Sceptici în România

Puteți asculta în premieră, un episod din podcastul Infecțio-Sceptici în România.

Prima femeie care a primit medalia Fields în matematică, a murit, la numai 40 de ani
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40617094
Și oamenii de știință demonstrează o lipsă de scepticism
https://www.agerpres.ro/sci-tech/2017/03/23/o-falsa-cercetatoare-si-a-gasit-un-post-real-de-editor-la-mai-multe-reviste-stiintifice-09-28-30
Vaccinul împotriva HPV a înjumătățit rata de apariție a cancerului cervical
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37211349
Popriile tale știri false
http://www.snopes.com/2017/07/20/prank-news-what-you-need-to-know/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
Oamenii nu se pricep deloc să identifice fotografii false
People Are Really Bad at Spotting Fake Photos, Study Finds

 

Hepatoprotectoarele și probioticele - moda care mă scoate din minți
https://livertox.nih.gov/Estrogens.htm
Când NASA trebuie să aducă în discuție articole Goop, știi că am ajuns rău
http://gizmodo.com/nasa-calls-bullshit-on-goops-120-bio-frequency-healing-1796309360
Cum se face știința în mod corect: admițând și când greșești
“We were devastated:” Authors retract paper after realizing they had used the wrong mice

Constelația familială
http://www.constelatiifamiliale.ro/ro/home.html
 

Jumătate de ceapă în competiție cu Donald Trump
http://www.digi24.ro/stiri/externe/mapamond/o-jumatate-de-ceapa-in-razboi-online-cu-donald-trump-655309?__grsc=cookieIsUndef&__grts=1486830647572
Nici CNN-ul nu mai știe ce să facă cu așa invazie de știri false
CNN looking to hire “fake news” investigator

Subversiunea a Medicinei si Sanatatei Publice de catre Prerogative Securitatii Internationale
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-subversion-of-medicine-and-public-health-by-international-securityprerogatives-2161-1165-1000208.pdf
Wikipedia scapă de dailymail
http://economie.hotnews.ro/stiri-media_publicitate-21600821-wikipedia-elimina-tabloidul-britanic-daily-mail-din-categoria-surselor-credibile.htm
 
 

Ne revenim după Trump-lection
Câteva dintre subiecte:
Toddler dies from organ failure after being fed raw milk by his naturopathic parents

 
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/planned-parenthood-received-50-000-donations-pence-article-1.2883842

Dacă sunteți bătute, nu uitați de aghiazmă. Poate ieșiți din matrice.

Ceaiuri de fertilitate sau infertilitate, jocurile olimpice și dieta vegană.
 

Un episod dedicat dacologiei. Teoretic.

Copilul cu leucemie aproape pierdut e inca sanatos
Scandalul HexiPharma
Ultimul disperat dupa Nessie
Prof de mate in avion - e periculos

Laptopul bântuit
Helicobacter pylori si ulcere gastrice
Ne place sa ne confirmam credintele si pe social media
Preaching to the Choir: Social media sharing in “echo chambers” reinforces belief

http://thespudd.com/society-for-healthcare-epidemiology-thinking-of-adding-i-know-a-guy-to-evidence-pyramid/
Vesti bune in cancerele pediatrice
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1510795?af=R&rss=currentIssue=articleBackground
ArcaBoard, o productie romaneasca de la o companie care n-a produs nimic
http://www.engadget.com/2015/12/24/arcaboard/
Pastilele pentru probleme sexuale au probleme
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160111123022.htm
 

Ceapa prezice vremea
http://adevarul.ro/locale/targu-mures/calendarul-deceapa-anul-2016-conform-predictiilor-unui-meteorolog-neobisnuit-luni-vor-cele-mai-secetoase-ploua-mai-mult-1_5689023437115986c6162dcd/index.html,
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villejuif_leaflet
http://adevarul.ro/locale/hunedoara/crima-infioratoare-hunedoara-barbat-ucis-fost-confundat-diavolul-1_54a8fea1448e03c0fd499f25/index.html
Educație/Informare științifică
Operatie Cezariana si mortalitatea materna si neonatala
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2473490
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12051189
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26328526
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16738149
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22413831
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239653
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2190264/
Panourile solare si cei care le refuza
Are people really this dumb to be scared of solar panels? (Update)

Triunghiul Bermudelor
http://www.descopera.ro/teoria-conspiratiei/4242820-triunghiul-bermudelor-conspiratie-sau-inselatorie
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bermuda-triangle.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/bermuda-triangle#
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/01/myth-bermuda-triangle/
 

Conferință cu Ovidiu, joi
http://comunitate.desprecopii.com/pro-vaccinare/index.html
Adolescent se sinucide din cauza retelelor fara fir
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/teen-allergic-to-wifi-commits-suicide-parents-say-223912154.html
"On pseudo-profound bullshit"
http://journal.sjdm.org/15/15923a/jdm15923a.pdf
Colectiv și conspirațiile
http://insulaindoielii.ro/2015/11/06/colectiv/
 

Rabdomioliză
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Tânăr bătut de familie religioasă
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/17/new-york-church-beating-teen-whipped-word-of-life
Femei în știință
Carole Vivien Robinson
Educație/Informare științifică
Antioxidanti ajuta cancerul?
http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/7/308/308re8
Subiecte sceptice
http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/10/standing-desks-are-no-replacement-for-a-workout/
Eroarea logică a episodului
Nici un scotian adevarat
Citatul episodului

Scandalul Volkswagen
http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/28/news/companies/volkswagen-scandal-two-minutes/index.html
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Moartea lui Bob Marley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley#Illness_and_death
Momente de ignoranță
Ce este parte mamifer, parte marsupial și parte reptilă?
http://www.donotlink.com/gx9q
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echidna
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Quantum Magnetic Analyzer
Antivacciniștii finanțează un studiu care nu le convine
http://www.newsweek.com/anti-vaxxers-accidentally-fund-study-showing-theres-no-link-between-autism-and-379245
Legea Vaccinării în România, un proiect la început de drum
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-20458517-exclusiv-cele-opt-vaccinuri-care-vor-obligatorii-pentru-inscrierea-copiilor-gradinita-scoala-scolile-vor-aspru-amendate-daca-nu-vor-respecta-legea.htm
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-opinii-20478097-vaccinarea-puscaria-cine-trebui-fie-cel-mai-aspru-pedepsit.htm
Citatul episodului
Este clar că gândirea nu este liberă dacă exprimarea anumitor opinii face imposibilă câștigarea pâinii. - Bertrand Russell
 

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/sep/10/homeopathy-conference-in-germany-goes-awry-as-delegates-take-lsd-like-drug
Momente de ignoranță
Momente de creație - furnicile muncitoare pun probleme selecției naturale?
http://www.donotlink.com/gpii
Femei în știință
Cynthia Kenyon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_Kenyon
Prezentare NMG
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Mistrețul cu grăsime albastră - un bun exemplu de moment când trebuie să suspenzi judecata
http://doubtfulnews.com/2015/09/wild-pig-with-striking-blue-fat/
http://m.snopes.com/2015/09/11/pig-blue-fat
Eroarea logică a episodului
Tu quoque 
http://www.fallacyfiles.org/tuquoque.html
 

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Autoritatile chineze au descoperit unul dintre cele mai elaborate falsuri: O banca "fantoma"
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-international-20360188-autoritatile-chineze-descoperit-unul-dintre-cele-mai-elaborate-falsuri-banca-fantoma.htm
http://www.realitatea.net/studiu-ocant-ce-efect-negativ-crunt-are-pornografia-asupra-creierului_1770234.html
http://www.realitatea.net/arheologii-au-facut-o-descoperire-incredibila-care-contrazice-biblia_1770757.html
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Un chiropractician si proponent a anti-vaccinarii a fost concediat de la scoala medicala a Universitati de NSW in Australia datorita susținea publica al organizatiei ANV, o organizatie Australiana anti-vaccinare.
http://reasonablehank.com/2015/08/01/claims-nsw-medical-school-students-rotated-through-anti-vaccine-chiropractic-business/
http://coffsharbourgpsuperclinic.com.au/services/chiropractor/
Timpul pe care-l irosești într-un mode plăcut nu este timp irosit. - Bertrand Russell

Documentarul nostru - primele statistici
https://youtu.be/Cnq0P_fQWEE?vq=hd1080&hl=ro&cc_lang_pref=ro&cc_load_policy=1
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://smartwoman.hotnews.ro/Mai-multi-sateni-din-India-au-decapitat-o-femeie-pentru-ca-era-vrajitoare-
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33605244
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/naturopath-charged-after-baby-boy-near-death-admitted-to-sydney-hospital-20150709-gi8jlw.html
Educație/Informare științifică
Am ajuns foarte aproape de Pluto
Pentaquarks
http://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2015/07/discovery-new-class-particles-lhc
In sfarsit e oficial. Sfarsitul lumii
http://www.caplimpede.ro/este-oficial-pentru-prima-data-sfarsitul-lumii-vine-in-luna-septembrie-cine-va-aduce-apocalipsa-in-europa/
Subiecte sceptice
Marul lupului si acidul aristolohic.
http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/1/39.full.pdf+html
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/herbal-medicine-and-aristolochic-acid-nephropathy/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristolochia
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23552405
http://www.pnas.org/content/104/29/12129.long

Vaccinat - Dragoste, frică și vaccinuri - documentar tradus în premieră de noi
https://youtu.be/Cnq0P_fQWEE
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Prea mult fitness strică copilul!
http://happyplace.someecards.com/parenting/two-fitnesscrazed-parents-made-their-daughter-live-in-the-woods-for-eating-a-poptart/
Femei în știință
Robotică cu Ruzena Bajcsy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruzena_Bajcsy
Sarcină criptică
http://www.crypticpregnancysupportgroup.com/what-is-a-cryptic-pregnancy-and-what-causes-it.html
Legea vaccinării în California - victorie!
Eroarea logică a episodului
Eroarea jucătorului
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambler's_fallacy

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Când nu mai ești medic poți fi ”terapeut alternativ”
http://doubtfulnews.com/2015/06/norwegian-doctor-loses-her-medical-license-starts-alt-med-practice/
Femei în știință
Colega noastră Juliana Andrici
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Tanti Ildiko ia banul cu energie
http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/clarvazatoarea-ildiko-arestare-polotist-540750.html
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/clarvazatoarea-ildiko-balmus-a-fost-retinuta-pentru-inselaciune-cati-bani-cerea-pentru-tratamentele-cu-bioenergie.html
Subiecte sceptice
Etsy nu mai vinde vrajeli
http://time.com/3929919/etsy-ban-spells/
Donatorii de sange primesc sms-uri
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/blood-donors-sweden-get-text-whenever-their-blood-flows-another-human
Eroarea logică a episodului
Argumentul din tăcere

Ovidiu a fost publicat în Viața Medicală: http://www.viata-medicala.ro/*articleID_10263-dArt.html
Varianta mai lungă este aici: http://insulaindoielii.ro/2015/06/08/istorieantivax1/
Profesorii români se cred foarte bine pregatiți
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-20221501-paradoxul-educatiei-profesorii-romani-simt-cel-mai-bine-pregatiti-desi-rezultatele-elevilor-sunt-printre-cele-mai-slabe-din-lume-situatie-opusa-tarile-lider-invatamant-finlanda-japonia.htm
Femei în știință
Rita Levi Montalcini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Levi-Montalcini
Detectarea infectiei cu virusi
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6239/aaa0698
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/health/single-blood-test-for-all-virus-exposures.html
Poftă bună la placentă
http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2015/06/eating-the-placenta-trendy-but-no-proven-health-benefits-and-unknown-risks--.html
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00737-015-0538-8#page-1
Cotabita e vindecat cu reiki!
http://www.romaniatv.net/gabriel-cotabita-vindecare-din-univers-energia-care-il-ajuta-pe-artist-folosita-in-spitalele-din_225162.html
Eroarea logică a episodului
Am dreptul la opinia mea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_entitled_to_my_opinion

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Ciocolata buna pentru slabit
http://io9.com/i-fooled-millions-into-thinking-chocolate-helps-weight-1707251800
Corecții, continuări și răspunsuri
Vitamina B12
Educație/Informare științifică
Vaccinul ROR nu are nici o legătură cu autismul - studiu pe 95272 de pacienti
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2015/05/07/large-study-finds-mmr-vaccine-doesnt-cause-autism-and-may-lower-autism-risk/
http://retractionwatch.com/2015/05/20/author-retracts-study-of-changing-minds-on-same-sex-marriage-after-colleague-admits-data-were-faked/
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Schimbările climatice sunt o conspiratie condusa de Națiunile Unite, astfel încât să poată impune o regulă autoritara asupra lumii (așa spune presedintele al Consiliului Consultativ de Afaceri al Primului Ministru Australian)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/the-un-is-using-climate-change-as-a-tool-not-an-issue/story-e6frg6zo-1227343839905
Nu cumva sa va avantajati copiii!
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/new-family-values/6437058
Pentru o tehnologie de succes, realitatea trebuie sa preceada relatiile publice deoarece natura nu poate fi pacalita - Richard Feynman

Evitați filmul I Origins, e absurd
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Un copil diabetic australian a murit după ce a primit "terapie cu palme" de la un expert chinez
http://au.ibtimes.com/australian-diabetic-child-dies-after-getting-slap-therapy-chinese-expert-1445058
Femei în știință
Theodora Colborn
Subiecte principale
ATM-ul Sănătății
http://www.evz.ro/cele-mai-mari-banci-locale-nu-s-a-gasit-niciun-card-de-sanatate-in-atm-urile-noastre.html
Puterea statisticilor - Rugăciunea retroactiva poate imbunatati rezultatele la pacientii cu infectii
http://www.bmj.com/content/323/7327/1450.full.pdf+html
Detecția cutremurelor cu telefoane mobile
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/a-few-hundred-smartphones-could-catch-earthquakes-early/
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/3/e1500036
Eroarea logică a episodului
Inducția leneșă

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Deces de la supliment de slabit
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/recent-death-from-diet-supplement/
Suplimente pentru stimularea imunitati in pisici (follow-up de la episodul 112)
Dieta "paleo" pentru copii
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/12/health-experts-slam-pete-evans-irresponsible-paleo-cookbook-kids
Terapia Bowen - din nou
Fluorura in apa de baut

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3045355/NSW-health-minister-slams-celebrity-chef-Pete-Evans-know-opposing-fluoride-water.html
Celebrul pix spatial si creionul
http://io9.com/5838635/the-million-dollar-space-pen-hoax
Mincinosi australieni
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/belle-gibson-no-none-of-it-is-true/story-fniym874-1227315232565

Suplimentele alimentare pentru inumo-fortificarea pisicii
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Castrare pentru iluminare
http://www.click.ro/news/lume/400-de-barbati-s-au-castrat-de-buna-voie-cum-fost-posibil
Femei în știință
Emmy Neother
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_Noether
Legea vaccinării
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/sanatate/nicolae-banicioiu-lucram-la-o-lege-a-vaccinarii-exista-o-campanie-foarte-agresiva-impotriva-imunizarii.html
Vaccinarea în Australia
Homeopatia în Australia
Respiratie ovariana pentru conectarea la feminitate
http://lifeinbalance.ro/eveniment/practici-feminine-pentru-relatii-sanatoase/
http://iulianaandronache.ro/2014/08/09/orbita-microcosmica-si-respiratia-ovariana/
Pisica te vindeca la numai 2.500 de euro
http://olx.ro/oferta/ocazie-rara-vind-pisicuta-cornish-rex-unicat-ID3hSEP.html
Eroarea logică a episodului
Generalizarea pripită
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Preot catolic a exorcizat o fată anorexică
http://thelocal.es/20150318/priest-arrested-for-exorcism-on-underage-girl
Femei în știință
Valentina Tereshkova, prima femeie astronaut
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Tereshkova
Cum ar functiona asa ceva? Probabil deloc.
http://electronic-doctor.com/ro/index.php
Olivia Steer e... cum o stim
http://www.realitatea.net/olivia-steer-teorie--oc-despre-cancerul-ovarian_1663180.html
Soc! Citeste aici! Schisma in sanul astrologilor!
http://adevarul.ro/life-style/stil-de-viata/s-a-schimbat-horoscopul-zodia-noua-ordine-1_5513fe72448e03c0fdedbee6/index.html
Eroarea logică a episodului
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologist%27s_fallacy

A murit Terry Pratchett
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/12/terry-pratchett-author-of-the-discworld-series-dies-aged-66
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Dupa Ebola vine rujeola
http://www.popsci.com/ebola-plagued-countries-now-risk-massive-measles-epidemic
Femei în știință
Minunata Katherine Johnson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Johnson
Biologul Lanka pierde un pariu de 100.000 de euro 
https://provaccin.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/biologul-lanka-a-pierdut-pariul-de-100-000-de-euro/
Vizita la Body Mind Spirit
"Pământul nu se învârte" - varianta saudită
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-muslim-cleric-claims-the-earth-is-stationary-and-the-sun-rotates-around-it-10053516.html
Bagă-ți chestii în ochi ca să nu orbești... sau mai bine, nu
http://www.formula-as.ro/2005/689/medicina-naturista-25/cum-se-poate-preveni-pierderea-vederii-6431
Ad feminam - ca tot a fost ziua internationala a femeii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem#Ad_feminam

A murit Leonard Nimoy
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/arts/television/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dies-at-83.html
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Jess Ainscough a murit
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/02/27/the-wellness-warrior-jess-ainscough-has-passed-away/
Femei în știință
Florence Nightingale
http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale
Rochia controversata
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/what-color-is-this-dress-its-an-optical-illusion/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roman-Womens-Detail-Bodycon-Dress/dp/B00SJEUCWU
Portocale infectate cu HIV
https://www.facebook.com/conspiracytheoristsdarndestthings
http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/hivoranges.asp
Eroarea logică a episodului
Heringul rosu
 

Introducere
Faima si glorie lui Haidautu Pavel Corneliu
Stop Olivia Steer: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Olivia-Steer/1559733897637569
http://voxpublica.realitatea.net/politica-societate/ziua-darwin-%E2%80%93-12-februarie-%E2%80%93-proiect-legislativ-pentru-instituirea-zilei-nationale-a-stiintei-111426.html
Despre femeile in stiinta - si de ce este necesar sa vorbim despre ele
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Jennifer Logan a murit după ce băut în Peru un "ceai detoxifiant de tabac"
http://doubtfulnews.com/2015/02/young-canadian-dies-from-tea-treatment-in-peru/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jennifer-logan-dies-after-drinking-tobacco-purge-tea-in-peru-1.2945727
Alte cazuri de morți ca urmare a fascinației de șamanism de tip New Age: Garth Dickson și Kyle Nolan
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/06/09/68554.htm
http://news.sky.com/story/984575/us-teen-dies-after-amazon-psychedelic-ritual
Femei în știință
Pearl Kendrick si Grace Eldering - cercetarori in domeniul vaccinarii
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/02/editorial_grand_rapids_must_er.html
Educație/Informare științifică
Cât durează temele elevilor și cum se raportează la rezultatele PISA
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-18857255-temele-pentru-acasa-cate-ore-petrec-elevii-cele-mai-bune-rezultate-testele-pisa-facand-teme-acasa-cat-timp-elevilor-din-romania-faca-temele.htm
"Aproape 40% dintre elevii romani au dificultati sa citeasca si sa inteleaga un text si pot rezolva doar exercitii de baza la Matematica"
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-16124454-publicat-rezultatele-testelor-pisa-2012-romania-ocupa-locul-45-matematica.htm
Programa școlară în România și în Marea Britanie
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-19344253-exclusiv-comparatie-intre-anglia-romania-matematica-pentru-clasa-invata-elevii-britanici-comparatie-noua-programa-scolara-din-romania.htm
Apa neagră și inutilă
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/csid/apa-imbogatita-cu-minerale-rare-si-care-a-devenit-un-succes-in-sua-culoarea-este-primul-lucru-care-ii-atrage-pe-clienti.html
Eroarea logică a episodului - Apelul la probabilitate
http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apelul_la_probabilitate
Citatul episodului

Cifra 4 și China. O superstiție culturală serioasă.
http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/chinese-lucky-numbers.htm
http://fengshui.about.com/od/faq/f/fengshuinumber4.htm
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Noua producție de mare succes Disney : Prințesa și rujeola
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/22/7870705/measles-outbreak-california-disneyland-vaccine-deniers
O familie se sinucide pentru că au crezut în apocalipsă,
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ffb3ca7fbf33487ea6f58285a3c6579d/utah-family-found-dead-last-fall-died-drug-toxicity 
Nou antibiotic contra MRSA 
http://podcast.sceptici.ro/2011/05/09/sceptici-in-romania-episodul-16/
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/07/antibiotic-drug-resistance-teixobactin 
Albul si Turkmenistanul
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-30999095
Costul vaccinurilor in crestere
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30853336
Vaccinarea are parte de opozitie armata uneori
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30877011

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
E-securities și telefoane nedorite pentru investiții dubioase
O scamatorie cu ceai în Shanghai
Meta-subiecte
Statisticile Sceptici în România
Predicții reușite și eșuate
Ceapa prezice precipitații - rezultate 2014

* http://podcast.sceptici.ro/2014/01/26/ep-84-cosarul-karmic/
* http://www.meteoromania.ro/anm/?lang=ro_ro

Carmen Harra prezice... diverse
 

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Încă o promotoare a terapiei Gerson e pe cale să moară de cancer
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2014/12/16/jess-ainscough-finally-admits-her-condition-is-deteriorating/
Anul 2014 în știință
http://www.nature.com/news/365-days-2014-in-science-1.16573

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Niște oameni cred ca poți reveni la viață după 6 luni de moarte.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/12/01/hamilton_family_left_corpse_upstairs_for_six_months_expecting_resurrection.html
Femei în știință
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Cenzura e utilă?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/a-long-list-of-sex-acts-just-got-banned-in-uk-porn-9897174.html
Societatea ascensionată
https://www.facebook.com/activareadn
Niște idioți s-au dus în Liberia să trateze Ebola cu homeopate.
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/treating-ebola-with-homeopathy-393
Eroarea logică a episodului
Povara dovezii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burden_of_proof

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://www.mediafax.ro/social/gregorian-bivolaru-anunta-vindecari-miraculoase-la-costinesti-in-septembrie-2015-13423703
Femei în știință
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/the-battery-boss/382102/
Educație/Informare științifică
http://www.nature.com/news/italian-seismologists-fight-to-overturn-convictions-1.16179
http://www.nature.com/news/italian-seismologists-cleared-of-manslaughter-1.16313
http://www.dw.de/court-acquits-natural-disaster-experts-over-laquila-quake/a-18055155
Dubioșenia săptămânii
http://www.evz.ro/extraterestrul-gasit-in-desertul-atacama-aratarea-este-analizata-intr-un-film-video.html
Citatul episodului
Am fost dat afară de la colegiu pentru că am trișat la examenul de metafizică; m-am uitat în sufletul băiatului care stătea lângă mine - Woody Allen

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://doubtfulnews.com/2014/10/masaru-emoto-who-believed-water-reacted-to-positive-speech-has-died/
Femei în știință
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia
Educație/Informare științifică
Ghidul Alegătorului Rațional
http://www.socrat.ro/publicatii/2014/10/30/ghidul-alegatorului-rational/
HPV-ul se vindeca cu suplimentul minune
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-10/jai-hii102914.php#.VFFr9-uVjMo.twitter
Dubioșenia săptămânii
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/sanatate/ce-ii-mai-deranjeaza-pe-romani-la-cardul-de-sanatate-citit-invers-inseamna-drac-si-e-sfarsitul-bibliei-printre-plangeri.html
Eroarea logică a episodului
Ad hominem
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Citatul episodului
Chiar și adevărul trebuie îmbrăcat în haine noi dacă vrem să fie atractiv într-o nouă eră - Georg C. Lichtenberg

McDonald's si vaccinarea
http://imgur.com/SB8cVmn
Skeptic's Guide to the Universe sunt dați în judecată
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/legaldefense
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Mai bine moartă decât să facă avort
http://adevarul.ro/locale/iasi/o-tanara-fost-pas-moarte-pastorul-i-a-interzis-faca-avort-medicii-trag-semnal-alarma-nu-trebuie-intoarcem-evul-mediu-1_54378cc00d133766a8d196ec/index.html
Femei în știință: Theano
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theano_(philosopher)
Subiecte:
Religiozitatea este în corelație inversă cu inovația (Ascultă doar acest segment aici)
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/09/religion-quashes-innovation-patents
http://www.princeton.edu/~rbenabou/papers/Religion%20December%201i_snd1.pdf
... și uneori în conflict cu natura
http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/08/15/1948550611420303
Târgul Body Mind Spirit Expo și aparatul de andulatie (Ascultă doar acest segment aici)
http://www.andullation.ro/
Lingi ochiul, vindeci boala!
http://adevarul.ro/news/stiri-ciudate/femeia-limba-tamaduitoare-vindeca-boala-ochi-linge-globul-ocular-suferindului-1_542fd6900d133766a8a8fe6c/index.html
Eroarea logică a episodului
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance
 

Schimbări și lucruri care rămân la fel.
Pericolul lipsei de scepticism
Măncăm iarbă, bem gaz, Doamne ajută!
http://www.enca.com/shock-scenes-grass-pastor-giving-his-congregation-petrol-drink
http://podcast.sceptici.ro/2014/01/26/ep-84-cosarul-karmic/
Tai gâtul omului și el nu se întoarce la viață. Ce măgar!
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/09/19/sufi-holy-man-is-arrested-for-killing-volunteer-he-failed-to-bring-back-to-life-during-promised-miracle/
Corecții, continuări și răspunsuri
Despre crocorata, rațo-saur și alte confuzii
Anatosuchus minor - rato-croc-ul
http://paulsereno.uchicago.edu/discoveries/anatosuchus_minor/
http://news.discovery.com/animals/dinosaurs/galloping-dinosaureating-crocodiles-found-in-the-sahara.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/photogalleries/dinosaurs-crocodiles-crocs-missions/index.html
http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=2104
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/the-crocoduck/
Spinosaurus aegypticus
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6204/1613.abstract
Eroarea logică a săptămânii
Să nu verși lampa de sare pe masă
http://www.sare-praid.eu/lampa-de-sare/2011/06/
Femei în scepticism
 

Discuții personale
Cine câștigă din emisiunile de talente?
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism:
Crocorața trăiește! Evoluționiștii câștigă:
http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2009/11/19/boarcroc-ratcroc-dogcroc-duckcroc-pancakecroc/
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/09/10/science.1258750
Bebelușul trebuie protejat!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BGSOVI?psc=1
Happy wife, happy life
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-09/ru-awh091214.php
Chiar și problemele medciale ale câinilor pot fi ignorate cu brio
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/12-homeopathic-remedies/,
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Dr Oz și prietenii simt presiunea
http://cir.ca/news/ftc-targets-misleading-weight-loss-ads?utm_content=bufferbd33f
Cum învață unii lucruri, fără să facă nimic
http://www.people.com/article/man-wakes-from-coma-speaking-mandarin

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://www.cancan.ro/actualitate/scandal-incredibil-in-jurul-mortii-unei-doctorite-un-astrolog-celebru-este-pus-la-perete-de-familie-ca-nu-a-prezis-decesul.html
Subiecte sceptice
Mai lasă sarea roz! E radioactivă!
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/pass-the-salt-but-not-that-pink-himalayan-stuff/
Sa inhalam vitamine
http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/28/6078267/don-t-listen-to-e-cig-companies-that-claim-you-can-vape-vitamins
In loc sa se ocupe de stiinta, oamenii de stiinta se ocupa cu oprirea zvonurilor.
http://doubtfulnews.com/2014/08/scientists-busy-squashing-silly-rumors-instead-of-sciencing-at-yellowstone/
Pietrele din Valea Moarta nu sunt mutate de extraterestrii
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0105948
Scrisul de mână ne spune de ce boli suferim!
http://lyla.ro/sanatate/scrisul-tau-de-mana-iti-spune-de-ce-anume-suferi-fara-sa-stii-fa-ti-acum-testul/

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Criza Eboola duce la decizii tampite
http://www.livescience.com/47389-nigerian-experimental-ebola-drug.html
http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/15/6006641/these-are-the-companies-profiting-from-the-ebola-crisis
Subiecte sceptice
Moartea lui Robin Williams
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2726920/Actor-Rob-Schneider-says-convinced-Parkinson-s-medication-caused-star-s-suicide.html
Poate i se trage de la misculatii imobiliare
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-17849651-gheorghe-mencinicopschi-predat-poate-trage-faptul-vorbit-despre-urile-din-alimente.htm
http://casajurnalistului.ro/dr-menci-si-omg-urile-lui-voiculescu/
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Iarasi despre viata dupa moarte
http://www.today.com/id/34953759/#.U_CDR_mSwmN
Cum ne bucuram de raul altuia, in functie de zodie
http://www.timesnewroman.ro/monden/cum-sa-te-bucuri-de-condamnarea-lui-voiculescu-in-functie-de-zodie
Forma sanilor si caracterul femeii
http://lyla.ro/sanatate/ce-fel-de-femeie-este-in-viata-si-in-pat-in-functie-de-forma-sanilor-sai/
Citatul episodului
Educatia este ceea ce ramane dupa ce tot ceea ce ai invatat a fost uitat.
BF Skinner

Miruna s-a dus la film. Proastă idee.
Inainte de asta s-a dus la Muzeul Științei din Barcelona. Bună idee.
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Și-a curatat bine de tot aura.
http://doubtfulnews.com/2014/07/16-year-old-subjected-to-traumatic-watery-treatment-to-cleanse-her-aura/
Oamenii mai degrabă să se electrocuteze decât să gândească
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/people-prefer-electric-shocks-to-being-alone-with-their-thoughts/373936/
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/1000788/
Copiii expuși la religie nu pot distinge între ce e real și ce e închipuit
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/18/children-exposed-to-religion-have-difficulty-distinguishing-fact-from-fiction/
Dubioșenia săptămânii
http://piersicuta.blogspot.de/2014/07/a-murit-variola-traiasca-ebola.html
Vindecarea de candida
http://remedii-candida.com/v1/?utm_source=adw-c&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=adw-c

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Fiul aluia mort din cauza serpilor se joaca cu serpii
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/05/29/son-of-pastor-who-died-from-snake-bite-nearly-dies-from-snake-bite/
Subiecte iraționale
Deputatu' si feng-shuiul
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-17451259-deputat-vrea-includerea-expertului-fengh-shui-nomenclatorul-meseriilor.htm?nomobile=
"Supercomputerul" care a trecut (vorba vine) de testul Turing
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140609/07284327524/no-computer-did-not-pass-turing-test-first-time-everyone-should-know-better.shtml
Conspiracy Road Trip: UFOs & Creationism
 
Când presa aberează
http://www.romaniatv.net/un-roman-a-inventat-dispozitivul-care-reduce-consumul-de-gaz-cu-pana-la-30prc_140455.html

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism: un copil cu leucemie refuză chemoterapia pentru că Isus i-a zis că s-a făcut bine
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/05/19/young-girls-life-could-be-saved-with-chemotherapy-but-her-parents-prefer-a-faith-based-alternative/
Sfântul Mucenic Megabitul Cel Nou
http://www.doxologia.ro/viata-bisericii/marturii/sfantul-efrem-cel-nou-deblocat-programe-informatice-reparat-fisiere-corupte
Pojarul ca leac contra cancerului? Nu chiar
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/could-measles-cure-cancer-uh-not-exactly%E2%80%A6
Corelații accidentale
http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/11/5706802/spurious-correlations-finds-hidden-totally-pointless-connections
http://www.tylervigen.com/
Dubioșenia săptămânii: Între Bine si Rau cu Liviu Mihaiu: partea a 2-a
http://provaccin.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/intre-bine-si-rau/
Pre-vestire budistă
http://jurnalul.ro/stiri/externe/dalai-lama-mesaj-socant-despre-viitorul-omenirii-nu-mai-este-mult-timp-pana-la-marea-intalnire-668362.html
Citatul episodului

Nu vă temeți de eșec. Nu eșecul, ci așteptările limitate sunt o crimă. În marile strădanii este glorios chiar și eșecul. Bruce Lee

Calendar:
In 12 mai 1910 s-a nascut Dorothy Hodgkin, chimist britanic ce a primit premiul Nobel in Chimie. Dorothy Hodgkin a avansat tehnica numita cristalografie prin raze X. A confirmat structura penicilinei si apoi a vitaminei B12 (pentru care a primit si premiul Nobel).Dupa alti 5 ani de la castigarea premiului Nobel a reusit sa descifreze structura insulinei (dupa 35 de ani de cercetare).
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://tribune.com.pk/story/705086/demonic-possession-man-dies-as-exorcism-attempt-goes-up-in-smoke/
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Ciorapii de slăbit
http://www.sosetaria.ro/ciorapi-medicinali/ciorapi-pantalon-cu-efect-de-slabire-laura-baldini-slim-20-den.html
Boiron recunoaște adevărul
http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/547-quacking-like-a-duck.html
Reclama deșănțată la pseudo-remedii de slăbit
http://slim.jurnalzilnic.com/sanatate/medicii-au-ramas-surprinsi/
Despre emisiunea Intre Bine si Rău, o varză cu carne
http://www.tvrplus.ro//editie-intre-bine-si-rau-217838
Al treilea război mondial:
http://www.romaniatv.net/nostradamus-rusia-va-distruge-romania-in-debutul-celui-de-al-treilea-razboi-mondial_141464.html
http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/proorociri-sfant-parinte-arsenie-boca-bucuresti-va-fi-sters-de-pe-fata-pamantului-490370.html
http://www.obiectiv.info/baba-vanga-previziune-cutremuratoare-pentru-anul-2014_40149.html
 
 
 

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Copac tăiat pentru că.... djini
http://doubtfulnews.com/2014/04/black-magic-fears-in-maldives-results-in-vigilante-tree-removal/
Vesti bune despre tratamentul Hepatitei C
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/success-story-hepatitis-c-combination-therapy
Un posibil tratament de cancer de prostată
http://www.doctorulzilei.ro/metoda-revolutionara-de-tratare-cancerului-de-prostata/
Inca un pastor care declara ca vine sfarsitul lumii
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/04/14/cataclysms-on-the-way/
Reclamă mascată la asigurări de locuințe
http://www.economica.net/gigantii-financiari-speriati-de-cutremurele-din-vrancea-de-ce-se-vor-scumpi-asigurarile-de-locuinta-in-roman_77800.html
Shaken Baby Syndrome e considerat fals?
http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/15/5604886/shaken-baby-syndrome-criminal-cases-controversy
Citatul episodului
Încercăm să demonstrăm cât mai repede că am greșit, deoarce numai așa putem să progresăm - Richard Feynman

Calendar
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/591400-razor-blades-injure-boy-at-playground-park-in-east-moline-illinois/
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Negrilica nu e chiar așa de neagră - o continuare.
Dietele sarace in sodiu sunt problematice in ciuda recomandarilor CDC
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/oupu-los033114.php
Solutia de slăbit care ar trebui să ne slăbească cu afirmațiile fără acoperire
http://www.helpnet.ro/libramed-solutia-100-naturala-slabit.html
Restrictiile aplicate fumatului in spatii publice sunt foarte benefice
http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/03/smoking-restrictions-having-huge-benefit-for-the-next-generation/
Nanoparticulele de argint nu sunt asa de minunate
http://news.discovery.com/human/health/silver-nanoparticles-may-harm-humans-and-wildlife-140402.htm
Carmen Harra greșește amarnic ca de obicei
http://www.ziarulring.ro/stiri/monden/230398/Harra-VERDICT-IN-SCANDALUL-de-la-Casa-Alba-Categoric-intre-Beyonce-si-Obama-A-FOST-CEVA--noads
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/10/obama-beyonce-affair_n_4760381.html

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Doua vieți pierdute din lipsă de informare:
http://ziare.com/stiri/si-a-omorat-copilul-si-s-a-sinucis-din-cauza-unei-tepe-pe-internet-1287546
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Jenny McCarthy primeste ceea ce merită
http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/03/17/jenny_mccarthy_antivaxxer_gets_remedied_on_twitter.html
Descoperiri importante
http://science.hotnews.ro/stiri-stiinte_fundamentale-16850123-descoperire-importantavine-sustina-teoria-big-bangului.htm
Nergilică minte cu nerusinare despre vindecări
http://negrilicabaraka.ro/
Iar se termina lumea
http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/03/15/asteroid_2003_qq47_rumors_of_an_impact_in_march_2014_are_false.html
Nici extractele naturale nu mai sunt destul de naturale
http://2blackjack1.wordpress.com/romania/colorantul-minune-al-lui-danone/

Live Hangout ceva mai lung decat episodul audio:

Facebook permite mai multe alegeri: http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/02/facebook-is-no-longer-for-males-and-females-only/
Calendar
24 Feb 1582- Papa Grigore al XIII-lea anunță calendarul gregorian
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Preotul care se juca cu șerpii a murit muscat de șerpi
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/02/16/snake-handling-pastor-dies-after-being-bitten-by-a-snake/
Continuări:
După dezbaterea dintre Ken Ham și Bill Nye discutăm niște întrebări ridicate de creaționiști
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/messages-from-creationists-to-people-who-believe-in-evolutio
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Terapia cranio-sacrala - cand iti bagi craniul in zona sacrului
http://observator.tv/social/terapia-craniosacrala-117883.html
Când presa aberează
Unica.ro și oamenii desfigurati de vaccinuri. - o poveste de succes
Citatul episodului:
"Dacă eu am un măr și tu ai un măr și facem schimb, la sfârșit fiecare are câte un măr. Dar dacă eu am o idee și tu ai o idee și facem schimb de idei, la sfârșit amandoi avem cate două idei." - George Bernard Shaw

Skeptical Reporter for February 14th, 2014
The "jelly doughnut" rock that seemed to appear out of nowhere on Mars last month did not fall out of an extraterrestrial pastry box. The rock had been mysterious to scientists because Mars rover Opportunity photographed it in a spot where the rock had not been present just four days earlier. Steve Squyres, lead scientist of the Mars Exploration Rover mission, described it as a white rock with a dark red low spot in the middle. The rock was named Pinnacle Island. Researchers have concluded that it is a piece of a larger rock, which Opportunity broke and moved with its wheel in early January. Further images from the rover reveal the original rock that the rover's wheel must have struck. No, that's not as exciting as if the rock had crawled into view on its own or been dropped there by aliens. But now that this puzzle has been solved, the rover team plans to drive Opportunity south and uphill to look at exposed rock layers on a slope. The rock has high levels of manganese and sulfur, which may have been concentrated in the rock because of water.
He's been to a doctor and a vet just to make sure, but New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is adamant he's not a shapeshifting reptilian alien. Mr Key was unusually forced to deny any previously non-declared extraterrestrial connections to reporters after an Auckland man put in an Official Information Act (OIA) request asking for proof he might be one. "To the best of my knowledge, no. Having been asked that question directly, I've taken the unusual step of not only seeing a doctor but a vet, and both have confirmed I'm not a reptile," a smiling Mr Key explained, adding: "So I'm certainly not a reptile. I've never been in a spaceship, never been in outer space, and my tongue's not overly long either." Last month, Auckland resident Shane Warbrooke put in an OIA request to the prime minister's office, asking for "any evidence to disprove the theory that Mr John Key is in fact a David Icke style shapeshifting reptilian alien ushering humanity towards enslavement".
The authenticity of the Shroud of Turin has been in question for centuries. Some believe it is a miracle, while some state in is an elaborate hoax? Now, a study claims neutron emissions from an ancient earthquake that rocked Jerusalem could have created the iconic image, as well as messed up the radiocarbon levels that later suggested the shroud was a medieval forgery. But other scientists say this newly proposed premise leaves some major questions unanswered. Radiocarbon dating tests conducted at three different labs in the 1980s indicated the cloth was less than 800 years old, produced in the Middle Ages. The first records of the shroud begin to appear in medieval sources around the same time, which skeptics don't think is a coincidence. The new study wishes to demonstrate that the shroud is much older, dating from the time of Jesus. Even if it is theoretically possible for earthquake-generated neutrons to have caused this kind of reaction, the study doesn't address why this effect hasn't been seen elsewhere in the archaeological record, Gordon Cook, a professor of environmental geochemistry at the University of Glasgow, explained. It seems unlikely that the new study, published in the journal Meccanica, will settle any of the long-standing disputes about how and when the cloth was made, which depend largely on faith.
In the US, the Prince George’s County Police Department is transforming how detectives conduct photo lineups in an effort to prevent innocent people from going to prison. Starting this spring, detectives must show witnesses photos of potential suspects one at a time on separate pieces of paper rather than all at once on a single page. Lineups must also be “blind,” which means a detective unfamiliar with the case must present photos to witnesses instead of an officer investigating the crime. The method is called the “double-blind sequential lineup...

Skeptical Reporter for February 7th, 2014
Saudi Arabia, which has the largest number of Twitter users relative to internet users in the world, has formed a special task force to track those who are accused of spreading vice and witchcraft on the social networking service. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which serves as the religious police of the conservative Gulf kingdom, is conducting surveillance of Twitter accounts in an effort to reign in heightened interest in subjects related to sorcery. The religious public watchdog is keeping a lookout for those accounts which “are spreading vice and witchcraft” through the community, said Ahmed Al Jardan, the Commission’s spokesman. Saudi Arabia’s Mufti, the country’s leading Islamic cleric, recently declared social media networks like Twitter have become a “podium for spreading evil and bad ideas and exchanging accusations and lies” by many of their subscribers and that “many Twitter users in the kingdom are also fools who lack modesty and faith”. The crackdown on Twitter users comes in the same week that Riyadh passed new counter-terrorism legislation that makes it an act of terrorism for any person to disturb public order or defame the reputation of the state or the king.
A British magistrate has issued an extraordinary summons to the worldwide leader of the Mormon Church alleging that its teachings about mankind amount to fraud. Thomas Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been ordered to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London next month to defend the church’s doctrines including beliefs about Adam and Eve and Native Americans. A formal summons by District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe warns Mr Monson, who is recognized by Mormons as God’s prophet on Earth, that a warrant for his arrest could be issued if he fails to make the journey from Salt Lake City, Utah, for a hearing on March 14. In one of the most unusual documents ever issued by a British court, it lists seven teachings of the church, including that Native Americans are descended from a family of ancient Israelites as possible evidence of fraud. It also cites the belief that the Book of Mormon was translated from ancient gold plates revealed to the church’s founder Joseph Smith by angels and that Adam and Eve lived around 6,000 years ago. The document suggests that asking members of the church to make contributions while promoting theological doctrines which “might be untrue or misleading” could be a breach of the Fraud Act 2006.
A five-month-old baby has died from rickets after his parents insisted on following a strict eating regime as part of their religion. Nkosiyapha Kunene, 36, and his wife Virginia, 32, could face jail after admitting the manslaughter of their son Ndingeko. Acute rickets, from which the child died on June 14, 2012, sees the bones soften because of a deficiency of vitamin D, phosphorus or calcium. The case comes after health professionals raised concerns that the Victorian disease is returning to Britain as a result of poor diets and children not being exposed to sufficient sunshine. It is believed the parents belong to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, whose members follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet – one that allows milk and eggs, but not animal flesh. The childhood disease was endemic in the growing cities of 19th century Britain because of a lack of access to sunlight and poor diets. But by the 1950s it had been wiped out thanks to Vitamin D being added to everyday foods such as margarine and cereal. Until recently even specialist doctors had struggled to spot the disease. In 2012 the parents of four-month-old Jayden Wray were charged with his death before doctors realized he had probably died from rickets. Before Jayden there had been only one death in 30 years. Yet in 2012 about 900 cases were diagnosed in hospitals in England. Nutritionists say the return of rickets is largely due to a generation...

Câteva cuvinte de la sponsorul nostru NNPNICSP - Nopți nedormite pe net în căutare de subiecte pentru podcast SRL.
Calendar:
John Franklin Enders - părintele vaccinării moderne - ( 10 Februarie 1897 – 8 September 1985)
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism:

Moartea lui Steve McQueen
Dezbaterea Bill Nye vs Ken Ham

Sunt rușii alcoolici sau e un mit?

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-vodka-russian-men-20140130,0,2473214.story
Omenirea a fost creată de extratereștrii? Probabil că nu

http://sfatuitoarea.blogspot.ro/2013/11/dovada-stiintifica-faptului-ca-omenirea.html?spref=fb

Vaticanul este luat în vizor de ONU în legătură cu abuzurile sexuale și ascunderea sistematică a violatorilor
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/u-n-committee-criticizes-vatican-allegedly-enabling-child-sex-abuse-article-1.1581758

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/pope-benedict-defrocked-400-priests

Citatul episodului

Până la urmă, știința este internațională, și doar prin lipsa simțului istoriei i s-au atribuit calități naționale - Marie Curie

 

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Extratereştrii ne-ar da arme dacă am fi cuminți
http://boingboing.net/2014/01/06/canadas-former-defense-minis.html
Elfii, elfii se supără dacă faceţi o autostradă
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/12/23/in-iceland-construction-projects-are-being-held-up-because-they-might-hurt-the-elves-seriously/
Informare ştiinţifică
Si rușii au aruncat bani pe cercetare psihotronica
https://medium.com/the-physics-arxiv-blog/1b0b3d97df54
Studiul menţionat: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1312.1148v2.pdf
Dubioșenia săptămânii
http://www.efemeride.ro/este-luna-facuta-de-om
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Multiplii profeti fac profetii despre 2013
http://paranormal.about.com/od/prophetsandprophecies/tp/Psychic-Predictions-For-2013.htm
Baba Vanga despre razboaiele mondiale din 2013
http://www.alamongordo.com/the-forgotten-baba-vanga-prophecies-about-world-war-iii/
http://www.theastralworld.com/prophecies/babavanga.php
Carmen Harra despre cum ii va merge lui Adrian Nastase
http://www.ziarulring.ro/stiri/monden/208595/Carmen-Harra-anunta-INTOARCEREA-IN-FORTA-a-lui-Adrian-Nastase-2015-VA-FI-UN-VARF-in-politica-pentru-el-
Prezicătoare egipeană despre 2014
http://www.efemeride.ro/prezicatoare-egipteana-in-2014-harta-lumii-se-va-modifica
Despre cine vorbim?
N-a fost trăsnit
Citatul episodului
Oamenii care spun ca nu poate fi facut nu ar trebui sa ii intrerupa pe cei care o fac- George Bernard Shaw

Miruna și un Life Coach dezbat NLP
Acupunctura emoțională
http://stiintasuccesului.blogspot.ro/2013/03/eft-acupunctura-emotionala-fara-ace.html
Sâni magnetici
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2515590/The-Kewi-Bra-built-magnetic-force-defies-gravity-breasts-lifted.html
Slăbit cu miere
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2516510/The-honey-diet-Drop-dress-size-party-season-having-spoonful-honey-bed--following-delicious-recipes.html
Rejuvenare vaginală
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2516800/Its-like-going-gym-vagina-Mother-says-lunchtime-laser-lift-saved-sex-life.html
Citatul episodului
Conștiința ta transformă o expansiune progresivă a oportunităților

Calendar:
In 16 Decembrie 1962, Explorer 16, primul satelit dedicat explorarii meteoritilor a fost lansat din Cape Canaveral
In 16 Decembrie 1954, diamantele sintetice au fost produse in laboratorul General Electric Research de catre profesorul H. Tracy Hall.
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Un promotor al Legii Atractiei ucide 3 oameni.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/4/5038930/the-death-dealer-james-arthur-sweat-lodge-deaths-in-sedona
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
EFSA asculta Sceptici in Romania
http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-doctorh_actualitate-16181708-autoritatea-europeana-pentru-siguranta-alimentara-confirma-indulcitorul-artificial-aspartam-nu-este-daunator-sanatatii.htm
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/search/doc/399e.pdf
Studiul PISA, rezultatele pe 2012
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/dec/03/pisa-results-country-best-reading-maths-science
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2013/dec/03/pisa-methodology-education-oecd-student-performance
Dubiosenia saptamanii
O noua chestie cauzeaza cancerul
http://www.realfarmacy.com/97-of-terminal-cancer-patients-previously-had-this-dental-procedure/
Tunele sub România
http://www.realitatea.net/declaratia-halucinanta-a-unui-profesor-exista-o-retea-de-tunele-fizice-reale-sub-toata-romania_1336904.html
Numerologii se bat in aberatii despre data de 11.12.2013
http://adevarul.ro/life-style/stil-de-viata/parerea-numerologului-semnificatia-zilei-111220131-1_52a88325c7b855ff56a10066/index.html
http://www.realitatea.net/semnificatia-datei-de-11-12-13-fenomenul-rar-vazut-de-numerologi_1337503.html
Despre cine vorbim?
Fără câștigator în episodul 81. Soluția corectă era Marie Curie.
 

Calendar
In 2 decembrie 1982 dr William C DeVries a facut primul interventie cu scopul de a implamnta Jarvik-7, o inimă artificială.
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Cautatori de fantome (drogati) dau foc unei case
http://www.fox8live.com/story/24042103/historic-lebeau-plantation-burns-to-the-ground-in-old-arabi
http://www.realitatea.net/s-a-impuscat-in-timp-ce-spargea-nuci-cu-pistolul_1324965.html
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Momente de creație = erori logice, dezinformare și distorsiuni
http://www.creationmoments.com/radio
Chemtrails!
http://www.dataasylum.com/mindcontrol-chemtrails-summary.html
Un vierme gigantic - spoilers, stie sa inoate
http://doubtfulnews.com/2013/11/a-whales-tale-the-video-of-the-monster-worm/
Silvia Browne a murit
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/21/sylvia-browne_n_4317470.html
Unii pun margele la gatul copiilor
http://www.lantisoaredebebelusi.ro/chihlimbar/
Despre cine vorbim
S-a ars, dar nu cu focul
În episodul 80 a castigat Istvan Lakatos
Citatul episodului
Nu stiu cine a fost bunicul meu; sunt mult mai interesat să știu ce va fi nepotul lui - Abraham Lincoln
Rămâneți sceptici!

Un experiment social în desfășurare
http://www.thekitchn.com/a-friend-asked-me-to-pay-cash-for-thanksgiving-dinner-what-do-i-do-good-questions-196820
Calendar
Sir William Siemens a fost un inginer englez-german si inventator care a creat un sistem regenerativ de folosire a gazelor deseu pentru a pre-incalzi gazele combustibilului pentru cuptorul cu vatra deschisa folosit in manufacturarea otelului. De asemenea a fost important in industria telegrafului, un pionier in cabluri subacvatice. A asistat in dezvoltarea liniei de telegraf dintre Londra si Calcutta (1869)
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Nu e un OZN, e doar Venus.
http://theufobureau.com/the-latest-ufo-and-alien-news/ufo-calls-over-bright-lights-of-venus-abc-local
Subiecte tratate cu scepticism
Popularitatea medicinei tradiționale chineze este o urmare a propagandei partidului comunist
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/10/traditional_chinese_medicine_origins_mao_invented_it_but_didn_t_believe.single.html
Tinerii din Japonia refuză să facă sex
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/20/young-people-japan-stopped-having-sex?CMP=twt_gu
Amigdalita e un cancer, si porcii zboara
http://terapieinarmonie.ro/?p=1246
Fizicienii viseaza la un LHC mai mare
http://www.nature.com/news/physicists-plan-to-build-a-bigger-lhc-1.14149
Despre cine vorbim?
Elipsa mea e mai buna decat cercul vostru
Citatul episodului
O investiție în cunoștințe duce la cel mai mare profit din dobândă - Benjamin Franklin

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Câteodată nici închisoarea nu te poate convinge că faci rău oamenilor, deși crezi că îi ajuți
http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1339577/divine-doctor-kills-patient-toxic-soup-after-years-jail
 
Polio confirmat in Siria și riscuri pentru România
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24726592
Investițiile cu grad mare de risc: când ceva sună prea frumos, probabil că nu este real
http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pia%C8%9B%C4%83_valutar%C4%83
 
Elevii ar putea rămâne fără vacanța de vară
http://www.realitatea.net/elevii-si-ar-putea-lua-adio-de-la-vacanta-de-vara_1303172.html?utm_source=Cub-Actualitate/Educatie&utm_medium=Clicks&utm_campaign=trkweb
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_holiday
http://www.ukcrimestats.com/National_Picture/
 
Despre dependența de Internet
http://www.realitatea.net/12-semne-ca-esti-dependent-de-internet_1302672.html?utm_source=Cub-Actualitate/it_stiinta&utm_medium=Clicks&utm_campaign=trkweb
Un rus face poze, trimite comunicate de presa din doi in doi ani zicand ca e priceput.
http://www.realitatea.net/a-surprins-momentul-in-care-sufletul-paraseste-trupul-dupa-moarte-un-savant-rus-explica-fenomenul_1303770.html?utm_source=Cub-it_stiinta&utm_medium=Clicks&utm_campaign=trkweb
Când presa aberează
Antena 3 preia bloguri fara pic de cercetare
http://www.antena3.ro/romania/de-ce-doarme-copilul-din-bratele-cersetoarei-raspunsul-cutremurator-dat-de-un-tigan-care-stie-tot-despre-aceasta-afacere-232770.html
Despre cine vorbim?
Un om indragostit de alune
Citatul episodului
Stiinta pune limite cunostintelor dar nu poate pune limite imaginatiei - Bertrand Russel

Introducere
Participati in proiectul Scepticism pe Wikipedia. 
Calendar: Ralph Wedgewood - inventatorul hârtiei indigo.
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism

* Credulului i se îneacă iphoneul.
* http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/10330414/iOS-7-users-destroy-iPhones-after-fake-waterproof-advert.html

Radiestezistul a fost chemat pentru a găsi electro-smogul.

* http://www.pepijnvanerp.nl/2013/09/dutch-school-hires-dowser-to-clean-up-electrosmog/

Pertusis continuă să facă victime în Statele Unite.
http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/infant-north-carolina-dies-whooping-cough/
Câteodată vedetele sunt de partea științei. Sarah Michele Gellar promovează vaccinul împotriva tusei convulsive.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/09/27/pertussis_march_of_dimes_vaccination_campaign_with_sarah_michelle_gellar.html
Telefoane și tablete sfințite ca să meargă mai bine. 

* http://www.realitatea.net/inspirati-de-bor-ce-sfintesc-preotii-bisericii-catolice-in-franta-tablete-si-telefoane-mobile_1282311.html

Mencinicopsci e la inchisoare (dar nu pentru documentarul Toxic)

* http://www.revista22.ro/mencinicopschi-sta-linistit-dupa-condamnarea-la-6-ani-de-inchisoare-e-o-mascarada-politica-31490.html
* http://www.b1.ro/stiri/eveniment/gheorghe-mencinicopschi-nitra-ii-i-nitri-ii-din-apa-nu-dispar-prin-fierbere-i-pot-provoca-moartea-sugarilor-25187.html

Despre cine vorbim?

* A descris un sistem solar la nivel mic mic mic

Citatul episodului
Viata e grea, dar e mai grea când ești prost - Will Rogers
Fiti alaturi de noi in episodul urmator pentru a ne pune intrebari în direct și a câștiga premii.
 

Skeptical Reporter for September 27th, 2013
The man who shot to Internet fame several years ago after appearing on Today to discuss a condition that permanently turned his skin a deep blue has died. Paul Karason was 62 when he passed away in a Washington hospital, where he was admitted last week after suffering a heart attack. He also had pneumonia and later suffered a severe stroke, his estranged wife, Jo Anna Karason, explained. Karason started turning blue about 15 years ago after he began using a special silver-based preparation to treat a skin condition. He also had been drinking colloidal silver, a product consisting of silver particles suspended in liquid. In 2008, Karason emerged from his reclusive life to discuss his condition, known as argyria, which is caused by the use of dietary supplements. Karason began using a silver preparation to treat a bad case of dermatitis that had broken out on his face. He took the silver in colloidal form that he produced himself, using electrolysis. Silver has antibacterial properties and has been used to fight infection for thousands of years. But it went out of use when the far more effective penicillin was developed in the 1930s. It continued to be used in some over-the-counter medicines until 1999, when the FDA banned it because it causes argyria, which is a result of the silver reacting with light the same way it does in photography. The silver collects in the skin and other organs and does not dissipate.
Venezuela's beauty culture has prompted a surge in dangerous silicone injections. Astrid de la Rosa was left bedridden for two years after her liquid silicone buttock injections migrated into her spine, paralyzing the supporting muscles. Now she is trying to educate Venezuelan girls early on about the dangers of these procedures. “We have to get to them early, as parents tend to offer these injections as 15th birthday presents”. In Venezuela, 17 women have died in the past 12 months as a result of liquid silicone buttock injections. According to Jesus Pereira, the president of the Venezuelan Plastic Surgeons Association, an estimated 30 percent of Venezuelan women aged 18 to 50 have undergone the procedure in an attempt to achieve a figure thought to be more attractive to Venezuelan men. While the death toll resulting from these injections has risen since they became widely available in 2008, it has done little to curb the trend of Venezuelans seeking a quick-fix solution to what they perceive as physical inadequacies. Despite being illegal in Venezuela (sale of silicone carries a two-year prison sentence) the country’s Association of Cosmetic Surgeons estimates that 2,000 women every month are receiving injections of this bio-polymer, either at home or illegally at unlicensed businesses.
The latest issue of Frontline – India’s National Magazine – features several stories of interest in the theme “Superstition Industry”. One of the articles discusses Sanal Edamaruku’s unmasking of a so-called miracle that saw him forced to leave to country after being accused of breaking the country’s blasphemy laws. On the 5th of March 2012, a woman passing by a roadside crucifix saw water dripping from the feet of Jesus Christ’s image. A non-Christian, she spread the word and soon the site was thronged by people who thought it was a miracle. The crucifix was across the road from Our Lady of Velankanni Church in the Mumbai suburb of Irla. A television channel covering the incident brought Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalist Association, to the site. He debunked the miracle theory and said it was water flowing from some damaged plumbing. Members of a group called the Association of Concerned Catholics challenged Edamaruku, and a battle of words began which culminated in a television studio debate between Edamaruku and Bishop Agnelo of the Archdiocese of Bombay. A report was filed by the Association of Concerned Catholics against Edamaruku under Section 295A ...

Skeptical Reporter for September 20th, 2013
People who take antioxidant supplements don't live any longer than those who don't, and some antioxidants may even cut life short, a new review suggests. Danish researchers report that people who took three antioxidants — beta carotene, vitamin E and high doses of vitamin A — tended to have an increased risk of death. "This study confirms what we already know — that antioxidant supplements are not effective in saving lives or making people healthier," said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an expert on the safety of dietary supplements and an internal medicine specialist at Cambridge Health Alliance. The general idea behind taking antioxidant supplements is that they are thought to help rid the body of unstable, free radical molecules that can damage cells and lead to heart disease, cancer or other conditions. In the review, researchers compared the mortality rates of people who took at least one of five different antioxidant supplements — beta carotene, vitamins A, C and E, and the mineral selenium — with people who received a placebo, or took nothing at all.
Nigeria’s This Day newspaper has published an article about a graduate university student who claims he’s “used science to prove that gay marriage is improper”. The newspaper reports that University of Lagos post graduate student Chibuihem Amalaha has made “many discoveries and inventions” in science and technology. Now, he’s turning his efforts to the issue of gay marriage. “In recent time I found that gay marriage, which is homosexuality and lesbianism, is eating deep into the fabric of our human nature all over the world and this was why nations of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God because they were into gay practice”, says Amalaha. He explains that “God gave me the wisdom to use science as a scientist to prove gay marriage wrong”. Amalaha says that his ‘groundbreaking’ experiments have shown that the north and south poles of two magnets are attracted to each other while same poles repel each other. He concludes that this “means that man cannot attract another man because they are the same, and a woman should not attract a woman because they are the same. That is how I used physics to prove gay marriage wrong”. His other high-school standard experiments include showing that negative ions are attracted to positive ones in the process of electrolysis. Despite massive evidence that homosexuality is all too common in nature, Amalaha further insists that biology also indicates that same-sex attraction is unnatural.
Despite its purported cleansing properties, holy water could actually be more harmful than healing, according to a new Austrian study on "holy" springs. Researchers at the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology at the Medical University of Vienna tested water from 21 springs in Austria and 18 fonts in Vienna and found samples contained up to 62 million bacteria per milliliter of water, none of it safe to drink. Tests indicated 86 percent of the holy water, commonly used in baptism ceremonies and to wet congregants' lips, was infected with common bacteria found in fecal matter such as E. coli, enterococci and Campylobacter, which can lead to diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever. Nitrates, commonly found in fertilizer from farms, were also identified in the water. If ingested, water containing nitrates over the maximum contaminant level could cause serious illness, especially in infants younger than 6 months, which could lead to death if untreated. "We need to warn people against drinking from these sources," said Dr Alexander Kirschner, study researcher and microbiologist at the Medical University of Vienna. The study, published in the Journal of Water and Health, also found that all church and hospital chapel fonts contained bacteria -- the busier the church, the higher the bacterial count.
Copper bracelets and magnet wrist straps have no real effect on pain, swelling,

Introducere

* Instrumente mortale: Oraşul oaselor - Bach, vânătorul de demoni

* http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1538403


* Zborul "ghinionist" către "iad"

* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/flight-666-friday-the-13th_n_3919701.html


* Copiii fac carii de la homeopate

Calendar: Sigmund Freud
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism

* Risc de polio salbatic in Romania

* http://adevarul.ro/locale/calarasi/dsp-avertizeaza-copiii-nevaccinati-risca-contacteze-virusul-polio-salbatic-tip-i-1_5231bf39c7b855ff5675cd47/index.html
* http://www.insp.gov.ro/cnscbt/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=59



Ce este 'terapia Bowen'?

* http://insulaindoielii.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/cine-stie-ce-face-terapia-bowen/

Roșia Montană
Premiile Ig Nobel

* http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2013

* Premiul în medicină

* http://www.cardiothoracicsurgery.org/content/7/1/26


* Sănătate publică

* www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002961083904208





Dubioșenia săptămânii - Continuare: Un tip nu mai bea lapte din motive proaste

* http://nick-teodorescu.eu/de-ce-nu-mai-beau-lapte
* http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/76/3/675.short
* http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/milk-for-your-bones

Când presa aberează: O "minune" neimpresionantă

* http://www.realitatea.net/a-pus-o-icoana-cu-iisus-intr-un-stup-de-albine-si-a-ramas-uimit-cand-l-a-deschis_1271809.html



* http://www.financiarul.ro/2013/09/16/albinele-si-icoanele-dragostea-sfintilor-pentru-animale-si-dragostea-animalelor-pentru-sfinti/


Despre cine vorbim?
Soluția episodului anterior: va fi dată în episodul următor.
Dilema episodului
J'explore l'eau
Citatul episodului
Dacă ai introduce adevărul în politică nu ar mai exista politică. - Will Rogers

Skeptical Reporter for September 13th, 2013
Would you board flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th? For superstitious travelers, that might be tempting fate. But Finnair passengers on AY666 to Helsinki – which has the 3 letter designation HEL – don't seem too bothered. Friday's flight is almost full. "It has been quite a joke among the pilots", said veteran Finnair pilot Juha-Pekka Keidasto, who will fly the Airbus from Copenhagen to Helsinki. "I'm not a superstitious man. It's only a coincidence for me." The daily flight AY666 from Copenhagen to Helsinki falls on Friday the 13th twice in 2013. Friday the 13th is considered bad luck in many countries and the number 666 also has strong negative biblical associations. Some airlines, like Scandinavian Airlines, take these fears seriously and don't have a row 13 on board. However, the negative connotations are a relatively new phenomenon for northern Europeans, and Finnair and other regional carriers like Norwegian and Estonian Air keep row 13. "Less than 100 years ago, the number 13 did not have this sinister meaning; it's quite recent in the north," said Ulo Valk, professor of comparative folklore at the University of Tartu in Estonia.
This year is on track to be the worst for measles in more than a decade, according to new numbers released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And people who refuse to vaccinate their children are behind the increasing number of outbreaks, health officials say. There were 159 cases of measles in the United States from January 1 through August 24, according to the CDC. If that trend continues, there will be more cases in 2013 than in any year since 1996, when some 500 cases were reported. Measles cases in the United States numbered in the hundreds of thousands before the advent of vaccination, and dropped dramatically throughout the 1960s. The disease was thought to have been eradicated in 2000, but the numbers have recently crept back up, largely because of visitors from countries where measles is common and because of vaccine objectors within the United States. Nearly two-thirds of the reported cases happened in three outbreaks in communities where many people don't vaccinate their children for religious or philosophical reasons. "This is very bad. This is horrible. The complications of measles are not to be toyed with, and they're not altogether rare", said Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.
On September 11, 2013, Kentucky's governor Steve Beshear announced that he "plans to implement the new Kentucky Next Generation Standards under his own authority". The announcement follows on the heels of the Kentucky legislature's subcommittee vote that the standards are deficient. The adoption of the standards was recommended by the state department of education and the state board of education, as well as Kentuckians for Science Education, the Kentucky Paleontological Society, the Kentucky Academy of Sciences, and the Kentucky Science Teachers Association. A deputy press secretary for the governor explained that Beshear "views these standards as a critical component in preparing Kentuckians for college and the workforce. Therefore, as provided by law, he will implement the regulations notwithstanding the finding of deficiency". NCSE's executive director Eugenie C. Scott, who taught physical anthropology at the University of Kentucky applauded Beshear's decision. "It's a good day for science education in the Bluegrass State," she said. "There's no doubt that the Next Generation Science Standards are a tremendous improvement on Kentucky's existing state science standards, especially when it comes to evolution and climate change. Kentucky's schoolchildren deserve to learn about these topics in a way consistent with the consensus of the scientific community".
Friends and family of the late Sara Niethe are outraged by a psychic's claim she solved the case of her murder....

Skeptical Reporter for September 6th, 2013
Former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison died in an Omaha hospital this week. He was 44. Morrison's longtime promoter, Tony Holden, said Morrison died with his wife, Trisha, beside him. Morrison tested positive for HIV in 1996 before a fight with Arthur Weathers, effectively ending his boxing career. In the years that followed, he denied having HIV and also challenged the existence of the virus. Trisha Morrison, who married Morrison in 2011, picked up that fight, and in a recent interview with ESPN.com insisted that Morrison had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, not HIV.
Swaziland’s absolute monarch, King Mswati III, said he was visited by God during the weekend and this resulted in atypical electrical storms in the country, but also a new name for the country’s controversial political system. “The lightning was flashing even though it was (the time of year) when there is usually no clouds or rain,” Mswati said when he opened a trade fair in Manzini. He said the storm was sent by God to accompany his vision. The South African Weather Service interpreted it differently, reporting that a cold front from South Africa to the north colliding with warm air from the Mozambique Channel had created thunderstorm conditions in Swaziland. Swaziland is now officially to be known as a monarchical democracy, the king decreed. Mswati said the new name reflected the people’s participation in the country’s governance through use of the ballot box. Swaziland’s parliamentary election will be held next week. However, political parties are banned, and widespread bribery and vote-rigging were reported in last week’s primary election. Parliament has no governing power and may be dissolved at any time by Mswati, who may also ignore its resolutions.
The carcass of a dead dog floats on the lake that supplies tap water to 750,000 Venezuelans. Witch doctor Francisco Sanchez has just dumped the previous night’s sacrifice from a cliff, contaminating the resource that has become scarcer than gasoline in Caracas. The water from Lake Mariposa, polluted by sacrifices and garbage from a local cult, is pumped to a 60-year-old treatment plant that lacks the technology to make it safe for drinking, said Fernando Morales, an environmental chemistry professor at Simon Bolivar University in Caracas who has visited the site. Ten years ago, Mariposa was a sunbathing and sailing destination. Today it is a haven for followers of Santeria. Eight kilometers away from the lake, in Caracas, sales of bottled water are booming, with families paying the equivalent of almost $5 for a five-gallon jug, twice the price of gasoline.
A vote-rigging row has erupted in the Maldives ahead of the presidential election amid suspicions that one party is using cursed coconuts imbued with black magic spells to sway voters’ political allegiances. The claims came after a coconut, described as "young", was placed near a polling booth in an alleged bid to disrupt the upcoming elections. The fruit had been inscribed with verses from the Koran and placed near the booth at a school on the remote Kaafu atoll, one of the islands that make up the Indian Ocean archipelago state. Following the discovery of the 'cursed' coconut police brought in a 'ruqyah' practitioner (white magician) to examine the coconut. The expert found the black magic element of the coconut to be fake and because it's was fake the police were not worried.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
A system that allows electronic messages to be sent with complete secrecy could be on the verge of expanding beyond niche applications. A team of British scientists has discovered a way to build communications networks with quantum cryptography at a larger scale than ever before. Quantum cryptography has the potential to transform the way sensitive data is protected. The system is based on a communication system, where information is carried by individual phot...

Calendar
Marthe Vogt - farmacolog britanic
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism

* Bietii batranei nu sunt lasati in pace de vânători de fantome
* http://doubtfulnews.com/2013/07/the-conjuring-is-a-real-nightmare-for-people-living-in-the-house/

Un ceva înaripat în pădurea Baciu

* http://www.clujulliber.ro/un-inger-fotografiat-in-padurea-baciu-de-langa-cluj-fotografie-in-exclusivitate/

Cercetare noua in privinta autismului si legaturii cu iodul

* http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130813111730.htm

Când presa aberează

* http://www.realitatea.net/o-femeie-a-nascut-triple-i-dupa-ce-a-mancat-la-mcdonald-s_1261141.html
* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2408779/Eating-McDonalds-gave-TRIPLETS-Infertile-vegetarian-gives-birth-3-babies-daily-diet-meat.html

Despre cine vorbim?
Soluția episodului anterior: Steve Irwin
Semi-câștigător: Istvan Lakatos
Dilema episodului
Primul om care a stiut cat de mic e.
Citatul episodului
Prefer să trăiesc într-o lume în care viața mea este înconjurată de mister, decât într-o lume pe care mintea mea ar putea să o înțeleagă. - Harry Fosdick
Dacă v-a plăcut episodul spuneți și prietenilor voștrii printr-un link pe Facebook.

Skeptical Reporter for August 30th, 2013
A bleeding disorder in babies so rare that it typically affects fewer than one in 100,000 is becoming more common in Tennessee. The illness is occurring more frequently because parents are refusing vitamin K injections at birth, according to pediatric specialists. Since February, four babies with no signs of injury or abuse have been sent to one children’s hospital with either brain hemorrhages or bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. They were all diagnosed with vitamin K deficiency bleeding. All four had not received the preventive treatment, which doctors have been giving to newborns since the 1960s. Pediatricians believe that parents are increasingly refusing consent because of concerns based on misinformation or the goal of having natural childbirths. All four children survived, but the three who suffered brain bleeds face challenges. Years ago there was no problem in administering vaccines to newborn babies. But these days parents are also refusing a hepatitis B vaccine, which is given to the babies to protect them from possible exposure from the mother. The doctors blame “debunked” studies — reports that have not stood up to scientific scrutiny — still floating around on the Internet that have linked vaccine ingredients to autism and vitamin K injections to leukemia.
Shakhter Karagandy boss Viktor Kumykov plans to continue the Kazakh club's sheep-sacrificing ritual ahead of their Champions League play-off second-leg tie against Celtic. The Kazakh champions caused a stir when they killed a sheep at the Astana Arena the last time they won a game. Animal rights group Peta expressed their outrage in a strongly-worded letter to UEFA president urging Michel Platini to punish Shakhter. Kumykov explained the practice during the pre-match press conference: "All I can say is that every team and every club has its own pre-match traditions and rituals. Celtic must have their own. We will try to respect our traditions and those traditions have been in place even before we came to the club." He added that the ritual will probably be carried out. Police Scotland said sacrificing a sheep in a football stadium would breach Section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006. A spokesperson added: "Only professional slaughterhouses or people under licence may lawfully kill a protected animal."
A steak house might not be the place you’d expect to go for a pitch on curing diabetes. But a company continues offering free dinners to lure people into diabetes seminars even as one of its charter members awaits trial in two states, including Arizona, on charges ranging from operating without a license to fraud and bilking the elderly. Diabetic Solutions MD promises it can help cure diabetes through a step-by-step process and nutritional supplements that could cost you thousands. Don’t be misled by the MD in the title. The doctors pitching the supplements are licensed chiropractors whose practices revolve around marketing supplements and diet plans. Diabetic Solutions has some close ties to another company that has recently caught the attention of law enforcement. It is called Diabetes Solutions, based in Utah. Most medical experts agree that the most important way to control diabetes is through diet and exercise. That could be something to consider when promise of a cure comes with a free steak-house luncheon.
Congress is on holiday this month, but the lobbyists are baiting their hooks, planning their strategies for how to get more money for themselves. A growing lobby is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM ) providers, who have discovered a new opportunity to extract even more money from patients than they do already. They want the government to force insurance providers to pay for quack treatments, regardless of whether or not the treatments work. Any attempt to require evidence, they argue, amounts to discrimination. The strategy is simple: require the government t...

Calendar

* 26 August 1998 - A decedat Frederick Reines, fizician american, care a descoperit neutrino-ul impreuna cu Clyde Covan.

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Femeie paralizată complet de chiropractician

* http://www.blinkthebook.com/#!about/c10fk

Trei din zece români sunt de părere că toate E-urile sunt rele
http://www.realitatea.net/romanii-preocupati-de-ce-mananca-68prc-dintre-ei-nu-vor-aditivi-in-produsele-alimentare-consumate_1243937.html
Surpriza din marul lupului
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36919/title/Cancer-Causing-Herbal-Remedies/
http://forum.romedic.ro/prod/Marul-lupului,__cea_mai_puternica_planta_medicinala_din_Romania,__trateaza..._062577.html

Scepticism pe neasteptate
Mierea pentru operații?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2389121/Doctors-discover-super-honey-amazing-power-treat-soldiers-wounds-kill-superbug-infections.html
http://patrickmartagh.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/surgi-honey-healing-wonder/
Elimină toate (!) grăsimile din organism
http://www.realitatea.net/dieta-cu-mere_1241063.html
Când presa aberează
Lumea uită de echipa de descarcerare și pretinde că un preot băgător de seamă a făcut o minune
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/08/mystery-angel-priest-car-crash-_n_3725992.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2386627/The-riddle-angel-priest-Holy-man-appeared-pray-trapped-girl-rescuers-traffic-accident-told-OK-vanished.html
Despre cine vorbim?
Soluția episodului anterior: Arhimede; câștigator: Istvan Lakatos
Dilema episodului
Distrugător de mituri despre animale periculoase
Citatul episodului
Minciunile aleargă în sprinturi, dar adevărul aleargă la maraton. - Michael Jackson

Skeptical Reporter for August 23rd, 2013
In the United States, Tarrant County health officials have zeroed in on a mega-church near Eagle Mountain Lake as where a measles outbreak began to spread. A congregant contracted the viral infection during a visit to a foreign country and attended a service before he knew his diagnosis. The individual was not a member of the church and was visiting the facility as part of a multi-nation mission trip. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services last week issued an alert against the measles, a viral infection that has been nearly eradicated by vaccinations.  The youngest victim is 4-months-old while the oldest is 44-years-old, said Tarrant County epidemiologist Russell Jones. More than half are younger than 20. Jones said he believes the county has reached all children who are possibly exposed to it, although there is concern that residents outside the church could have been infected. The outbreak is prompting state and county health authorities to remind residents of the importance of immunizations, especially as school begins across the state and in North Texas. The majority of the patients were not vaccinated.
The Indian state of Maharashtra has enacted emergency laws banning black magic and superstition, one day after a prominent campaigner was killed. Anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, 71, who campaigned for the law, was shot dead in the city of Pune by unidentified gunmen. Many businesses closed to protest against his killing and chanting demonstrators marched through the city. He spent decades campaigning against what he called "fraudulent" practices. After his murder, the government rushed through emergency legislation which, according to local media reports, makes it an offence to exploit people by offering rituals, charms and magical cures, and to practice black magic. Dabholkar and his committee (Committee for the Eradication of Blind Faith), was particularly well-known for openly criticizing some of India's so-called "godmen", the self-styled Hindu ascetics who claim to perform miracles and are revered by many.
You cannot convince people that evolution is false with logic, according to the founder of the Creation Museum in Kentucky. In a 60-second radio ad, Answers in Genesis President Ken Ham admitted there was no scientific evidence that conclusively demonstrated that evolution was a lie. But that didn't mean there wasn't solid evidence that evolution was a lie. The solid evidence just wasn't scientific. “We have solid proof in in our hands that evolution is a lie: the Bible,” Ham explained. “You see, we can’t depend solely on our reasoning ability to convince skeptics. We present the evidence and do the best we can to convince people the truth of God by always pointing them to the Bible.”
In the US, governor Chris Christie signed a bill barring licensed therapists from trying to turn gay teenagers straight, making New Jersey the second state to ban so-called conversion therapy, along with California. The bill passed both houses of the New Jersey Legislature with bipartisan support in June. Assemblyman Tim Eustace, who sponsored the bill and is openly gay, described the therapy as "an insidious form of child abuse." In a note accompanying the bill, Christie said he believes people are born gay and that homosexuality is not a sin. The Republican governor also said the health risks of trying to change a child's sexual orientation, as identified by the American Psychological Association, outweigh concerns over the government setting limits on parental choice. "Government should tread carefully into this area," he said in the note, "and I do so here reluctantly. However, I also believe that on the issues of medical treatment for children we must look to experts in the field to determine the relative risks and rewards," Christie said, citing a litany of potential ill effects of trying to change sexual orientation,

Skeptical Reporter for August 16th, 2013
A surge of electrical activity in the brain could be responsible for the vivid experiences described by near-death survivors. A study carried out on dying rats found high levels of brainwaves at the point of the animals' demise. US researchers said that in humans this could give rise to a heightened state of consciousness. The lead author of the study, Dr Jimo Borjigin, of the University of Michigan, said: "A lot of people thought that the brain after clinical death was inactive or hypo-active, with less activity than the waking state, and we show that is definitely not the case. If anything, it is much more active during the dying process than even the waking state". From bright white lights to out-of-body sensations and feelings of life flashing before their eyes, the experiences reported by people who have come close to death but survived are common the world over. Even though they are currently little understood, this kind of new research could help to shed some light on near-death experiences.
In California, believers have discovered a tree that they think delivers the tears of God. The small but growing group attribute the liquid dripping from a Crape Myrtle tree to a miracle. Parishioner Maria Ybarra says: "When you say ‘glory be to God in Jesus name’ the tree starts throwing out more water." On close inspection, arborist Jon Reelhorn agrees, something is falling from the tree in front of St. Johns Cathedral. But it isn't water: "The aphids will suck the sap, the sap goes through the aphid and then it is a honey dew excrement from the aphid and it gets so heavy in the summertime that it will drip down".  He calls it a natural process. He also found another tree dripping across the street. And like the honey dew rolling off its leaves, clinical therapist Mark McOmber says the way people choose to interpret it can also be attributed to nature: "Human beings inherently need to hope for things, things that they can't understand, things they can't see".
Warren Jeffs, the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,  is a self-proclaimed “prophet of God”. He was convinced of sexual assault on minors and now, from behind bars, he is sharing his prophecies with one of Arizona’s top leaders -- Attorney General Tom Horne. From behind bars in Palestine, Texas, Jeffs telephones his followers who transcribe his words and often send copies of them to public officials. The “revelations” are a mixture of orders, visions and demands. Horne said he’s concerned because the revelations show that Jeffs still has control over the FLDS community in Colorado City. “It’s the worst injustice happening in Arizona right now,” he said. Jeffs is the leader of the polygamist FLDS church. But he’s currently serving more than 100 years in prison for child molestation. Former members of the FLDS community said that Jeffs writes the revelations on a regular basis to be studied and carried out by his followers.
And another UFO sighting has been explained by more ”earthly” means. On October 16, 2012, the sighting of a shiny object in the sky above Kentucky gained considerable media attention. Plenty of people saw the object: The Kentucky State Police received multiple reports of sightings. A couple of days later, the Appalachian News-Express ran a story headlined “Mystery Object in Sky Captivates Locals.” Regional television stations reported that government agencies professed ignorance. The story was picked up by CNN. And the UFO-loving website Ashtar Command Crew linked to the news as ostensible proof of continuing visits from the Galactic Federation fleet. Rich DeVaul has recently explained the sighting. The shiny object in the sky was the work of his Google team. The people who saw the „UFO” in Pike County were witnessing a test of Project Loon, a breathtakingly ambitious plan to bring the Internet to a huge swath of as-yet-unconnected humanity—via thous...

Skeptical Reporter for August 9th, 2013
In Australia, chiropractors will be forced to stop making anti-vaccination and other misleading claims in a crackdown on operators from the profession's governing board. Earlier this year some chiropractors were revealed to have received government-mandated training by anti-vaccination clinicians who believe diet and ''keeping the spine in line'' will prevent deadly diseases such as polio. The chairman of the Chiropractic Board of Australia said it had removed some courses from its approved training schedule and would be randomly auditing practitioners to ensure they were not making unsubstantiated claims about the benefits of chiropractic. It also announced all registered chiropractors would be required to remove anti-vaccination claims from their websites.
A new study has examined the relationship between belief in precognition and sense of control. They found that belief in psychics, clairvoyance, fortune telling, is one way people may compensate for feeling a lack of control in life. And, that this actually works to provide a greater sense of control. In an abstract from the paper the issue is explained: ”We argue that believing the future is predictable increases one’s own perceived ability to exert control over future events. As a result, belief in precognition should be particularly strong when people most desire control–that is, when they lack it. Prediction therefore acts as a compensatory mechanism in times of low control. The present research provides new insights into the psychological functions of seemingly irrational beliefs, like belief in psychic abilities”.
Plants of the Aristolochia genus have for centuries been used in Chinese herbal remedies, but they contain a naturally carcinogenic compound that causes mutations in the cells of people who consume them, according to two studies recently published. The papers reveal that the compound, called aristolochic acid, causes more mutations than two of the best-known environmental carcinogens: tobacco smoke and UV light. “A lot of people in the lay public assume that if something is herbal or natural that it is necessarily healthy, But this work very clearly shows that this natural plant product is extremely genotoxic and carcinogenic,” said Marc Ladanyi, an investigator in the human oncology and pathogenesis program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York who was not involved in the studies. Despite the long history of Aristolochia use in herbal remedies, evidence of the plants’ inherent danger emerged only recently. Aristolochic acid has been banned in most countries since 2003. But there are a lot of countries in Asia, like India, that still use it as part of their traditional herbal medicines. And even though it is banned in places like China, it is still readily available.
Demons can be sexually transmitted, say three young exorcists, and when it happens, it can be a real menace. The girls, who hail from Phoenix, Arizona, are featured in a new documentary by film Vice.com. They travel all over the world, meeting with people who have been afflicted with what they say are sexually transmitted demons, and commanding those demons to leave the person alone. The ringleader is Brynn Larson who was raised by televangelist Bob Larson, who claims he recently cured a man of a homosexual curse and the demon inside him. The elder Larson believes that about 50% of the entire world’s population is possessed by demons.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
Several vaccines for malaria have been developed over the past few decades, but none offer complete protection. Now, for the first time, US researchers have developed a vaccine that protects 100 percent of those given five doses of the vaccine, albeit in a very small trial. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. It affects more than 200 million people annually and, according to the World Health Organisation, it killed 660,

Calendar

* In 11 August 1999 a avut loc ultima eclipsa de Soare a secolului 20. A fost probabli cea mai urmarita eclipsa a tuturor timpurilor. Cea mai lunga durata a eclipsei putea fi observata in Romania in Ramnicu Valcea. Mii de oameni au fost cu siguranta in strada in contrast cu cetatenii egipteni care au primit sfaturi de la clerici sa se inchida in casa.
* T Baron Russel a publicat o carte de futurologie in 1905. In ea spunea ca daca o doamna londoneza din anul 2000 ar fi transportata inapoi in timp pana in 1905 probabil ar lesina cand ar vedea ce oras curat era Londra. Pe vremea lui Russel, masinile nu existau si se considera evident ca tot mai mult balegar de cal va polua strazile
* In 11 August 2003 viermele de Windows Blaster a inceput sa circule pe internet. El afisa un mesaj care facea calculatorul sa se inchida in maxim 1 minut. Microsoft a estimat ca pana la 16 milioane de masini au fost infectate cu pierderi de aproximativ 320 de milioane de dolari

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Demoni puși pe șotii

* http://doubtfulnews.com/2013/07/kill-it-with-fire/

Cercetare neurologică pe orfanii români

* http://www.aeonmagazine.com/world-views/can-research-on-romanian-orphans-be-ethical/
* http://www.descopera.ro/stiinta/11188719-drama-orfanilor-din-romania-cum-au-ajutat-acesti-copii-stiinta

Dubioșenia săptămânii
Un tip nu mai bea lapte. Nu se poate abtine sa dea niste motive. Proaste

* http://nick-teodorescu.eu/de-ce-nu-mai-beau-lapte/
* http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/76/3/675.short
* http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/milk-for-your-bones

Scepticism pe neasteptate
Când presa (nu) aberează

* Libertatea pentru femei despre aurele energetice

Despre cine vorbim?
Soluția episodului anterior: Cristian Român; câștigator Andrei Onea
Dilema episodului
A făcut știință bălăcindu-se
Citatul episodului
Singura greșeala adevărată este aceea din care nu înveţi nimic. Henry Ford

Skeptical Reporter for August 2nd, 2013
Moscow police have once again entered the dark realms of the paranormal, busting a Russian “psychic” ring that has been lifting curses for money after scaring clients into thinking they were jinxed. The alleged psychics ran a parapsychology center called Sapphira, complete with a call center. The psychics also promoted their company through shows on cable television. Sapphira staff convinced callers they were cursed, and claimed to be performing “magical” rituals during their phone conversations. The staff convinced their potential clients they needed supernatural help – which the center then provided for payment. Six alleged psychics now face up to 10 years in prison on fraud charges. The case is not the first incidence of Russian police taking on self-styled psychics. Last summer, more than 20 people were detained in a crackdown on another parapsychology center in Moscow, which reportedly employed more than 500 workers at its call center and had a monthly turnover of 500 million rubles ($15 million).
Authorities in southeastern Jiangxi province are investigating health techniques used by a qigong master who has ties with a long list of celebrities, including Jackie Chan and Jack Ma, and who has been accused of getting rich by defrauding believers of the supernatural. The inquiry comes after China Central Television aired two investigative news programmes, calling Wang Lin a phony and “a vulgar magician” living on “deluding celebrities and blinding the public”. The Luxi Health Bureau later explained that it was looking into Wang’s claims on qigong, a practice with roots in martial arts and Chinese medicine that emphasizes breathing and meditation to strengthen health. Wang has long been known at home as a “qigong master” who claims to be able to heal cancer and other complicated diseases with his supernatural abilities, which he allegedly acquired in the 1980s. He remained largely unknown to the general public until this month when photos of him with dozens of celebrities and senior officials emerged on the internet.
A short video on Valeria Lukyanova, known on the internet as the girl who turned herself into a real-life Barbie doll, gives the viewers a glimpse into the beliefs that the young girl is promoting through her online appearances. In the video, Lukyanova claims she is not a real girl at all, but a time-traveling spiritual guru whose purpose is to save the world from the clutches of superficiality and negative energy. She believes physical perfection is the best medium through which she can deliver life-changing philosophy to the human race. She states: ”Only love and joy exist in the place where I come from. Beings in our dimension are sexless. We do not have such definitions as husband, wife or children. We are able to look inside any being and see ourselves. I hear voices all the time and see different beings”. One of her friends declared that they both come from the ”Pleiades” and remember lots of planets on which they reincarnated in the past.
In England, another businessman has been found guilty of making and selling fake bomb detectors. Devices made by Gary Bolton, 47, were found to be nothing more than boxes with handles and antennae. The prosecution said he sold them for up to £10,000 each, claiming they could detect explosives. The trial heard the company had a £3m annual turnover selling the homemade devices. The prosecutor told the court that Bolton knew the devices - which were also alleged to be able to detect drugs, tobacco, ivory and cash - did not work but supplied them anyway to be sold to overseas businesses. They were made at Bolton's home and at the premises of his company Global Technology Ltd, near Ashford. One company X-rayed a device and found nothing inside the box.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
A team of astronomers from the University of Anitoquia, Colombia, have discovered a graveyard of comets.

Skeptical Reporter for July 26th, 2013
If you had placed your bet on the gender of Kate and William’s first royal offspring and you looked for the advice of psychics, you probably made a bad investment. Before the birth of the royal baby, on July 9th, 62% of the 50 psychics surveyed at Psychic Source, the most respected psychic service provider, predicted that the royal couple will be welcoming a female heir. Representing the majority of psychics surveyed, Psychic Ricky stated matter-of-factly: “It will be a girl. At least one of her names will be Diana”.
In India, homeopathy doctors demanding permission to prescribe allopathic medicines and permanent employment in government hospitals continued their hunger strike at Azad Maidan. Around 100 doctors have been on strike since July 15th.  47 were admitted in Gokuldas Tejpal (GT) hospital. Two were admitted in ICU. Currently, there are around 60,000 homoeopathic doctors in the the state, with 10,000-15,000 in Mumbai alone. Prashant Shinde, an independent practitioner, said, ”Our demands have been pending for almost 35 years. We want removal of the word 'only' from Bombay Homoeopathic Practitioners Act 1959, which states that homoeopathy doctors can only practice homoeopathy and nothing else”. The other demands include appointment in each Public Health Centre, PHC sub-centres and rural hospitals.
Conspiracy theorists concerned with intentional weather modification will have to find someone else to blame, because HAARP (the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) has closed. The 35-acre ionospheric research facility in remote Gakona, Alaska shut down in early May 2013. HAARP has an antenna array used by scientists to study the outer atmosphere by zapping it with generated radio waves. HAARP became infamous among conspiracy theorists and some environmental activists, who believed it was responsible for intentional weather modification. Dire events – such as Hurricane Sandy in late 2012 – have been blamed on HAARP by people called “uninformed” by scientists and other commentators. HAARP’s program manager, Dr James Keeney, said in a press release: ”Currently the site is abandoned. It comes down to money. We don’t have any”.
The Independent Investigations Group, the international skeptical research and science advocacy organization, has announced the finalists to be honored in their annual awards ceremony recognizing the promotion of science in popular media and arts. These include Eugenie Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, along with The Onion.com satirical website, the TV series “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” and “The Hamster Wheel”. “The IIG Awards recognize mainstream entertainment for promoting critical thinking and scientific values and dispelling myths and superstition. This has become an important annual event at the intersection of science and entertainment”, said James Underdown, Chair of the IIG. The awards presentation will be held on Monday Jul 29th at the Steve Allen Theater at the Center for Inquiry in Los Angeles.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
False memories have been implanted into mice, scientists say. A team was able to make the mice wrongly associate a benign environment with a previous unpleasant experience from different surroundings. The researchers conditioned a network of neurons to respond to light, making the mice recall the unpleasant environment. They say it could one day shed light into how false memories occur in humans. Just like in mice, our memories are stored in collections of cells, and when events are recalled we reconstruct parts of these cells - almost like re-assembling small pieces of a puzzle. It has been well documented that human memory is highly unreliable, first highlighted by a study on eyewitness testimonies in the 70s. Simple changes in how a question was asked could influence the memory a witness had of an event such as a car crash.

Discuții personale

* Despre Pacific Rim și Man of Steel
* Radovan Karadzic s-a ascuns cu succes drept practicant de medicină alternativă timp de 11 ani

* http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2008/jul/22/radovankaradzic.warcrimes?picture=354766381



Pericolele lipsei de scepticism

* Motiv de sinucidere: o cioara
* http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/1/2013071920130719011807824aaa2e739/23yrold-engineer-ends-life-Reason-A-crow-sat-on-his-head.html

Operații estetice și zodiace

* http://www.unica.ro/detalii-articole/articole/horoscop-dragoste-sex-marime-sani-functie-zodie-vrei-silicoane-35112.html

Dubioșenia săptămânii

* http://www.descopera.ro/dnews/11123402-boala-lapte-si-fursecuri-o-afectiune-recent-descoperita-de-care-sufera-milioane-de-copii
* http://ahealthierwei.com/dr-wei/
* http://ahealthierwei.com/category/mcd/

Scepticism pe neasteptate
Fertilitate cu maioneză

* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2361112/Mayonnaise-miracle-babies-Theyd-endured-150-IVF-attempts--told-hope-But-controversial-jabs-egg-yolk-oil-theyre-mums-last.html

Despre cine vorbim?
Teller - câștigător/câștigătoare este qwerty
Dilema episodului
Sceptic național
Citatul episodului
Dacă nu citești ziarele, nu ești informat. Dacă citești ziarele ești dezinformat. - Mark Twain

Skeptical Reporter for July 19th, 2013
Skechers is finally paying back the customers it's accused of deceiving with the false promise that its athletic shoes would magically tone their booties like TV stars. The Federal Trade Commission is mailing more than half a million refund checks to purchasers of Shape-ups and other so-called toning shoes from Skechers after the company agreed to pay a $40 million settlement. The FTC said that Skechers (SKX) was paying the price for having "deceptively advertised its toning shoes, including making unfounded claims that its Shape-ups shoes would help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles". Skechers recruited celebrities to tout the shoe's claims, like Brooke Burke of "Dancing with the Stars" and Kim Kardashian. Skechers isn't the only shoe company to pay the price of false booty-shaping claims. Reebok had to pay the FTC $25 million in 2011 for "deceptively" advertising the buttock-toning abilities of EasyTone shoes.
A group of skeptics has offered to help a Tasmanian ghost hunting organisation as it investigates paranormal activity. Evidence presented by the Tasmanian Ghost hunting Society has been criticized by the Launceston Skeptics group. Last week, the ABC was invited to join the society as it investigated the historic Franklin House in Launceston. The group says it recorded shapes and sounds in the 200-year-old house that defy explanation. But the Launceston Skeptics group has criticized the evidence which has been posted online, as spokesman David Tyler says the observations were not compelling. "It has to be good, if it's an extraordinary claim, that is that there are ghosts there it needs very solid evidence," he said. Despite their doubts, the skeptics have raised the possibility of helping the ghost hunters observe future investigations. The Ghost Hunting society says it is open to the idea, provided it is approached in the right spirit.
Unlucky in life and love? If you are used to having things in the palm of your hands, here's a lifeline. For the Koreans, those lovers of all things beautiful and cosmetic surgeons, have now turned the scalpel, the electric scalpel that is, to the palms to alter those lines on them that dictate destiny. All that is needed is 10 to 15 minutes out of one's existence to alter between five and 10 lines, and that stage of life is history. Cosmetic surgeons in Japan are increasing their income with this type of intervention. Takaaki Matsuoka, who has performed 20 such operations at Shonan Beauty Clinic's Shinjuku branch in Tokyo, gave one woman a wedding line and soon after she wrote to him saying she had married. Two others are said to have struck the lottery, with the luckier one winning 2.9 million yen.
In the UK, pregnant women with morning sickness have been told to visit their GP by public health experts, after a nutritional supplement marketed to reduce symptoms was found to contain high levels of heavy metals. The warning from Public Health England comes after they received reports pregnant women in Asian and African communities in London were using ‘calabash chalk’ to treat their morning sickness. The treatment - also known as Argile, La Craie, Mabele, Nzu or Shiley - was recently seized by environmental health officers and was shown to have elevated levels of the metals lead and arsenic. Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE London, said: ‘It is of great concern to us that pregnant women may be taking these chalk products as a nutritional supplement during pregnancy. We strongly advise against taking any medicinal or “remedy” product while pregnant without talking to your GP or health visitor about the health risk’.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
An "intelligent" knife that can sniff out tumours to improve cancer surgery has been developed by scientists. The Imperial College London team hope to overcome the dangerous and common problem ...

Discuții personale

* Nu toată lumea moare în Muntenegru
* Vaccinul anti-TBC, posibil motiv de proces împotriva statului

* http://www.realitatea.net/vaccinul-anti-tbc-motiv-de-proces-in-romania-ce-decizie-au-luat-familiile-bebelusilor-imunizati_1217771.html



Calendar

* Ignaz Semmelweis
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis

Pericolele lipsei de scepticism

* O femeie din Petroșani a fost înșelată de trei ori într-o zi
* http://www.mediafax.ro/social/o-femeie-din-petrosani-a-fost-inselata-prin-telefon-de-trei-ori-in-aceeasi-zi-11040440

Bacalaureat 2013

* http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-15148822-rezultate-bac-2013-promovabilitatea-judete-inainte-solutionarea-contestatiilor-comparatii-anii-trecuti.htm
* http://voxpublica.realitatea.net/politica-societate/in-cine-a-lovit-video-bac-ul-rezultatele-din-2013-o-veche-poveste-95572.html
* http://m.adevarul.ro/locale/sibiu/bac-2013-krisztina-pal-1_51dac7ebc7b855ff5617e67f/index.html

Scepticism pe neasteptate

* Slăbire a la Nicoleta Luciu?
* http://lyla.ro/sanatate/cum-sa-ai-un-abdomen-ca-al-nicoletei-luciu/

Terapia cranio-sacrala promovată, fără niciun fel de scepticism

* http://www.viata-libera.ro/societate/43678-galati-viata-libera-terapie-craniosacrala-vindecare-fara-durere
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniosacral_therapy
* http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cranial.html

Lapte nepericulos

* http://www.realitatea.net/socant-laptele-de-la-magazine-este-mai-rau-decat-iti-poti-imagina_1219535.html
* http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf200364w?journalCode=jafcau
* http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=107492&CultureCode=en

Când presa aberează

* Financiarul promovează dubioșenii legate de aspartam
* http://www.financiarul.ro/2013/07/02/documentarul-dulcea-nenorocire-peste-6000-de-produse-contin-un-indulcitor-care-otraveste-creierul/2/
* http://whatdoesthesciencesay.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/sweet-misery-fact-check-part-1/

Despre cine vorbim?
Nu avem câștigător pentru concursul episodului 70. Soluția corectă era Chris French.
Dilema episodului
Funcționar bancar NE-automat
Citatul episodului

Skeptical Reporter for July 12th, 2013
Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen is planning a trip to Scotland, to hunt for the Loch Ness monster. The Anger Management star, 47, is convinced he can solve the mystery of what lurks in the loch. He revealed his plan on Twitter, posing for a snap in what he called his “hunting gear”, a bronze battle helmet, along with friend Brian Peck. Sheen was soon flooded with encouraging messages from fans all over the world wishing him the best of luck with the mission. Many expeditions have been launched in an effort to solve the mystery of Loch Ness, with some hunters speculating that a colony of plesiosaurs has somehow survived and flourished. But just this week geologist Luigi Piccardi said Nessie sightings were caused by bubbles from a “large and very active” fault line under the lake. Sheen, who has battled crack and cocaine addiction, is no stranger to off-the-wall ideas. He has previously claimed to be a “warlock” and a “rock star from Mars” who can cure diseases with his mind. He was sacked from sitcom Two And A Half Men after a meltdown in 2011.
In Australia, hundreds lined up for hours to hear the Californian-based teacher, author and healing evangelist Bill Johnson speak at a Brisbane church. Many in the 1750-strong crowd were young people attracted to the fifth generation pastor's teachings about 'encountering God' for themselves - and having the faith to pray for healing others. An inherent part of Johnson's teaching is 'treasure hunting' where people go through a town or shopping centre and ask God to show them people who may need encouragement or healing. The practice has already made headlines in Brisbane and drew following on YouTube with postings of people speaking of 'liquid love', a warm sensation, and healing experience. After the service, dozens of people claimed they had been healed after being prayed for. Others were not healed but Johnson said some did not receive their healing straight away but days later.
A Chinese magician has conjured up a personal fortune after setting up an online "spell" emporium that is reportedly earning him more than one million yuan ($180,000) each month. Luo Shun from Hunan province, started his internet business last October and has since been swamped with customers seeking paranormal solutions to their distinctly terrestrial problems. Luo is now reportedly making one million yuan each month from clients who hoped to find love, atone for sins or improve relations with their mothers-in-law. "Writing spells is a sacred thing. [You must] calm your heart, shower and change clothes [and] be guided by the Holy Spirit", he said. Last month the online shop sold 2,825 spells, the most popular a $53 love charm.
The Daily Mail reporters demonstrated once more that they don’t hold particularly good relations with science. They picked up a satirical blog post by doctor Dean Burnett and turned it into serious news. Burnett wrote the blog post on The Guardian website in order to ridicule those who lack an understanding of science and how evolution works. In the post he talks about the possible evolution of human beings in the modern environment and “predicts” that Homo Sapiens could grow flexible skeletons, tentacles, selective hearing, wings and even colour-changing skin. The Daily Mail reporters considered this to be serious news coming from a respectable scientist and wrote about it in very serious terms. They failed to read the last part of the entry which said: “I once spoke with someone who said he didn’t believe in evolution. When asked why, his main argument was that people don’t have wings. While this is definitely the case, I asked how this relates to evolution. His response was that “evolution is survival of the fittest, and wings are the best”. So there’s that. I don’t know how much research this person had done to arrive at this conclusion, so I’m putting it here just in case. Even if it is based on some half-baked observa...

Skeptical Reporter for July 5th, 2013
Netherlands is facing a measles outbreak. The number of reported cases of measles in the Bible Belt region has gone up to 161 and five children have been hospitalised, the public health institute declared. The true figure is likely to be higher because not all patients will go to their family doctor. The outbreak is largely affecting children aged four to 12 who attend orthodox Protestant schools. Many of the country's strict Protestant communities do not vaccinate their children on religious grounds. The outbreak began in May with 54 reported cases in the past ten days.
In the Phillipines, classes were suspended at a school in Mandaluyong City after around 20 students aged between 12 and 16 started acting strangely—screaming, crying, fainting and convulsing—prompting claims that they were possessed by evil spirits. Julie Esparagoza, an 8th Grade teacher at the public school, said the incident started shortly after 9 a.m. and initially involved two girls from her section. One of the girls suddenly stood up and began acting strangely while the other lost consciousness.  According to Editha Septimo, the officer in charge of the high school section, some of the affected students were taken to the principal’s office while the others were brought to a classroom where a doctor attended to them. She added that she had no choice but to suspend classes in the entire school after parents started rushing to the school to get their children out of fear that they would also be “possessed.” Those who witnessed the incident were divided about what happened. Septimo was skeptical and called the incident a case of “mass hysteria” caused by students who just wanted attention. A priest that was contacted to help the children said the incident was clearly a case of “evil spirits possessing the students.”
Ever heard about the curse of the pharaohs? Well, how about the curse of a 2,500-year-old chief of a nomadic Scythian tribe that brings about floods, droughts, livestock decimation and high atmospheric pressure? Though the curse of the pharaohs has repeatedly been debunked as myth, the Scythian curse is very real, say locals in a remote area of eastern Kazakhstan where the chieftain’s remains were discovered – and where they will be reinterred to appease his spirit, to the despair of archaeologists. In 2003, an archaeological expedition dug up a burial mound in the Shiliktinskaya Valley to find a Golden Man – a presumed leader of the Saka tribe, a branch of the Scythian nomads that populated Central Asia and southern Siberia in the 1st millennium BC. Since the mound was excavated, the area around it has been hit by several floods, a drought, a mass loss of livestock and an increase in births of children with learning disabilities, locals said. Scholars dismissed the rumors, pointing to global climate change as the reason for the area’s problems. But archeologists had to concede to reinter the Golden Man at the request of the Kazakh Culture Ministry and after “unrest” among locals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and international regulators shut down 1,677 illegal online pharmacy websites this week, and seized more than $41 million worth of illegal medicine worldwide, according to a statement by the FDA. The authorities seized the offending websites, and posted messages on them warning visitors about the websites' alleged illegal activities, and the potential harms of buying counterfeit drugs. Some websites used names similar to some major pharmacy retailers in the United States to imply an affiliation with these retailers. Other drugs sold on these websites included medications that have potentially life-threatening side effects, and should be used only when prescribed by a doctor.
And now let’s look at some news in science.
A telescope in Hawaii built to seek out asteroids that might one day threaten the Earth has discovered the 10,

Skeptical Reporter for June 28th, 2013
In Scotland, the British Homeopathic Association intends to fight the NHS decision to no longer support homeopathy from public funds. The Association claims the unproven alternative medicine had been the victim of a “hate campaign”. The organization believes the removal of clinics, used by around 500 people a year in the region, constitutes a “major service change” and is therefore a decision for the Scottish Government, rather than NHS Lothian. Other groups have expressed delight that the service had been cut, calling the decision a victory for “evidence over superstition”. The decision to end funding had been largely based on a public consultation which found that almost three-quarters of Lothian residents did not think homeopathy should be free on the health service.
In the United States, local New York City doctors are seeing a spike in requests for intravenous vitamin treatments. It is the new health fad that has taken over the preferences and pockets of Americans in the Big Apple who wish to keep up their energy, combat colds, stay youthful or simply look better. Though they are not FDA-approved as treatments, IVs are being administered at the offices of even prominent physicians. In many cases, patients first begin with a blood workup, to determine what nutrients they need. Then, they sit with a drip from 30 minutes to an hour, at a cost ranging from $130 to $1,000 per session. “It’s basic biochemistry; when the body has its building blocks, it works better,’’ says Morrison, who recommends weekly drips during particularly stressful periods for a span of four to six weeks. According to Morrison, IVs first started to become popular with athletes about five years ago, when Major League Baseball players were rumored to use them, because the treatments allowed them to enhance their performance legally. Though doctors in a large range of specialties are now offering the IVs, critics say they are nothing more than snake-oil salesmen. “There is no evidence-based medicine to support the use of vitamin drips; they are just moneymakers”, says Elizabeth Kavaler, a urologist and assistant clinical professor at Weill Cornell Medical Center.
In his big speech on climate change, President Obama mocked Republicans who deny the existence of man-made global warming by derisively referring to them as members of “the Flat Earth Society”. As it turns out, there is a real Flat Earth Society and its president thinks that anthropogenic climate change is real. In an email to Salon, president Daniel Shenton said that while he “can’t speak for the Society as a whole regarding climate change,” he personally thinks the evidence suggests fossil fuel usage is contributing to global warming. “I accept that climate change is a process which has been ongoing since the beginning of detectable history, but there seems to be a definite correlation between the recent increase in world-wide temperatures and man’s entry into the industrial age. If it’s a coincidence, it’s quite a remarkable one,” he said. As for Obama’s dig at his group, which indeed thinks the world is flat, Shenton said he’s not surprised and doesn't take it personally.
And Australians are making progress in their fight against anti-vaccination groups. The Senate recently voted in favor of a proposition that the controversial anti-immunisation Australian Vaccination Network should “immediately disband”. Greens health spokesperson Senator Richard Di Natale won the support of all major parties for the motion and says it is important the Parliament take the lead in expressing its disdain for the group's activities. “I think it is important that we take them on, that the community recognizes them as a group that is actively harming kids”, he declared. The motion approved by the Senate calls on the AVN to “immediately disband and cease their harmful and unscientific scare campaign against vaccines”.

Aparatul Torser este în sfârșit dovedit inutil
http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/escrocheria-cu-discul-minune-de-240-de-euro-plin-cu-nisip-1043420.html
http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/negustorul-de-aparate-minune-se-lauda-cu-protectia-lui-mazare-1043618.html
Pericolele lipsei de scepticism
Și vânătoarea de fantome poate fi periculoasă
http://www.timesnews.net/article/9063800/woman-accused-of-shooting-bb-gun-at-haunted-tunnel-visitors
Educație/Informare științifică
Plagiatorii ar putea ajunge la închisoare
http://www.realitatea.net/plagiatorii-ar-putea-fi-trimisi-la-inchisoare_1209160.html
Nadia Comăneci și Luana Ibacka se bat cu margarină.
http://www.luanamedia.ro/nadia-comaneci-iubeste-margarina/
http://www.revistatango.ro/celebritati/interviuri/mihaela-bilic-un-copil-n-are-voie-sa-manance-margarina-si-branza-topita-niciodata-2125.html
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/fats/Pages/butter-margarine.aspx
http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/healthy-living/healthy-eating/food-for-a-healthy-heart/replace-butter/myth-busting-butter-versus-margarine
Dubioșenia săptămânii
Statuia care se mișcă de una singură
http://jurnalul.ro/stiri/externe/statueta-egipteana-muzeu-manchester-646200.html
Carmen Hara nu poate rata ocazia de a-și face publicitate din tragedia suferită de Alexandra Stan
http://www.ziarulring.ro/stiri/monden/214774/Carmen-Harra-Alexandra-Stan-a-fost-OMORATA-de-Marcel-Prodan
Antivacciniștii australieni au probleme cu autoritățile
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/australian-vaccine-network-under-pressure-to-cease-operation/story-fnet085v-1226669532088
Când presa aberează
Speculații legate de moartea lui James Gandolfini și egipteni
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347869/James-Gandolfini-read-Egyptian-Book-Dead-hours-dying-massive-heart-attack.html
Despre cine vorbim?
Nu avem castigator în acest episod dar era vorba de Eugenie Scott
Dilema episodului
Redactorul sef al scepticilor
Citatul episodului
Dacă o pisică neagră îți trece calea, înseamnă că animalul se duce undeva.
Groucho Marx