Articles

Climate Change

July 19, 2015
/
NZ Skeptics
Climate Change or Global Warming? The terms “climate change” and “global warming” tend to be used interchangeably. This can create confusion and misunderstanding. While the underlying general warming is increasing
Read More

1080 – What’s all the Fuss?

November 27, 2014
/
NZ Skeptics
The 2009 Bent Spoon Award went to the anti-1080 “Poisoning Paradise” film, which engendered a great deal of response, some of it valedictory, some of it vituperative. More on the
Read More

Channeling

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Penny Torres was, before her decision to become a channeller, a housewife from Los Angeles. The “wisdom” she offers to her followers is precisely what one would expect from such
Read More

Colloidal Silver

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
I thought the [colloidal silver] promoters were ignorant people who had made a terrible mistake, but when I contacted several of them and discovered that they were not interested in
Read More

Echinacea

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
As with many herbs, it is unsettled whether echinacea is useful. Also, many herbal products are not standardized as to what is in them, so even if something is useful,
Read More

Friday the 13th

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Things to do Next time Friday the 13th rolls around, keep a journal for a week beforehand and a week afterwards noting incidents you think represent good luck and bad
Read More

Magnetic Therapy Products

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Anyone looking for a health enhancing effect from a shoe magnet might just as well put the fortune from a Chinese fortune cookie in their shoe. It will be equally
Read More

Acupuncture

December 3, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
If acupressure works without puncturing a patient, is it not then unethical for an acupuncturist to use invasive and potentially dangerous needles? The US National Council Against Health Fraud has
Read More

Astrology

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Things to do Read out the horoscope for the wrong sign and see if your listener agrees with it. If you do get a personal astrological interpretation, tape it and
Read More

UFOs and Aliens

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Things to do Try faking a UFO photograph and show it to friends to see their reaction. Spend an evening near an airport and watch the lights in the sky
Read More

Critical Thinking

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
I think it’s much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. Richard Feynman Just because Einstein was controversial does not mean that anyone
Read More

Homeopathy

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
If homeopathy works, then obviously the less you use it, the stronger it gets. So the best way to apply homeopathy is to not use it at all. Phil Plait
Read More

Psychics

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
If there was something to psychics tapping into some form of spiritual after-life, or even a mass consciousness that extruded back from the future, then anyone with a pinch of
Read More

Psychics and the Police

November 17, 2010
/
NZ Skeptics
Sensing Murder might be the most important TV show of our times. It all boils down to this: the show is either a colossal fraud, an entertainment conspiracy the size
Read More

Medium Checklist

August 22, 2005
/
NZ Skeptics
Barnum Statements (generalisations) e.g. “You feel you have unfulfilled potential.” Rainbow Statements (covering both ends) e.g. “You are generous but sometimes selfish.” Vanishing Negative (getting it right either way) e.g.
Read More