Podcast appearances and mentions of Steven Novella

Andrea Jones-Rooy! Comedian! Scientist! Podcaster! Circus performer! Friend! Delight! More! Want more information? Well, you've come to the right place: ABOUT ANDREA JONES-ROOY Ph.D.: Andrea Jones-Rooy is a unique voice who combines science with comedy to empower audiences of any education level to utilize data and tools accessible to all. AJR helps people learn to cut through the noise, better understand our world, and emboldens them to act. AJR holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan. Formerly a professor of data science at NYU and a quantitative researcher at FiveThirtyEight, Andrea speaks and trains globally at organizations that include Fortune 500s, tech companies, and the UN, on how to apply data science to their toughest problems. She currently hosts the podcast Behind the Data, and previously hosted the podcast Majoring in Everything. AJR is also a stand-up comedian and circus performer, although she has done neither at the UN (yet). ABOUT THE PODCAST "BEHIND THE DATA" (SEASON 2 COMING SOON) Data is all around us, and it powers a lot of our world, but where does it come from? Who collects it? How do we know if it's any good? Each week data scientist and standup comedian Andrea Jones-Rooy, Ph.D. brings you a new story about the humans and decisions behind important data that influences our lives - from political polls to measures of democracy, from tracking happiness around the world to powering AI. Join us on a journey to understand why making sense of the world depends not just on our ability to analyze it, but on the data we source in the first place. At the heart of any data that matters are real human stories about why we care about what we do.  For example, crime data describes ‘reported crime', which is different from (and less-than) ‘actual crime'. The two deviate to differing extents for different crimes - auto theft has a high rate of reporting due to insurance claims, while rape is horrifyingly underreported. Andrea Jones-Rooy will discuss how to navigate this churning ocean of data in which we are all swimming (whether we want to or not). Joined by weekly expert guests, Andrea will bring her signature engaging style to investigate the ways data on polling, crime, jobs, movies, fitness, medicine, democracy, and happiness are created, and help us to understand what we can and cannot (yet) learn from it. If you are affected by ANY of these subjects (you are), you're not going to want to miss this podcast! Season 1 guests include: Dhrumil Mehta, Journalism professor at Columbia University, formerly database journalist at Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight Ben Casselman, New York Times economics and business reporter Christie Aschwanden, science journalist and author of the NYT bestselling book, Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Discovery Dr. Steven Novella, clinical neurologist and host The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast Walt Hickey, pulitzer prize winning data journalist, author You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect Everything, creator and writer Numlock News And more! Behind the Data is produced as part of the Daily Tech News Show (DTNS) network, which is dedicated to providing news about technology that is easy to understand. With a unique blend of ‘smartypants' comedy and actual science, Andrea seeks to help listeners understand how data shapes the world, and to teach everybody (not just scientists) to use data to inform their thinking. Remember, data doesn't have to be a four letter word! ABOUT THE PODCAST CONVERSATION BETWEEN ME AND ANDREA: It is fun! Please enjoy! And this is only the first HALF of our conversation. For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR just head on over to Patreon!

Are you interested in exploring moral philosophy, understanding humans' impact on our planet, distinguishing real from fake claims, or learning the art of globemaking? If so, this is a piece for you. And if you aren't yet interested, you may be after hearing it! Laurie Dreyer, manager of the Lansingburgh branch of Troy Public Library, recommends four highly "approachable" nonfiction books this month: "How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question" by comedy writer (yep) Michael Shurr (2022); "The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet" by John Green (2020); "The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake" by Dr. Steven Novella (2018); and "The Globemakers" by Peter Bellerby (2023). For more details, visit www.thetroylibrary.org. Produced by Brea Barthel for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Tonight, we discuss an area of the United States with more than it's far share unbelievable anomalies such as UFO's, strange creatures, portals, paranormal activity, underground bases, unsolved disappearances and cattle mutilations.  Get The Book  No other region in North America features the variety and intensity of unusual phenomena found in the world's largest alpine valley, the San Luis Valley of Colorado and New Mexico. Since 1989, Christopher O'Brien has documented thousands of high-strange accounts that report UFOs, ghosts, crypto-creatures, cattle mutilations, skinwalkers and sorcerers, along with portal areas, secret underground bases and covert military activity. This mysterious region at the top of North America has a higher incidence of UFO reports than any other area of the continent and is the publicized birthplace of the “cattle mutilation" mystery. Hundreds of animals have been found strangely slain during waves of anomalous aerial craft sightings. Is the government directly involved? Are there underground bases here? Does the military fly exotic aerial craft in this valley that are radar-invisible below 18,000 feet? These and many other questions are addressed in this all-new work by one of America's top paranormal investigators. Take a fantastic journey through one of the world's most enigmatic locales! Critics argue that all UFO evidence is anecdotal[90] and can be explained as prosaic natural phenomena. Defenders of UFO research counter that knowledge of observational data, other than what is reported in the popular media, is limited in the scientific community and further study is needed.[91][92]Studies have established that the majority of UFO observations are misidentified conventional objects or natural phenomena—most commonly aircraft, balloons including sky lanterns, satellites, and astronomical objects such as meteors, bright stars and planets. A small percentage are hoaxes.[note 4] Fewer than 10% of reported sightings remain unexplained after proper investigation and therefore can be classified as unidentified in the strictest sense. According to Steven Novella, proponents of the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) suggest these unexplained reports are of alien spacecraft, however the null hypothesis cannot be excluded; that these reports are simply other more prosaic phenomena that cannot be identified due to lack of complete information or due to the necessary subjectivity of the reports. Novella says that instead of accepting the null hypothesis, UFO enthusiasts tend to engage in special pleading by offering outlandish, untested explanations for the validity of the ETH, which violate Occam's razor.[93]Follow Our Other ShowsFollow UFO WitnessesFollow Crime Watch WeeklyFollow Paranormal FearsFollow Seven: Disturbing Chronicle StoriesJoin our Patreon for ad-free listening and more bonus content.Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradioFollow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio

Lucy Letby seemed to be a quiet, friendly nurse who was dedicated to her job working in a neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, England. In 2023, she was convicted of killing multiple babies from June 2015 to June 2016 and attacking others. After an article advocating for her innocence appeared in the New Yorker, her case got even more controversial. But what does the evidence say? We spoke to true crime researcher Jessica Cash to find out. Check out our previous episode with Dr. Steven Novella that Jessica cited: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/9ac633e3-6dcf-4ef0-bd3e-6ebb02481ae1Check out the Trial of Lucy Letby here or wherever you listen to podcasts: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/podcasts/the-trial-of-lucy-letby/index.htmlCheck out the Tattle Life Wiki on Letby's case: https://tattle.life/wiki/lucy-letby-case/If you're a podcaster or looking to become one, check out Jessica's business Just the Facts: True Crime Research. She's the best. Her research abilities are excellent. She can help you get all the facts in order for a case, to make your podcast the best it can be. Check out Just the Facts on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Just-The-Facts-True-Crime-Research-61556614253455/Check out Just the Facts on Twitter: https://x.com/JessicaFactsSupport The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com.The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

​To kick off the new show, I wanted to re-release my conversation with Dr. Steven Novella, most famously known as the producer and host of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe Podcast and author of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe book. Dr. Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine and […]

Additional content warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.Today in the Delphi case, we attended the final day of pre-trial hearings. It ended around 8:30 p.m.Our coverage of the first day: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/2c839e4e-6eee-4c56-b185-f7821df89131Our coverage of the second day: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/84bc6ed7-d75a-4612-8dea-156f9ea1acfaOur interview of Troth President Lauren Crow about how Andrew Baldwin attempted to get her to be an expert witness: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/7953627a-6591-4647-be1b-62c04bda0210Our interview with Dr. Steven Novella on critical thinking and true crime: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/9ac633e3-6dcf-4ef0-bd3e-6ebb02481ae1Our episode on the social media regarding Brad Holder and Elvis Fields: https://art19.com/shows/murder-sheet/episodes/eca6f7d2-d7d5-4f9c-a56b-3b7b937abf17Support The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com.The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the true crime space, we have noticed the creep of misinformation and conspiratorial thinking. It's not always easy to spot, though. Critical thinking can help us all engage better with stories about law and crime. But how can we start engaging in critical thinking around our favorite genre? Today's guest, Dr. Steven Novella, can help. Dr. Novella is a clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine. He's also one of the hosts of the podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. We'll talk to him about how to spot a con job, our adversarial criminal justice system, Occam's razor, and the appeal of conspiracy theories. Learn more about Dr. Novella and his podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/Check out the Science-Based Medicine website here: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow by Dr. Steven Novella, Jay Novella, and Bob Novella: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542Read the other book from the Novella brothers: The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542Read the other books that Dr. Novella mentioned!The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-demon-haunted-world-science-as-a-candle-in-the-dark-ann-druyan/6315853?ean=9780345409461Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time by Michael Shermer: https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-people-believe-weird-things-pseudoscience-superstition-and-other-confusions-of-our-time-michael-shermer/11054136?ean=9780805070897Nonsense on Stilts by Massimo Pigliucci: https://bookshop.org/p/books/nonsense-on-stilts-massimo-pigliucci/8283291?ean=9780226495996Support The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com.The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC .See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dive deep into the enigmatic realm of ancient civilizations as we uncover the secrets of The Annunaki in this episode of The Box of Oddities podcast. Who were they, and what role did they play in shaping humanity's history? Join us as we explore the intriguing theories surrounding this ancient extraterrestrial race and their influence on our world. But the mysteries don't stop there. Prepare to be captivated by our exploration of strange neurological conditions that manifest in bizarre and bewildering ways. From rare disorders that defy medical explanations to inexplicable phenomena of the human brain, we'll take you on a journey through the stranger side of neuroscience. And in an exclusive interview, we're joined by Dr. Steven Novella, renowned skeptic and host of The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. With multiple appearances on esteemed platforms such as NPR's All Things Considered, The Dr. Oz Show, and The History Channel, Dr. Novella brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion. Tune in as we delve into the world of skepticism, critical thinking, and the importance of questioning extraordinary claims. Join hosts Kat and Jethro as they navigate the curious corridors of human history, science, and skepticism in this thought-provoking episode of The Box of Oddities. Prepare to be intrigued, challenged, and entertained as we uncover our world's weird and wonderful aspects. This Box contains the following ingredients: Annunaki, ancient civilizations, neurological conditions, bizarre phenomena, Dr. Steven Novella, skepticism, critical thinking, NPR, The Skeptics Guide to the Universe, strange history, unexplained mysteries. If you would like to advertise on The Box of Oddities, contact sales@advertisecast.com http://www.airwavemedia.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Killing King: Racial Terrorists, James Earl Ray, and the Plot to Assassinate Martin Luther King Jr. by Larry Hancock and Stuart Wexler (2014) VS The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe by Jay Novella, Steven Novella, Cara Santa Maria and Evan R. Bernstein (2018)

“Futurist” sounds like a fairly new job title, but previous generations were full of people writing about their educated guesses of what was to come. Yale neurologist Dr. Steven Novella is one of America's foremost scientific skeptics, and he joins host Krys Boyd for a look at what earlier futurists got right and what they missed in order to better fine-tune our current predictions. His book is “The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us About the World of Tomorrow.”

From the bestselling authors and hosts of "The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe" podcast, Steven Novella, Jay Novella & Bob Novella visit Google to discuss their book "The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us About the World of Tomorrow." The book is a high-tech roadmap of the future, cracking open the follies of futurists' past and how technology will profoundly change our world, redefining what it means to be human. Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the ‘60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb the lessons from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better. In the book, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future. Visit http://g.co/TalksAtGoogle/SkepticsGuide to watch the video.

Technomancers have a strange relationship with paradox, so what of their tech is likely near and what's far off? Dr. Steven Novella, author of The Skeptics' Guide to the Future discusses telepathy, AI experts, and pet chupacabras. The Skeptics' Guide to the Future - The book this conversation is based on Skeptics' Guide to the Universe Podcast 2d20 Fallout - Modiphius's licensed Fallout RPG Genesys Star Wars - Fantasy Flight RPG Time perception as we fall experiment --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mage-the-podcast/message

Steven Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale.  He is also a skeptic, steeped in science and doggedly in search of what's right over what's comfortable.  In this episode's quote, he cautions us to beware our emotions, lest they lead us to incorrect, simple conclusions that we then retroactively reinforce with our logic.   It is an important lesson for all of us.  

From the bestselling authors and hosts of 'The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe' a high-tech roadmap of the future in their beloved voice, cracking open both the follies of futurists past and how technology will profoundly change our world moving forward. Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the '60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better. In The Skeptics' Guide to the Future, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future of tomorrow.

In this excerpt from Brendan's upcoming course, “How to Create a Billion Dollar Sales Pitch,” you'll learn about the two key cognitive biases that you should keep in mind as you prepare a sales pitch: anchoring bias and groupthink bias. Anchoring bias essentially describes the way people will cling to the first piece of information they receive about a topic, and filter all subsequent information through this initial, embedded belief. Groupthink bias is the tendency of people to adopt the beliefs of the group to appease those around them. Recognizing these biases means realizing how hard it is to change someone's minds from their first understanding of a product or service, and how advantageous it is to present your product as a category leader, so that enough people will buy in that they sway even reluctant buyers. Understanding these two biases is highly beneficial not only to salesmanship, but to developing market strategies and investor strategies.    In this episode of Billion Dollar Tech, you'll hear a highlight from Steven Novella's lecture “Your Deceptive Mind,” the true origins of the famous line “Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM,” and a quote from Steve Godin that sums it all up. Quotes “Let's take Covid that's going on right now, as we're recording this. Is it a conspiracy, or is it a real thing? Much of how you think of this is anchored on the first piece of information you got.” (1:47-1:56 | Brendan) “People so over-index on the first piece of information they're given, it's almost impossible to change people's minds.” (2:46- 2:52 | Brendan)  “That's what you're trying to do: you're trying to say that people who adopt a similar identity to that of your ideal buyer do things like this, by what you sell.” (3:49-3:59 | Brendan) Connect with Brendan Dell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendandell/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendanDell Instagram: @thebrendandellTikTok: @brendandell39 Buy a copy of Brendan's Book, The 12 Immutable Laws of High-Impact Messaging: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780578210926 Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Billion Dollar Tech on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Use code Brendan30 for 30% off your annual membership with RiverSide.fm  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Thank you to our guest Steven Novella for joining us. Find out more about their new book The Skeptics' Guide to the Future at Follow them on twitter    

Thank you to our guest Steven Novella for joining us. Find out more about their new book The Skeptics' Guide to the Future at Follow them on twitter    

Today's ID the Future is Part 2 of physicist Brian Miller exploring a recent report from the University of Tokyo claiming a big breakthrough in origin-of-life research. As Miller and host Eric Anderson make clear, the university's laboratory work on RNA, detailed in a recent Nature Communications article, involved the intelligent interference of the lab scientists and, despite this intelligent interference, the devolution of RNA rather than the evolution of increasing RNA sophistication. Miller says that it's ironic that Steven Novella, a scientist committed to puncturing science hype, seems to have fallen for the hype surrounding this laboratory work. Miller and Anderson go on to discuss critiques of origin-of-life tall-tale claims, critiques coming Robert Shapiro, James Tour, and others. Life, Read More › Source

--On the Show: --Dr. Steven Novella, neurologist and host/producer of The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast, and lead author of the best-selling book by the same name, joins David to discuss critical thinking, skepticism, and more. Get the book: https://amzn.to/37K3weB --Inflation hits its highest level since 1981, reaching 8.5% year-over-year as of March 2022 --COVID is rising in some places, Philadelphia is putting indoor masks back on, the US State Department orders all non-emergency government staff out of Shanghai, and much more --An anti-vaccine rally in Los Angeles is absolutely horrifying, including even a 14-year-old kid as a speaker --The abortion-murder charges reported yesterday against Lizelle Herrera have been dropped, and a possible lawsuit is forthcoming --Fox News propagandist Sean Hannity now claims that he was always skeptical about Ivermectin being an effective treatment for COVID --Donald Trump and Mike Pence's records of gifts receives while in office are missing --Voicemail caller believes Attorney General Merrick Garland is waiting until after the 2022 midterm election to indict Donald Trump --On the Bonus Show: The average workday in the United States has increased by an hour since March 2020, Elon Musk changes his mind and will not join the Twitter board of directors, Democrats introduce a bill requiring time off to vote, much more...

Dr Steven Novella is a neurologist, an author, part of the sceptic community, a podcast host and assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Recently Dr Novella wrote on his Neurologica blog a post entitled “Joe Rogan and the Media Algorithm” talking about how algorithms are driving information with no "journalistic filter" and the dangers of that.

I denne episode vender værtsparret Morten Elsøe og Torben Sangild begrebet "umulige forventninger" både i dagligdagen og i konspirationsteoretiske sammenhænge. De snakker om hvorledes man nuancerer den offentlige debat, i henhold til stormen på kongressen, corona-vacciner og Netflix-filmen, Don't Look Up. For hvordan når en debat i mål, hvis deltagerne konstant flytter målstregen? Derfor snakker Morten Elsøe og Torben Sangild idag om hvordan man diskuterer med folk, som er gift med deres holdning, og derfor sætter "umulige forventninger" i en debat. "Hvad ville få dig til at ændre mening?" er derfor det grundlæggende spørgsmål for dagens episode.Derudover vender Morten Elsøe og Torben Sangild Elisabeth Holmes-sagen, problematiske fejlslutninger og follow the money-argumenter."At noget er til nogens fordel er ikke det samme som at de står bag det. Jeg har draget fordel af at have en andelslejlighed i København, før boligpriserne steg. Det betyder jo ikke at jeg har fået boligpriserne til at stige, eller at jeg går ind for at boligpriserne stiger." eksemplificerer Torben Sangild.Til sidst kan det afslører Torben Sangild i denne episode, at han har besluttet sig for ikke at vaccinere sin datter - han foretrækker nemlig at få en læge til at gøre det.Husk, at du kan skrive til Torben og Morten med ris, ros og ideer på: sind@heartbeats.dkShow notes:- Blogpost fra 2016 af Dr. Steven Novella om hvad Theranos-sagen kan lære os om kritisk tænkning - Debatten om vaccinering af børn, som vi anbefaler er i to dele: Hele debatten på video og opsummering og opfølgende interviews- Podcasten om en svindler, som jeg anbefaler, hedder The Missing Cryptoqueen og kan findes hvor man finder sine podcast

Learn why self-control isn't always good for you; why you can't win an argument using facts; and what SETI is looking for. More from Dr. Steven Novella: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe http://www.theskepticsguide.org/  New England Skeptical Society http://www.theness.com/  NeuroLogica blog http://theness.com/neurologicablog/  Steven Novella faculty bio https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/steven_novella/  More from Seth Shostak: Seth Shostak's Website http://sethshostak.com/  Follow @SethShostak on Twitter https://twitter.com/SethShostak  Big Picture Science: The radio show and podcast of the SETI Institute, with Seth Shostak http://bigpicturescience.org/  To learn more about motivated reasoning and how we think, read "The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion" by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777   The stories in this episode originally aired July 8, 2018 “SETI on How We Search for Aliens (w/ Seth Shostak), Facts Don't Win Arguments, Self-Control, and The Red Baron” https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/seti-on-how-we-search-for-aliens-w-seth-shostak-fa   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day withCody Gough andAshley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Check out what's happening on the Bridge for the Fall of 2021! We have more author interviews, celebrity guest-hosts, and much more coming your way.  Here are just some of the guests we have coming on the show: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Cory Doctorow, Greg Bear, Karl Schroeder, Neill Blomkamp, Peter Watts, and Steven Novella. You can always find more episodes on our website, you can also find us on Twitter and Facebook to see what is happening on The Bridge. You can even send us an email and explain why you think Jar Jar Binks was a Sith Lord at talesfromthebridgepodcast@gmail.comTwitter: @BridgeTalesInstagram: @talesfromthebridgeFacebook: www.facebook.com/groups/talesfromthebridge/Website: https://talesfromthebridge.buzzsprout.com/Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/141864356-talesfrom-thebridgeEmail: talesfromthebridgepodcast@gmail.com#talesfromthebridge, #sciencefiction, #scifibookclub, #TFTB

Here's a question for you if you wear a watch. Have you washed it recently? I bet not. So, this episode begins with just how gross and disgusting the surface of your watch and watchband are and why they need a bath right now – today! http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-watches-three-times-dirtier-than-toilet-seats-study-finds-20190623 There are some people believe vaccines cause autism – science says no. Some people believe in ghosts and UFOs – science says no. But just because science can't explain it – does that mean it isn't true? Steven Novella is a skeptic who believes that we should probably all be a bit more skeptical of things, events and phenomenon that can't be explained. Steven joins me to reveal why this is so important. Steven is the author of the book The Skeptics Guide to the Universe (https://amzn.to/2Ycr16d) . He is also host of the podcast of the same name which you can find on your favorite podcast platform or here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcasts Did you know that if you like yogurt, you'll like it even better if you eat from a certain type of spoon. If you like cheese it will most likely taste better to you if eat it off a particular type of utensil. Listen to find out which spoon and which utensil and why this happens to be true. https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/06/27/yogurt-tastes-different-depending-on-the-spoon/ Do you suck at something? Maybe it's playing an instrument or skiing or cooking. You probably didn't start out wanting to suck at it – but here we are. You do it and you suck at it. Well, it turns out that may be a good thing. Writer Karen Rinaldi author of the book It's Great to Suck at Something (https://amzn.to/2Lj05xY) explains why it is perfectly fine to NOT do some things well. She has been a surfer for 18 years and by her own admission – sucks at it. But she still does it, she still loves it and says there are actual benefits to doing things not for the achievement or the trophy but just to do it. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! We really enjoy The Jordan Harbinger Show and we think you will as well! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.  T-Mobile for Business the leader in 5G, #1 in customer satisfaction, and a partner who includes benefits like 5G in every plan. Visit https://T-Mobile.com/business JUSTWORKS makes it easier for you to start, run and grow a business. Find out how by going to https://justworks.com For more information on fire safety products, safety tips and educational activities you can do at home with your family visit https://firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth   https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy! Visit https://www.remymartin.com/en-us/ to learn more about their exceptional spirits! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first episode to kick off the show, we are joined by Dr. Steven Novella, most famously known as the producer and host of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe Podcast and author of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe book. Dr. Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine and … Continue reading Steven Novella MD Provides a Skeptic's Guide to the Universe | #01 →

Isn't Life Curious? is launching July 1st! Enjoy this sneak preview as we lead up to the launch. Life is a curious thing. Let's explore it together. Learn more at www.isntlifecurious.com

Can self-deception be useful? During the pandemic, it has been fashionable to say that we’re “following the science,” and that our behavior is determined by verifiable facts. We are, after all, self-declared rational beings, and that’s clearly useful in guiding our reaction to a pandemic. It’s true that fear and suspicion have caused some to make contrary choices such as declining vaccines, but that behavior is considered irrational. But are there situations when delusional thinking can help you thrive? Why are we not as rational as we think? Guests:  Steven Novella – Neurologist and professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast. Shankar Vedantam – Host of the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show, and co-author of “Useful Delusions: The Power & Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain.”  

Taped in front of a live audience at Baruch College in New York, this episode of Rationally Speaking features special guest Steve Novella: neurologist, author of the blogs NeuroLogica and Science Based Medicine, and co-host of the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe (SGU) podcast. Steve, Massimo, and Julia discuss the recent lawsuit facing the SGU, share their gripes about the ways that skeptics sometimes oversimplify the issues, and answer audience questions such as, "Is anything off-limits to skeptical activism?" Sped up the speakers by ['1.0', '1.0']

This episode contains: We start off talking about how long we've been quarantining and how we're not crazy, you're crazy. Light at the End of the Tunnel: Pfizer has a covid-19 vaccine. We talk about an article written by Dr. Steven Novella (of Skeptics Guide to the Universe fame) about the vaccine and how much we should trust it. Turns out, there's a lot to be excited about. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pfizers-covid-vaccine/ Darkness at the Beginning of the Tunnel: We talk about the impact of covid-19 related school shutdown on sleep in adolescents. Steven reads (most of) a study regarding sleep and teens and then everyone reminisces about their high school morning and lack of sleep. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945720304184 Science Fiction: Hope you like Star Trek Discovery, because we talk about season 2 and 3. A lot. Like, almost too much. If that's not your thing, we cover the latest (as of recording) episode of The Mandalorian, The Passenger. We have quite a discussion on whether or not The Child is going to regurgitate the eggs he ate. Also, Dr. Mandible is Ben's favorite character.

Our Guest, Dr. Steven Novella discusses a recent article in The Atlantic in which researcher John Ioannidis shows that 40% of papers published in top medical journals are either wrong or make exaggerated claims (and those are the top journals!). He also discusses the difference between Science and Evidence based medicine. Also, Zombies: are they epidemiologically possible? Steven Novella is an academic clinical neurologist at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is the host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast, author of the Neurologica blog, and co-editor of the Science Based Medicine blog. Sped up the speakers by [1.0416666666666667, 1.0]

http://www.astronomycast.com/archive/ From June 4th, 2007. While Pamela’s away at the American Astronomical Society meeting, we brought in a special guest to help debunk some of the pseudoscience that people mistake for astronomy. Dr. Steven Novella from the Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe gets to the bottom of astrology and UFOs, and why they’re not real science.   Friend-of-the-show Dr. Phil Plait, author of Bad Astronomy, on astrology Astrology-and-Science.com – The Scientific Exploration of Astrology A 1996 Dutch test of astrology UFO Skeptic – An information site on the UFO phenomenon by and for professional scientists The UFO Skeptic’s Page – Robert Scheaffer Condon Report on UFOs – 1968 government-sponsored study of UFOs The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://astrogear.spreadshirt.com/ for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by Astrosphere New Media. http://www.astrosphere.org/ Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

In this episode, Dr Matt and Dr Mike are joined by Clinical Neurologist and Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Dr Steven Novella. They discuss conspiracy thinking in medicine and explore what drives people away from science-based thinking. Dr Novella offers some insight from his clinical experience and explains how (or if) we can address people with incorrect views.

In this episode of Banachek's Brain we continue our discussion with Steven Novella.  Steven is an American clinical neurologist and assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Novella is best known for his involvement in the skeptical movement. He is also a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and GWUP.  He hosts the podcast [...]

In this episode of Banachek's Brain we talk with Steven Novella.  Steven is an American clinical neurologist and assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Novella is best known for his involvement in the skeptical movement. He is also a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and GWUP.  He hosts the podcast 'The Skeptics [...]

In this episode of Point of Inquiry, cohost Leighann Lord talks with famous skeptic and Assistant Professor of Neurology, Steven Novella, MD. Novella is also the founder and current Executive Editor of Science-Based Medicine which explores issues and controversies between science and medicine and works to expose dangerous medical scams and practices. He is also the host of the popular weekly podcast, The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe. Novella also has a series of insightful courses on critical thinking that he has published through Great Courses. In this week's interview, Lord and Novella speak about the ongoing battle to fight scientific ignorance especially during the current Covid-19 outbreak, how Novella's Science-Based Medicine has stepped up to counter vast amounts of misinformation about the disease, the relationship between doctors and patients when there's hard news to deliver, how we all have blind spots in our thinking that hinder our curiosity and skepticism, and the importance of not being too comfortable with information that confirm our biases. You can follow Leighann on twitter @LeighannLord.

This TER Topics episode brings together feature interviews from episodes #35 and #51 of the TER Podcast. The first interview is with Dr Steven Novella from November of 2014, discussing what critical thinking is, how to teach it, and the potential benefits to individuals and societies that value critical thinking. The second interview is with Meredith Ebbs from July of 2015 in which she talks about computational thinking and provides some insight into how it works as a teaching practice, as well as discussing issues of girls in STEM. Timecodes: 00:00 Opening Credits 00:34 Intro 02:05 Critical Thinking - Steven Novella 37:03 Computational Thinking - Meredith Ebbs 53:23 Sign off

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, millions of millennials were finding new solace in an old celestial tradition: astrology. The onetime '70s fad is back as millennials are looking to the stars for answers on mobile apps, online, and in newspaper and magazine horoscopes. The Pew Research Center reports a third of Americans aged 18 to 29 regularly follow the planets' movements and positions. How did astrology, once considered merely light entertainment, become a cultural phenomenon for millennial Americans? Guests: Dr. Judy Tsafrir - Adult and child psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School faculty member, and local astrologer. She is also a certified member of The Organization for Professional Astrology. Dr. Steven Novella - Neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine, founder and president of the New England Skeptical Society, and host/producer of the podcast, “The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe.” Morgan Hing - Former associate studio designer for Boston-based ad agency Hill Holliday and astrology fanatic. Later in the show: About 3.2 million Americans have the brain disorder schizophrenia, but about 40 percent of schizophrenics go undiagnosed. That was the case for many of Mimi and Don Galvin's sons: six of 12 siblings whose story is the subject of Robert Kolker's compelling narrative, “Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family.” Kolker embeds their shocking and poignant family story into the ongoing scientific quest to understand how schizophrenia works and how to treat its victims. “Hidden Valley Road” is author Robert Kolker's second book, and it's our May selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” Guest: Robert Kolker — author of “Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of An American Family,” which is available in bookstores and online now. Show Credits: We're on the web at wgbh.org/news/undertheradarwithcalliecrossley and available for download wherever you get your podcasts. Under the Radar with Callie Crossley is a production of WGBH, produced by Hannah Uebele and engineered by Dave Goodman. Melissa Rosales is our intern. Our theme music is FISH AND CHIPS by #weare2saxys', Grace Kelly and Leo P.

The story of the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. What should we think of that story? Did it really happen, or is there some other explanation? Why does it matter? Scott and Jamie break out the magnifying glass and examine this ancient story and its ramifications. In "Spin the Wheel", Scott and Jamie surprise each other with burning questions on "Becoming an atheist" and "Labor unions". As further study Scott recommends the book “The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake” by Steven Novella, and Jamie recommends the book “The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus” by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona. Contact us with comments and questions: email@GodOrNotPodcast.com

Velcome Dashounds, to Strange Country: The Halloween Edition. In ep. 117, co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about the paranormal investigators who started it all, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Hear the story of Annabelle, the doll, and the Snedeker Funeral Home Haunting. . . if boo dare!!! Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands. Cite your sources: “Arne Cheyenne Johnson.” The Courtroom Sketches of Ida Libby Dengrove, https://archives.law.virginia.edu/dengrove/writeup/arne-cheyenne-johnson. Bendici, Ray. “Damned Interview: Ray Garton.” Damned Connecticut, Mar. 2009, http://www.damnedct.com/damned-interview-ray-garton. DeAngelis, Perry, and Steven Novella. “Hunting the Ghost Hunters.” NeuroLogica Blog, 22 July 2009, https://theness.com/index.php/hunting-the-ghost-hunters/. Delazio, Sheena. “'Demon in Home' Grabs Our Attention.” Times Leader, 2 Mar. 2008, https://web.archive.org/web/20080305004915/http://www.timesleader.com/news/20080303_03lookback_smurls_sd_ART.html. Frank, Steve. “Snedeker Family Member Goes on Record with Damned Connecticut.” Damned Connecticut, Mar. 2009, http://www.damnedct.com/snedeker-family-member-goes-on-record-with-damned-connecticut. Genzlinger, Neil. “Lorraine Warren, Paranormal Investigator Portrayed in ‘The Conjuring,’ Dies at 92.” The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/19/obituaries/lorraine-warren-dead.html. Janes, DeAnna. “Nightmare on Chase Street: The Smurl Family Haunting.” The Lineup, 25 May 2016, https://the-line-up.com/smurl-family-haunting. Martinez, Herza. “The Perron Family's Real Haunting Inspired The Conjuring.” The Lineup, 11 Apr. 2019, https://the-line-up.com/perron-family. Nickell, Joe. “Connecticut Haunting.” https://issuu.com/jorgemourinho/docs/skeptical-inquirer-vol.33-issue3-may-june-2009. Radford, Benjamin. “The Real Story Behind 'The Haunting in Connecticut'.” LiveScience, Purch, https://www.livescience.com/5346-real-story-haunting-connecticut.html. Rubio, J'aime. “The Real Bathsheba Sherman- True History vs. ‘Conjured’ Fiction.” The Real Bathsheba Sherman- True History vs. "Conjured" Fiction, 15 July 2014, https://dreamingcasuallypoetry.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-real-bathsheba-sherman-true-history.html. Shultz, Christopher. “Every Time Ed & Lorraine Warren Were Exposed As Total Frauds.” Ranker, https://www.ranker.com/list/ed-lorraine-frauds/christopher-shultz. “Snedeker House.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 10 June 2012, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snedeker-house. “Warrens Biography.” The New England Society For Psychic Research, 2017, https://www.warrens.net/warrens-biography/. White, Abbey. “6 Cases Investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren.” The Lineup, 10 Nov. 2017, https://the-line-up.com/ed-and-lorraine-warren-paranormal-cases.

The USA TODAY bestseller is now in paperback with a new chapter on Global Warming! This all-encompassing guide to skeptical thinking from podcast host and academic neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine Steven Novella and his SGU co-hosts, which Richard Wiseman calls "the perfect primer for anyone who wants to separate fact from fiction."It is intimidating to realize that we live in a world overflowing with misinformation, bias, myths, deception, and flawed knowledge. There really are no ultimate authority figures-no one has the secret, and there is no place to look up the definitive answers to our questions (not even Google).Luckily, THE SKEPTICS' GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE is your map through this maze of modern life. Here Dr. Steven Novella-along with Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella, and Evan Bernstein-will explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies, and conspiracy theories-from anti-vaccines to homeopathy, UFO sightings to N- rays. You'll learn the difference between science and pseudoscience, essential critical thinking skills, ways to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy co- worker of yours, and how to combat sloppy reasoning, bad arguments, and superstitious thinking. So are you ready to join them on an epic scientific quest, one that has taken us from huddling in dark caves to setting foot on the moon? (Yes, we really did that.) DON'T PANIC! With THE SKEPTICS' GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE, we can do this together. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A look back at the highly influential television show In Search Of... which was hosted by Leonard Nimoy.  Features remembrances from Steven Novella, Lyle Blackburn, Matthew Baxter, and Brian Dunning. Along with archaeologist Jeb Card, I'm launching a new show called In Research Of... which will revisit this original series and add some explanations the producers chose not to include. (Link to show on iTunes.) In Search Of... had 6 seasons in its original run and you can currently (as of this posting) view them all on YouTube.   Thanks to everyone for supporting us to reach 200 episodes! Karen and I are excited about producing many more. 

Dr. Steven Novella joins the Fishes to talk about the follies of Big Pharma and the conspiracy theories swirling around it. Are cures really less profitable than long term treatment? Can you even keep a cure a secret in this day and age? And why are people resorting to conspiracies to answer questions addressed in just about any book about medicine and biology?

When was the last time you washed your watch? Not recently I bet. So this episode begins with just how gross and disgusting the surface of your watch and watchband are and why they need a bath right now – today! http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-watches-three-times-dirtier-than-toilet-seats-study-finds-20190623Some people believe vaccines cause autism – science says no. Some people believe in ghosts and UFOs – science says no. But just because science can’t explain it – does that mean it isn’t true? Steven Novella is a skeptic who believes that we should probably all be a bit more skeptical of things, events and phenomenon that can’t be explained and he joins me to reveal why this is so important. Steven is the author of the book The Skeptics Guide to the Universe (https://amzn.to/2Ycr16d) and host of the podcast of the same name which you can find on your favorite podcast platform or here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcastsIf you like yogurt, you’ll like it even better if you eat from a certain type of spoon. If you like cheese it will most likely taste better to you if eat it off a particular type of utensil. Listen to find out which spoon and which utensil and why this happens to be true. https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/06/27/yogurt-tastes-different-depending-on-the-spoon/Do you suck at something? Maybe it’s playing an instrument or skiing or cooking. You probably didn’t start out wanting to suck at it – but here we are. You do it and you suck at it. Well, it turns out that may be a good thing. Writer Karen Rinaldi author of the book It’s Great to Suck at Something (https://amzn.to/2Lj05xY) explains why it is perfectly fine to NOT do some things well. She has been a surfer for 18 years and by her own admission – sucks at it. But she still does it, she still loves it and says there are actual benefits to doing things not for the achievement or the trophy but just to do it. This Week's Sponsors-Paint Your Life. To learn more and get a 30% discount text SYSK to 48-48-48-Purple Mattress. To get a free pillow with a purchase of a mattress text the word: something to 84888-Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform.American River Nutrition. Get your free copy of Dr. Barrie Tan’s book The Truth about Vitamin E at www.BarrieTan.com/something

Thank you to Dr. Steven Novella from The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe for joining us. Check out their website, podcast, and book of the same name.   If you want to hear the emails Cecil sent the SGU back in the day they are Episode 39, 40, and 45. Also Tom knows Dr. Novella is a neurologist, he was just joking saying neurosurgeon....

Trust no one! StarTalk All-Stars host neuroscientist Heather Berlin investigates skeptical thinking with Cara Santa Maria and Dr. Steven Novella of "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" and new comic co-host and skeptic Ari Shaffir.Don't miss an episode of StarTalk All-Stars. Subscribe on: TuneIn: http://tunein.com/radio/StarTalk-All-Stars-p949405/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/startalk_all-stars Apple Podcasts: https://itun.es/us/P9kphb.c Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/startalk-allstars Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I2nz5bguurd5se7zu4fhnd25lk4NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/think-like-a-skeptic-with-cara-santa-maria-and-steven-novella/Photo Credit: Ben Ratner.

In this episode Cat interviews Rebecca, The Skeptic. Rebecca explains what being a skeptic means to her and why she is passionate about spreading ‘the good news' of reason and compassion. Cat digs into Rebecca's past and they talk about her previous life as a Wiccan and what made her change course from a spiritual to a scientific worldview. Exploring esoteric, paranormal and spiritual topics from two completely different perspectives it's The Seeker and The Skeptic.   Skeptical Books The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark Astrophysicist and science communicator Carl Sagan's 1995 book intended to explain the scientific method to lay-people. Considered a key text by many skeptics. Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why we Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts Social psychologists Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson's 2007 book explores numerous cognitive biases and their impact in our political and personal lives. Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience Superstition and Other Confusions of Our Time Renowned skeptic and editor of skeptic magazine Michael Shermer's 1997 book reflects on the psychology behind belief in the incredible.   Skeptical Websites What's the Harm? A website which documents the stories of people who have been harmed by lapses in critical thinking leading to financial loss, physical injury or death.   Skeptical Podcasts Skeptics with a K British fortnightly podcast. Each episode the irreverent hosts chat about current affairs and topics of perennial interest to skeptics. Skeptics' Guide to the Universe American weekly podcast. Each episode the hosts skeptically examine several issues and present a game that allows listeners to hone their own critical thinking skills. The Reality Check Canadian weekly podcast. The hosts discuss topical ‘controversies and curiosities' using critical thinking skills and wit to separate science-fact from science-fiction.   Sceptical Education Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills 24 lecture course presented by professor Steven Novella, M.D. empowers students with knowledge and techniques which will improve their critical thinking skills. Available directly from The Great Courses or on Audible.com.   Skeptics on YouTube Rethinking Doubt: The Values and Achievements of Skepticism An impassioned TedX talk from prominent skeptic George Hrab which introduces the audience to skepticism and explains its critical importance. Captain Disillusion A YouTube channel produced by independent filmmaker Alan Melikdjanian. In monthly installments The Captain humorously debunks viral videos. James Randi Educational Foundation A YouTube channel curated by the James Randi Educational Foundation featuring lectures from prominent skeptics on many topics.   Skeptic Socialising Skeptics in the Pub Informal meetups held all over the world predominantly in the U.K. and U.S. events usually feature a talk, a Q&A session and a chance to socialise with fellow skeptics. Your Local Skeptic Society Try Googling your location and the word skeptic, most countries have at least one skeptical organisation that hosts social and educational events. You could also try looking for skeptically themed events on meetup.com.

Each day we are faced with dozens of dietary choices, and those choices impact how we think, how we look, how we feel and how we function. Which foods are good for us, and which foods should be avoided? Gut Instinct unpacks the many commonly held and controversial beliefs surrounding food and diet, in an age where there are far too many cooks in the kitchen telling us what to believe about healthy eating. Contributors: Dr. Alan Levinovitz, Dr. Robynne Chutkan, Dr. Briana Pobiner, Dr. Steven Novella, Daniel Leffler, MD, MS, Yvette D'Entremont, Karen Stark, Annmarie Butera Cantrell, Alan Aragon, Alice Bast, Tom Asacker, Brendan Nyhan, PH.D., Dr. Elaine Hsaio

What makes a political leader great? A look inside the neural circuitry, personality traits, and control tactics commonly used by leaders to build and retain a following. Contributors in order of appearance: Michael Shermer, James Fallon, Steven Novella, Buck Sexton, Robert Kurzban and Tom Asacker.

Overview of the upcoming Make Belief series, touching on topics such as love, the brain, diet, political leaders, religion, and critical thinking. Contributors in order of appearance: Mark Ledoux, Julia Galef, David Wolpe, Steven Novella, Michael Shermer, Andrew Newberg, James Giordano, Tom Asacker, Simone Wright, Kayt Sukel, James Fallon, Herbert Benson, Tori Christman, Scott Lilienfeld, Paul Offit, Michael Dedora, Billy Demoss, Jeffrey Anderson, Bridget Hedison.