Australian Skeptics

How Scams infiltrate our brains. Author, actor, facilitator and podcaster Annie McCubbin examines why we sometimes make bad decisions, and explains about the importance of learning about scams. June 4th at the Occidental in Sydney! Find more on Meetup: meetup.com/austskeptics/e…

In good spirits: Why haunted houses are perfect places to connect with others. That’s “connect” to the people you go ghost hunting with, not necessarily with ghosts. msn.com/en-us/health/m…

Agartha, Hyperborea and the Hollow Earth, all old pagan and ancient beliefs which turned to conspiracy are now becoming "mainstream" through borderline content created by race supremacists and apparent neo-nazis. Typically using AI as their medium. theconversation.com/hollow-earth-m…

The 6th of April 2026 was the 60th anniversary of the so-called Westall UFO event. An object described as about the size of a car appeared in the sky near Westall High School in Victoria. Richard Saunders writes about its history and possible speculations. skeptics.com.au/the-westall-uf…

What is the Placebo Effect - does it really exist? And if so, how does it operate? Find out all this and more at our May Skeptics in the Pub, when Dr Sue Ieraci will explore one of the most mythologised and misunderstood effects in medicine. Read more: meetup.com/austskeptics/e…

In the recent film Bigfoot, I Love You, a young couple takes to the forests of Normandy searching for the illusive Bigfoot, finding more than they bargained for. Honestly I'm glad the Abominable Grassman can find work in RomComs these days. filmthreat.com/reviews/bigfoo…

Emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals are undergoing significant population reductions because of climate change impacts on their habitat and food supply. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) now categorises both as endangered. abc.net.au/news/2026-04-0…

Psychic readings in New York to find out if you’re about to get a promotion at work, or if love is in the stars, can cost $250, which is the lower end of what NYC’s most sought-after psychics are charging nowadays aol.com/lifestyle/meet…

Lyme disease's days are numbered. One of the worst and a commonly contracted bacterial infection where ticks are present, Lyme disease, now has a vaccine candidate that is nearly 70% effective. Promising results could spell the eventual end of the strain. skepticalraptor.com/skepticalrapto…

NASA launched the Artemis 2 mission last week, sending the first crewed spacecraft to the Moon in more than 50 years, but a small, dogged group of lunar deniers claim the whole thing is a hoax. A welcome return to homegrown traditional conspiracy theories! thenationalnews.com/news/us/2026/0…

An interesting, honest and sobering Australian article about artificially generated content in media. "The media world is obsessed with AI. And yeah, the tech is mind-blowing, but without human intervention, AI in media is just a fast track to mediocrity." radioinfo.com.au/ai-generative-…

An alleged $20 million insurance scam on Mount Everest saw climbers subjected to staged rescues and admitted to hospitals across Kathmandu in a scheme to fraudulently claim insurance money, Nepali authorities say. nbcnews.com/world/asia/fra…

Anti-vax profiteer, wellness grifter, and HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has recently proclaimed that the keto diet can cure mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. skepticalraptor.com/skepticalrapto…

Dozens of fake pages on Facebook have been cropping up in recent years claiming to be reputable Australian news distributors. Posting fake scandals, alleged cover-ups, dodgy rorts and rumoured fractures within government in a bid to mislead Aussie readers. aap.com.au/factcheck/the-…

Calling all students! Australian Skeptics and The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe bring you NotACon!+Skepticon 2026, 23–25th July. We are delighted to offer a range of scholarships for students able to attend. For more information and how to apply, visit skeptics.com.au

Since Dezi Freeman's manhunt began over 7 months ago, Sovereign citizens received a lot of attention. A culture of those who consistently deny the validity of law and the social contract, they met his story with a combination of disbelief and conspiracy. abc.net.au/news/2026-04-0…

Australian universities fear there is a "false atmosphere of competance" regarding the nearly ubiquitous use of AI by students. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests using AI can undermine the effort required for sustainable, deep learning. theconversation.com/almost-80-of-a…

Citizen scientists voluntarily participate in general scientific research, specialising in whatever field suits them. But until recently, the number of citizen scientists in Australia was estimated at a tenth their true population, at over a million! theconversation.com/there-may-be-1…

Is there nothing our furry sasquatch friend can't do? Living among us in secret, serving in his country's military, swimming across the Atlantic. Bigfoot! is a new musical stage-comedy in New York featuring the missing link as the titular main character. playbill.com/article/watch-…

Public trust in all institutions is falling gradually, and the rise in misinformation and disinformation has led to what many might call a "post-truth era", struggling to easily identify what is verifiable fact and what is fabricated. insightplus.mja.com.au/2026/11/misinf…