The Pseudoscientists

No new episode this week - because of, uh, reasons. Have a listen.

Jack is joined by young UK skeptic Rhys Morgan to discuss the health effects of wind farms, why multi-level marketing schemes are horrible scams, and why dozens and dozens of whale fossils are being found in one spot in Chile - while Jargonauts persists with "extant".  Plus: Welsh Siri, Rhys' contributions to skepticism, and astronomical impossibilities. 

Jack is joined by special guest Marita Petherbridge to calmly discuss extreme religious beliefs about faith healing and what the skeptical community looks like to an outsider, while Jargonauts expresses the meaning of "driver line".  Plus: first aid courses, an update on the mysterious Mars rock, and cringeworthy skeptical rapping.

Jack, Liz and Sarah get romantic for Valentine's Day with news about how to fix a broken heart with stem cells and how scientists made functional artificial DNA, and discuss science-fantasy movies, while Jargonauts gets biochemical with "lipids". Plus: inappropriate fly-killing jokes, high school, skeptical niches, and Brian Dunning on the Joe Rogan Experience.

Sarah and Jack sink deep into the recent debate between Bill Nye the Science Guy and young Earth creationist Ken Ham and discuss the question of whether or not scientists should debate creationists, and also take a look at the alarming prevalence of "tropical" diseases in countries such as the US and Australia. Jargonauts submits itself to Jack's will and takes on "endosymbiosis", too. What a ride. Plus: hospital dancing, science-fantasy, robot overlords and Ken Ham's epistemic humility. 

For the eleventh episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Nicola McCaskill to chat about the complex topic of improving science education. Nicola is a 4th year Arts (Journalism)/Science (Immunology) student at Monash University. Her life dream is to help see through changes in the way we educate people about and communicate science, particularly for the mainstream public. Her other interests include cheesecake, lipstick, sausage dogs and naps.

Jack, Sarah and Rachael chat about dog cancer... a lot? Specifically, how a transmissible dog cancer might be as old as dogs themselves, why dogs can smell cancer, and how humans might be able to do the same thing with sick people in general - and Jargonauts doesn't go far from the medical theme with "mortality" vs. "morbidity".  Plus: Jack's wife, war in Syria, and global consciousness.

Jack and Liz are joined by Melbourne stand-up and improvisational comedian Liam Ryan to chat about a mysterious rock on Mars, how teenagers ruined a longitudinal health study, and why stereotypes about comedians might actually hold some weight, while Jargonauts lays eggs in "parasitoid".  Plus: video games, cryogenics, more comedy, and alien abduction.

For the tenth episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Toni Henderson to chat about the science and culture of wine. Toni is a Masters of Earth Sciences student at The University of Melbourne where she has also undertaken short study into wine culture and science. With the same consumption level of wine as a hardened Frenchman, Toni enjoys bringing her love and education of wine to students like herself through her review blog, Viticultured.

Belinda, Liz and Jack are joined by Lauren Cochrane, President of the Canberra Skeptics, to chat about new developments in fish-tetrapod evolution, why coffee might boost your memory, and which scientific ideas are ready for retirement, while Jargonauts gets holistic with "emergence". Plus: hotness, coldness, and Belinda's last regular episode! (Aww.)

Jack, Rachael and Liz discuss why 432Hz isn't a better reference pitch for your music, how an anti-epilepsy drug might let adults learn perfect pitch, and whether or not we should bring extinct animals back from the dead, while Jargonauts wades into the weird world of "magnetic fields". Plus: CSIRO dragons, British TV shows, and tapping for miracles!

For the ninth episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Holly Jones to chat about public health. Holly is in her last year of an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and Spanish at the University of Melbourne, and spends most of her time drinking coffee and being on the Internet. She doesn't quite know what she wants to do when she grows up, but wouldn't mind saving the world or something. 

Sarah and Jack are joined by guest host James Garth to discuss if Christians can be skeptics, why TED Talks aren't the greatest thing since sliced bread, how children can be born with three parents, and what the latest Pew Forum data says about US acceptance of evolution. Jargonauts separates the in-group from the out-group with "shibboleth", and Sarah presents an update on acupuncture vs. dry needling.  Plus: drones, exquisite compression, and Illuminati fireworks.

For the eighth episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Millie Scanlan to chat about lots of various little things (aka. nothing). Millie is Jack's 17 year-old sister and just finished her second-last year of high school. She probably wants to be a doctor or something, she hasn't made up her mind yet. This is essentially a bonus episode, so don't complain.  Happy New Year!

Jack and Liz share Christmas cheer in what will probably be the last Classic™ episode of 2013. A new mammal discovery in Brazil doesn't mean Bigfoot is real, Wi-Fi routers are not killing your plants, and antibacterial soap isn't killing more bacteria than regular soap. An episode of negatives! Jargonauts gets charged up with "ionisation", and we share some of our favourite podcasts that you might want to listen to over the (short) break.  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone!

For the seventh episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Luke Weston to chat about the risks, technologies, public perception and misconceptions of nuclear power. Luke is a freelance writer, physicist and electronics and computer systems engineer, and has contributed to the Young Australian Skeptics for many years. When he's not watching videos of babies having their cochlear implants turned on for the first time, he's involved in the Lunar Numbat collaboration, trying to get Australian rockets into orbit.

Belinda, Jack, Sarah are joined by their newest cohost, Elizabeth Riaikkenen, and discuss her adventures being a skeptic in high school. But there's science news too: the base of the tree of life might be wrong, and exam results don't correlate with fluid intelligence. Jargonauts is all about that "abiogenesis" life, and Question of the Week ponders whether or not it is unethical to teach your kids about Santa. 

Tom, Sarah and Jack discuss bacteria acquiring mammoth DNA, beliefs on different sides of the political spectrum, and why memories and fears might be able to be passed to your children. Jargonauts works through "alignment", and the Question of the Week is all about the public image of the skeptical community. 

For the sixth episode of Unfiltered Thoughts, Jack sits down with Tess Armstrong to chat about radio. Tess is a writer, presenter and radio producer who currently works for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Melbourne. In her spare time, she enjoys Game of Thrones and a bit of hardcore barracking for the Richmond Tigers. The opinions expressed by Tess are of course her personal views - why wouldn't they be?

Ted Janet interviews British documentary filmmaker Tony Stark, who - while not related to either Iron Man or a powerful family in from the north of Westeros - has made numerous documentaries about religion. They chat about a couple of his latest films, as well as critical thinking in journalism.