TheESP – Ep. #360 – Praise be to Wikipedia

… and someone please tell Prince Harry to act more responsibly.

This week we start by lamenting over the launch failure of Virgin Orbit from Cornwall Spaceport, then praise Wikipedia that soon turns 22 and we also have a lot to thank Susan Gerbic, the “Wikipediatrician” for.

Then in Pontus’ absence we leave the pope alone and turn to the News:
NETHERLANDS: Alleged nazi treasure map keeps people excited
HUNGARY: Far right MP appears on the pseudodocumentary ‘Died Suddenly’ and antivaxers promote the movie ferociously
UK: Information about weird shaped waves could be yet another nail in Nessie’s coffin
SPAIN: Researches find correlation between conspiratorial thinking and weird myths about the causes of cancer

This weeks Really Wrong Prize goes to Prince Harry for actively promoting a questionable psychotherapy and consulting a psychic to help him cope with the loss of his mother, then advertising it on his autobiography.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:52 GREETINGS

• Long-awaited UK space launch goes south
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64218883

0:07:41 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 15 January 2001: Wikipedia was launched
  • https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/h/History_of_Wikipedia.htm
  • https://www.computerhistory.org/makesoftware/exhibit/wikipedia/
  • Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/gsow-comes-under-scrutiny-and-wins/

0:19:00 NEWS

• NETHERLANDS: Alleged nazi treasure map keeps people excited
  • https://www.dn.se/varlden/karta-fran-nazisterna-lockar-till-skattjakt-i-nederlanderna/
• HUNGARY: Far right MP appears on the pseudodocumentary ‘Died Suddenly’ and antivaxers promote the movie ferociously
  • Lakmusz: https://www.lakmusz.hu/duro-dora-is-felbukkan-az-oltasellenes-filmben-amit-milliok-neznek-most-vilagszerte/
• UK: Information about weird shaped waves could be yet another nail in Nessie’s coffin
  • The Skeptic: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2023/01/wave-good-bye-to-nessie-the-wake-phenomena-that-can-explain-many-loch-ness-sightings/
• SPAIN: Researches find correlation between conspiratorial thinking and weird myths about the causes of cancer
  • BMJ: https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj-2022-072561

0:34:09 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Prince Harry for actively promoting a questionable psychotherapy and consulting a psychic to help him cope with the loss of his mother, then advertising it on his autobiography.
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/05/prince-harry-diana-new-book-autobiography-spare
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/21/emdr-what-is-the-trauma-therapy-used-by-prince-harry

0:39:20 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realisation that there probably is no heaven and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe and for that, I am extremely grateful.”
/ Stephen Hawking, (8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018) was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author /

0:41:30 OUTRO

0:42:45 OUT-TAKES