Skeptics with a K

Alice dives into what is meant by 'open research' and why that is valuable, and Mike looks at TikTok and the recent US congressional hearings about banning the app.  Meanwhile, Marsh returns from a holiday in France and Mike goes to live with giraffes.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke

In this one-off episode of Skeptics with a K, the regular team step aside for International Women's Day. Lana, Emma, and Kat get together to talk about co-sleeping and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, women's ultramarathon performance, and a recent paper which looks at young women and anal sex.

If listeners want to skip Lana's story on SIDS, it finishes at 0:44:30.

If you want to donate to Emma's efforts to raise money for Refugee Women Connect, visit refugeewomenconnect.org.uk/fundraisers/runningreallyfarforrefugeewomen.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke

Marsh looks at the Telegram furore around 15-Minute Cities and Alice investigates the practitioners of Kambo therapy, a folk medicine derived from tree-frog secretions. Meanwhile, Mike takes a last-minute trip to the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke.

With Marsh unwell, Alice and Mike are joined by Emma to talk about the efficacy of interventions for prisoners with personality disorders, and the people who cheat at speed running computer games.

If you want to donate to Emma's efforts to raise money for Refugee Women Connect, visit refugeewomenconnect.org.uk/fundraisers/runningreallyfarforrefugeewomen.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke

Alice looks at the 'menstrual masking', the latest beauty trend from TikTok, while Mike looks closer at the Hawthorne Effect and whether the original Hawthorne experiments actually demonstrate the effect. Meanwhile, Marsh leads the rock 'n' roll life when he buys a new radiator.

Alice investigates the Tesla BioHealing medbed, which promises to recharge every cell in the body, and Marsh looks at the realtime slide of Andrew Bridgen MP into anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist. Meanwhile, Mike plays the Good Samaritan on Christmas Day.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke

Welcome to 2023! This week, Mike talks about the promotion of misinformation on Twitter by its new owner Elon Musk, and Marsh looks into a website scam based around false copyright claims and backlinks. Meanwhile, Alice has a bad Christmas.

You can support the show by donating via our Patreon, or by leaving us a positive review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or your podcatcher of choice.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke.

For the final episode of the year, Mike, Marsh and Alice take a break from the usual format to talk about QED, how the event works, and our top tips on how we think skeptical events can be run.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke

Alice looks at the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, while Mike looks at the evidence for mix-and-match vaccination. Plus, Mike has some very strange dreams.

Mixed and edited by Morgan Clarke.