Edinburgh Skeptics Presents...

With tales of moving plates, swirling magma and rabbits, Prof. Kathy Whaler from the University of Edinburgh tackles 10 Questions from Heather Pentler.

Kathy Whaler has been Professor of Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh since 1994. Her main research interests are using permanent geomagnetic observatory and low Earth orbit magnetic satellite data to study the origin and maintenance of the Earth's magnetic field; the magnetic field of the near-surface rocks of the Earth and other solar system objects that reflects their composition and past history; and using electromagnetic induction to probe the electrical resistivity structure of the crust and upper mantle, particularly as part of multi-disciplinary projects in rifting environments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the American Geophysical Union, a Past President of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Price Medal.

Magnetic compasses may have been used by the Chinese as early as the first century AD, and natural magnets were known to the Greeks in classical times. Knowledge of the magnetic field has been routinely used in navigation (and measurements have routinely made) since the 18th century, soon after Henry Gellibrand discovered that it changed with time.

Nowadays, the geomagnetic observatory network is supplemented by measurements from space – in November 2013, ESA launched a constellation of three low-Earth orbiting magnetic satellites. Why? – partly because we still need to monitor the magnetic field and its changes, but also because fundamental questions remain about its origin and the energy sources that maintain it.

Kathy Whaler has been Professor of Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh since 1994. Her main research interests are using permanent geomagnetic observatory and low Earth orbit magnetic satellite data to study the origin and maintenance of the Earth's magnetic field; the magnetic field of the near-surface rocks of the Earth and other solar system objects that reflects their composition and past history; and using electromagnetic induction to probe the electrical resistivity structure of the crust and upper mantle, particularly as part of multi-disciplinary projects in rifting environments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the American Geophysical Union, a Past President of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Price Medal.

As well as full-length talks we're bringing you interviews with our Fringe 2017 speakers to find out what makes them tick and to grill them in forensic detail about their fields. First off is writer and history Prof Tim Whitmarsh. Tim sat down with our own Heather Pentler to discuss gods, cats, and atheists in the comfortable surroundings of the Royal Mile Radisson.

Prof. Whitmarsh is the author of *Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World*, described by the New York Times as 'excellent', by the Guardian as 'brilliant', and by his mother as 'alright if you like that kind of thing'. As well as another 6 books (about Greek literature, thought and culture), he has written for the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books, and has appeared a number of times on BBC TV and radio. He has held professorial positions in the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Exeter.

www.classics.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-tim-whitmarsh

Twitter: @TWhittermarsh

Edit: You know when you've given the podcast gear to your vice-chair to do interviews at QED and you realise you needed it to record a welcome message for the very first Fringe 2017 podcast? Yeah, that...

It's a very special time here at Podcast HQ as we start to bring you some episodes from our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe lineup. Normally we'd start with our compilation evening Our Friends On The Fringe, but that must wait for another day (and because we forgot to ask if it was ok. Oops!). So our first release from this year's Fringe is historian and writer Professor Tim Whitmarsh.

Most people think of atheism as something modern and western, but in fact it has a rich, deep and weird history to rival any religion's. In Tim's talk we'll meet some of classical antiquity's most brilliant and engaging characters, including Diogenes (who lived in a barrel) and Socrates (who didn't). We'll also reflect on what it means, for us now, to think of atheism as something with a history older than Islam and Christianity.

Prof. Whitmarsh is the author of *Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World*, described by the New York Times as 'excellent', by the Guardian as 'brilliant', and by his mother as 'alright if you like that kind of thing'. As well as another 6 books (about Greek literature, thought and culture), he has written for the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books, and has appeared a number of times on BBC TV and radio. He has held professorial positions in the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Exeter.

www.classics.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-tim-whitmarsh

Twitter: @TWhittermarsh

In this episode of 10 Questions we sit down with Prof. Michael Dougan to ask some searching, evidence-based questions on Brexit. Are we really screwed? What's the process? And most importantly: how will Scotland fare?

Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Liverpool. He is an established academic authority on EU constitutional law and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world's leading scientific journal for European legal studies.

Michael's public engagement activities, including videos of his lectures on the EU referendum, received extensive media attention in the run-up to the 'Brexit' referendum and he continues to be a popular authority on the matter for individuals and groups all around the world.

The UK's negotiations on withdrawal from the EU are now underway. And so Leave campaigners are now facing a form of accountability they have never experienced before: the accountability of reality. What are the key issues in the UK-EU negotiations? What will be their likely outcomes? What will the Repeal Bill mean for democracy and accountability here in the UK? Our speaker will provide an overview of the current legal and political situation, leaving plenty of time for questions from the floor, to discuss the most important set of challenges facing the UK since 1945.

Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Liverpool. He is an established academic authority on EU constitutional law and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world's leading scientific journal for European legal studies.

Michael's public engagement activities, including videos of his lectures on the EU referendum, received extensive media attention in the run-up to the 'Brexit' referendum and he continues to be a popular authority on the matter for individuals and groups all around the world.

Edit: Bit low effort this one on my part. But next week... The Fringe! - Mark

For another trip back to 2017's Edinburgh International Science Festival we'll be hearing from Dr Lucina Hackman. Forensic anthropologists are crucial in helping to identify the deceased when there are limited clues to their identity. Dr Hackman's talk will examine how her work has helped give victim's their identity to assist with the investigation of crimes.

Dr Hackman is a senior lecturer at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification based in the University of Dundee. She runs postgraduate courses and teaches students in forensic anthropology. Dr Hackman is also a certified, practising forensic anthropologist and works regularly with investigators in this role.

Yes, it's us again. Remember us? We do podcasts and then take massive breaks to put on public festivals of science and rationalism. But we're here again! We'll have some podcasts from most of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 talks over the coming months and there's so much good stuff coming up. It'll keep you going for aaaages.

Before that we have a few other podcasts to put out from the Science Festival, starting with this interview with Niamh Nic Daeid. She'll be telling us all about her incredible career and her current research, as well as telling us about her dreams for the forensics future.

We sadly couldn't podcast Niamh's talk for pesky legal reasons, but you'll be able to hear more from her in a few weeks time on one of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 podcasts!

Professor Niamh Nic Daeid is Director of Research at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification and Director of the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science a £10million a year project with the remit to disrupt the forensic science ecosystem. She is a forensic chemist specialising in fire investigation, and the clandestine manufacture and characterisation of drugs of abuse. She is the current Vice Chair of the scientific advisory board of the International Criminal Court and is an advisor to the United Nations on aspects of New psychoactive drugs.

The morning after the birthday cake-infused Skeptics In The Pub before, Mark Pentler sat down with Paul Zenon to discuss the world of psychics and mediums in more detail. Plus they reminisce about Blackpool, the place where they both grew up. It's like Portabello, only with more Scottish people. We're probably taking a break now before our month-long Fringe Binge - there may be time to squeeze in one last podcast. If you're good and eat all your dinner, obviously.

Edit: A birthday surprise at the end of this talk. The picture attached should hopefully provide some context...

From long-running TV series to sold-out theatre shows and premium rate phone 'advice' lines, the business of 'Love and Light' and talking to the dead is very much alive and well. How are psychics able to convince the public that their other-worldly insight is genuine? Why do people insist on believing, despite the lack of evidence of an afterlife? Paul Zenon presents a potted history of what of what Harry Houdini described as 'the filthiest profession in the world', and takes a look at their methods, past and present.

Paul is possibly best known as a magician; after several series on Children's BBC in the 90s he became the pioneer of the UK's Street Magic genre, with a number of one-man C4 and ITV Specials. His career has spanned three decades and seen him performing for audiences in around forty countries while making hundreds of TV appearances as performer, presenter nd pundit; the latter relating in particular to his inside knowledge with regard to matters generally considered by the media to be 'paranormal'. His last visit to Edinburgh was to the 2016 Fringe, in his roll as Ringmaster in the Olivier Award-winning circus-cabaret show, La Clique.

Consumer Protection Disclaimer: this talk is investigational and for the purpose of entertainment.