Category: Skeptical Article – vic skeptics

May 19, 2010

The Wakefield Saga … In Pictures!

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “vaccines cause autism”. It’s the catch-cry of the anti-vaccination movement and a nagging doubt in the minds of worried parents.
And it’s completely and utterly false.
It is, however, believed by many to be true. And for this we can blame one Andrew Wakefield.
Wakefield was the man primarily responsible for linking vaccines with autism in the public consciousness.
And even though his studies have been shown to be ridiculously flawed, his intentions questionable, his conclusions false and his work discredited, the myth lives on.
Blogger Darryl Cunningham has put together an excellent graphical summary of the whole sorry saga. Check it out.
image

No Comments
May 11, 2010

A Critical Look at "The Health Report"

The Health Report (ABC RN) of Monday 10th May had a story on a “unique centre in Western Australia combining high tech cancer care with complementary medicine.”
For the curious, the MP3 can be downloaded here: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/, go to Monday 10/5/2010, Cancer Care.
Dr Stephen Basser responds:
I listened to the Health Report piece this morning, and offer the following thoughts:
–  The report perpetuates the myth that there are two ‘strands’ or ‘streams’ of medicine, and offers implied support for those who push the idea that the alternative stream is a valid one that we should be using more, but cannot do so because it is being suppressed or not fully acknowledged by the mainstream. We are meant to believe that alternative medicine is being rejected because we don’t understand it, or it’s financially challenging us, or we’re brainwashed by drug companies, or some other conspiracy related charge. All of this is, of course, rubbish. View More A Critical Look at "The Health Report"

No Comments
May 10, 2010

The Australian Skeptic's Guide to Cold Reading

This article first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/
or by clicking on the “Useful Info” link at the top of this page.

Have you ever bought something that you didn’t really want, because the salesperson was so nice, so persuasive, so helpful? Chances are that the salesperson (whether they knew it or not) was using some of the techniques of a skilled Cold Reader.
“Cold Reading” is a term invented by stage magicians. It refers to psychological techniques used by certain people to influence the beliefs and behaviour of other people. View More The Australian Skeptic's Guide to Cold Reading

No Comments
May 6, 2010

Death by Alien Attack? Or, We Come in Peace?


Stephen Hawking thinks we should be concerned about aliens.  In a yet to be released documentary series, Hawking speculates about what might happen if our little blue dot where found by an alien civilization.

If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans,

And

Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach,

Let’s do some science.   Survey all the alien civilizations we know about and work out which are likely to do us in and which are our good friends.  Hmmm…. View More Death by Alien Attack? Or, We Come in Peace?

No Comments
April 30, 2010

Brain train or another's gain?


A recent study, “Putting brain training to the test” by Owen, A.M. et al. has received advanced online publication in Nature. The largest trial of its type to date it presents findings into the efficacy of “brain training” computer games.

“Bang Goes The Theory” is a BBC science programme. Researchers and the BBC Lab UK website retained a respectable 11,430 subjects from an initial 52,617 viewers of “Bang Goes The Theory” who had registered to complete the online study.
Subjects were aged between 18-60 and over six weeks completed a benchmark assessment and at least two full training sessions, with a mean of 24.47 training sessions. Participants were divided into three groups. A general non-reasoning group practiced tasks available with commercial brain training devices: memory, mathematics, visuospatial processing and attention…. View More Brain train or another's gain?

No Comments
April 19, 2010

The Skeptic's Guide to Tarot

This article first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/
or by clicking on the “Useful Info” link at the top of this page.

The appeal of Tarot as a method of fortune telling seems inextricably linked to the exotic nature and large number of cards which make up the deck; they seem so ancient and unfamiliar to people used to the standard, modern, boring 53 card deck of four suits plus joker that their origins must surely be mystical. View More The Skeptic's Guide to Tarot

No Comments
April 12, 2010

General Information (Originally posted at our old site)

We are the Victorian branch of the Australian Skeptics, a science-based organisation run by volunteers.
http://www.keypoint.com.au/~skeptics/skepbits/australia.gif The Skeptics encourage people to be careful about what they believe. Things that sound “too good to be true” – usually aren’t true! Science has revealed many amazing things, but amazing claims are also used to deceive and to rip-off innocent people.
The Skeptics also encourage thoughtful, rational exploration of the world around us, especially in matters considered ‘paranormal‘. To this end, the Skeptics are keen to promote scientific education and a sense of wonder in the natural world.
http://www.keypoint.com.au/~skeptics/skepbits/prism_sm.jpeg

Weird and Wonderful – Read about all manner of supernatural and scientific matters on our Articles page including these popular topics
Creation v Evolution – Sensing Murder – Bed of Nails – Murders and Clairvoyants – Homeopathy
(Yes, “sceptical” & “sceptics” are the correct spellings but we’re so clever we spell them with a k instead. 🙂

April 10, 2010

A Skeptics Guide to Homeopathy

Homeopathy Week is upon us! To celebrate, here is our view on Homeopathy. (This and many other discussion topics can be found at our  “Useful Info” link).

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –


Homeopathy is an “alternative medicine” invented in the early 19th century by German doctor Samuel Hahnemann. Despite numerous experiments showing homeopathy to have no effect, it has become a multi-million dollar international industry with its own special rules in advertising law.
View More A Skeptics Guide to Homeopathy

No Comments
April 6, 2010

Terry's book browsing

I’m just back home from seeing, and enjoying, “God Is Bullshit: And That’s The Good News” by Catherine Deveny at the Trades Hall and on the way home I dropped in to Readings for a browse (as one does).

Conceiving God

My eyes fell upon a book called “Conceiving God: the Cognitive Origin and Evolution of Religion” by David Lewis-Williams. Like a good skeptic I read the blurb and the start and the last page, to see how it ended.
On the last page was a lovely line something, from memory, like this…

Repeatedly, science is modifying religion, never vice versa.

How true.
View More Terry's book browsing

No Comments
March 21, 2010

The iPhone Ghost

As I first saw the image (full size)

It began the way pranks sometimes start these days, as a post to an e-mail discussion group, Q-Skeptics in this case.  The message was along the lines of: I’ve got this photo (attached), and it looks very much like there is a ghost in the photo.  The photo was taken by the mother of the girl in the photo, using a friend’s mobile phone. There were independent witnesses present who saw nothing at the time, but can verify that the photo was taken innocently.
Being good skeptics, we shouldn’t immediately jump to conclusions, but investigate whilst casting doubt.  I’m often reminded that skepticism is a process, not a position.  In practice it is, but in reality it’s difficult.  Anyone like myself, with an interest in photography and a somewhat skeptical attitude, is frequently sent photos containing all kinds of accidental anomalies and challenged with “What do you make of that?” Very tiresome.
View More The iPhone Ghost

No Comments