Episodes
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We’re almost outnumbered by guests in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, with Lee Traynor joining us to tell us about his foundation’s offer of scholarships to attend the 2026 NZ Skeptics conference. We also have James Kerr on to talk about his article responding to Patrick Medlicott’s claims about degrowth. Then our regulars have their say, talking about Chris Ashenden and his AG1 supplement company, the wild goose chase to invent a reactionless drive, and the reality and disinformation around Kessler syndrome, where earth’s orbits may end up being filled with a cascade of debris.
About this episodeOur Guests:Lee TraynorJames KerrArticles we talk about:Scholarships for students at the 2026 New Zealand Skeptics Conference, ChristchurchDegrowth is exactly the wrong solution to Climate ChangeAG1: The Lazarus of supplements, part 2A Skeptical Reaction to Reactionless DrivesKessler SyndromeNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-06-08 -
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, after advertising our annual conference we get stuck into talking about some weird and wonderful topics. Starting with our guest Dan Ryan, who has been looking into Highden Temple’s new cryptocurrency, Highden Coin, and how badly it’s been configured. Katrina talks about a new breakthrough in de-extinction, with the invention of artificial eggs. And Mark is unimpressed with Aires Tech and their pendants that supposedly protect you from “dangerous” EMF.
About this episodeOur Guests:Daniel RyanArticles we talk about:Conference UpdateA Spiritual Cryptocurrency from Highden TempleEgg or ChickenAires Tech: not Tech, but definitely Airy-fairyNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-05-25 -
Missing episodes?
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In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, the team have found some very disparate topics to talk about. Firstly, Mark has some thoughts about Richard Dawkins’ recent article where he wonders out loud if Claude and other AI models may be conscious. Katrina has pulled on a thread she picked up in a sci-fi book, and has ended up trying to find out if there’s anything to the Buddhist idea of Tukdam - monks whose consciousness supposedly lives on in their bodies for days after they’ve died. Bronwyn has had enough of seeing AG1 adverts on YouTube and elsewhere, so has looked into the company’s founder and his shady past. And Mark covers all things looksmaxxing, focusing on the most popular looksmaxxer today, Clavicular, and the pseudoscientific beauty regime he puts himself through in the pursuit of physical perfection.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Clavicular: Looksmaxxing, Mogging and BonesmashingAG1: The Lazarus of supplements, part 1TukdamThe continuing problem of AI SycophancyNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-05-11 -
In our shiny new episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, we’re all over the show. Mark starts by talking about Givealittle, and their lacklustre response to concerns he and Dan Ryan raised with them a couple of years ago. Then he transitions to talking about Iran’s issue with sycophancy and fake technological advances. Bronwyn looks into the Guinness World Records, and how the organisation has changed over the years - and not for the better. And finally Katrina has been pondering some recent Alzheimer’s Treatments in the context of both statistical and clinical significance.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Breaking the record for obsolescence? The history and controversies of Guinness World RecordsIran’s Potemkin ProblemDon’t say it don’t use it - Alzheimer’s treatments and the stats vs effect dilemmaWhen it’s not okay to GivealittleNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-04-28 -
We’re back with a guest for this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, as Aaron joins us to talk about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a recent pamphlet created by Lloyd Evans that can be handed to members, warning them about being misled. Mark talks about Scientology Runs, and whether trespassing on Scientology property is a good thing or not. Bronwyn talks about how one of Edmund Hillary’s later expeditions promised to look for the Yeti, and Katrina debunks yet another claim that NASA has found aliens.
About this episodeOur Guests:Aaron DaviesArticles we talk about:Everything I know about Skepticism I learned from the BibleHas NASA found alien technology in our skies? Going on a Yeti hunt: Sir Edmund Hillary and the 1960 - 1961 Silver Hut ExpeditionSpeed Running ScientologyNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-03-302026-04-13 -
We start off this week’s episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast talking about a recent change in New Zealand legislation, removing the alcohol restrictions on religious holidays in bars and restaurants. As well as this small but meaningful change, Katrina looks into microplastics to see if they’re a ticking timebomb inside our bodies, Mark double checks whether sugar feeds cancer, and where this idea came from, and Bronwyn looks into the history of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a Christian mission organisation, and uncovers some interesting connections to New Zealand.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Should We Be Worried About Microplastics?Sugar Feeds Cancer?Youth with a Mission (YWAM)Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-03-30 -
We’re joined on this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast by NZ Skeptics committee member Dan Ryan, who recently found that Falun Gong were being less than honest when running stalls at his local market. We also hear from Katrina about Louis Theroux’s new documentary on the “manosphere”, Mark about the Auckland Deep Thinkers group, who don’t appear to be thinking very deeply, and Bronwyn, who has been looking into the history of Friday the 13th and its superstitious beliefs.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Friday the 13th x 3: The mayhem, the meme, and some mathInside the Manosphere – Louis TherouxAuckland Shallow ThinkersA Cult has infiltrated my MarketNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-03-16 -
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, we start off with a short chat about Thomas Driver, followed by an extended amount of blathering from Mark, who fills us in on both his visiting Mormons and some emails the NZ Skeptics have been receiving recently asking if we can publish their articles on our website. Bronwyn has debunked one of Mark’s pet theories, the idea that there’s been an uptick in mushrooms being sold as complementary medicine recently because of companies who were planning to grow marijuana having to repurpose their equipment. And finally Katrina has found the curious case of a French academic who seems to have not only created a fake award to make himself look important, but also faked the existence of multiple organisations that are supposedly linked to the award.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Medical Marijuana and Mushroom ManiaMy first Book of Mormon StoriesPhilology FictionologyFragment 176–191: Poisoning AI Summaries?Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-03-02 -
We’re all over the show in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast. After an impromptu discussion about the UK’s Metropolitan Police and their decision to force members of secretive groups like the Masons to declare their memberships, we launch into several of the topics that were covered in last weekend’s newsletter. Starting with Jeffrey Epstein, Mark talks about several different ideas people have had that there may be secret codes embedded in the recently released email batches. Bronwyn has found an early Skeptic in New Zealand, and chronicles her deep dive into the adventures of Thomas Driver challenging psychics over a century ago. And finally Katrina has looked into the Uncanny Valley, to see what the science is behind this interesting phenomenon and what the kids of Tik Tok are doing with it.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Uncanny ValleyHidden Messages in the Epstein Emails?Dead Skeptics Society: Thomas William Driver, aka Professor Robert Kudarz, Part 1Dead Skeptics Society: Thomas William Driver, aka Professor Robert Kudarz, Part 2Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-02-022026-02-17 -
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast we spend most of our time talking with Jared Brandon about his shiny new YouTube channel, Unholy Light. Jared is attempting to tackle some of the simple-sounding but tough topics related to Christianity, like defining the words they use such as “faith”. Mark also talks about Shawn Bolz, a “prophetic” teacher who has been shown to have most likely been using hot reading techniques to wow Christian congregations around the US, and Kristina Dines, a woman whose toes were supposedly magically restored years after they had been amputated, after she attended a faith healing church service.
About this episodeOur Guests:Jared BrandonUseful Links:Unholy LightArticles we talk about:Christian Hot ReadingsShow me the Toes!Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-02-02 -
We’re back after a hiatus over the Christmas break, with a look into all things skeptical. The team starts off talking about Megalag’s latest videos covering the Honey browser extension debacle. Bronwyn has been looking into the new season of The Telepathy Tapes, and also checking out whether a recent umbrella review of alternative treatments for autism has found anything positive (spoiler: it hasn’t). Katrina is currently being spammed with adverts for “natural” menopause treatments, and has checked out whether any of them have any merit (spoiler: they don’t). And finally Mark has been looking into a relatively new aerospace startup called Reflect Orbital, to see if their business model of shining sunlight onto solar farms at night makes financial sense (spoiler: it doesn’t).
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Menopause SupplementsWham, Bam, Autism scams and a grand slam: Telepathy Tapes, Autistic Barbie, and a systematic review.Reflect Orbital: Engineering marvel or just smoke and mirrors?Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2026-01-20 -
In our last Yeah… Nah! episode of 2025, we have an odd mix of topics to cover - but that doesn’t stop Bronwyn from being able to connect them somehow, as well as tie them in with the theme of Christmas. After some housekeeping, Mark talks about his foray into nature documentaries, dissecting a scene from the 1970s movie “Animals are Beautiful People” and questioning whether any of it is real. Katrina has a dream that one day she might be able to walk into her kitchen and ask a 3D printer to make her a meal, but it turns out that that day is probably a long way off. And Bronwyn has found out (shock horror) that a Netflix documentary series about a claimed UFO abduction plays fast and loose with the truth.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Doomsday Comedy reaches New Zealand2025 AGM Chair’s ReportGive me 3D printed dinners (please)Can Elephants Hold Their Drink?Review: The Manhattan Alien AbductionNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-12-082025-12-22 -
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, our team of intrepid podcasters reveal that the NZ Skeptics’ fundraising offer is just $50 shy of our $2,000 target. Mark then launches into an impassioned monologue about climate change and some of the correspondence he’s received recently. In the aftermath of the recent failed rapture predictions, Bronwyn has been keeping an eye on Tik Tok and has found the Next Big Thing for outraged Christians, a demon-possessed alarm clock. Katrina’s read a parenting book, Hunt, Gather, Parent, and has tried out some of its suggestions - although she remains skeptical about just how scientific the advice is. And finally the team talk about the second season of John Campbell’s documentary series on Destiny church, titled Under His Command, and wonder whether there’s scope for a more thorough look into the church and its finances.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Donate to Siouxsie and double your moneyWhy aren’t we skeptical about climate change?Please don’t offer me opinion disguised as factHow low do we want the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere?Hunt, Gather, Parent - Book ReviewThe ghost in the machine: Are Hatch alarm clocks the highway to hell?Review: Under His Command, Season 2Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-11-102025-11-24 -
In this special episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, we talk with longtime skeptic Siouxsie Wiles about taking her employer, Auckland University, to employment court over their lack of support for her science communication work. We get to hear some of the inside scoop about the court case, and try to figure out why the university chose to go down the legal path rather than making a few simple changes to their policies.
About this episodeLinks to resources we talk about:Period People Aotearoa: https://www.toiaria.org/our-projects/period-people-aotearoa/Period People donations: https://support.auckland.ac.nz/ppaSpinoff piece about why Siouxsie’s crowdfunding: https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-11-2025/siouxsie-wiles-why-im-crowdfunding-despite-winning-my-legal-battle -
We’ve covered some serious topics in this week’s podcast, and some that are thankfully a little more light-hearted. Mark talks about a media request the NZ Skeptics have received to answer questions about UFOs, hoping to make it abundantly clear that despite a number of UFO articles on our website, we don’t actually believe that little green men are visiting us. Bronwyn has delved into our project to collate events of skeptical interest, and looks at what skeptical events happened this fortnight in history. Katrina tackles a more serious topic, of Parental Alienation, asking whether this “syndrome” is even real. And finally Mark continues in this serious vein by looking into New Zealand’s main Men’s Rights website, wondering why the site’s members seem to spend most of their time denigrating women and posting pseudoscientific nonsense.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Interview Request for Student Magazine ProjectThis fortnight in skeptical history - October 28th to November 9thThe Problem with Family Court Social ScienceMENZ vs RealityNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-10-28 -
We have more topics than usual on this week’s Yeah… Nah! podcast episode, with Bronwyn talking about Zholia Alemi and RFK Jr’s circumcision claims, Mark talking about the new book The War on Science and Avi Loeb’s doom and gloom predictions that aliens are coming to kill us, and finally Katrina talking about Gerson Therapy and another sad case of someone foregoing proper medical treatment, with dire consequences. Plus we have an update of sorts on the (non)Rapture of 2025.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Wham, Bam, Autism scams: Circumcisions and AutismThe Actual War on ScienceGerson Therapy strikes againMore bad medicine: Updates on the Zholia Alemi caseAvi Loeb Strikes AgainNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-10-13 -
Katrina’s back and in top form for this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, updating us on the latest research into keto diets, and recent experiments in mice. Mark has an up-date on the failed Rapture prediction, with a new date being suggested of the 7th of October, and a hand-waving excuse as to why it didn’t happen on the 24th. And there was no way Bronwyn wasn’t going to cover the recent claims by Trump and RFK Jr in the US that paracetamol use in pregnancy is the cause of autism.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:The 2025 Keto Mice UpdateWhy was the Rapture predicted for September the 24th? And why didn’t it happen?Wham, Bam, Autism scams: Paracetamol.Newsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-09-29 -
Quick, you only have a few days left before the Antichrist turns up for the end of the world - make sure your room’s tidy, and say goodbye to any Christians in your life before they’re whisked away. In this week’s episode, Mark talks about an Official Information Act request warning the government that the Rapture is happening on Wednesday the 24th of September, 2025, and breaks down what all the mentions of conspiracy theories are in the request. Bronwyn has found a worrying trend on social media of using scare tactics to stop women taking the contraceptive pill. Finally, Bronwyn and Tim talk about a recent talk given by Devamrita Swami to Vic Uni students who were lured in with the promise of free (vegan) food.
About this episodeOur Guests:Tim AtkinArticles we talk about:Birth Control Blues: TikTok is pushing contraceptive skepticism, but are influencers getting the science right?The End of the World as we know it: September 24thNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-09-15 -
This week in the Yeah… Nah! podcast, there’s a smorgasbord of skeptical topics for you to gorge yourself on. Bronwyn has updates to her previous articles on Cryonics, the Warrens, the Campbells and ISTA, while Katrina has concerns about how poor numeracy can have detrimental health outcomes. And Mark has been patiently waiting for a new game, Silksong, to be released, and has found an interesting parallel to how conspiracy theorists behave amongst the many people hyped up about the game’s long-awaited release.
About this episodeArticles we talk about:Skeptical UpdatesNumeracy and Health OutcomesSilkposting and Rabbit HolesNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-09-01 -
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast there’s just one topic on all of our minds - The Telepathy Tapes. Bronwyn, Mark and Katrina talk to Janyce Boynton from the US about the world of Facilitated Communication (FC). Janyce is not only hugely knowledgeable about the world of FC, but was also once a practitioner herself. The conversation ranges from the 1990s through to today, covering not only FC but also RPM, S2C, telepathy, false abuse accusations, the complicity of higher education, copyright strikes, and a whole lot more.
About this episodeOur Guests:Janyce BoyntonArticles we talk about:Wham, Bam, Autism scams: The Telepathy Tapes Part 1Wham, Bam, Autism scams: The Telepathy Tapes Part 2Quantum communication in telepathyThe Talk TracksThe Telepathy Tapes Talk Tracks Two: Back for MoreNewsletter issues these articles appear in:2025-08-042025-08-18 - Show more
