Edd works in astronomy at the University of Portsmouth, trying to handle the large amounts of data from some of the current and upcoming surveys of the sky. He's worked with surveys such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and on the 'citizen science' project Galaxy Zoo which lead to the discovery of 'Hanny's Voorwerp'. As someone in the field of cosmology, he's in the somewhat unusual situation of often having to tell people that most of the universe is actually invisible and intangible and that it's perfectly rational to believe that.  Having spent too much time worrying about how to turn data into answers to questions, he talks about the mathematics behind thinking skeptically (but not so many equations that you can't follow him after a pint or two). What should we mean when we say we believe something? How do you know when you have enough evidence for your beliefs, and when should you change your mind when faced with facts that don't fit your preconceptions? And what does this all mean when we're faced with the task of assessing whether that claimed psychic really can do what they say?

Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon C.Psychol, is a Reader in Psychology and Social Policy at Birkbeck, University of London. A chartered psychologist with a PhD from the University Law Faculty, Belinda's research focuses on the safety, health, welfare and human rights of vulnerable workers. Belinda's book The Price of Sex: Prostitution, Policy and Society  was short-listed for the British Society of Criminology Book Prize 2007. Other books include: Death Rites and Rights; Law and Psychology: Current Legal Issues; and Sexuality Repositioned: Diversity and the Law. She also writes in the mainstream broadsheet press and sometimes on legal blogs.

Andrew N Holding caught up with Dean Burnett at TAM London last year. Dean was our speaker at Skeptics in the Pub Cambridge last month, and they talk about his journey into Skepticism, Dr Who and his stand-up comedy.

Andrew N Holding managed to catch up with Gia Milinovich at TAM London 2010 where he was able to talk about her Guardian article earlier that year "The lady vanishes: Invisible Wife Syndrome".

Simon Blackburn is the Professor of philosophy at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Trinity College, and a Research Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. From 1969 to 1990 he was Tutorial Fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford. He has held visiting appointments at many places in the USA and worldwide. His books include: Reason and Prediction, 1973, Spreading the Word 1984, Essays in Quasi-Realism 1993, The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, 1994, Ruling Passions 1998, Think 1999, Being Good 2001, Lust 2004, Truth: A Guide 2005, Plato's Republic 2006, How to Read Hume 2008, The Big Questions of Philosophy, 2009. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Andy Lewis developed the web site quackometer.net that explores the pseudo-medical claims of alternative medicine web sites and their impact on society. Despite his detractors' claims, he does not own a yacht in the South of France paid for by Big Pharma. He has yet to secure a single penny from such sources for his work.

It may seem premature to be discussing the elimination of human aging as a cause of death, when so little progress has yet been made in even postponing it. However, two facts undermine this assessment. The first is that aging happens throughout our lives but only causes ill-health after middle age: this shows that we can postpone that ill-health without knowing how to prevent aging completely, but instead by molecular and cellular repair. The second is that the typical rate of subsequent, incremental refinement of big technological breakthroughs is usually fast enough (so long as public enthusiasm for them is strong) to change those technologies almost beyond recognition within a natural human lifespan. In this talk I will explain, first, why therapies that can add 30 healthy years to the remaining lifespan of typical 60-year-olds may well arrive within the next few decades, and, second, why those who benefit from those therapies will very probably continue to benefit from progressively improved therapies indefinitely and will thus avoid debilitation or death from age-related causes at any age.

For over 20 years, psychologist Richard Wiseman has delved deep into the mysterious world of the paranormal, carrying out high profile, and often controversial, investigations into the impossible. Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman started his working life as a professional magician and currently holds Britain's only Professorship in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He frequently appears on the media, and has written over 60 academic articles and several books, including The Luck Factor, Quirkology and 59 Seconds.

David Aaronovitch is a writer, broadcaster and commentator on culture, international affairs, politics and the media. A former television researcher, producer and programme editor, he has previously written for The Independent, The Guardian and The Observer, winning numerous accolades, including Columnist of the Year 2003 and the 2001 Orwell prize for journalism. He has appeared on Have I Got News For You, presented a number of radio and television series and programmes on current affairs and historical topics. His first book, and account of a journey by kayak on the rivers and canals of England, Paddling to Jerusalem, was published in 2000 and won the Madoc Prize for travel writing. In 2009 he published Voodoo Histories, a book on conspiracy theories, which will be the subject of his talk.

Andrew N Holding interviews Louise from the Geek Calendar. Geek Calendar showcases the UK's geek heroes in ways you will have never seen before. This is not a 'pin-up' calendar in the traditional sense (and no, they are not naked), instead it features interesting photos of intriguing people, reminding us of each person's ideas, achievements and creativity.Some of our geeks are famous, some are not, some are scientists, some are artists. All are nerds to the core.“Geeks are fascinated by the tiniest and yet most wonderful things. I'm a geek. I used to spot buses.”- Professor Brian Cox Get your Geek Calendar at http://www.geekcalendar.co.uk or at our next 'Skeptics in the Pub - Cambridge' meeting on November 30th from 7pm at the Maypole Pub, Cambridge.