This week Brian is back(!) as András has gone missing(?) We chat again about the wonderful online events out there: you should definitely check out the Edinburgh Skeptics on the Fringe productions. We then talk about the Wow! signal that was recorded this week in 1977 and also find that Francis seems to have done something good for once.
In this week’s news:
– Two outbreaks in Mamming, Bavaria
– Danish abattoir closed over COVID-19 cluster
– Disinformation not only consumed by young or uneducated
– Countries with mandatory BCG vaccination might actually be better off in the fight against COVID– 19
– 10 Coronavirus scams to be weary of
– WHO calls for caution about Russian vaccine roll-out
– No need to celebrate: 0.01 degrees less global warming by 2030 due to the pandemic
– NHS hiring a spiritual healer
– No positive outcomes at all from having free-schools in Sweden
– UK government may intervene to curb dangerous ‘cancer cure’ propaganda
The prize for being Really Wrong goes to NICE in the UK (the National Institute for Health Care Excellence) for recommending acupuncture, despite any evidence or science.
Enjoy!
Segments:
Intro; Greetings; This Week; Pontus Pokes the Pope; News; Really Wrong; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takes
Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe
0:00:27 INTRO
0:00:54 GREETINGS
- Mentioned in the greetings:
- Skeptics in the Pub online: https://www.skepticsinthepub.org/livestreams/
- Edinburgh Skeptics on the Fringe online: https://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk/2020
0:06:33 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
the Wow! signal was a strong narrowband radio signal received on August 15, 1977, by Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope in the United States.
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- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal
0:12:40 PONTUS POKES THE POPE
Francis surprises everyone by appointing women, and Benedict is feeling poorly (but “that’s to be expected”)
0:19:00 NEWS
- GERMANY: Two outbreaks in Mamming, Bavaria
- DENMARK: Danish abattoir closed over COVID-19 cluster
- FRANCE: Disinformation not only consumed by young or uneducated
- INTERNATIONAL: Countries with mandatory BCG vaccination might actually be better off in the fight against COVID-19
- UK: 10 Coronavirus scams to be weary of
- RUSSIA: WHO calls for caution about Russian vaccine roll-out
- INTERNATIONAL: 0.01 degrees less global warming by 2030 due to the pandemic
- UK: NHS hiring a spiritual healer
- SWEDEN: No positive outcomes at all from having free-schools
- Regeringen (Swedish Governemnt): https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2020/08/sou-202046/
- UK: Government may intervene to curb dangerous ‘cancer cure’ propaganda
1:07:12 REALLY WRONG
NICE recommendations on acupuncture
1:14:43 QUOTE AND FAREWELL
“A scientific theory
Isn’t just a hunch or guess
It’s more like a question
That’s been put through a lot of tests
And when a theory emerges
Consistent with the facts
The proof is with science
The truth is with science”
/ They Might Be Giants, From the song “Science Is Real”. Opening track of their kids album ‘Here comes science”.
1:16:45 OUTRO
1:18:00 OUT-TAKES