phenomenon like the Fringe is considered in similar interpersonal terms by its consumers as they organise, attend, support, and participate in their various stakeholder roles, from audience members to performers, and beyond. Dr Louise Todd is a lecturer and researcher in Festival and Event Management based in the Tourism and Languages subject area at Edinburgh Napier University. Having previously studied and worked in the arts, Louise’s relationship with the Fringe started in the 1990s as an audience member and seasonal festival worker. Louise has since gone on to research the Fringe, firstly while undertaking her PhD, and has since published her research into stakeholders’ experiences, roles and relationships with the Fringe. Louise is currently investigating visual portrayals of Edinburgh as the festival city. http://www.napier.ac.uk/louise-todd

1/2/18 • 32:31

Is Martin Corley a big fat liar? Will his knowledge of speech disfluency manage to trick our host Danny Robertson into accepting his answers as the God's honest? Find out in this week's 10 Questions @ The Fringe! Martin Corley is Head of Psychology at Edinburgh University. His research centres on the information that is normally overlooked in human speech, from the particular ways in which the mouth moves to make sounds, to the "ums", "ers", and self-corrections that pepper our everyday conversation. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and published over 50 academic papers (including one on equine medicine, for some reason). Twitter: @martincorley

12/22/17 • 08:54

How does the way you speak influence others' judgements? What is it about the way that someone speaks that makes you think they're lying? In this talk, Martin presents a series of experiments looking at speech disfluency ("um" or "er") and how it affects listeners' judgements. In particular, he shows that judgements are affected *fast*: Listeners may have made their minds up long before the speaker has even got to the "lying" bit of what they're saying. He goes on to explore the basis of listeners' judgements: Are they using a simple rule where "um" -> "lie", or are they taking circumstances into account? And... are they right? All to be revealed in 40 mins of cognitive psychology, including lego journalists. Martin Corley is Head of Psychology at Edinburgh University. His research centres on the information that is normally overlooked in human speech, from the particular ways in which the mouth moves to make sounds, to the "ums", "ers", and self-corrections that pepper our everyday conversation. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and published over 50 academic papers (including one on equine medicine, for some reason). Twitter: @martincorley

12/22/17 • 41:42

Before her talk for us on the wonders and the dangers of plastic Dr. Madeleine Berg sat down with Claudia Schaffner to discuss her career and current job, her work with Edinburgh Skeptics on their cinema nights and her adorable-sounding guinea pigs. Coming from a geosciences background, Dr Berg completed a PhD in geology before deciding to use her experience in science research and communication in a more applied setting. She now works at Fidra, an environmental charity based in East Lothian, on projects focused on ways to reduce sources of marine plastic pollution. She continues to fuel herpassion for science communication through volunteering with the British Science Association Edinburgh branch. http://edinburghbsa.weebly.com/ Twitter - @BSAedinburgh

11/30/17 • 09:53

When plastic was invented, it was hailed as a wonder material, promising to completely transform our lives, which indeed it has. None of us can truly imagine a life without this hygienic, durable and flexible material. But as a society, we're beginning to realise the consequences of the plastic world we have created, as our environment, wildlife and even potentially our bodies accumulate plastic waste. How big is the problem of plastic pollution? What's the solution? Should we swear off plastic entirely and revert to all 'natural' materials? In this talk from the 2017 Fringe Madeleine will be delving into this plastic soup of issues and considering whether plastic plays a role in a sustainable future. Coming from a geosciences background, Dr Berg completed a PhD in geology before deciding to use her experience in science research and communication in a more applied setting. She now works at Fidra, an environmental charity based in East Lothian, on projects focused on ways to reduce sources of marine plastic pollution. She continues to fuel herpassion for science communication through volunteering with the British Science Association Edinburgh branch. http://edinburghbsa.weebly.com/ Twitter - @BSAedinburgh

11/30/17 • 46:47

Let it not be said that we don't pull out all the stop at Edinburgh Skeptics. All the way from Kansas we welcome Dr. Grant Ritchey. Before his excellent talk for us on dental pseudoscience we sat down with the Skeptical DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) to hear about his "favourite" dental quackery, his journey into skepticism and his made-up-on-the-spot superpower. Author, Science Based Medicine blog (www.sciencebasedmedicine.org) Co-host (with Dr. Clay Jones) of The Prism Podcast (www.prismpodcast.com) Twitter - @skepticaldds

11/16/17 • 12:17

Most of us are familiar with unproven and pseudo-scientific medical practices, but they are also prevalent in the dental field. From misinformation about fluoride, mercury in fillings, and “toxic” root canals, to fringe treatments such as oil pulling, cranial osteopathy, and acupuncture, there is a plethora of dental pseudoscience out there. In this talk, dentist and science based medicine activist Grant Ritchey will discuss so-called “alternative” dental practices, and how the dental consumer can equip him/herself with the tools necessary to make educated, science based dental health decisions. Author, Science Based Medicine blog (www.sciencebasedmedicine.org) Co-host (with Dr. Clay Jones) of The Prism Podcast (www.prismpodcast.com) Twitter - @skepticaldds

11/16/17 • 28:53

Before her talk for us on how to we sat down with Hayley Stevens to talk women in skepticism, smug people in skepticism, and her thoughts on dismissing things without checking them out first (especially when investigating the paranormal). Plus we learn how one of the country's most recognised members of the skepticism community got into it in the first place. Described as 'the Scully end of the Mulder-Scully X-Files spectrum' by The Times, Hayley Stevens has been investigating ghosts and monsters for over a decade, ever since she was a teenager. She has entertained audiences all across Europe with her talks on investigating the paranormal and her writing can be found in Skeptical Inquirer, The Skeptic, Paranormal Magazine and on her award-winning blog, 'Hayley is a Ghost'. 'Knows what [she] is talking about,' Dr Steven Novella, Skeptics Guide To The Universe Web:hayleyisaghost.co.uk Twitter: @hayleystevens

11/1/17 • 13:26

A Skeptic’s Guide to Ghost Hunting offers an entertaining, funny and at times scary introduction to the world of modern paranormal research. Audiences have laughed, gasped and even cried... Lifting the lid on sham ghost-hunting claims, showcasing the latest not-so-amazing paranormal evidence, and exposing the tricks of the trade, paranormal researcher Hayley Stevens will show how not all is what it seems when it comes to things that go bump in the night.  Described as 'the Scully end of the Mulder-Scully X-Files spectrum' by The Times, Hayley Stevens has been investigating ghosts and monsters for over a decade, ever since she was a teenager. She has entertained audiences all across Europe with her talks on investigating the paranormal and her writing can be found in Skeptical Inquirer, The Skeptic, Paranormal Magazine and on her award-winning blog, 'Hayley is a Ghost'. 'Knows what [she] is talking about,' Dr Steven Novella, Skeptics Guide To The Universe Web:hayleyisaghost.co.uk Twitter: @hayleystevens

11/1/17 • 46:14