Edinburgh Skeptics Presents...

It's that time of year again! Only it isn't, and we're all (mostly) couped up in our homes and not having fun. But, thanks to the wonders of the internet, we're able to bring you some lockdown Fringe events! Join Mark Pentler, Sean Slater & Heather Pentler as they discuss the three events EdSkeptics will be running during what SHOULD have been the Edinburgh Fringe. The events are on 11/18/25th August at 8pm BST. For more details visit our website: www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk - or check out our Facebook and MeetUp events for details. We're also on Twitter as @EdSkeptics As ever, we're running our events under the banner of the PBH Free Fringe and we're encouraging people to donate directly to them this year since you can't drop money in a bucket at the end of our talks. See https://paypal.me/freefringe for details and help the Fringe get back to its old self again in 2021.

We're back! For one episode. Maybe more, we don't know. But we had a lot of interest in this talk from people who couldn't make it for whatever reason (mostly the novel coronavirus, as it turns out). So we popped a C90 in, hit record and play, and we're happy to bring you it just in time to kill 69 minutes-worth of lockdown. After its victory in the December 2019 election, Johnson’s radicalised Conservative Party succeeded in implementing the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. But leaving the EU was the easy part. Now, a large number of complex and controversial policy choices, international negotiations and domestic challenges have to be addressed. And so far, the evidence suggests that the Johnson Government is committed to an extreme form of Brexit far removed from the original promises of the Leave campaign, the “deep and special partnership” model of Theresa May or even the revised Political Declaration signed off by Johnson himself in October 2019. So what will the next stage of Brexit really look like? Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law at the University of Liverpool and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world’s leading scientific journal for European legal studies. Twitter - @mdouganlpool https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/law/staff/michael-dougan/

Join us for a special episode of the podcast recorded at QEDCon 2018. QEDCon is the UK's best (only?) skeptical conference and each year a large contingent of Edinburgh Skeptics migrate south for the weekend to Manchester for it. There are talks, panels, podcast recordings, and the chance to mingle with like-minded people and swap ideas for the future. As we have done for the past few years we took the opportunity to talk to some interesting people who we bumped into over the weekend to find out what's going on right now in science and skepticism, as well as find out about QEDCon itself. In this episode: - Comedian and archaelogist Paul D. McGarrity - QEDCon 2018 compere and science communicator Helen Arney - American skeptic and podcaster Eli Bosnick - QEDCon and Greater Manchester Skeptics' co-organiser Rick Owen https://www.qedcon.org Twitter: @QEDCon

Are you enjoying this year's Fringe? Why not step into our time machine and enjoy something you may have missed from last year's Fringe! Traditionally we have a few nights every year where we find the best in nerdy, scientific and skeptical content from around the Festival. Whether you like maths, music, gay animals or the power of the mind there's something in this episode for you. @BabaBrinkman - the evidence based rapper @BenDaliHypno - stage hypnotist and Edinburgh Fringe regular @kyledevans - the folk mathematician  @floschechter - curator of the Vagina Museum! Details of our current 2018 Skeptics on the Fringe run can be found on social media and on our website. You can also find us in the various Fringe programmes and guides. Skeptics on the Fringe is part of the PBH Free Fringe.

From the middle of last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe run we present an amuse bouche of acts from this year's Free Fringe that have a skeptical bent. We scoured the festival to find the best in nerdy material, rationalism, skepticism and other cool stuff and the result is this podcast of three cracking acts. Go and see them if they're on near you! Your MC for this podcast is ex-EdSkeptics chair Ewan Leeming. Charlotte Mykura - Comedy spliced with genetics Kate Oliver - Real Research, Really Unnecessary Kate Smurthwaite - Comedian, skeptic & token atheist *** SotF 2018 is coming soon! Full details on social media and on our website. ***

Theoretical zombiologist Dr. Smith joined us during the 2017 Fringe to explore the real science behind a potential zombieism outbreak. Zombieism is a fairly new field but has great relevance in our everyday lives. Unfortunately Dr. Smith's very interesting talk was heavy on visuals/video and not really appropriate for audio release. Thankfully he very kindly agreed to answer our questions beforehand on this very important issue and its implications for the field of disease and infection control. Dr. Smith has been giving talks on the science of zombies for many years from Brighton to Unst, informing and inspiring over 20,000 people. When not lecturing, he works for the Zombie Institute for Theoretical Studies, where he and his colleagues prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse. With the motto "love the zombie, hate the zombieism", the group focuses on how the condition could come about and how it could be prevented and treated. He is often asked if he has ever seen a real zombie, but, thanks to the groups preventative measures, none has yet been forthcoming. Supported by the Wellcome Trust and University of Glasgow. http://www.zombiescience.org.uk/ Twitter - @ZombieScience1Z

Join the current members of the Edinburgh Skeptics committee for the official unveiling of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2018 programme. This year’s diverse roster includes talks on blasphemy, historical medical woo, fracking and many other interesting and varied topics. Plus we have details of our super special Fringe competition! All of our events are at The Banshee Labyrinth Chamber Room (Venue 156) on Niddry St. (just off the Royal Mile near North Bridge) from 4th-26th August and all events start promptly at 7:30pm. Our events are free to enter but donations are gratefully received to enable us to keep Edinburgh Skeptics going through the year. Skeptics on the Fringe is part of The PBH Free Fringe. Roll on August!

Here's our interview with Dr. Paul Dimeo from the University of Stirling on drug testing in sport. In it we introduce Paul to skepticism, hear what a mess cycling is, and generally have one of the most depressing conversations about sport that might have ever taken place. But it was a good one. Dr Paul Dimeo has been a lecturer at Stirling since 2002. He began researching drug use in sport and testing from a historical perspective. In essence, he wanted to find out when and why athletes used drugs and when, who and why policies emerge to control this usage. These questions underpinned his first book 'A History of Drug Use in Sport: Beyond Good and Evil' (Routledge, 2007). Subsequently, he researched doping in the context of the Cold War, spending a semester at the University of Texas on a Fulbright Commission scholarship (2012). Whilst a resident in Austin (Lance Armstrong's home town), all the evidence about organised doping in the American professional cycling team was published. This inspired him to develop more contemporary interests in the social impact of anti-doping policy, and the relationship of media scandals with policy organisations. he is currently working on a second book with Professor Verner Moller which explores the reasons for the current crisis in anti-doping, questions of human costs of the war on drugs in sports, and potential ways forward.

Drug testing is a perennial topic in sports these days. High profile suspensions, accusations at world champions and a clamour for "clean competition" in the face of apparent state-sanctioned doping has seen the subject's importance to the public seemingly increase in recent years. This talk - part of our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe run - will explore the reasons why drug testing fails to catch organised cheats, and in many cases punishes the wrong people. Dr Paul Dimeo has been a lecturer at Stirling since 2002. He began researching drug use in sport and testing from a historical perspective. In essence, he wanted to find out when and why athletes used drugs and when, who and why policies emerge to control this usage. These questions underpinned his first book 'A History of Drug Use in Sport: Beyond Good and Evil' (Routledge, 2007). Subsequently, he researched doping in the context of the Cold War, spending a semester at the University of Texas on a Fulbright Commission scholarship (2012). Whilst a resident in Austin (Lance Armstrong's home town), all the evidence about organised doping in the American professional cycling team was published. This inspired him to develop more contemporary interests in the social impact of anti-doping policy, and the relationship of media scandals with policy organisations. he is currently working on a second book with Professor Verner Moller which explores the reasons for the current crisis in anti-doping, questions of human costs of the war on drugs in sports, and potential ways forward.

Note: Bit of mic trouble in this one - sorry! Quite some time after the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe our chair Mark Pentler sat down in his own living room with his fellow committee member Heather Pentler to chat about autism and the many myths surrounding it. They also talk about Issac Newton and the ghosts, plus there's a preview of our 2018 Meadows Festival stall. Heather has been an active skeptic for the last 7 years and is currently on the committee of Edinburgh Skeptics. She has previously spoken about her experiences exposing dodgy alternative medical practices. Heather's day job is a support worker working with autistic adults for a charity.

Ever wondered what is the difference between Aspergers and autism but been too embarrassed to ask. There are many myths and misunderstandings about people with autism. EdSkeptics' very own Heather Pentler is here to fill your knowledge holes. Heather's talk seeks to dispel some of the myths and expose some of the awful practices and "cures" that are on offer. Heather has been an active skeptic for the last 7 years and is currently on the committee of Edinburgh Skeptics. She has previously spoken about her experiences exposing dodgy alternative medical practices. Heather's day job is a support worker working with autistic adults for a charity.

Dr Katie Speckles spoke for us during the 2017 Fringe about Mathematical Life Hacks. It's a talk she's done for lots of SITP groups across the country and we were very pleased to welcome her to Edinburgh. Unfortunately her talk was quite visual in nature, so there's no real point podcasting it. However, we did interview Katie about maths and it's use in real life, her own life as a maths communicator, and of course we asked her our incredibly tough regular questions as well. Katie Steckles is a mathematician based in Manchester, who gives talks and workshops on different areas of maths. She finished her PhD in 2011, and since then has talked about maths in schools, at science festivals, on BBC radio, at music festivals, as part of theatre shows and on the internet. She enjoys doing puzzles, solving the Rubik's cube and baking things shaped like maths. In 2016, Katie was awarded the Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement. Web: www.katiesteckles.co.uk/Twitter: @stecks

In part two of our "we're actually releasing an episode!" special we sit down with Tamasin Cave from Spinwatch to delve even deeper into the murky world of politics and corporate lobbying. Tamasin is a writer and campaigner with Spinwatch, which investigates corporate PR and lobbying. She is co-author of A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain, which shines a light into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture: the UK’s £2 billion commercial lobbying industry. http://www.spinwatch.org Twitter - @Spinwatch

Sorry for the long break. We'll really try our best to get out this last few podcasts and then we'll probably take an even longer break... who knows. Here's a full talk and interview from last year's Edinburgh Fringe run. Tamasin Cave will talk about the UK’s £2bn lobbying industry and the tactics they use to bend government to their will: how lobbyists build relationships with government; their manipulation of the media; the way that they use academics, scientists, think-tanks, front groups and others to spread their messages; and their attacks on opposition groups. She will talk about how the private healthcare industry has lobbied to open up the NHS to more private operators – and how schools are going the same way; how energy companies have hired a small army of lobbyists to persuade government and local communities to support fracking; how the ‘revolving door’ works to support the arms industry; and more. Tamasin is a writer and campaigner with Spinwatch, which investigates corporate PR and lobbying. She is co-author of A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain, which shines a light into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture: the UK’s £2 billion commercial lobbying industry. http://www.spinwatch.org Twitter - @Spinwatch

Before her talk on the dangers of the Jehovah's Witnesses and cults in general our chair Mark Pentler sat down for a conversation with Lydia Finch to learn more about her life both in and out of the church, along with some silly stuff as well to lighten the mood a bit... Lydia Finch was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness (JW), but left the organisation at age 18 over twenty years ago. Recently, she has directed her attention to the harmful practices of JWs and other cults, such as shunning, child abuse, and the forbidding of blood transfusions. Twitter - @FinchLydia

[A few tech issues on this one, folks. Sorry about the audio quality] Cults and Skepticism: How one ex Jehovah's Witness fell into the 'trap of independent thinking' Historically the purview of atheist, secular, and humanist organisations, Ms. Finch wants to expose the workings of these cults to the scientific and skeptical communities and show why although, Jehovah's Witnesses are considered a small fringe religion, their policies should concern the wider community. Lydia Finch was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness (JW), but left the organisation at age 18 over twenty years ago. Recently, she has directed her attention to the harmful practices of JWs and other cults, such as shunning, child abuse, and the forbidding of blood transfusions. Twitter - @FinchLydia

On a cold and raining late-December evening EdSkeptics chairperson Mark Pentler sat down with ex-Beagle 2 team member Dr Dean Harris to talk about space, the perils of going to Mars, and whether a failure is really a failure if you learn from it. Also some silly stuff... Dean started his career working on the British-built Beagle 2 Mars at Leicester University. Although it was declared lost, 11 years later the craft was found to have made it in one piece to the Martian surface and most probably conducted some science. It was immediately declared the winner of the interplanetary hide and seek competition 2004-2015. He enjoys reading science fiction (hard, not soft), trolling conspiracy theorists on the internet and generally not to taking life too seriously.

In the early 21st century, a group of British adventurers, scientists, engineers and explorers launched a mission to Mars. The mission was called Beagle 2 and was led by the late Professor Colin Pillinger. The mission attempted to answer one of the most profound questions asked by humanity (and David Bowie): Is there life on Mars? Beagle 2 was expected to land in 2003, but fell silent. A core of enthusiasts continued the hunt for Beagle 2 and, 11 years later, it was found. Beagle 2 had not crash landed and recent analysis suggests that it may still be operating today. We will tell the amazing story of how the UK became the third nation in history to land on Mars with the help of a group of Christmas-jumper-wearing-boffins, led by a mutton-chop wearing farmer, who designed a probe on the back of a beer mat and knocked it up in a shed. Dean started his career working on the British-built Beagle 2 Mars at Leicester University. Although it was declared lost, 11 years later the craft was found to have made it in one piece to the Martian surface and most probably conducted some science. It was immediately declared the winner of the interplanetary hide and seek competition 2004-2015. He enjoys reading science fiction (hard, not soft), trolling conspiracy theorists on the internet and generally not to taking life too seriously.

Before her talk for us as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017 Deborah Hyde sat down with Heather Pentler to talk about her love of vampires and her skeptical history... Deborah Hyde wants to know why we believe in things that probably aren't there. What's the story behind the folkore of the macabre, from fairies to ghosts to werewolves to vampires? Using history, folklore and psychology, she has spent many years writing, talking and broadcasting to shine a light on the dark half of our psyches. Editor of The Skeptic Magazine - http://www.skeptic.org.uk http://www.deborahhyde.comTwitter - @jourdemayne

The Vampire has fascinated Western Europe from the early 1700s, but the tradition was a real part of Eastern European lives for a considerable time before that. In the last three centuries, the icon has been taken up in art of all kinds – literature, film and graphics – and it has had a lasting effect on fashion and culture. But what is the authentic story behind tales of the predatory, living dead, and can we understand a little more about being human by studying these accounts? We will look at recent attempts to understand the folklore and try to work out how an Eastern European ritual made its way to late nineteenth century New England, USA. Deborah Hyde wants to know why we believe in things that probably aren't there. What's the story behind the folkore of the macabre, from fairies to ghosts to werewolves to vampires? Using history, folklore and psychology, she has spent many years writing, talking and broadcasting to shine a light on the dark half of our psyches. Editor of The Skeptic Magazine - http://www.skeptic.org.uk http://www.deborahhyde.comTwitter - @jourdemayne

Before her talk for us on the relationships that people have with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Dr Louise Todd sat down with Heather Pentler to talk more about her research and how it came about, plus her thoughts about events and festivals in general and their future. Dr Louise Todd is a lecturer and researcher in Festival and Event Management based in the Tourism and Languages subject area at Edinburgh Napier University. Having previously studied and worked in the arts, Louise’s relationship with the Fringe started in the 1990s as an audience member and seasonal festival worker. Louise has since gone on to research the Fringe, firstly while undertaking her PhD, and has since published her research into stakeholders’ experiences, roles and relationships with the Fringe. Louise is currently investigating visual portrayals of Edinburgh as the festival city. http://www.napier.ac.uk/louise-todd

Edit: had to take a few clips out of this one. Sorry! Often skeptics are charged with only concentrating on hard, physical sciences. Well, that shouldn't be the case. Recorded during our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe run, this talk from Dr Louise Todd is the perfect antidote as we hear her describe her research into the Fringe itself... Everyday branded products, from instant coffee to cars, have long been imbued by marketers with human traits as a means of appealing to consumers’ self-image. Indeed an interpersonal relationships metaphor is applied to some products, with them viewed as people – such as friends, partners, family members and even enemies. Since its origination in 1947, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has grown in a relatively organic way to become the largest and most renowned festival in the world. Louise's talk will consider if a phenomenon like the Fringe is considered in similar interpersonal terms by its consumers as they organise, attend, support, and participate in their various stakeholder roles, from audience members to performers, and beyond. Dr Louise Todd is a lecturer and researcher in Festival and Event Management based in the Tourism and Languages subject area at Edinburgh Napier University. Having previously studied and worked in the arts, Louise’s relationship with the Fringe started in the 1990s as an audience member and seasonal festival worker. Louise has since gone on to research the Fringe, firstly while undertaking her PhD, and has since published her research into stakeholders’ experiences, roles and relationships with the Fringe. Louise is currently investigating visual portrayals of Edinburgh as the festival city. http://www.napier.ac.uk/louise-todd

Is Martin Corley a big fat liar? Will his knowledge of speech disfluency manage to trick our host Danny Robertson into accepting his answers as the God's honest? Find out in this week's 10 Questions @ The Fringe! Martin Corley is Head of Psychology at Edinburgh University. His research centres on the information that is normally overlooked in human speech, from the particular ways in which the mouth moves to make sounds, to the "ums", "ers", and self-corrections that pepper our everyday conversation. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and published over 50 academic papers (including one on equine medicine, for some reason). Twitter: @martincorley

How does the way you speak influence others' judgements? What is it about the way that someone speaks that makes you think they're lying? In this talk, Martin presents a series of experiments looking at speech disfluency ("um" or "er") and how it affects listeners' judgements. In particular, he shows that judgements are affected *fast*: Listeners may have made their minds up long before the speaker has even got to the "lying" bit of what they're saying. He goes on to explore the basis of listeners' judgements: Are they using a simple rule where "um" -> "lie", or are they taking circumstances into account? And... are they right? All to be revealed in 40 mins of cognitive psychology, including lego journalists. Martin Corley is Head of Psychology at Edinburgh University. His research centres on the information that is normally overlooked in human speech, from the particular ways in which the mouth moves to make sounds, to the "ums", "ers", and self-corrections that pepper our everyday conversation. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and published over 50 academic papers (including one on equine medicine, for some reason). Twitter: @martincorley

Before her talk for us on the wonders and the dangers of plastic Dr. Madeleine Berg sat down with Claudia Schaffner to discuss her career and current job, her work with Edinburgh Skeptics on their cinema nights and her adorable-sounding guinea pigs. Coming from a geosciences background, Dr Berg completed a PhD in geology before deciding to use her experience in science research and communication in a more applied setting. She now works at Fidra, an environmental charity based in East Lothian, on projects focused on ways to reduce sources of marine plastic pollution. She continues to fuel herpassion for science communication through volunteering with the British Science Association Edinburgh branch. http://edinburghbsa.weebly.com/ Twitter - @BSAedinburgh

When plastic was invented, it was hailed as a wonder material, promising to completely transform our lives, which indeed it has. None of us can truly imagine a life without this hygienic, durable and flexible material. But as a society, we're beginning to realise the consequences of the plastic world we have created, as our environment, wildlife and even potentially our bodies accumulate plastic waste. How big is the problem of plastic pollution? What's the solution? Should we swear off plastic entirely and revert to all 'natural' materials? In this talk from the 2017 Fringe Madeleine will be delving into this plastic soup of issues and considering whether plastic plays a role in a sustainable future. Coming from a geosciences background, Dr Berg completed a PhD in geology before deciding to use her experience in science research and communication in a more applied setting. She now works at Fidra, an environmental charity based in East Lothian, on projects focused on ways to reduce sources of marine plastic pollution. She continues to fuel herpassion for science communication through volunteering with the British Science Association Edinburgh branch. http://edinburghbsa.weebly.com/ Twitter - @BSAedinburgh

Let it not be said that we don't pull out all the stop at Edinburgh Skeptics. All the way from Kansas we welcome Dr. Grant Ritchey. Before his excellent talk for us on dental pseudoscience we sat down with the Skeptical DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) to hear about his "favourite" dental quackery, his journey into skepticism and his made-up-on-the-spot superpower. Author, Science Based Medicine blog (www.sciencebasedmedicine.org) Co-host (with Dr. Clay Jones) of The Prism Podcast (www.prismpodcast.com) Twitter - @skepticaldds

Most of us are familiar with unproven and pseudo-scientific medical practices, but they are also prevalent in the dental field. From misinformation about fluoride, mercury in fillings, and “toxic” root canals, to fringe treatments such as oil pulling, cranial osteopathy, and acupuncture, there is a plethora of dental pseudoscience out there. In this talk, dentist and science based medicine activist Grant Ritchey will discuss so-called “alternative” dental practices, and how the dental consumer can equip him/herself with the tools necessary to make educated, science based dental health decisions. Author, Science Based Medicine blog (www.sciencebasedmedicine.org) Co-host (with Dr. Clay Jones) of The Prism Podcast (www.prismpodcast.com) Twitter - @skepticaldds

Before her talk for us on how to we sat down with Hayley Stevens to talk women in skepticism, smug people in skepticism, and her thoughts on dismissing things without checking them out first (especially when investigating the paranormal). Plus we learn how one of the country's most recognised members of the skepticism community got into it in the first place. Described as 'the Scully end of the Mulder-Scully X-Files spectrum' by The Times, Hayley Stevens has been investigating ghosts and monsters for over a decade, ever since she was a teenager. She has entertained audiences all across Europe with her talks on investigating the paranormal and her writing can be found in Skeptical Inquirer, The Skeptic, Paranormal Magazine and on her award-winning blog, 'Hayley is a Ghost'. 'Knows what [she] is talking about,' Dr Steven Novella, Skeptics Guide To The Universe Web:hayleyisaghost.co.uk Twitter: @hayleystevens

A Skeptic’s Guide to Ghost Hunting offers an entertaining, funny and at times scary introduction to the world of modern paranormal research. Audiences have laughed, gasped and even cried... Lifting the lid on sham ghost-hunting claims, showcasing the latest not-so-amazing paranormal evidence, and exposing the tricks of the trade, paranormal researcher Hayley Stevens will show how not all is what it seems when it comes to things that go bump in the night.  Described as 'the Scully end of the Mulder-Scully X-Files spectrum' by The Times, Hayley Stevens has been investigating ghosts and monsters for over a decade, ever since she was a teenager. She has entertained audiences all across Europe with her talks on investigating the paranormal and her writing can be found in Skeptical Inquirer, The Skeptic, Paranormal Magazine and on her award-winning blog, 'Hayley is a Ghost'. 'Knows what [she] is talking about,' Dr Steven Novella, Skeptics Guide To The Universe Web:hayleyisaghost.co.uk Twitter: @hayleystevens

With tales of moving plates, swirling magma and rabbits, Prof. Kathy Whaler from the University of Edinburgh tackles 10 Questions from Heather Pentler. Kathy Whaler has been Professor of Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh since 1994. Her main research interests are using permanent geomagnetic observatory and low Earth orbit magnetic satellite data to study the origin and maintenance of the Earth’s magnetic field; the magnetic field of the near-surface rocks of the Earth and other solar system objects that reflects their composition and past history; and using electromagnetic induction to probe the electrical resistivity structure of the crust and upper mantle, particularly as part of multi-disciplinary projects in rifting environments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the American Geophysical Union, a Past President of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Price Medal.

Magnetic compasses may have been used by the Chinese as early as the first century AD, and natural magnets were known to the Greeks in classical times. Knowledge of the magnetic field has been routinely used in navigation (and measurements have routinely made) since the 18th century, soon after Henry Gellibrand discovered that it changed with time.  Nowadays, the geomagnetic observatory network is supplemented by measurements from space – in November 2013, ESA launched a constellation of three low-Earth orbiting magnetic satellites. Why? – partly because we still need to monitor the magnetic field and its changes, but also because fundamental questions remain about its origin and the energy sources that maintain it. Kathy Whaler has been Professor of Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh since 1994. Her main research interests are using permanent geomagnetic observatory and low Earth orbit magnetic satellite data to study the origin and maintenance of the Earth’s magnetic field; the magnetic field of the near-surface rocks of the Earth and other solar system objects that reflects their composition and past history; and using electromagnetic induction to probe the electrical resistivity structure of the crust and upper mantle, particularly as part of multi-disciplinary projects in rifting environments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the American Geophysical Union, a Past President of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Price Medal.

As well as full-length talks we're bringing you interviews with our Fringe 2017 speakers to find out what makes them tick and to grill them in forensic detail about their fields. First off is writer and history Prof Tim Whitmarsh. Tim sat down with our own Heather Pentler to discuss gods, cats, and atheists in the comfortable surroundings of the Royal Mile Radisson. Prof. Whitmarsh is the author of *Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World*, described by the New York Times as ‘excellent’, by the Guardian as ‘brilliant’, and by his mother as ‘alright if you like that kind of thing’. As well as another 6 books (about Greek literature, thought and culture), he has written for the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books, and has appeared a number of times on BBC TV and radio. He has held professorial positions in the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Exeter. www.classics.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-tim-whitmarsh Twitter: @TWhittermarsh

Edit: You know when you've given the podcast gear to your vice-chair to do interviews at QED and you realise you needed it to record a welcome message for the very first Fringe 2017 podcast? Yeah, that... It's a very special time here at Podcast HQ as we start to bring you some episodes from our 2017 Edinburgh Fringe lineup. Normally we'd start with our compilation evening Our Friends On The Fringe, but that must wait for another day (and because we forgot to ask if it was ok. Oops!). So our first release from this year's Fringe is historian and writer Professor Tim Whitmarsh. Most people think of atheism as something modern and western, but in fact it has a rich, deep and weird history to rival any religion’s. In Tim's talk we’ll meet some of classical antiquity’s most brilliant and engaging characters, including Diogenes (who lived in a barrel) and Socrates (who didn’t). We’ll also reflect on what it means, for us now, to think of atheism as something with a history older than Islam and Christianity. Prof. Whitmarsh is the author of *Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World*, described by the New York Times as ‘excellent’, by the Guardian as ‘brilliant’, and by his mother as ‘alright if you like that kind of thing’. As well as another 6 books (about Greek literature, thought and culture), he has written for the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books, and has appeared a number of times on BBC TV and radio. He has held professorial positions in the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Exeter. www.classics.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-tim-whitmarsh Twitter: @TWhittermarsh

In this episode of 10 Questions we sit down with Prof. Michael Dougan to ask some searching, evidence-based questions on Brexit. Are we really screwed? What's the process? And most importantly: how will Scotland fare? Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Liverpool. He is an established academic authority on EU constitutional law and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world's leading scientific journal for European legal studies. Michael's public engagement activities, including videos of his lectures on the EU referendum, received extensive media attention in the run-up to the ‘Brexit’ referendum and he continues to be a popular authority on the matter for individuals and groups all around the world.

The UK's negotiations on withdrawal from the EU are now underway. And so Leave campaigners are now facing a form of accountability they have never experienced before: the accountability of reality. What are the key issues in the UK-EU negotiations? What will be their likely outcomes? What will the Repeal Bill mean for democracy and accountability here in the UK? Our speaker will provide an overview of the current legal and political situation, leaving plenty of time for questions from the floor, to discuss the most important set of challenges facing the UK since 1945. Michael Dougan is Professor of European Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Liverpool. He is an established academic authority on EU constitutional law and Joint Editor of Common Market Law Review - the world's leading scientific journal for European legal studies. Michael's public engagement activities, including videos of his lectures on the EU referendum, received extensive media attention in the run-up to the ‘Brexit’ referendum and he continues to be a popular authority on the matter for individuals and groups all around the world.

Edit: Bit low effort this one on my part. But next week... The Fringe! - Mark For another trip back to 2017's Edinburgh International Science Festival we'll be hearing from Dr Lucina Hackman. Forensic anthropologists are crucial in helping to identify the deceased when there are limited clues to their identity. Dr Hackman's talk will examine how her work has helped give victim's their identity to assist with the investigation of crimes. Dr Hackman is a senior lecturer at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification based in the University of Dundee. She runs postgraduate courses and teaches students in forensic anthropology. Dr Hackman is also a certified, practising forensic anthropologist and works regularly with investigators in this role.

Yes, it's us again. Remember us? We do podcasts and then take massive breaks to put on public festivals of science and rationalism. But we're here again! We'll have some podcasts from most of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 talks over the coming months and there's so much good stuff coming up. It'll keep you going for aaaages. Before that we have a few other podcasts to put out from the Science Festival, starting with this interview with Niamh Nic Daeid. She'll be telling us all about her incredible career and her current research, as well as telling us about her dreams for the forensics future. We sadly couldn't podcast Niamh's talk for pesky legal reasons, but you'll be able to hear more from her in a few weeks time on one of our Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 podcasts! Professor Niamh Nic Daeid is Director of Research at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification and Director of the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science a £10million a year project with the remit to disrupt the forensic science ecosystem. She is a forensic chemist specialising in fire investigation, and the clandestine manufacture and characterisation of drugs of abuse. She is the current Vice Chair of the scientific advisory board of the International Criminal Court and is an advisor to the United Nations on aspects of New psychoactive drugs.

The morning after the birthday cake-infused Skeptics In The Pub before, Mark Pentler sat down with Paul Zenon to discuss the world of psychics and mediums in more detail. Plus they reminisce about Blackpool, the place where they both grew up. It's like Portabello, only with more Scottish people. We're probably taking a break now before our month-long Fringe Binge - there may be time to squeeze in one last podcast. If you're good and eat all your dinner, obviously.

Edit: A birthday surprise at the end of this talk. The picture attached should hopefully provide some context... From long-running TV series to sold-out theatre shows and premium rate phone 'advice' lines, the business of 'Love and Light' and talking to the dead is very much alive and well. How are psychics able to convince the public that their other-worldly insight is genuine? Why do people insist on believing, despite the lack of evidence of an afterlife? Paul Zenon presents a potted history of what of what Harry Houdini described as ’the filthiest profession in the world’, and takes a look at their methods, past and present. Paul is possibly best known as a magician; after several series on Children's BBC in the 90s he became the pioneer of the UK's Street Magic genre, with a number of one-man C4 and ITV Specials. His career has spanned three decades and seen him performing for audiences in around forty countries while making hundreds of TV appearances as performer, presenter nd pundit; the latter relating in particular to his inside knowledge with regard to matters generally considered by the media to be 'paranormal’. His last visit to Edinburgh was to the 2016 Fringe, in his roll as Ringmaster in the Olivier Award-winning circus-cabaret show, La Clique.  Consumer Protection Disclaimer: this talk is investigational and for the purpose of entertainment.

The podcast returns for one week only! (Probably. Hopefully a few more before the Fringe). Join Mark, Sean & Heather as they go through each night of the Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 lineup and discuss the people, the topics, and generally lark about for 50 minutes. Skeptics on the Fringe 2017 began in 2009 and is our contribution to the world's biggest arts festival. We bring a dose of scientific skepticism, critical thinking, and rationalism to the city during the month of August. Skeptics on the Fringe will be at its usual venue - The Banshee Labyrinth on Niddry Street (just off the Royal Mile). We'll be in the Chamber Room at 7:50pm. Details of the complete lineup can be found on the usual places: Website: http://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk/ Twitter: @EdSkeptics Facebook: We're on as Edinburgh Skeptics MeetUp: http://meetup.com/EdinburghSkeptics/

In this interview with EdSkeptics Science Festival speaker Emma McClure we delve deeper into some of the issues with the reliance on certain types of forensic evidence, hear about her journey into skepticism, and find out what happened to her first pet - featuring special guest star Emma's mother. Emma McClure is a solicitor specialising in prison and public law whose work sees her regularly representing prisoners during parole hearings and bringing judicial reviews against public bodies. She has given talks around the country on the way in which over-confidence in the veracity of forensic science can lead to miscarriages of justice and has gone undercover to investigate psychics, faith healers and Mind Body Spirit fairs. Follow Emma on Twitter: @Emmemmemma

We're back but also we never really went away or something. For this double episode of the podcast we have a talk and an interview with prison lawyer Emma McClure. In this talk, she examines the issues with forensic techniques, highlighting the amusing, confusing and sometimes tragic consequences of failing to take a skeptical approach to evidence in the field of forensic science.  Emma McClure is a solicitor specialising in prison and public law whose work sees her regularly representing prisoners during parole hearings and bringing judicial reviews against public bodies. She has given talks around the country on the way in which over-confidence in the veracity of forensic science can lead to miscarriages of justice and has gone undercover to investigate psychics, faith healers and Mind Body Spirit fairs. Follow Emma on Twitter: @Emmemmemma

For the podcast this week we have some bonus content for you while we pin down some of our Science Festival speakers for interviews. We have a recording of a talk given at one of our monthly cinema nights. Over eight million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, killing sea life. Now new evidence says it's entering our food chain with unknown health effects. Dr Mark Hartl - Associate Professor of Marine Biology, Director, Centre of Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology - discusses the implications. Microplastic contamination is now ubiquitous in the (marine) environment. Efforts to put mitigating government policy measures in place require a monitoring programme to establish baseline concentrations in order to gauge impact and effectiveness. Follow Mark on Twitter at: @M_Hartl

(Sorry for the slightly dodgy audio... - Ed) Time reasons scuppered our chances of having a nice chat with our old friend, QI Elf, and ex-copper Stevyn Colgan. So, to go along with his Science Festival 2017 talk we're dusting off the archives and bringing you a EdSkeptics classic - our interview with Stevyn from QED 2016. Stevyn Colgan is an author, artist, public speaker and oddly-spelled Cornishman. He has, among other things, been a chef, a brewer, a comics publisher and – for three decades - a police officer in London, during which time he was set on fire twice, was sworn at by a royal, met two US Presidents and a Pope, was kissed by Princess Diana and let Freddie Mercury wear his helmet. He is a visiting lecturer at a number of UK universities and is a regular speaker at UK and international events such as TED, HybridConf, 5x15, QEDcon, the Ig Nobel Prizes, Latitude, the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. He has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows including Freakonomics, Do The Right Thing, Ex Libris, No Such Thing As A Fish, Little Atoms and Josie Lawrence’s Short Cuts. He is also one of the ‘Elves’ that research and write the multi award-winning BBC TV series QI and was part of the writing team that won the Rose D’or for BBC Radio 4’s The Museum of Curiosity. Find him on Twitter @StevynColgan.

The podcast returns! And we're back with a corker - the first of our run of talks under  the banner of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. First up is QI Elf and ex-London copper Stevyn Colgan. Stevyn was a police officer in Scotland Yard for 20 years, as part of the Problem Solving Unit finding imaginative solutions to quell tensions in communities, from dog shows to lollipops. Stevyn Colgan is an author, artist, public speaker and oddly-spelled Cornishman. He has, among other things, been a chef, a brewer, a comics publisher and – for three decades - a police officer in London, during which time he was set on fire twice, was sworn at by a royal, met two US Presidents and a Pope, was kissed by Princess Diana and let Freddie Mercury wear his helmet. He is a visiting lecturer at a number of UK universities and is a regular speaker at UK and international events such as TED, HybridConf, 5x15, QEDcon, the Ig Nobel Prizes, Latitude, the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. He has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows including Freakonomics, Do The Right Thing, Ex Libris, No Such Thing As A Fish, Little Atoms and Josie Lawrence’s Short Cuts. He is also one of the ‘Elves’ that research and write the multi award-winning BBC TV series QI and was part of the writing team that won the Rose D’or for BBC Radio 4’s The Museum of Curiosity. Find him on Twitter @StevynColgan.

For our final trip down the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe memory lane we're heading back to 2/3rds through the run for our Mid Fringe Binge! We always have a few nights at the Fringe where we invite our old friends to come back and do something for us, plus we scout the Fringe to find some sufficiently nerdy or sciencey shows happening elsewhere to promote to our audience. First we have some nerdy pirate-themed music courtesy of our old friends and Fringe legends Jollyboat. Arrrrghhhhhh! The boys have played for us many times and they never fail to bring the house down. Then we find out how to lead a happy life courtesy of stand-up comedian, GP, Private Eye journalist and actual man-off-the-telly Dr Phil Hammond. And some Clangers. We'll be back over the next few weeks with some recordings from our crime-themed 2017 Edinburgh International Science Festival talks. We hope you've enjoyed these Fringe podcasts, but it'd be even better to see you in person. We're planning our 2017 Fringe run right now, and we'll let you know what's going on later this summer.

For our last talk from the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe we're having a look at how online and offline spaces work both for and against democracy courtesy of Ella Taylor Smith. If we think of social media as spaces – like rooms – we get a new perspective on what’s going on and why. This talk looks at what people are doing when they’re doing democracy, in online and offline spaces. What is it about these spaces that makes them useful or worrying for our democracies? Spoiler alert – going to talk about spaces being public or hidden and who pays for what. Ella Taylor Smith has been researching how people use/could use the Internet to get involved in democracy, since 2001, at Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing. Last century she moved to Edinburgh in 1988, where she went to Art College, then worked as a chef.

Many, many, many months after his talk, Claudia Schaffner sits down with Charles Cockell to talk in more detail about life throughout the universe. And how the hell we're going to find it... Charles Cockell is Professor of Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the UK Centre for Astrobiology. His academic interests are life in extreme environments and the habitability of extraterrestrial environments. He is the author of the undergraduate text book, ‘Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe’ published by Wiley-Blackwell. He is first or co-author on over 250 scientific papers and he's Chair of the Earth and Space Foundation, a non-profit organisation he established in 1994. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Find out more at www.astrobiology.ac.uk

Will we find life elsewhere in the Universe and what are we really looking for? Why has this question suddenly become more interesting? In this talk from the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Charles Cockell guides us through the possibilities and tells us what could be out there and how we can try to find it. Charles Cockell is Professor of Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the UK Centre for Astrobiology. His academic interests are life in extreme environments and the habitability of extraterrestrial environments. He is the author of the undergraduate text book, ‘Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe’ published by Wiley-Blackwell. He is first or co-author on over 250 scientific papers and he's Chair of the Earth and Space Foundation, a non-profit organisation he established in 1994. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Find out more at www.astrobiology.ac.uk

This week on the podcast we're bringing you details of our lineup of talks run under the banner of the 2017 Edinburgh International Science Festival. Join Mark Pentler and science festival curator for this year Heather Pentler as they take you night-by-night through the lineup. This year the theme is The Science of Crime. Expect lots of dead bodies and some truly remarkable techniques on display as we learn how science is being used to both secure and overturn convictions. Our science festival lineup runs Monday to Thursdays from the 3rd-13th April at the Banshee Labyrinth on Niddry Street. All events start at 7:30 and run until 9pm. Ish. Depends how good you are in the Q and As :-) Check out the full line up on our website: http://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk or on Facebook & MeetUp.