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The Association for Skeptical Enquiry

Casting a critical eye over suspect science, dubious claims and bizarre beliefs


Welcome to the ASKE website

ASKE was founded in 1997 in the UK by a small group of people from different professional backgrounds who were opposed to the promotion of irrational ideas and practices and the misrepresentation of science for purposes that deceive the public. The association was mainly funded by annual membership subscriptions and donations from people who support its Aims and principles. Its main activity was the circulation of a magazine, the Skeptical Intelligencer which ran from 1996/7 to 2023, and a newsletter, the Skeptical Adversia, which ran from 2000 to 2012, when it was amalgamated with the Skeptical Intelligencer. ASKE ceased collecting membership subscriptions at the end of 2023. However, this website remains active and now serves the following purposes:

New material

By arrangement, you may contribute material to this website, and even have a webpage for your own contributions. Please email ASKE for further information. At present we have one regular contributor (see below).

Skeptical Linguistics: Mark Newbrook's Webpage

Mark Newbrook continues his regular column on skepticism in linguistics on this website. For many years this appeared, along with other papers and reviews by Mark, in the Skeptical Intelligencer (back copies here) under the title 'Language on the Fringe'.

Coming up soon from Mark

David Miano, Ph.D., is a historian, specializing in the cultures of the ancient world. An experienced teacher with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry, he is proprietor of the World of Antiquity YouTube channel, producing video lessons designed for public consumption. In 2022, Miano interviewed me on the subject of undeciphered ancient scripts. See Undeciphered Ancient Scripts (youtube.com}.

An article on this theme will appear on Mark's webpage in due course.

What is skepticism?

Perhaps the first thing to notice is the spelling of the word, which in the UK is usually 'scepticism' (similarly, sceptic and sceptical). In the USA it's spelt 'skeptic', etc. and this spelling has become universal in the present context. Whatever the spelling, in everyday usage saying that you're skeptical about something means that you're not convinced...
Read more...

Being a skeptical activist

Many people from all walks of life are now actively involved in some way in what has become known as The Skeptical Movement .....
Read more....

Practical guides for skeptics

Are you intending consulting 'a psychic'? Or perhaps you are considering testing someone who claims to have paranormal powers. Are you a journalist preparing a newspaper article on a sensational new treatment outside of mainstream medicine or science? Would you like to devise your own quack remedy and set up a successful paractice, even though there is no evidence that it works? Would you like to learn how to be a dowser? The articles in Practical guides for skeptics provide instructions and advice on how to do all of these things. And Other organisations and websites lists many online organisations and individual websites of skeptical interest.

Recommended Reading and Activities for March/April 2025


Can you tell the difference between real and fake news photos? Take the quiz to find out.

Keep tuning into the European Skeptics Podcast for information on a wide range of topics of skeptical interest.

At Greenwich SitP: Professor Richard Wiseman on 'How to Transform a Tea Towel into a Chicken and Other Mysteries' at 7:30 pm on 14/5/25 at The Duke of Greenwich pub, 91 Colomb St, Greenwich, London SE10 9EZ.

‘Prison rehabilitation programs are rarely evidence-based, and seldom effective.’ At the UK Skeptics website

'No Such Thing as Normal': At London's Conway Hall, London and online: 'Why are we being diagnosed and medicated for mental disorders more than ever?'

More added regularly

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SKEPTICAL NEWS

The Wellness Industry

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Tonya Mosley. Today, we are diving into the trillion-dollar machine that is the wellness industry. From what we eat and how we sleep to how we age, move and think, wellness promises to optimize every corner of our lives. Writer Amy Larocca asks what's really behind all the promises of this industry in her new book, "How To Be Well: Navigating Our Self-care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure At A Time." In it, she dives into detoxes, colonics, infrared wraps, sweat lodges, wellness apps and supplements to figure out what is real and what's really just good marketing. What she uncovers isn't just a collection of trends but a vast and revealing system shaped by our beliefs about health, status, gender and worth. She's asking, who does this culture of wellness really serve? Who does it leave behind? And why, even when we see through the sales pitch, we still buy in.

The Harding Prize

Just announced: The 2024 Harding Prize for Trustworthy Communication. 'Is snake meat the solution to global demand for a high-protein but environmentally sustainable diet? Is stem cell therapy about to cure Parkinson's? This year's Harding Prize winners cut through the hype and showed that we can be excited and genuinely inspired by scientific innovations without raising false hopes or making overblown promises of what they will deliver.'

Measles in the US

From Science Vs: 'Measles is spreading in the U.S., with hundreds of cases across more than 20 states. And tons of people online are arguing over how we should feel about it. Some say this is bad because measles is SO contagious — and not enough people get the vaccine. But others say that measles isn't such a big deal, so why are we freaking out?? Didn't basically everyone get this virus back in the day and live to tell the tale? So we’ll find out — what is measles doing to our body (and our brain)? And how can we stop this outbreak ... and possibly rid the world of measles. We hear from New Scientist reporter Grace Wade, Prof. Peter Kasson, Dr. Meru Sheel and Dr. Katherine Gibney'. Free audio recording.

UFOs and the Vatican

'The Vatican should finally reveal the truth about alleged links between UFOs and the church, a top UFO lobbyist has urged. Steve Bassett, executive director of the Paradigm Research Group, said the "truth is coming" - but it might not be the next Pope who releases any bombshell files....'

Online Psychics in the US

'The U.S. online psychic reading market is experiencing significant growth, driven by advancements in technology, evolving consumer preferences, and the increasing acceptance of alternative forms of spirituality. With a projected market value of USD 338 million by 2024, the industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2024 to 2031, reaching USD 521 million by the end of the forecast period. This growth is being propelled by a combination of emerging digital platforms, AI-powered tools, and an evolving consumer base seeking personalized and accessible psychic services.'

Final QED

'After fifteen years of running the UK's largest celebration of science, reason and critical thinking, 2025 will see the final QED conference. As organisers of QED, it has been our pleasure and our privilege to share in those memories. And while the curtain may be coming down, we hope you'll join us one last time as we take over the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel for the weekend of October 25th-26th, with a free Skepticamp event on Friday 24th October. Tickets will go on sale from 3pm UK time on May 6th, 2025.'

Placebo for Premenstrual Syndrome

A clinical trial found that open-label placebo provided with a treatment rationale was an effective, safe, and acceptable treatment for premenstrual syndrome. 'By analysing survey data from the participants' final menstrual cycle, the team found that those who took placebos without an explanation saw a 50 per cent reduction, on average, in the intensity of their PMS symptoms, compared with what they reported before they took the pills. These symptoms were also half as disruptive to their lives. Those who took a placebo with an explanation reported an even greater reduction of 79 per cent in the intensity of their symptoms and 83 per cent less disruption to their lives.'

More about Trump and Science

'75% of US Scientists who Answered Nature poll Consider Leaving: The massive changes in US research brought about by the new administration of President Donald Trump are causing many scientists in the country to rethink their lives and careers. More than 1,200 scientists who responded to a Nature poll — three-quarters of the total respondents — are considering leaving the United States following the disruptions prompted by Trump. Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation.’ (We should welcome them with open arms—Ed.)'

Trump and Science

'Donald Trump, since his return to the White House, has upended the long-standing bipartisan consensus that the government should fund scientific research and then mostly stay out of the way. His Administration has paused communications from health agencies, wiped data from their websites, fired hundreds of government scientists, and proposed slashing the budget of the National Science Foundation by two-thirds.'

'Diagnosis Creep'

'Following Suzanne O'Sullivan's The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far, we have another book just published on the same theme: Searching for Normal: A New Approach to Understanding Mental Health, Distress and Neurodiversity by Sami Timimi (reviewed on March 16 in the Sunday Times). And now the politicians have become involved. ' Health Secretary Wes Streeting has claimed doctors are "overdiagnosing" mental health conditions. Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Streeting said the welfare system had to be "sustainable", as he defended the government's forthcoming reforms aimed at cutting the benefits bill.'

Measles in Texas

'As a measles outbreak spreads across West Texas, Dr. Ana Montanez is fighting an uphill battle to convince some parents that vitamin A, touted by vaccine critics as effective against the highly contagious virus, will not protect their children. … One mother, she said, told her she was giving her two children high doses of vitamin A to ward off measles, based on an article posted by Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nearly a decade before he became President Donald Trump's top health official.'

Vaccination

'If you're thinking about writing a thriller featuring an evil scientist, might I suggest selecting Andrew Wakefield as the central antagonist. Few individuals in the history of biomedicine have done as much harm to public health. From my perspective, there seems little doubt that his deceitful research and twisted advocacy have been a driving force behind the growth of the modern anti-vaccine movement and the rise in outbreaks of infectious diseases, including measles-which kills almost 150,000 people every year, mostly children. Following the advent of this anti-vaccine rhetoric, and no doubt thanks to its legacy, those numbers are rising.'