TheESP – Ep. #453 – Who trusts science?

It’s one election after another. The same day that the US voted orange, Germany decided on a snap election after the current coalition fell apart. Let’s hope people over here are better informed than the American voters. In TWISH we hear about ‘Doctor Universalis’ Albertus Magnus whose scientific mindset in the 13th century helped Europe begin its long and winding road out of the dark ages. Then we explore the news:

• ONLINE: ‘Akusoli’ is a typical example of woowoo products that are aggressively marketed online
• UK: Assisted dying bill’s ‘strict’ safeguards to include long jail terms for coercion
• SWEDEN: Warning regarding fake medicine online
• GERMANY: Who trusts science and who doesn’t?
• UK: The Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandal

The Really Wrong Award is split between oil producer Shell and a Dutch court of appeals that overturned Shell’s requirement to reduce their emission goals.

Enjoy!

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

0:00:53 GREETINGS

• Snap election to be held in Germany
  • Tages Schau: https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/neuwahl-termin-einigung-100.html
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98dnxd774no

0:04:54 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 15 November 1280: The feast day of Albertus, celebrating the death of Albertus Magnus on 15 November 1280. Albertus Magnus, sometimes titled ‘Doctor Universalis’, was a German philosopher and scientist. He is widely regarded as the bridge between the ancient world and the Renaissance, preserving and expanding on the knowledge of earlier thinkers like Aristotle.
  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertus_Magnus

0:12:16 NEWS

• ONLINE: ‘Akusoli’ is a typical example of woowoo products that are aggressively marketed online
• UK: Assisted dying bill’s ‘strict’ safeguards to include long jail terms for coercion
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/nov/11/assisted-dying-bills-strict-safeguards-to-include-long-jail-terms-for-coercion
• SWEDEN: Warning regarding fake medicine online
  • Dagens Medicin: https://www.dagensmedicin.se/alla-nyheter/lakemedel/illegala-lakemedel-jattestor-patientrisk/
• GERMANY: Who trusts science and who doesn’t?
  • Spektrum: https://www.spektrum.de/news/vertrauen-in-wissenschaft-unterschiede-nach-politischen-praeferenzen/2241822
• UK: The Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandal
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/12/justin-welby-step-down-archbishop-canterbury

0:36:35 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Dutch court of appeals overturns the need for Shell to reduce emissions
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx240l9xq2yo

0:40:13 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“Natural science does not consist in ratifying what others have said, but in seeking the causes of phenomena.”
/ Quote attributed to Albertus Magnus (c. 1200 – 15 November 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great, Albert of Swabia or Albert of Cologne. Albertus was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop, who is considered to be one of the greatest medieval philosophers and thinkers. /

0:42:08 OUTRO

0:43:23 OUT-TAKES