We received some listener feedback regarding Ricky Gervais, and the Hungarian state media apologizes for the lies during Orbán(!). In TWISH we hear about Robert Chambers, the anonymous publisher who helped pave the way for Darwin.

Then, it’s time for the news:

• SWEDEN / NORWAY: Resurgence of JW in Sweden and Norway
• AUSTRIA: Austrians seem to have lost confidence in homeopathy
• INTERNATIONAL: Quackery round-up: misused Alzheimer’s test, cancer treatment with bleach, and fake diabetes supplement
• GERMANY: Couple on trial for mistreatment of child’s illness

Self-appointed (is there any other kind?) psychic Christoffer Norén receives this week’s award for being Really Wrong, while Susan Gerbic gets the Really Right Award for her ‘Psychics Explained’ Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-539.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:15:49 TWISH

0:22:16 News

0:41:06 Really Wrong / Really Right

0:46:17 Quote

0:47:41 Outro

0:49:04 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science shows that the heatwave in Europe was made much worse by climate crisis, and in TWISH we hear about an old but classic ‘UFO encounter’ in France. Naturally, we also take a look at the news:

• SWEDEN / INTERNATIONAL: Pontus Pokes the Politicians: Psychologist argues that politicians focus too much on values to explain crimes
• SPAIN / INTERNATIONAL: Boiron shifts to dietary supplements as market for homeopathy is shrinking
• INTERNATIONAL: Are AI tools left, right, or just plainly wrong?
• UK: Conversion practices ban introduced in three out of four parts

We celebrate the success of HPV vaccination program by handing a Really Right Award to – Science!

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-538.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:07:55 TWISH

0:15:04 News

0:41:18 Really Right

0:45:12 Quote

0:46:32 Outro

0:47:54 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The applications to talk at SkeptiCamp in October are now open, don’t be shy! In TWISH we hear about how the jesuit priest Angelo Secchi unwittingly became the origin of tales about green men on Mars. Then, it’s time for the news:

• EUROPE / WORLD: European heatwave / El Niño officially under way
• AUSTRIA: Study links authoritarian attitudes to belief in Anthroposophic medicine
• EUROPE / WORLD: Is EU falling for the great replacement theory?

The European Commission gets today’s award for being Really Right since they finally are easing the rules for CRISPR crops in the EU.

In Who’s Quacking? we feature Paulo Zampolli, sel-appointed “Envoy to Italy” who has tried to sneak Italy back into the World Cup, even though they clearly did not qualify.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-537.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:03:25 TWISH

0:10:38 News

0:30:06 Really Right

0:33:48 Who's Quacking?

0:39:31 Quote

0:40:57 Outro

0:42:20 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people still ignore the climate crises while there have been 200,000 preventable deaths due to heat only in Europe in the last four years. In TWISH we hear about the pope tried to strike back against Martin Luther with a papal bull (isn’t it all bull?) this week in 1520. Then, we turn to the news:

• NETHERLANDS: Freek Rikkerink of Suzan & Freek-fame is turning to paleo diet to combat terminal cancer
• NORTHERN IRELAND: Follow up on riots
• UK: UK to ban social media for under 16-year-olds
• EU: Humanists across Europe pushing for human-centred AI regulation in Europe

To finish off, the EU Commission gets this week’s Really Wrong Award for being too weak on conversion therapy.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-536.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:50 Greetings

0:07:10 TWISH

0:16:49 News

0:38:22 Really Wrong

0:43:41 Quote

0:44:50 Outro

0:46:13 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate crisis reaches all the way up to Scandinavia and in TWISH we hear about Roger Bacon, an early advocate for investigative science.

Then we have the news:

• SCOTLAND / INTERNATIONAL: Research integrity and transparency in SCAM journals
• ENGLAND: Church of England spends a fortune on evangelism
• SWEDEN: Scandals and corruption as Sweden prepares for September elections
• UK: Doctors and NHS could be sued for mistakes caused by AI

Tommy Robinson cynically exploits tragic attack in Belfast which earns him this week’s Really Wrong Award.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-535.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:03:42 TWISH

0:11:41 News

0:40:16 Really Wrong

0:44:10 Quote

0:45:00 Outro

0:46:23 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These days even cognitive biases are automated. In TWISH we hear about the skeptical TV-series X-Aknák (X-Mines) that ran on Hungarian TV in the early 2000s. Then, it’s time for the news:

• UK / INTERNATIONAL: Canadian man admits sending ‘suicide packets’ to hundreds of people in the UK and around the world
• UK / INTERNATIONAL: John Maddox Prize open for nominations
• INTERNATIONAL: Online ads are becoming harder to spot – but we’re not powerless to stop it
• GERMANY: Interviews from SkepKon 2026 now available

The Conference of Deans of Faculties of Medicine in France aims to throw out alternative medicine from the universities and for that they are Really Right!

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-534.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:06:54 TWISH

0:14:38 News

0:31:22 Really Right

0:36:13 Quote

0:38:03 Outro

0:39:25 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not even June and people are already dying from heatwave in Europe. Skepkon 2026 in Regensburg looks to have been a hit and speaking of conferences – don’t forget to plan your trip to ESC Liverpool in October! In TWISH we hear about the man behind the Watchmaker analogy and then it’s time for the news:

• NORWAY / SWEDEN: Assisted death pushed too far
• UK: Wellness coach dies of frog poison
• INTERNATIONAL: Smart phones are promoting populism
• GERMANY: Historical cryptozoological find has been elegantly debunked

A bunch of AI LLMs mislead voters before the Scottish election this month, and for that they share the Award for being Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-533.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:50 Greetings

0:08:36 TWISH

0:20:26 News

0:39:06 Really Wrong

0:43:13 Quote

0:44:48 Outro

0:46:11 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the return of a super-El Niño it may be a hot year and in TWISH we hear about James Lind‘s famous scurvy experiment from 1747. Then we have the news:

• INTERNATIONAL: Antidepressants in pregnancy do not raise children’s risk of autism or ADHD
• BELGIUM / DENMARK: Attempted control and recommendations regarding meat consumption spark disinformation campaigns
• INTERNATIONAL: Hantavirus myths and facts
• UK: Halley’s comet named after the wrong person?

Swedish influencer Katrin Zytomierska claims her olive oil prevents cancer and for that she receives this week’s award for being Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-532.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:51 Greetings

0:07:00 TWISH

0:19:26 News

0:40:15 Really Wrong

0:43:31 Quote

0:48:09 Outro

0:49:31 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Hungarian government are making all the right noises and we hope they will live up to it. Don’t forget to get your ESC Liverpool tickets, and in TWISH we here about Magnus Hirschfeld, a pioneer in fighting for what we today call LGBTQ rights. Then, we head for the news:

• NORWAY / EU: Warning to athletes: Do not buy dietary supplements online, even from within Europe
• ITALY: PM Georgia Meloni uses deepfake of herself to warn of misuse of AI
• INTERNATIONAL: AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains
• UK: AI platforms pushing Reform?

Endometriosis can be a debilitating condition but what the Bucharest Endometriosis Centre is doing to their patients seem terrible. For that they are Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-531.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:52 Greetings

0:10:46 TWISH

0:19:24 News

0:44:55 Really Wrong

0:54:55 Quote

0:58:32 Outro

0:59:54 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ESC Liverpool 2026 tickets are now available! Get yours now! Chris French wrote a eulogy for Nick Pope, UFO profile who passed away, and in TWISH we hear about Gustave Le Bon who identified the mass psychology of crowds over 150 years ago. Then we head for the news:

• UK: Humanists UK celebrates 130th anniversary
• INTERNATIONAL: Haunted houses explained?
• INTERNATIONAL: Skeptical Science experiment results and lessons learned
• NETHERLANDS / SWEDEN: To meat or not to meat?
• SWITZERLAND: The endless loop of homeopathy finally broken?

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ ‘clarification’ regarding blood transfusions is still harmful and stupid, and for that they get this week’s award for being Really Wrong.

Enjoy!

https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-530.html

Segments:

0:00:27 Intro

0:00:52 Greetings

0:07:29 TWISH

0:15:30 News

0:37:54 Really Wrong

0:44:35 Quote

0:45:39 Outro

0:47:02 Outtakes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.