TheESP – Ep. #475 – Leonardo: the Myth, the Man, the Legend

Mixed feelings about news re QED – new dates announced but we hear this is the last one(!) and we have a hard time accepting it. At least we’ll do our best to be there and meet (among others) Chris French whose audiobook is currently on sale. In TWISH we hear about Leonardo da Vinci and specifically about some of the myths surrounding him. Then, it’s time for the news:

• UK: Christian missionary group YWAM accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sin
• POLAND: Sanal Edamaruku’s case: what do we know?
• INTERNATIONAL: Shadowy market for weight-loss drugs has emerged online
• SERBIA: A wave of disinformation surrounding the demonstrations
• SWEDEN: Debunked personality test (DISC) refuses to die
• INTERNATIONAL: The Global Listening Project on how attitudes towards vaccines have changed since Covid

Norwegian-Swedish fundamental Christian zealot Runar Søgaard announces Trump to be God’s gift to the US and himself as God’s gift to Sweden, and for that receives this week’s Really Wrong Award.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote; Outro; Outtakes
 
0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:50 GREETINGS

• Chris French’s audiobook on sale
  • Audiobooks: https://www.audiobooks.com/promotions/promotedBook/751944/science-of-weird-shit-why-our-minds-conjure-the-paranormal?refId=187441
• QED dates have been announced, 25th-26th October, 2025
  • QED: https://qedcon.org/

0:05:32 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 15 April 1452: Leonardo da Vinci was born. Common myths about the man
  • OUPblog: https://blog.oup.com/2014/04/leonardo-da-vinci-myths/

0:17:43 NEWS

• UK: Christian missionary group YWAM accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sin
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/05/christian-missionary-group-accused-of-public-shaming-and-rituals-to-cure-sexual-sin
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/05/it-felt-like-a-demon-was-inside-me-young-christian-missionaries-allege-spiritual-abuse
• POLAND: Sanal Edamaruku’s case: what do we know?
  • Notes From Poland: https://notesfrompoland.com/2025/04/08/poland-confirms-detention-of-indian-activist-wanted-on-blasphemy-charges/
  • Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/kochi-rationalist-blames-catholic-church-for-interpol-notice/articleshow/76891040.cms
• INTERNATIONAL: Shadowy market for weight-loss drugs has emerged online
  • Science Nes: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic
• SERBIA: A wave of disinformation surrounding the demonstrations
  • Lakmusz: https://www.lakmusz.hu/dezinformacios-hullam-kiseri-a-szerbiai-diaktunteteseket-2/
• SWEDEN: Debunked personality test (DISC) refuses to die
  • Sveriges Radio: https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/avslojar-myndighetschef-kopte-kritiserat-fargtest-av-kollega
  • VoF: https://www.vof.se/blogg/one-of-swedens-biggest-scientific-bluffs/
• INTERNATIONAL: The Global Listening Project on how attitudes towards vaccines have changed since Covid
  • Vaccines Today: https://www.vaccinestoday.eu/stories/interview-how-covid-reshaped-attitudes-to-vaccination/

0:54:22 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Runar Søgaard claims Donald Trump is chosen by God, and that Søgaard himself is the Trump of Sweden
  • Expressen: https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/sverige/runar-sogaard-jag-ar-sveriges-donald-trump/
  • VG.no: https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/B0E1ne/runar-soegaard-donald-trump-er-guds-gave-til-det-amerikanske-folk

0:58:55 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.”
/ Leonardo da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519), Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. /

1:00:09 OUTRO

1:01:32 OUT-TAKES