Podcasts

Token Skeptic podcast – a weekly look at superstition, paranormal belief and the science behind it all. The podcast covers a range of ideas and issues, stemming from psychology, belief, philosophy and ethics, science, critical thinking, literacy and education.

Launched at the end of 2009 (to coincide with Christmas), updates and transcripts will feature at the official site at www.tokenskeptic.org. The show now features around three thousand downloads every week and climbing!

Interviews have included: Michael McRae of CSIRO; Desiree Schell of Skeptically Speaking; Daniel Loxton of Junior Skeptic; Julian Morrow of The Chasers; science fiction author Scott Sigler; Dr Scott Lilienfeld; JREF’s Michael Blanford; Dr Phillip Cam; Professor Daniel Simons And Christopher Chabris; Hungry Beast’s Daniel Keogh and Australian Science Communicators President, Dr Jesse Shore.

The Skeptic Zone began in 2008 and is Australia’s featured independent Social Science podcast which regularly ranks in the top ten of the Science category of iTunes internationally. With nearly ten thousand regular listeners every week, the presenters have made guest appearances in other popular podcasts like The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe, The Geologic Podcast and Skeptic Magazine’s Skepticality. The Skeptic Zone has presented at science and critical thinking conferences nationally and internationally.

Keen activists for consumer rights and health concerns, the team has also appeared in the mainstream press, challenging anti-vaccination campaigners and questioning credulous attitudes towards the paranormal and pseudoscience claims.

The Skeptic Zone features reporters with backgrounds in medicine, education, science communication, magic, comedy and music.

Some of the interviews and panels I’ve conducted for the show include:

Episode #4 - Dr Phil Plait, Loretta Marron, Michael McRae;
Episode #6 - Dr Karl Kruszelnicki;
Episode #7 – James Randi;
Episode #9 – Potholer54;
Episode #10 – Skepticality’s hosts Derek and Swoopy;
Episode #14 – Jon Ronson;
Episode #22 – Alom Shaha;
Episode #28 – Stephen Fry;
Episode #30 – Bruce M. Hood;
Episode #36 – Lecture on Weird Beliefs presented to the Perth Atheists
Episode #42 – Professor Leonie Rennie;
Episode #44 – Slau;
Episode #47 – Paranormal, Pseudoscience and Conspiracy Theory Beliefs in Australia
Episode #50 – Barbara Drescher, of CTEG, Jason Bilotta of SkeptiKids and Heidi Anderson of SheThought
Episode #54 - Darwin’s Bulldogs Panel – creationism and education
Episode #56 – Rikki Burns & Thomas Perry
Episode #61 – Jack of Kent and the libel case against Simon Singh
Episode #63 – Psychology and Skepticism in the Classroom Panel – Kylie Sturgess, DJ Grothe, Dr Martin Bridgstock, Barbara Drescher, Matt Lowry.
Episode #66 – Sean the Blogonaut and Michael Marshall of the 10:23 Campaign
Episode #68 – Professor Christopher French of the UK Skeptics
Episode #70 – Matthew Baxter
Episode #71 – The Young Australian Skeptics
Episode #73 – Milton Mermikides
Episode #75 – Julian Morrow of The Chasers
Episode #77 – Crispian Jago
Episode #78 – Dr Petra Boynton
Episode #80 – Holfordwatch, Gimpy and BrainDuck on Science Bloggers vs Dore
Episode #84 – Warren Bonett of Embiggen Books
Episode #86 – Professor David Blair on the SKA
Episode #87 – Dr Janis Bennion on Skeptic Ladies
Episode #89 – Dr Pamela Gay