Episode #075

This week’s episode brings you a lot of news and interesting topics from the world of skepticism across Europe.
Firstly, please, consider helping Hayley Stevens raise money to help others attend QED 2017. Then listen to what we have to say about the Charity Commissions consultations, Evidence Matters EU, Pontus being acquainted to someone with the potential to become pope one day, a fishy vaccine study that circulates widely, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales fighting fake news in his own way, All Trials getting more momentum with major sponsors of clinical trials joining their cause, a follow-up on the Kevin case, the Turkish government’s blocking of Wikipedia over claims of terrorist links, Natalie Grams and Homeopathy Information Network to receive Wikipedia pages, Academia being under attack by Hungarian government and a silly study on female homosexuality.

Segments
Intro; Greetings & Feedback; This Week in Skepticism; Skeptical News; Really Wrong; Quote

Show notes:
00:00:00
INTRO music

00:00:27
Greetings & feedback

1. Hayley Stevens’ initiative to make free tickets available to QED for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.
2. Civil Society: Hundreds of health charities should be removed, regulator told
3. Evidence Matters EU
4. If you’re interested in the events happening across Europe, please visit our calendar page.

00:19:02
This Week in Skepticism
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (born on 22nd May 1859).

• CICAP: Houdini and Conan Doyle: The Story of a Strange Friendship (by Massimo Polidoro)
• SCI: Houdini’s Impossible Demonstration (by Massimo Polidoro)

00:26:08
Skeptical News

1. INTERNATIONAL: Vaccine study showing neurological harm to vaccinated children?
   • Snopes.com: ‘First Ever’ Study Comparing Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Children Shows Harm from Vaccines?
2. INTERNATIONAL: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales launches a large-scale attack on fake news
   • Nieman Lab: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales launches Wikitribune, a large-scale attempt to combat fake news
3. INTERNATIONAL: All Trials update
   • All Trials: “No more excuses” as major global research funders take strong lead on clinical trial transparency
4. SWEDEN: Follow-up on the Kevin case
5. TURKEY: Turkish government blocks Wikipedia in the country over allegations about terrorist links
   • Wikipedia: 2017 Block of Wikipedia in Turkey
6. GERMANY: Natalie Grams and INH now have a Wikipedia page
   • GWUP: Now available on Wikipedia: Natalie Grams and the INH (in German)
7. HUNGARY: Academia under fire by government
   • Science (Editorial): Academia under fire in Hungary

00:57:49
Really Wrong
Stupid study about female homosexuality

• Pinknews: Homosexual behaviour in women only developed because of men, controversial new scientific study claims
• Personality and Individual Differences (Elsevier): The evolution of female same-sex attraction: The male choice hypothesis

01:03:53
Skeptical Ads

• The Skeptic Zone Podcast

01:04:31
Quote

“You’ll often hear the phrase “science doesn’t know everything.” Well, of course it doesn’t know everything. But just because science doesn’t know everything doesn’t mean that it knows nothing”
/Stephen Fry, English comedian, actor, writer, presenter and activist/

01:06:43
Outro

01:07:58
Out-takes