HaraldWalach

So, the conclave elected ‘Papa Bob’ a.k.a. Leo XIV – who is he, and will that bring back the ‘Pontus Pokes the Pope’ segment? Time will tell! In other news, If you catch this episode in time, please consider signing the European petition to ban conversion therapy, last day is May 17th.

Inge Lehmann is one of forgotten heroes of science, hear more about her in TWISH. Then we go for the news:

• INTERNATIONAL: Aspartame – risk vs. hazard
• AUSTRIA: Michael Frass’ controversial study just lost all validity – and yet, it’s still not retracted
• BELGIUM: Special report from Josef! The winners of the awards from the Belgian skeptics (SKEPP)
• FRANCE: An open letter by healthcare professionals to stop the funding of SCAM therapies that lack scientific evidence
• GERMANY: King of the Reichsbürger movement arrested
• EUROPE: Fact-checking chatbot The Check has passed experimental development phase

German SCAM proponent Harald Walach publishes bogus study that claims that the placebo effect explains most of the efficacy of clinical trails. For that, he is Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

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

0:00:51 GREETINGS

• Habemus Papam…
• European petition to ban conversion therapy
  • European Citizens’ Initiative: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/043/public/

0:13:56 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 13 May 1888: Inge Lehmann was a Danish seismologist and pioneer in deciphering the Earth’s inner structure.
  • APS: https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2023/08/seismologist-lehmann-earth-inner-core
  • Ny Carlsbergfondet: https://www.ny-carlsbergfondet.dk/en/woman-who-discovered-earths-solid-inner-core

0:22:50 NEWS

• INTERNATIONAL: Aspartame – risk vs. hazard
  • the Conversion: https://theconversation.com/aspartame-the-artificial-sweetener-is-calorie-free-but-not-risk-free-a-nutritionist-explains-254318
• AUSTRIA: Michael Frass’ controversial study just lost all validity – and yet, it’s still not retracted
  • GWUP: https://blog.gwup.net/2025/05/09/zusammenfassung-der-kritik-an-der-frass-studie-im-laborjournal/
• BELGIUM: Special report from Josef! The winners of the awards from the Belgian skeptics (SKEPP)
  • SKEPP: https://skepp.be/kritisch-denken/skeptische-put-2024-griet-op-de-beeck
  • SKEPP: https://skepp.be/kritisch-denken/michael-sels-wint-de-zesde-vijs-2024
• FRANCE: An open letter by healthcare professionals to stop the funding of SCAM therapies that lack scientific evidence
  • L’Express: https://www.lexpress.fr/sciences-sante/non-au-remboursement-des-pseudotherapies-lappel-de-soignants-pour-une-sante-fondee-sur-les-preuves-7GAQGJF72VCOTFUZVPRJHXJZSI/
• GERMANY: King of the Reichsbürger movement arrested
  • Bild: https://www.bild.de/news/reichsbuerger-razzia-dobrindt-verbietet-koenigreich-deutschland-6822d3a0e2b5b63444690b4f
  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsb%C3%BCrger_movement
• EUROPE: Fact-checking chatbot The Check has passed experimental development phase
  • European Media and Information Fund: https://gulbenkian.pt/emifund/projects/the-multilingual-fact-checker-chatbot/
  • Lakmusz: https://www.lakmusz.hu/thecheck-tanulsagok-egy-tobbnyelvu-dezinformacio-elleni-chatbot-fejlesztesebol/

0:53:59 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: German SCAM proponent Harald Walach in new controversy regarding the placebo effect
  • Retraction Watch: https://retractionwatch.com/2025/05/09/journal-investigating-placebo-effect-study-harald-walach-journal-clinical-epidemiology/

0:59:08 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“Though the theory is worthless without the well-observed facts, the facts are useless without the frame of the theory to receive them.”
/ Hannah Fry (born 21 February 1984), British mathematician, author and broadcaster. /

1:00:57 OUTRO

1:02:19 OUT-TAKES