We start by wishing for fast trains and maglev transportation in Europe – much better for the environment than air travel. Because even if we have had a rather cold January here in Europe, Copernicus tells us that we are still warming the globe in a reckless pace. In TWISH we remember István Vágó on what would have been his 77th birthday. Vágó was the first president of the Hungarian Skeptics and also a TV personality specializing in quiz shows and a famous promoter of the virtue of facts. Then, we turn to the news:

• UK: Only 4 of 66 ‘statin side effects’ are actually from the drug itself
• HUNGARY: Meta fails to filter political ads, Tisza fails to use statistics correctly
• SWEDEN: Exorcism in Sweden
• UK: Young people fearful of false claims and AI misleading voters
• SWEDEN: Murder of Olof Palme: Attorney General has some explaining to do

Russia is now so short of labor and soldiers due to their invasion of Ukraine that they use any means to lure foreigners to sign up as cannon fodder. For that, and for ruining not just Ukraine but also Russia itself, Vladimir Putin (again) gets the Award for being Really Wrong.

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

0:00:51 GREETINGS

• January was fifth hottest on record despite cold snap
  • Copernicus: https://climate.copernicus.eu/surface-air-temperature-january-2026
  • Omni: https://afp.omni.se/january-was-fifth-hottest-on-record-despite-cold-snap-eu-monitor/a/n1WWbm
  • Copernicus: https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-2025-was-third-hottest-year-record

0:07:46 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 14 February 1949: Hungarian game show host and pharmaceutical engineer István Vágó was born
  • Wikipedia (hu): https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vágó_István_(műsorvezető)

0:18:34 NEWS

• UK: Only 4 of 66 ‘statin side effects’ are actually from the drug itself
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/05/majority-statins-side-effects-not-caused-by-drug
  • CTT Collaboration: https://www.cttcollaboration.org/news/statins-side-effects
• HUNGARY: Meta fails to filter political ads, Tisza fails to use statistics correctly
  • Lakmusz: https://lakmusz.hu/2026/02/10/despite-metas-ban-fidesz-candidates-successfully-posted-162-political-ads-on-facebook-in-january
  • Lakmusz: https://lakmusz.hu/2026/02/09/megvezette-a-tisza-programiroit-a-ksh-az-inflacios-adatokkal
• SWEDEN: Exorcism in Sweden
  • Sveriges Radio: https://www.sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/ny-exorcismen-i-vastsverige
• UK: Young people fearful of false claims and AI misleading voters
  • Full Fact: https://fullfact.org/politics/six-in-ten-young-people-fear-false-claims-and-ai-content-could-mislead-voters-as-government-moves-to-lower-the-voting-age/
• SWEDEN: Murder of Olof Palme: Attorney General has some explaining to do
  • DN: https://www.dn.se/kultur/hans-gunnar-axberger-riksaklagaren-har-en-del-att-forklara-efter-kovandningen-om-palmemordet/

0:52:11 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Russia tricks Kenyan citizens to become ‘cannon fodder’ in Ukraine
  • Omni: https://afp.omni.se/kenya-deplores-citizens-used-as-cannon-fodder-in-ukraine-war/a/q6WPjg
  • Reuters: https://reuters.omni.se/russia-facing-labour-crunch-worsened-by-war-pivots-to-india-for-workers/a/rrEMdw

0:54:53 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“Scepticism, after all, is about honest questioning; a spirit of engagement. Many call themselves sceptics, but are in fact cynics, refusing to engage or accept evidence at any level.”
/ Derren Brown (27 February 1971 – ), English mentalist, illusionist, and writer. /

0:57:05 OUTRO

0:58:27 OUT-TAKES