Skeptoid
By Brian Dunning
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Category: Social Sciences
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Rate for this podcast
Subscribers: 2287
Reviews: 16
Rene Chouinard
Nov 30, 2021
Excellent science based podcast
Nov 3, 2021
Interesting podcast the seeks the truth
M Sowell
Aug 25, 2021
What the world needs.
Apr 5, 2021
Elske
Mar 24, 2021
I like this podcast very much. Interesting topics, entertainingly presented, very informative.
Description
The true science behind our most popular urban legends. Historical mysteries, paranormal claims, popular science myths, aliens and UFO reports, conspiracy theories, and worthless alternative medicine schemes... Skeptoid has you covered. From the sublime to the startling, no topic is sacred. Weekly since 2006.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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Skeptoid #808: Followups and Extras
17:13
Some new facts and extra information on six previous episodes.
|
Nov 30, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #807: Huna: New Age on an Island
15:42
Huna blends generic New Age spiritualism with a concocted version of Hawaiian tradition.
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Nov 23, 2021 |
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Eclipsed podcast preview
5:05
Sometimes the most interesting stories from history aren’t the ones we expect, it’s the stories that got lost. Eclipsed is a new weekly narrative history show from Campside Media. Hosted by writer Bijan Stephen, each episode of Eclipsed features a story hidden in the shadows of a major historical event. Lakes disappear, sailors cry, and pop stars go into battle on this season of Eclipsed.
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Nov 18, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #806: Environmental Microplastics
17:43
This manmade debris permeates our bodies and our planet, but what's the harm?
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Nov 16, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #805: The Cottingley Fairies: Analysis of a Famous Hoax
18:55
The true and weird history of the two girls who fooled the world with their fairy photographs in 1917.
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Nov 09, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #804: Unmasking the Old Stinker: The Hull Werewolf
16:37
This modern sighting of a strange beast is claimed to have been a resurgence of a legendary medieval monster.
|
Nov 02, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #803: What Really Happened at Tunguska
17:59
The true cause of one of history's most violent cataclysms remains a mystery... to a degree.
|
Oct 26, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #802: Pop Quiz: 15 for 15
19:25
It's 15 trivia questions from 15 Skeptoid episodes, to celebrate our 15th anniversary!
|
Oct 19, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #801: Probiotics Fact and Fiction
17:07
Some people promote probiotics as a miracle cure for just about anything. What can they really do?
|
Oct 12, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #800: To the Stars
14:33
A strange radio broadcast from a very unique group of VIPs being whisked away on a UFO.
|
Oct 05, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #799: On the Authorship of the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
17:01
The most famous organ work in history has a surprising mystery -- we're not really sure who composed it!
|
Sep 28, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #798: Tracking the Wild Big Cats of Britain
18:20
A close look at the tales of large black predatory cats stalking Britain for centuries.
|
Sep 21, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #797: Why You Need to Care About Methane
17:22
We focus a lot on carbon dioxide when talking about climate change. Should we be talking more about methane?
|
Sep 14, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #796: 9/11 Truthers, 20 Years Later
16:28
20 years after the worst terrorist attack on American soil, the conspiracy theories are still thriving -- just as we should expect.
|
Sep 07, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #795: What Made the Shroud of Turin Immortal
16:12
A close look at what true science and true history can tell us about this most sacred Catholic relic.
|
Aug 31, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #794: Why You Needn't Worry About the Missing 411
15:50
A popular conspiracy theory claims that lots of people disappear under unexplainable circumstances in America's national parks.
|
Aug 24, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #793: Your Turn Yet Again
17:43
Skeptoid gives our take on some spooky experiences sent in by listeners.
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Aug 17, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #792: Your Turn Again
15:37
In which I take a shot at trying to explain some of the weirdest stories sent in by listeners.
|
Aug 10, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #791: Dowsing: Water Witchcraft
15:44
If you need to find ground water, ask a hydrologist, not an occult magician.
|
Aug 03, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #790: Is the Existence of Billionaires Inherently Harmful?
18:18
Pop culture tells us that the existence of billionaires is harmful to the economy. Is that so?
|
Jul 27, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #789: All About Clearcutting
17:16
Is clearcutting of forests for logging a public nuisance or a public benefit?
|
Jul 20, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #788: The UFO Rogues Gallery Takes Over America - Part 2
16:30
An unlikely group of paranormalists has persuaded the American public that the government takes UFOs seriously.
|
Jul 13, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #787: The UFO Rogues Gallery Takes Over America - Part 1
15:56
An unlikely group of paranormalists has persuaded the American public that the government takes UFOs seriously.
|
Jul 06, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #786: Horses in Pre-Columbian America
19:19
Horses went extinct in North America at the end of the last ice age, but oddly some are now saying they didn't.
|
Jun 29, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #785: Desalination vs. A National Water Grid
17:41
A comparison of two popular ways to help cope with the new water reality of global warming.
|
Jun 22, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #784: Head Transplants
17:20
The facts and fiction of what's possible and what's already been tried in switching human heads.
|
Jun 15, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #783: The Legend of Barsa-Kelmes
17:16
The story behind the story of the many paranormal events associated with this former island in the Aral Sea.
|
Jun 08, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #782: A Collection of Corrections
15:51
In which another round of corrections is made to previous episodes. Keeping it real!
|
Jun 01, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #781: Space Junk: The Real Risk and What to Do About It
17:34
The problem of a runaway catastrophe in Low Earth Orbit looms ever larger and closer.
|
May 25, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #780: CBD for Everything
17:35
Cannabidiol is sold as an additive to just about every kind of product you can imagine. Why?
|
May 18, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #779: How the Pyramids Were (and Were Not) Built - Part 2
17:20
Some of what we know about the Great Pyramid that exclude it having been built by aliens or Atlanteans.
|
May 11, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #778: How the Pyramids Were (and Were Not) Built - Part 1
17:01
Some of what we know about the Great Pyramid that exclude it having been built by aliens or Atlanteans.
|
May 04, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #777: The 2019 USS Kidd Incident
19:18
Popular reports claim that a group of US Navy destroyers were buzzed by advanced drones in 2019.
|
Apr 27, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #776: The Engineered Moon Conspiracy
15:15
Science refutes the claim made by some that the Moon is a hollow spaceship engineered by aliens.
|
Apr 20, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #775: Listener Feedback: Monstrous Reversals
17:40
Some updates and additional information to a few past episodes... better all the time.
|
Apr 13, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #774: Bitcoin Fact and Fiction
16:57
What's true and what's not about the world's most popular cryptocurrency.
|
Apr 06, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #773: Top 10 Pro-Science Fictional Characters
17:20
A roundup of all the best pro-science characters from your favorite books, movies, and TV shows.
|
Mar 30, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #772: The Monster of Port Chatham
16:52
This remote town in Alaska was said to have been abandoned because of violent Bigfoot attacks.
|
Mar 23, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #771: Denizens of Lake Baikal
17:28
A host of strange monsters are said to lurk beneath the surface of the world's deepest lake.
|
Mar 16, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #770: The Human Design System
17:07
A mishmash of eastern mysticism masquerades as psychometry.
|
Mar 09, 2021 |
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Skeptoid #769: The Vampire of Croglin Grange
16:21
Which came first: the publication of this famous vampire story, or its associated family tradition?
|
Mar 02, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #768: Inside the Mountain Meadows Massacre
16:33
Myths, conspiracies, and coverups cloak this 1857 massacre of American emigrants.
|
Feb 23, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #767: The Year's Best of Skeptoid
19:41
My personal favorite Skeptoid episodes from each and every year of its production.
|
Feb 16, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #766: Illuminating Our Lady of Zeitoun
17:57
This Marian apparition from Egypt has some science fiction explanations and a sound one.
|
Feb 09, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #765: Tartaria and the Mud Flood
16:15
Some claim that all of world history is a coverup for the mighty ancient nation of Tartaria.
|
Feb 02, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #764: Learning Styles, Re-examined
16:42
Most teachers believe that students have different learning styles and curricula can be tailored to it. Not so much.
|
Jan 26, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #763: Elvis Sightings and You
17:43
People keep thinking Elvis is still alive -- and here's why that matters to you.
|
Jan 19, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #762: On the Trail of the Yowie
16:12
Australia's version of Bigfoot may -- or may not -- have its origin in Aboriginal mythology.
|
Jan 12, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #761: Havana Syndrome, Microwaves, and Hearing RF
17:44
The lone exception to the science fact that radio cannot hurt you.
|
Jan 05, 2021 |
|
Skeptoid #760: The 1994 Ruwa Zimbabwe Alien Encounter
19:04
This popular tale claims 62 African schoolchildren were contacted by an extraterrestrial.
|
Dec 29, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #759: Percy Schmeiser vs Monsanto
19:30
The most famous case in the history of Monsanto vs. small farmers might not be what you think.
|
Dec 22, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #758: Finding the USS Cyclops
18:32
This most famous ship disappearance from the Bermuda Triangle probably had nothing to do with it.
|
Dec 15, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #757: The Montauk Project
19:46
Some believe the government opened up time portals underneath Long Island, New York.
|
Dec 08, 2020 |
|
You're Listening to Skeptoid...
1:16
You ever wonder about the truth behind popular urban legends? Or how about the craziest conspiracy theories you hear about online, chemtrails, the Flat Earth, the Hollow Earth, is there anything to them at all? Famous mysteries like what happened to Amelia Earhart, what's up with the Bermuda Triangle, who was Jack the Ripper? What about famous ghost stories, like the Amityville Horror, or the Warrens? What was really going on with that? Or this stuff they show on television: Ancient Aliens, Hunting Hitler, the Curse of Oak Island? You know that junk isn't true but how do you find out what is? If you've always taken stories like these with a grain of salt, Skeptoid is the show for you. Each week, we take one famous urban legend that a lot of people believe, talk about how it got started, how and why people believe it, and what's the real science, the real history behind what's going on. It's like a short, 15-minute podcast version of Mythbusters, but exhaustively researched and referenced. If you're ready to be skeptical and ready to solve the deepest mysteries you always wondered about, listen to Skeptoid, a 501C3 educational nonprofit.
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Dec 07, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #756: The Death Ship SS Ourang Medan
18:54
This ship was said to be discovered with all its crew dead under unexplainable circumstances.
|
Dec 01, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #755: Examining Gulf War Illness
16:25
Some researchers believe there is no such thing as Gulf War Illness, and the rest have more questions than answers.
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Nov 24, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #754: About That Life on Mars...
16:25
Good scientists can get the wrong idea, but they don't need to make it worse by announcing bad science.
|
Nov 17, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #753: The Japan Air Lines Alaska UFO
19:13
This famous UFO case is said to be proven by military radar data.
|
Nov 10, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #752: Listener Feedback Live: Outpost 2020
23:26
Skeptoid answers some... interesting feedback LIVE at the Outpost 2020 con.
|
Nov 03, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #751: Pop Quiz: Myths of the Middle Ages
20:50
How well do you know the Middle Ages? Can you tell what's fact and what's fiction?
|
Oct 27, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #750: How to Extract Adrenochrome from Children
18:51
Conspiracy theorists believe that Hollywood elitists torture children and extract drugs from their bodies.
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Oct 20, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #749: Observing the Bystander Effect
15:02
Some research has found that crowds are apathetic and don't render assistance; some has found the opposite.
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Oct 13, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #748: Who Sank the Maine?
16:59
Many theories surround the mysterious sinking of the USS Maine that triggered the Spanish-American War.
|
Oct 06, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #747: Hitler's Operation Long Jump
18:49
Popular stories claim that the Nazis tried to assassinate Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin in Tehran in 1943.
|
Sep 29, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #746: Error Correction: Tokyo Drift
17:35
Skeptoid corrects another round of errors sent in by listeners just like you.
|
Sep 22, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #745: Australia Doesn't Exist, and Other Geographic Conspiracy Theories
15:56
The belief that Australia doesn't exist may not be as unique as you think.
|
Sep 15, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #744: Phineas Gage, on Second Thought
16:48
A reexamination of the famous case of the man whose personality changed from a grievous brain injury.
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Sep 08, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #743: Hinkley: The Erin Brockovich Case
17:54
The facts differ widely from what's generally believed to have been a mass poisoning.
|
Sep 01, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #742: The Phantom Fortress
16:09
This B-17 supposedly completed a mission and returned to base, all without an aircrew.
|
Aug 25, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #741: The Wisdom and Stupidity of Crowds
16:57
How the wisdom of crowds can sometimes allow groups of non-experts to reach an expert conclusion.
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Aug 18, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #740: Student Questions: Yellow Glasses and Nuclear Waste for Tomorrow
17:05
Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.
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Aug 11, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #739: More on 5G and COVID Masks
15:50
Some supplemental information on recent episodes, plus some listener feedback.
|
Aug 04, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #738: The QAnon Conspiracy
17:41
This growing conspiracy theory posits that a global cabal of pedophiles secretly controls the US government.
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Jul 28, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #737: The Berkshire County UFO
18:18
Why a UFO case you've probably never heard of got attention from a major TV network.
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Jul 21, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #736: New World Tobacco in Old World Mummies
16:27
Some believe that traces of tobacco in Egyptian mummies prove the Egyptians were first to the New World.
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Jul 14, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #735: Bill Gates Conspiracy Theories
17:08
Why is the world's greatest public health philanthropist charged with crimes against humanity?
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Jul 07, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #734: The Stoned Ape Theory
17:05
Some believe that psychedelic drugs played an irreplaceable role in the evolution of Homo sapiens.
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Jun 30, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #733: Listener Feedback: Endgame
15:57
Updates to the episode on MSG sensitivity and the Miracle of Calanda.
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Jun 23, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #732: Hunting the Beast of Gevaudan
16:34
This mysterious creature actually killed over 100 people in France in the 1760s.
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Jun 16, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #731: More Out of Place Artifacts
16:52
A survey of seven of the most popular out-of-place artifacts said to overturn human history.
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Jun 09, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #730: The Skeletons of the Great Eastern
16:06
A popular tale claims that the skeletons of two riveters were found between the hulls of this mighty ship.
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Jun 02, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #729: The LUCIFER Telescope Conspiracy
16:06
A popular conspiracy theory claims the Vatican uses a telescope named LUCIFER to find an alien savior.
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May 26, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #728: When the Earth's Magnetic Field Flips
19:04
Some claim that when the Earth's geomagnetic field reverses, it could spell the end of humankind.
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May 19, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #727: Hunting the Mokele-Mbembe
17:22
Some believe this relict dinosaur still survives in parts of the Congo.
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May 12, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #726: Full of Hot Error
15:26
Skeptoid corrects another round of errors found in past episodes.
|
May 05, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #725: Pop Quiz: Astonishing Tales of the Sea
17:35
How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on tales of the sea.
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Apr 28, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #724: Decoding Gobekli Tepe
17:04
This archaeological site in Turkey is said to change everything... but what does that really mean?
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Apr 21, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #723: Draining the Holy Grail
17:10
The true history of the Holy Grail, the most precious of all artifacts.
|
Apr 14, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #722: Pandemic Conspiracies and Politics
16:06
How the conspiracy theories around today's pandemic compare to those of the past.
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Apr 07, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #721: Debunking Ancient Aliens, Part 3
15:23
A look at some of the ancient artworks and artifacts that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.
|
Mar 31, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #720: Debunking Ancient Aliens, Part 2
16:43
A look at some of the ancient sites and cities that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.
|
Mar 24, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #719: Debunking Ancient Aliens, Part 1
15:39
A look at some of the ancient sites and cities that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.
|
Mar 17, 2020 |
|
Skeptoid #718: Diagnosing Chronic Lyme Disease
16:42
Often dismissed as purely pseudoscientific and nonexistent, chronic Lyme disease is not necessarily nothing.
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Mar 10, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #717: Rethinking Plastic Straw Bans
16:04
Bans on plastic drinking straws are a solution in search of a problem.
|
Mar 03, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #716: Learning Languages from Brain Injuries
15:32
Popular stories on the Internet tell of people coming out of comas and suddenly speaking a new language.
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Feb 25, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #715: The Knowles Family UFO Incident
15:48
This family's car is said to have been lifted off the road by a UFO and dropped.
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Feb 18, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #714: Killing the Hammersmith Ghost
14:31
Some possible explanations for this infamously deadly 19th century haunting near London.
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Feb 11, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #713: On the Trail of Red Mercury
16:03
The most elusive substance in pop culture also purports to be one of the most destructive.
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Feb 04, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #712: Apple Cider Vinegar Woo
15:30
A test of the many sensational health claims made for apple cider vinegar.
|
Jan 28, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #711: The Trashy Secret of Plastic Bag Bans
16:59
Science decides the question of whether plastic bag bans help or hurt the environment.
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Jan 21, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #710: Your Weirdest Thing, Vol. 4
16:25
I give my thoughts trying to solve some of your weirdest experiences.
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Jan 14, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #709: Wind Turbines and Birds
16:25
Wind turbines actually save many more bird lives than they destroy.
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Jan 07, 2020 |
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Skeptoid #708: All About Sex Addiction
15:44
The topic of sex addiction and what to do about it turns out to be more complicated than you may think.
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Dec 31, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #707: Vermeer and the Camera Obscura
17:40
Popular claims that the painter Vermeer used a camera obscura contradict the evidence.
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Dec 24, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #706: MSG: How a Friendly Flavor Became Your Enemy
15:39
The history of this vilified flavoring is a wild ride through 20th century cultural influences.
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Dec 17, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #705: Listener Feedback: The Plot Thickens
15:02
Listeners offer some updates and new information to previous episodes.
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Dec 10, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #704: The Green Children of Woolpit
14:52
In the 12th century, a pair of mysterious children with green skin surprised English villagers.
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Dec 03, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #703: Your Weirdest Thing, Vol. 3
14:23
I give my thoughts trying to solve some of your weirdest experiences.
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Nov 26, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #702: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
14:56
These risky medical devices are increasingly being sold to treat conditions they don't treat.
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Nov 19, 2019 |
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Skeptoid #701: Seneca Guns and Skyquakes
15:56
These mysterious cannon-like booms are heard all around the world, with no apparent source.
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Nov 12, 2019 |