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PODCAST · science

The Skeptic Zone

by Richard Saunders

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'.

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Episodes

  1. The Skeptic Zone #940 - 11.October.2026

    Dowsing - Psychics - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:26 Mind Body Wallet - Not So Divine Once again we dare to venture into the land of delusion and magic. The festival of Mind Body Spirit. This time we look at advice given to people wanting to have a psychic reading and…

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  2. The Skeptic Zone #939 - 4.October.2026

    Wellness? - Not-A-Con - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:44 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne talks with returning guest Dr. Nick Tiller, author of The Health and Wellness Lie: Exposing the hype, hacks and hidden agendas of the well-being machine, about...

  3. The Skeptic Zone #938 - 27.September.2026

    Talking Dogs - Not-A-Con - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:34 The Loons from Canada This week the Loons from Canada get hydrated while discussing alkaline water and commune with Spirit Dog Jewel via the help of interactive talking buttons. McGill University...

  4. The Skeptic Zone #937 - 20.September.2026

    Pod Toast - Not-A-Con - Polarizer 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:06 The Think Tank Join Annie McCubbin, Kate Thomas and Richard Saunders as they enjoy coffee and toast in a Sydney cafe. Topics covered are Bird Flu, the quackery of homeopathy and the Festival of MindBody Wallet....

  5. The Skeptic Zone #936 - 13.September.2026

    Tarot - Newsletter - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:02 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill This is part 2 of Adrienne and Susan Gerbic getting together to react to two TikTok "Tarot" videos they found, regarding the terrible tragedy surrounding Parker Wells, the...

  6. The Skeptic Zone #935 - 6.September.2026

    Mafu - Dr Karl - Dr Brian 00:06:12 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:12 The Book of Tim Mafu: face-to-face with an ascended master For two weeks, beginning May 20, 1990, Australia was host to Ms Penny Torres Rubin, alleged channeller of 32,000 year old entity, Mafu. From The Skeptic - Volume…

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  7. The Skeptic Zone #934 - 30.August.2026

    Philosophy - Psychic Detectives - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:20 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Psychic Detectives #1 of 2 After a terrible tragedy struck Calgary when a missing boy was found deceased after an intensive two week search, Adrienne pondered...

  8. The Skeptic Zone #933 - 23.August.2026

    Not-A-Con - Quackery - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:20 Maynard's Spooky Action Not-A-Con Interviews Spoon Bending with Saunders - Jeremy - George Hrab fans - Howard Lovatt https://www.suff.com.au/starstruck 00:19:04 The Think Tank Join Dr Sue Ieraci, Kate Thomas and...

  9. The Skeptic Zone #932 - 16.August.2026

    Ben Radford - George Hrab - Bent Spoon 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:20 Maynard's Spooky Action George Hrab - 3 of 3 George Hrab, in Sydney for Not-A-Con, visits Maynard's International Studios annex in the suburb of Glebe. This week - Being skeptical when it's hard to do so, being...

  10. The Skeptic Zone #931 - 9.August.2026

    Ben Radford - George Hrab - Dr Karl 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders, Lara Benham and Dr Sue Ieraci at Sydney Skeptics in the Pub. 00:04:22 Interview with Ben Radford - 1 of 2 This week framed psychic investigator Ben Radford talks about his new book Weird New Mexico and a very strange hum...

  11. The Skeptic Zone #930 - 2.August.2026

    00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:23:06 Maynard's Spooky Action George Hrab - 1 of 3 George Hrab, in Sydney for Not-A-Con, visits Maynard's International Studios annex in the suburb of Glebe. This week - Vegemite crackers, drinking alcohol, performimg live, gas stations, the Geologic...

  12. The Skeptic Zone #929 - 26.July.2026

    00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:00 2026 Bent Spoon Award Australian Skeptics president Jessica Singer together with Richard Saunders announce the winner of the 2026 Bent Spooner award. This year's winner is Dolly Adamson of Kyneton Paranormal, Victoria, who claims to talk to the…

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  13. The Skeptic Zone #928 - 19.July.2026

    ESP - Quack Watch - Crime 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:38 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne catches up with András Pinter, co-host of the European Skeptics Podcast (ESP), in their annual meetup in Canmore, Alberta. The pair attempt to walk, talk, avoid…

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  14. The Skeptic Zone #927 - 12.July.2026

    EVP - Cupping - Hinch 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:00 The Loons From Canada This is part 2 of the Loons from Canada discussing the results of testing Rodney Schmaltz's Psychology students and the participants of the Western Canadian Reason Conference to see if people hear the same...

  15. The Skeptic Zone #926 - 5.July.2026

    Spirits - Newsletter - Paranormal 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:03:50 The Loons From Canada The Loons from Canada revisit Episode 775 of The Skeptic Zone by testing Rodney Schmaltz's Psychology students and the participants of the Western Canadian Reason Conference to see if people…

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  16. The Skeptic Zone #925 - 28.June.2026

    Looksmaxxing - Movies - Students 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders - LIVE from SkeptiCal 2026, Oakland, California. 00:03:12 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Looksmaxxing (often associated with the term "man maxing") is an internet subculture focused on optimizing physical attractiveness. It…

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  17. The Skeptic Zone #924 - 21.June.2026

    CSiCon Choir - Astrology - SkeptiCal 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:03:12 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill The CSiCon Choir - CSiCon 50th Adrienne interviews Anthony Trecek-King about conducting the CSiCon Choir at the conference in Buffalo. Incuded is the performance of…

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  18. The Skeptic Zone #923 - 14.June.2026

    Science Education - TV Skeptics - Steve Terbot 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Adrienne Hill 00:03:24 Interview with Amanda Townley Amanda L. Townley, Ph.D., became Executive Director of NCSE in 2023. She is an award-winning researcher and advocate specializing in science teacher...

  19. The Skeptic Zone #922 - 7.June.2026

    Statins - Cats - Psychic Hoax 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:23:06 Remembering Bob Steiner We are joined by Dr Eugenie C Scott who has fond memories of Bob Steiner from the Bay Area Skeptics and the time he fooled thousands of Australians pretending to be a psychic. Eugenie also tells…

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  20. The Skeptic Zone #921 - 31.May.2026

    Bent Spoon - Earthing - Astrology 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:20 Steve Terbot - Fake Psychic - Part #2 In 1984 Australia was visited by 'Steve Terbot', one of America's leading psychics and clairvoyants. Or was he? The story of Bob Steiner from the Bay Area Skeptics who fooled...

  21. The Skeptic Zone #920 - 24.May.2026

    Flu Woo - Fake Psychic - Paranormal 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:03:26 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Flu Woo! This week Kate looks and the myths and science behind many popular anti-cold and anti-flu precautions for winter. Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram...

  22. The Skeptic Zone #919 - 17.May.2026

    James Randi - Dinosaurs - UFOs 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:46 The Books of James Randi A review of the many and varied books written by James 'The Amazing' Randi. Houdini, His Life and Art (1976) The Magic of Uri Geller (1975) / The Truth About Uri Geller (1982) Flim-Flam!...

  23. The Skeptic Zone #918 - 10.May.2026

    00:00:00 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…

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  24. The Skeptic Zone #917 - 3.May.2026

    Nicotine 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....

  25. The Skeptic Zone #916 - 26.April.2026

    UFOs - 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...

  26. The Skeptic Zone #915 - 19.April.2026

    UFOs - 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...

  27. The Skeptic Zone #914 - 12.April.2026

    UFO 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...

  28. The Skeptic Zone #913 - 5.April.2026

    Facts 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...

  29. The Skeptic Zone #912 - 29.March.2026

    Mind 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…

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  30. The Skeptic Zone #911 - 22.March.2026

    00:00:00 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…

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  31. The Skeptic Zone #910 - 15.March.2026

    0:00:00 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...

  32. The Skeptic Zone #909 - 8.March.2026

    0:00:00 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…

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  33. The Skeptic Zone #908 - 1.March.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:54 Looking into a Broken Mirror Is bad luck in fact bad? A year ago Lara Benham decided to put 'luck' or bad luck to a test when she purposely broke a mirror for skeptical investigator Kenny Biddle. What was the result? Did Lara have a year worth of bad...

  34. The Skeptic Zone #907 - 22.February.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:40 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne speaks with Nick Tiller, a research associate at the Lundquist Institute at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, who focuses on pseudoscience in the health and wellness industry and is the author of…

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  35. The Skeptic Zone #906 - 15.February.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders Mindful Living Expo Report 00:09:32 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Show me the receipts! Kate asks why woo woo and alternative medicine can make big claims that lack the evidence demanded from other modalities. Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram...

  36. The Skeptic Zone #905 - 8.February.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders Includes a brief report of "Psychic Saturday" at Old Government House, Parramatta with Lara Benham. 0:13:06 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham In May - June 2026 American and so-called 'medium' Allison Dubois is once again visiting Australia, this time with…

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  37. The Skeptic Zone #904 - 1.February.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:46 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas This week Kate is joined by Richard Saunders as they discuss the dangers of quackery including the infamous Black Salve. Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 0:21:54 Supermarket Follies The...

  38. The Skeptic Zone #903 - 25.January.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:06 Black Salve - Action Taken A 'natural health herbalist' has been sentenced today to 7 months imprisonment, a community corrections order, and fines of $20,000 for unlawfully advertising and supplying Black Salve and bloodroot capsules, and for...

  39. The Skeptic Zone #902 - 18.January.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:20 Erich von Daniken 1935 - 2026 We look at the life, times and legacy of the controversial author who popularise the idea that our ancient ancestors were visited by space aliens. Chariots of the Gods? Video https://youtu.be/R0hjOK865Qc Ancient Aliens...

  40. The Skeptic Zone #901 - 11.January.2026

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:32 Manifesting Have you heard of manifesting? Or as it's been more recently labelled the law of attraction? Manifesting is the relatively new label added to a very old practice. Each generation likes to think that they've found the key to unlocking all…

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  41. The Skeptic Zone #900 - 4.January.2026

    0:00:00 Maynard's Disclosure Urgent and dramatic news from Maynard. What doom and gloom is coming our way? 0:02:52 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:56 Dr Rachie Reports Tim Mendham and Richard Saunders catch up with one of the original Skeptic Zone reporters, from 2008, Dr Rachael Dunlop. We...

  42. The Skeptic Zone #899 - 28.December.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:22 NO Future Seen in Fortune Telling The GWUP (Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften - Society for the Scientific Investigation of Pseudosciences) in Germany evaluated 2099 annual predictions from fifty-two sources. One...

  43. The Skeptic Zone #898 - 21.December.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:26 2026 Bent Spoon Now's your chance to nominate an individual, company or product in Australia that, in your opinion, is worthy of the Bent Spoon Award. Do you have your eyes on a psychic? Or maybe a particularly wacky peddler of magical thinking. Or...

  44. The Skeptic Zone #897 - 14.December.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:46 TikTok Psychic Attack Only the Skeptic Zone podcast is brave enough to investigate the important but little spoken about public health imperative of...."Psychic Attack!" Is your psychic being attacked? Is your psychic attacking you? What can we do...

  45. The Skeptic Zone #896 - 7.December.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:02:00 The "Why Smart Women Zone" Podcast - Part #1 LIVE from the Occidental Hotel in Sydney Australia, comes a combination of two of Australia's favourite critical thinking and skeptical podcasts. The combination of the "Why Smart Women" podcast and "The...

  46. The Skeptic Zone #895 - 30.November.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:14 3i Atlas Update As Comet 3i Atlas emerges from behind the sun, we take a look at the latest news from NASA that confirms the object is not in fact being piloted by space racing aliens. Will this stop the UFO crowd from posting nonsense on social…

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  47. The Skeptic Zone #894 - 23.November.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:18 The Think Tank Our international team spent time with Dr Siouxsie Wiles from New Zealand. Dr Siouxsie has been the victim of outrageous harassment after her efforts to promote vaccines and good science during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Siouxsie is...

  48. The Skeptic Zone #893 - 16.November.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:06:04 I Think We Need to Think. With Susan Gerbic An interview with Susan about her recent feature in major Australian newspapers talking about fake psychics. We also learn about her ongoing investigations into those giving psychic readings on the Internet...

  49. The Skeptic Zone #892 - 9.November.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:02:44 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas This week Kate is interviewed at Skeptics in the Pub by Maynard. Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram https://linktr.ee/PrescribeorPass 0:18:28 Kinesiology and Applied Kinesiology We look at science versus quackery when it...

  50. The Skeptic Zone #891 - 2.November.2025

    0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:12 Orgone not Gone! Something that should've been confined to the trash bin of bad ideas a century ago is still skulking around our modern society. So-called "Orgone Energy", a fictitious magical force is being used to sell products to this day. We look...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

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'.

HOSTED BY

Richard Saunders

CATEGORIES

science social

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Skeptic Zone have?

The Skeptic Zone currently has 951 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Skeptic Zone about?

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...

How often does The Skeptic Zone release new episodes?

The Skeptic Zone releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 951 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.

Where can I listen to The Skeptic Zone?

You can listen to The Skeptic Zone on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The Skeptic Zone?

The Skeptic Zone is created and hosted by Richard Saunders.
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