Podcast
The Skeptic Zone
Hosted by Richard Saunders · ENGLISH
The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason.
Join Richard Saunders and his team of reporters for your weekly dose of skeptical news and interviews, reports and comments.
Past guests have included, James Randi, Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin, Eugenie Scott, Dr Phil Plait, Michael Marshall, Dr Steve Novella, Dr Pamela Gay, Jon Ronson, Dr Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Prof. Richard Wiseman, Dick Smith, Banachek, Prof. Chris French, George Hrab, Tim Ferguson, Dr Paul Willis and many, many more.
Featuring Australian radio legend Maynard with his Spooky Action, Jo Alabaster from the 'Evidence Please' blog, Eran Segev's Grain of Salt, Dr Rachael Dunlop with 'Dr Rachie Reports' and Heidi Robertson aka 'The Raw Skeptic'.
929episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Skeptic Zone #918 - 10.May.2026
5d ago00:59:19Tap to summarize00:00:00 Introduction Maynard 00:03:06 Maynard's Spooky Action Time for Sydney Skeptics in the Pub where Maynard interviews Dr. Sue Ieraci about the placebo effect and Kate Thomas about botox and vaccines. 00:15:40 For Crying Out Loud. It's Kat McLeod We Can Reason 2026 Kat with a behind the scenes look at the Western Canadian Reason Conference in Calgary. Includes interviews with Seth Andrews and Dr Chris Labos. https://wecanreason.com 00:23:38 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 00:34:00 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to 'The Piddingtons'. 1974.03.25 - Woman's Day Magazine 1949.07.09 - The Daily Telegraph - Sydney 1949.08.15 - The Canberra Times The Piddingtons 1950 https://youtu.be/O0cu1m9XA5w www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #917 - 3.May.2026
2w ago00:58:42Tap to summarizeNicotine Myths - Yowies - Woodruff 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:48 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Like any other chemical, nicotine has its good points and bad points. This week Kate looks at some of the myths and quackery from the wellness industry regarding nicotine and its uses. Medication Consultation Services https://medicationclarity.com.au Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 00:17:56 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill. Adrienne rides the Banff gondola with her husband/chauffeur, Greg and with Drs Christopher Labos and Angela Matke. It is the first event of the Western Canadian Reason Conference! https://www.bodyofevidence.ca/ https://www.dragoncon.org/ 00:27:40 The Australian Cousin of Bigfoot, the Yowie. We look at some of the differences and similarities between the Bigfoot of North America and its lesser known cousin, hiding in Australia, called the Yowie. It's huge, hairy and hides in the bush https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/4786071 00:40:40 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to Maurice Woodruff (1916 – 1973) an English clairvoyant and astrologer. He presented his predictions to the public via newspapers and also via stage, cabaret and television appearances. He was also a major influence on comedian Peter Sellers. 1966.04.10 - Sunday Mirror Sydney 1964.08.05 - The Australian Women's Weekly www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #916 - 26.April.2026
3w ago01:06:33Tap to summarizeUFOs - Alt Med - Newsletter 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:34 High Flyers in the UFO Industry A look at some of the people who have hitchhiked along the cosmic highway to catch a long ride on the UFO bandwagon, with particular attention on Bob Lazar. 00:19:34 Vale James Valentine We pay respects to James Valentine who died in the last week. James was a much loved broadcaster from Sydney and over the years provided quality entertainment to thousands of viewers and listeners. In 1989 and 2014 he interviewed Skeptic Zone host Richard Saunders. 00:32:20 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. Australian Skeptics http://www.skeptics.com.au 00:42:34 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to 'Alternative Medicine'. Includes a TV segment from c.2002 with skeptical investigator Alynda Brown. 1991.07.17 - Hills Messenger - SA 1987.10.13 - The Canberra Times www.trove.nla.gov.au Also We Can Reason - May Fri 1 — Sun 3, 2026 https://wecanreason.com
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The Skeptic Zone #915 - 19.April.2026
4w ago01:04:20Tap to summarizeUFOs - Botox - Balloons 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:02 Which way do the 'Westerly Winds' blow? Another look at the Westall UFO event of 1966, concentrating on the weather forcast for Melbourne on the 6th of April, 1966. Can the weather balloon released that morning really be discounted as a possible candidate for the mysterious object seen by possibly hundreds of school children and a few teachers? Australian Story Westall UFO https://youtu.be/IhKyQkhOfoM Charlie Wiser - Westall UFO https://threedollarkit.weebly.com/westall.html 00:15:28 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Kate and Richard look at the pros and cons of botox treatment. Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 00:26:52 NetFM 2001 Join Stefan Sojka and Richard Saunders from 25 years ago when they discussed the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, asteroids and speak with Professor Colin Keay about astronomy. 00:42:04 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers, with the voice talents of Kat McLeod and Ross Blocher, to look for references to UFOs and Weather Balloons. 1973.10.18 - The Evening Independent - Fl. 1989.03.12 - The Daily Times - Alabama 1997.06.24 - The Gainesville Sun - Fl. www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #914 - 12.April.2026
Apr 1101:03:48Tap to summarizeUFO Comments - Wishing for a Wish - NASA 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:16:14 Westall UFO TV Documentary In the past week, Skeptic Zone producer Richard Saunders appeared on the ABC TV (Australia) program 'Australian Story' to talk about the 1966 Westall UFO event from a reasonable but skeptical point of view. This has not pleased some UFO believers in TV land and they have been commenting on the YouTube video of the TV program. Richard, with the help of Maynard, reads out some of the more interesting comments. Australian Story Westall UFO https://youtu.be/IhKyQkhOfoM 00:22:34 For Crying Out Loud! It's Kat McLeod If wishes were fishes, Kat would have a koi pond in her head. This week she will take a look at the tradition of wishing, a topic we have not covered on the Skeptic Zone before, while we have looked at a lot of things that require wishful thinking like manifesting and far-fetched woo products, we haven't ever examined the tradition of wishing, until now. We wish you would listen! https://www.healthdigest.com/304485/why-you-should-stop-blowing-out-the-candles-on-your-birthday-cake 00:31:20 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. Australian Skeptics http://www.skeptics.com.au We Can Reason, Canada https://wecanreason.com 00:41:32 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to NASA and UFOs. 1973.10.20 - The Canberra Times 1966.12.12 - The Canberra Times 1983.01.16 - The Canberra Times 1989.07.12 - The Canberra Times 1977.12.29 - Papua New Guinea Post-Courier 1977.12.28 - The Evening Independent - FL www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #913 - 5.April.2026
Apr 401:03:15Tap to summarizeFacts about the Common Cold - Skeptics in the Pub - Iridology 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:00 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne met with infectious disease immunologist and author David Miles at the St Dunstan East Church Garden in London, England, where they discussed David's new book called, 'Sneeze: The History and Science of the Common Cold'. Website: http://www.variolator.com Think This Through: Coleman Watts video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mv9Q0WvOd0 00:22:36 Sydney Skeptics in the Pub Join Richard Saunders, Tim Mendham, Lara Benham, Annie McCubbin, Kate Thomas and Gary from Thailand as they enjoy a fun evening of skeptical conversation and good food. 00:34:52 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to Iridology. 1984.03.19 - Times Daily 1998.09.15 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #912 - 29.March.2026
Mar 2801:05:40Tap to summarizeMind Body Wallet - Australian Skeptics News - UFOs 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders Includes a brief clip of Maynard interviewing singing star Gene Pitney with a strange story concerning astrology. 00:07:26 A Journey into the Land of Woo Join Lara Benham, Tim Mendham, Kate Thomas and Richard Saunders as they once again venture through the doors of Sydney's Mind Body Spirit festival. What outrageous products and magical thinking did they discover this time? 00:17:58 UFOs and False Memories To acknowledge the 60th anniversary of the so-called Westall UFO event, the Skeptic Zone takes a look at the problems with false memories and the passage of time. Can we really expect people to clearly remember something that happened decades ago? Also the problem of memory cross contamination can cloud recollections of the original event. 00:19:30 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. Sign up for Newsletter https://www.skeptics.com.au 00:35:54 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades files for bumpf from Mind Body Spirit. www.trove.nla.gov.au Also.... Kate Thomas with Dr Karl - Shirtloads of Science https://youtu.be/Vra3iKjlHXE
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The Skeptic Zone #911 - 22.March.2026
Mar 2101:04:44Tap to summarize00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:09:36 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Once again we visit Kate's studios to chat to her about woo and the medical matters. This week we review the story of a woman who didn't want to visit her doctor to receive and review her medical reports. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Was she right in thinking GPs are only after more money with more visits? Also, we discuss Kate's podcast, "On The Mones". Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 00:23:06 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill What are those so-called psychics up to now? Adrienne interviews Susan Gerbic from Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia to ask about her latest investigations and stings of people who claim psychic powers. Also, Susan is always interested in getting more people to become Wikipedia editors via her online the course. Find out how to apply in today's show. Operation Banana Cream Pie https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/operation-banana-cream-pie 00:36:22 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film from 1967. 1949.12.10 - The Newcastle Sun 1982.12.26 - The Canberra Times 1999.01.11 - The Mount Airy News - NC www.trove.nla.gov.au Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film from 1967 https://youtu.be/oPlRr_OfxZI
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The Skeptic Zone #910 - 15.March.2026
Mar 1401:06:24Tap to summarize0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:28 The Loons from Canada Kate and Allie embark on their third ghost hunt with Rodney Schmaltz' MacEwan University students, this time at a new location. They spent the evening exploring the beautiful yet spooky Freemasons' lodge, where the students attempted to recreate the kinds of ghostly "evidence" typically featured on paranormal investigation shows. They went on pareidolia and orb-spotting hunts, using spirit boxes, EVPs, and thermometers to anomaly-hunt, intermixed with spirit communication tools, including Ouija boards, a psychomantium, and divination. 0:22:16 Anecdotes are not Evidence "I know it happened because it happened to me!" This is the statement Skeptics hear all the time. But is somebody's sincerely held belief enough to justify the belief itself? We look at the nature of anecdotes and testimonials. Antivaxxers, Acupuncture, And Alternative Cancer Cures | Dr. Steven Novella https://youtu.be/Nv1ZaJ9mL1k?si=J9G2v_2gvXldl3Y- 0:31:24 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:44:00 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers on a search for references to Perpetual Motion. 1945.03.17 - The Canberra Times 1911.06.17 - Worker - Qld 1910.12.11 - The Sunday Times - Sydney 1888.07.14 - The North Australian - NT http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
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The Skeptic Zone #909 - 8.March.2026
Mar 701:00:20Tap to summarize0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:48 Bend Spoon Award Nomination Vivacious Living Centre of Perth, WA bills itself as "a Multi-modality Health & Wellness Centre", offering such services as Crystal Healing, Reiki, Acupressure, Reflexology and Talking to the Dead! All of these services are worthy of a Bent Spoon nomination, however it is the claims to diagnose and treat bodily conditions via a device known as the Metatron NLS (Non-linear System), a device from Russia, that is the focus of this nomination. https://www.skeptics.com.au/about/activities/bent-spoon/nominations 00:16:16 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas A bit of a Stretch We travel to Kate's studio to find out her opinions on the topic of stretching! Do you stretch before or after exercising? What does Kate have to say on the topic? Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 00:26:14 Sydney Skeptics in the Pub Trivia Once again, skeptics turned up to test their general knowledge and skeptical trivia. Hosts Richard Saunders and Lara Benham supplied the brain teasers while the President of Australian Skeptics Jessica Singer paid tribute to Ian Bryce who has retired from the committee after 45 years of service. https://www.meetup.com/austskeptics 0:37:46 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers on a search for references to Chakras. 1984.03.06 - Tharunka 1977.03.28 - Woroni 1991.07.06 - Tharunka 1989.04.16 - The Observer Reporter http://www.trove.nla.gov.au
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