TheESP – Ep. #519 – Skeptical Heresy

Just like his uncle, even the Prince of Wales (William, that is!) cannot entirely stay out of the Epstein-files, as his charity gets tangled up in it. In TWISH we take a look at famed Giordano Bruno to see if he was truly a skeptic or more of a trouble make (admittedly, you can be both). Then we have the news:

• UK: More than 60 children infected in north London measles outbreak
• AUSTRIA: Group of scientists on how difficult it is to try to uphold scientific standards
• INTERNATIONAL: Climate change confusion?
• INTERNATIONAL: Study finds deepfake to be alarmingly prevalent

On the same topic as two weeks ago, the Really Wrong Award goes to the UK education system for their very questionable religious education syllabus, while the Humanists UK get the Really Right Award for fighting back.

Enjoy!

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

0:00:52 GREETINGS

• Prince of Wales’ charity in trouble?
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce82xgd2g3yo

0:09:46 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 17 February 1600: The execution of Giordano Bruno
  • Stanford: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bruno/

0:19:07 NEWS

• UK: More than 60 children infected in north London measles outbreak
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/14/more-than-60-children-infected-in-north-london-measles-outbreak
  • ECDC: https://measles-rubella-monthly.ecdc.europa.eu/
  • WHO: https://immunizationdata.who.int/global/wiise-detail-page/measles-vaccination-coverage
  • Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-epidemiology-2023/confirmed-cases-of-measles-in-england-by-month-age-region-and-upper-tier-local-authority-2025
• AUSTRIA: Group of scientists on how difficult it is to try to uphold scientific standards
  • Springer: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41073-026-00191-5?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=423897
• INTERNATIONAL: Climate change confusion?
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/14/uk-bad-weather-rain-flood-warnings-struggling-business
  • Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2026/climate-change-temperature-rate-accelerating/
• INTERNATIONAL: Study finds deepfake to be alarmingly prevalent
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/06/deepfake-taking-place-on-an-industrial-scale-study-finds

0:41:30 REALLY WRONG / REALLY RIGHT

• Really Wrong: UK’s position on religious education
  • Humanists UK: https://humanists.uk/2026/02/13/christian-evangelising-in-scottish-schools-exposed-ahead-of-holyrood-school-worship-vote/
• Really Right: Humanists UK for fighting religious indoctrination
  • Humanists UK: https://humanists.uk/2026/02/12/concerns-raised-over-church-sign-off-role-in-re-reforms/

0:45:54 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“The problem we have online is that an algorithm decides what we want to see, which ends up creating a simplistic, binary view of society. It becomes a case of either you’re with us or against us. And if you’re against us, you deserve to be ‘cancelled’. It’s important that we’re exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion, but what we have now is the digital equivalent of the medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn. So it is scary for anyone who’s a victim of that mob and it fills me with fear about the future.”
/ Rowan Atkinson (6 January 1955 – ), English actor, comedian and writer. /

0:47:43 OUTRO

0:49:06 OUT-TAKES