The Skeptic Zone #588 -19.January.2020

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Brian Dunning 0:03:06 Strange Colours in Sweden Pontus Bockman from the European Skeptic Podcast tells of how Swedes were fooled by one of the biggest scientific bluffs of our time. "Surrounded by Idiots" has had a major impact on how Swedish people talk to each other about psychology and discuss the behaviour of those around them. Indeed, Thomas Erikson has undoubtedly had the greatest influence on the public's interest in psychology in a generation. https://www.vof.se/how-swedes-were-fooled-by-one-of-the-biggest-scientific-bluffs-of-our-time 0:19:11 The Diet Skeptic... With Mandy-Lee Noble The hCG Diet Mandy-Lee unpacks the claims made by a so-called miraculous offering - the hCG diet - originally formulated in 1954 but currently prescribed by both unregulated and regulate health practitioners in Australia. 0:31:29 Life is Wild... with Michelle Franklin Rock Stacking Theres something undeniably beautiful about a massive rock, perfectly balanced on top of another rock, defying millions of years of weather, seismic activity, and who knows what human or animal activity may have occurred over that time. And in the tradition of the royal society for putting things on top of other things, people of course like to copy this. But what's the harm? 0:44:05 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week, Highlights from the annual dinner, part #2 Dr Steve Novella Jay Novella Lara Benham Dr Lee Murray https://www.mq.edu.au/research/research-centres-groups-and-facilities/healthy-people/centres/centre-for-language-sciences-clas/australian-voices Also Strange Energies. An evening with Richard Saunders, Portland, Oregon https://www.meetup.com/Oregonians-for-Science-and-Reason-Portland/events/267828306/ Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII