The Skeptic Zone #917 - 3.May.2026
The Skeptic Zone
Nicotine Myths - Yowies - Woodruff 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:48 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Like any other chemical, nicotine has its good points and bad points. This week Kate looks at some of the myths and quackery from the wellness industry regarding nicotine and its uses. Medication Consultation Services Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram 00:17:56 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill. Adrienne rides the Banff gondola with her husband/chauffeur, Greg and with Drs Christopher Labos and Angela...
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The Skeptic Zone #916 - 26.April.2026
The Skeptic Zone
UFOs - Alt Med - Newsletter 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:34 High Flyers in the UFO Industry A look at some of the people who have hitchhiked along the cosmic highway to catch a long ride on the UFO bandwagon, with particular attention on Bob Lazar. 00:19:34 Vale James Valentine We pay respects to James Valentine who died in the last week. James was a much loved broadcaster from Sydney and over the years provided quality entertainment to thousands of viewers and listeners. In 1989 and 2014 he interviewed Skeptic Zone host Richard...
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The Skeptic Zone #915 - 19.April.2026
The Skeptic Zone
UFOs - Botox - Balloons 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:02 Which way do the 'Westerly Winds' blow? Another look at the Westall UFO event of 1966, concentrating on the weather forcast for Melbourne on the 6th of April, 1966. Can the weather balloon released that morning really be discounted as a possible candidate for the mysterious object seen by possibly hundreds of school children and a few teachers? Australian Story Westall UFO Charlie Wiser - Westall UFO 00:15:28 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Kate and Richard look...
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The Skeptic Zone #914 - 12.April.2026
The Skeptic Zone
UFO Comments - Wishing for a Wish - NASA 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:16:14 Westall UFO TV Documentary In the past week, Skeptic Zone producer Richard Saunders appeared on the ABC TV (Australia) program 'Australian Story' to talk about the 1966 Westall UFO event from a reasonable but skeptical point of view. This has not pleased some UFO believers in TV land and they have been commenting on the YouTube video of the TV program. Richard, with the help of Maynard, reads out some of the more interesting comments. Australian Story Westall UFO ...
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The Skeptic Zone #913 - 5.April.2026
The Skeptic Zone
Facts about the Common Cold - Skeptics in the Pub - Iridology 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:07:00 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne met with infectious disease immunologist and author David Miles at the St Dunstan East Church Garden in London, England, where they discussed David’s new book called, 'Sneeze: The History and Science of the Common Cold'. Website: Think This Through: Coleman Watts video: 00:22:36 Sydney Skeptics in the Pub Join Richard Saunders, Tim Mendham, Lara Benham, Annie...
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The Skeptic Zone #912 - 29.March.2026
The Skeptic Zone
Mind Body Wallet - Australian Skeptics News - UFOs 00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders Includes a brief clip of Maynard interviewing singing star Gene Pitney with a strange story concerning astrology. 00:07:26 A Journey into the Land of Woo Join Lara Benham, Tim Mendham, Kate Thomas and Richard Saunders as they once again venture through the doors of Sydney's Mind Body Spirit festival. What outrageous products and magical thinking did they discover this time? 00:17:58 UFOs and False Memories To acknowledge the...
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The Skeptic Zone #911 - 22.March.2026
The Skeptic Zone
00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:09:36 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas Once again we visit Kate's studios to chat to her about woo and the medical matters. This week we review the story of a woman who didn't want to visit her doctor to receive and review her medical reports. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Was she right in thinking GPs are only after more money with more visits? Also, we discuss Kate's podcast, "On The Mones". Kate Thomas on TikTok and Instagram 00:23:06 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne...
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The Skeptic Zone #910 - 15.March.2026
The Skeptic Zone
0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:04:28 The Loons from Canada Kate and Allie embark on their third ghost hunt with Rodney Schmaltz' MacEwan University students, this time at a new location. They spent the evening exploring the beautiful yet spooky Freemasons' lodge, where the students attempted to recreate the kinds of ghostly "evidence" typically featured on paranormal investigation shows. They went on pareidolia and orb-spotting hunts, using spirit boxes, EVPs, and thermometers to anomaly-hunt, intermixed with spirit communication tools, including Ouija boards, a...
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The Skeptic Zone #909 - 8.March.2026
The Skeptic Zone
0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:48 Bend Spoon Award Nomination Vivacious Living Centre of Perth, WA bills itself as "a Multi-modality Health & Wellness Centre", offering such services as Crystal Healing, Reiki, Acupressure, Reflexology and Talking to the Dead! All of these services are worthy of a Bent Spoon nomination, however it is the claims to diagnose and treat bodily conditions via a device known as the Metatron NLS (Non-linear System), a device from Russia, that is the focus of this nomination. 00:16:16 Woo Watch! With Kate Thomas A bit of a Stretch...
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The Skeptic Zone #908 - 1.March.2026
The Skeptic Zone
0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:05:54 Looking into a Broken Mirror Is bad luck in fact bad? A year ago Lara Benham decided to put 'luck' or bad luck to a test when she purposely broke a mirror for skeptical investigator Kenny Biddle. What was the result? Did Lara have a year worth of bad luck? 00:13:16 The Loons from Canada Kate and Allie team up for a spectacularly spooky and romantic Skepticamp at MacEwan University in Edmonton, perfectly timed for Friday the 13th and the eve of Valentine's Day. Kate captures the spirit of the event through conversations with...
info_outlineUFO Comments - Wishing for a Wish - NASA
Introduction
Richard Saunders
00:16:14
Westall UFO TV Documentary
In the past week, Skeptic Zone producer Richard Saunders appeared on the ABC TV (Australia) program 'Australian Story' to talk about the 1966 Westall UFO event from a reasonable but skeptical point of view. This has not pleased some UFO believers in TV land and they have been commenting on the YouTube video of the TV program. Richard, with the help of Maynard, reads out some of the more interesting comments.
Australian Story Westall UFO
https://youtu.be/IhKyQkhOfoM
00:22:34
For Crying Out Loud! It's Kat McLeod
If wishes were fishes, Kat would have a koi pond in her head. This week she will take a look at the tradition of wishing, a topic we have not covered on the Skeptic Zone before, while we have looked at a lot of things that require wishful thinking like manifesting and far-fetched woo products, we haven’t ever examined the tradition of wishing, until now. We wish you would listen!
https://www.healthdigest.com/304485/why-you-should-stop-blowing-out-the-candles-on-your-birthday-cake
00:31:20
Australian Skeptics Newsletter
What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill.
Australian Skeptics
http://www.skeptics.com.au
We Can Reason, Canada
https://wecanreason.com
00:41:32
The TROVE Archives
A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to NASA and UFOs.
1973.10.20 - The Canberra Times
1966.12.12 - The Canberra Times
1983.01.16 - The Canberra Times
1989.07.12 - The Canberra Times
1977.12.29 - Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
1977.12.28 - The Evening Independent - FL
www.trove.nla.gov.au