Pontus and Andras host this slightly Christmas-themed episode with the birthday of Sir Isaac Newton and the New Style Calendar, Pope Francis promising no more sexual abuse cases covered up by the catholic church, CICAP launching a new chapter in Pordenone, although reality somewhat better than previous estimates, measles still being on the rise in Europe, Spanish chiropractors reacting to new government plan to tackle pseudoscience and how there is no need to fear for Christmas being renamed in Sweden.
Segments:
Intro; Greetings; This Week in Skepticism; Pontus Pokes the Pope; News; Skeptical Christmas Songs; Farewell and Quote; Outro; Out-takes
Show Notes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:28 Greetings
00:06:36 This Week in Skepticism
- Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642), brilliant figure of science and a keen alchemist.
00:12:29 Pontus Pokes the Pope
Pope: Church Will ‘Never Again’ Cover Up Clergy Sex Abuse.
00:19:13 Skeptical News from around Europe
- Italy: A new chapter of CICAP
- Ukraine: Measles epidemic is still here
- Spain: Spanish chiropractors fear for their jobs
- Sweden: Christmas is NOT renamed ‘Winter Celebration’
00:28:38 Skeptical Christmas Songs
- Tim Minchin: White Wine in the Sun
- George Hrab: I Don’t believe in Christmas
00:29:17 Quote
“We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances. To this purpose the philosophers say that Nature does nothing in vain, and more is in vain when less will serve; for Nature is pleased with simplicity, and affects not the pomp of superfluous causes.” – 1st rule (of 4) of scientific reasoning/Isaac Newton, The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687), 3rd edition (1726)/
00:32:09 Outro
00:33:23 Out-takes