February 07, 2025

TWiS 147: Not As They Seem - Mick West on UFOs, Conspiracy Theories, and Pseudoscience

1 hour 15 minutes

In this episode, we talk to Mick West, a passionate conspiracy debunker who, rather uniquely, proceeds with kindness and empathy as he unravels some of the key pseudoscience of our time. Of particular interest to us is the spate of relatively recent videos of UFOs/UAPs from the US Navy, among other sources. He's got a lot to say and took a deep dive into the phenomenon with us. Buckle up and share the weird and sometimes wacky world of "Not As They Seem!" with us!

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Headlines:

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to bring home astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams earlier than planned, swapping with the Axiom Space 4 mission's Endurance Dragon capsule

Asteroid 2024 YR4's chances of impacting Earth in 2032 slightly increase to a 2.2% chance of hitting our planet on December 22, 2032, according to the European Space Agency. The risk assessment has increased from a chance of 1.2% over the last week due to new observations, but there is still a 97.7% chance it will miss our planet

Putin replaces Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov with 37-year-old Dmitry Bakunov, former deputy transport minister

Astrolab's FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover to replace NASA's canceled VIPER rover, hitching a ride on Griffin's lander to the Moon

The Trump administration's first weeks in office bring significant changes to NASA and the space industry, with acting administrator Janet Petro set to address the future of the agency

Main Topic - UFOs/UAPs, Conspiracy Theories, and Critical Thinking:

Mick West's background in video game programming and his transition to debunking conspiracy theories

The importance of contrail science and debunking the chemtrails conspiracy theory

Psychological factors that lead people to believe in conspiracy theories, such as the need for uniqueness and the appeal of simple explanations

The role of social media and non-expert influencers in shaping public opinion on UFOs and other fringe topics

Analyzing recent UFO videos and the challenges of interpreting visual data without proper context or expertise

The potential impact of the Trump administration on UFO disclosure and the appointment of a "UFO/UAP czar"

Examining the claims of UFO whistleblowers like Luis Elizondo and David Grusch, and the lack of concrete evidence to support their assertions

The shift towards a distrust of science and academia, and the potential return to a belief in supernatural explanations

Debunking moon landing conspiracy theories and the importance of considering evidence from multiple sources

The potential consequences of hidden technology and the allure of "free energy" conspiracy theories

Mick West's book, "Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect," and its guidance on communicating with conspiracy theorists

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Mick West

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