Best Challenging Pseudoscience Podcasts (2025)

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: | Might Makes Right? Great Powers and Challenges to the International Order – Prof Brendan Simms 1:27:30

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5d ago1:27:30

1:27:30

The “rules-based” international system is under threat, both from within and without. However, this is not the first time it has faced challenges, or challengers. Imperial Germany, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy and the Soviet Union ‒ great powers or would-be powers ‒ as well as others, have sought to disrupt or overthrow the world ord…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Truth Test: Science and Pseudoscience in a World of Information Overload – Prof Ian Frazer AC. 32:29

2M ago32:29

32:29

Science is power. So is the ability to persuade people that something is scientific or supported by science, i.e. that science is “on your side”. In a scientific civilisation, when our world is increasingly shaped by, and dependent on, the achievements of science, and the word “science” is often wielded as a weapon, what are the challenges facing s…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The future West: How we can harness new technologies to transform lives – Dr Catherine Ball 32:29

3M ago32:29

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From the scientific method, to the post-industrial economy, to new digital technologies, the West has played a pivotal role in many of the most transformative developments of the modern era. Now with the age of AI and robotics before us, how can we actively shape the future in an age of accelerating change? And how do we harness the power of techno…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Digging Up History: What the Treasures of the Past Can Teach Us Today – Bettany Hughes 46:33

6M ago46:33

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In the age of AI and the smartphone is history a vital form of knowledge? How can the treasures of the past enrich our minds and help us to live more fully today? For our second Ramsay Event for 2025, the Ramsay Centre is pleased to present an in-person lecture by Bettany Hughes OBE titled: Digging Up History: What the Treasures of the Past Can Tea…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Welcome to Oz – Immigration 1788-2100 – Bernard Salt AM together with Professor James Curran 1:17:04

7M ago1:17:04

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Today some 30 per cent of Australia’s population was born overseas, double the proportion in the US and the UK. How has Australia managed to add so many people so quickly and still maintain social cohesion? And how might our immigration mix change in the decades ahead? For our first Ramsay Event for 2025, the Ramsay Centre is pleased to present an …

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Tragedy of 21st Century Geopolitics – Robert D. Kaplan 1:38:34

11M ago1:38:34

1:38:34

Trying to make sense of a world where great power rivalry, war and competition for resources are not ghosts of history but present realities?From the Middle East to Ukraine to the South China Sea, world leaders are confronted by complex crises with no easy solution in sight. US journalist, author and foreign policy advisor Robert D. Kaplan thinks t…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Well-Tempered Power: The Rule of Law in Theory & Practice – Professor Martin Krygier 1:41:41

1y ago1:41:41

1:41:41

What is the key to ‘well-tempered power’? Can the rule of law be sustained by the law alone, or does it need to be blended with distinct cultural, political, social and economic forces? The Western concept of the ‘rule of law’ has not been applied with equal success in countries globally, many of whom have all the dressings of a legal system includ…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Getting Russia Right – Kyle Wilson 1:10:24

1y ago1:10:24

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What is Russian exceptionalism? How can we best understand the mindset of Russians and Russian President Vladimir Putin to ensure the most effective response to the war on Ukraine? Is there a path forward to ‘getting Russia right’? For our fourth Ramsay Lecture for 2024, the Centre is pleased to present an exploration of this topic – a recorded con…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Liberal Education in the 21st Century – Andrew Kern 1:37:17

1+ y ago1:37:17

1:37:17

What is ‘liberal education’? What distinguishes it from vocational education, and even programs of study adopted in many modern liberal arts programs? Can an education focused on ‘knowledge for its own sake’ rather than for professional pursuits and industry careers, hold appeal among current and future generations of scholars? And why is there a r…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Living with Leviathans: Australia in a Multipolar Age – Professor Michael Wesley 1:11:25

1+ y ago1:11:25

1:11:25

What does it mean for Australia that it is part of the West, but geographically remote from it? Must we choose between our geography and our traditional alliances in this multipolar age? For our second Ramsay Lecture for 2024, the Ramsay Centre is delighted to present an in-person lecture by leading strategic analyst and University of Melbourne Dep…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Navigating between China and the US in Asia - Mike Green, Lavina Lee, Milton Osborne, Sam Roggeveen 1:23:41

1+ y ago1:23:41

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Australia’s complex strategic landscape is situated at the crossroads between two global giants – China and the United States. To help explore the geopolitical challenges, economic considerations, and diplomatic nuances that shape Australia’s role in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region, our expert panellists dissect the evolving dynamics, assess potent…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Is the West eccentric? – Rémi Brague 1:09:24

2y ago1:09:24

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For our ninth Ramsay Lecture for 2023, the Centre is delighted to present an exploration of the topic Is the West eccentric? in a recorded conversation between Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines and esteemed French philosopher Rémi Brague, best-selling author and Professor Emeritus of Arabic and Religious Philosophy at the University of Paris, the S…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Are the History Wars Worth Fighting? – Robert Tombs 1:20:25

2y ago1:20:25

1:20:25

Is our past being misrepresented in our schools, cultural institutions, and the broader society; leading to the history of the West being presented as one only worthy of shame, apology, and reparations? Or are the ‘history wars’ merely an invention of the paranoid, to stir up synthetic controversy and prevent belated recognition of dark sides of ou…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Who Will Save Us Now? Searching for Meaning in an Age of Unbelief – John Carroll 1:09:53

2y ago1:09:53

1:09:53

If the modern West is both statistically and culturally no longer Christian, who will save us now? What remains? Are we still searching for meaning in an age of unbelief? To help explore the psyche of the post-Christian West, the Ramsay Centre is pleased to present our sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2023, Professor John Carroll on Who Will Save Us Now? S…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: A Reflection on Liberal Education - An exclusive panel discussion with Emily Langston, Simon Haines and Stephen McInerney 1:07:31

2y ago1:07:31

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What is liberal education? How is it different from professional or practical education? What does it set out to do and how does it form us? To help uncover some of the distinctive features of liberal arts and great books programs, the Ramsay Centre is delighted to present our seventh Ramsay lecture event for 2023: a panel discussion comprising lea…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Secondary Education: Laying the Foundation - An exclusive panel discussion with Elena Douglas, Sarah Golsby-Smith and Elizabeth Stone 1:41:23

2+ y ago1:41:23

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Is our secondary education at risk of becoming second-rate? Is the curriculum too fragmented and lacking in rigour? Have we focused too much on new trends in education while neglecting a knowledge-rich approach? Can we reverse the trajectory in international rankings by returning to fundamentals and laying better foundations? To help uncover some o…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: WEIRD Minds: How religion, marriage and the family made the West psychologically peculiar and particularly prosperous - An exclusive lecture by Dr Joseph Henrich 1:24:10

2+ y ago1:24:10

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Do people in the West think differently to other populations across the globe? Are they psychologically peculiar? If so, why: and what role has this point of difference played in the rise of the industrialised world, and the recent dominance and prosperity of the West? In order to explore the WEIRD nature of the West and how it was created, the Ram…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Socratic Method in the Western Tradition - An exclusive lecture by Peter Boghossian 1:13:39

2+ y ago1:13:39

1:13:39

How do we have “impossible conversations”? What is the basis of belief? How do we disagree fruitfully across philosophical, ideological, and religious divides? In an age of mass education, social media, and polarisation, it is more important than ever to cultivate the art of conversation and debate. But where do we begin? In order to unravel some o…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Western Civilisation: An Australian View - An exclusive panel discussion with Paul Kelly, John Lee and Dave Sharma 1:35:20

2+ y ago1:35:20

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What form does Western civilisation take in modern Australia? What are our unique considerations on being part of the West? How has Western civilisation shaped our past and present, and how will it influence our future? Listen to three accomplished Australians in this Ramsay Lecture panel discussion, as they explore Western civilisation from an Aus…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: John Minford | Four Classics of Chinese Literature: Thoughts from Another Great Civilisation 1:02:57

2+ y ago1:02:57

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In this lecture, the world’s foremost living translator of Chinese literature, Emeritus Professor John Minford, explores four great works in the Chinese tradition that he believes best reveal the ancient lineaments and undercurrents still running through the hearts and spirits of Chinese people today. Professor Minford examines: · The I Ching c. 70…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Hon. Kim Beazley – Australian Self-Reliance: The Task for Our Defence Review 1:29:18

3y ago1:29:18

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What must Australia do to counter the rising military presence of China on Australia’s doorstep? How can it best position itself to meet its security challenges through to 2033 and beyond? In August 2022, Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, and Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, announced a major review …

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Mary Eberstadt – How the West Really Lost God 36:54

3y ago36:54

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In the sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2022 US author and cultural critic Mary Eberstadt expands on the central thesis of her 2013 title, How the West Really Lost God, arguing that the decline in Western churchgoing is more attributable to the collapse of the Western family, especially since the 1960s, than any other commonly touted cause. In pressing her…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Roosevelt Montás - The Liberal Arts: why they matter more than ever 1:04:31

3y ago1:04:31

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What is the effect of reading a whole curriculum of ‘Great Books’? Can prolonged exposure to such texts radically alter the course of a life? Can they speak to people from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds? In the sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2022, Columbia University academic, Dr Roosevelt Montás speaks with Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Professor the Hon Bob Carr - How politics and books shaped a life 1:14:35

3y ago1:14:35

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In the fifth Ramsay Lecture for 2022, former NSW Premier and Foreign Minister, and one of Australia’s most well-read public figures, and an author himself, Professor the Hon Bob Carr delivers a cogent and illuminating lecture on how politics and books have influenced and shaped his life. In this wide-ranging address, Professor Carr, who is also the…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Gary Johns - Charity, Enhancing its value to Australian society 1:00:55

3y ago1:00:55

1:00:55

In the first in-person Ramsay Lecture for 2022, former Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Hon Dr Gary Johns, grants us an in-depth view into the current state of the Australian charity sector. As Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission since 2017, former ALP Minister, the Hon…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Peter Craven - Classics and why we must keep them alive 1:07:30

3+ y ago1:07:30

1:07:30

In the third Ramsay Lecture for 2022, one of Australia’s leading public intellectuals and our most distinguished independent literary critical voice, Peter Craven, poses and answers the question – Classics and why we must keep them alive. In this lecture Peter Craven journeys back in time, taking us through centuries of great works, through various…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Rowan Callick OBE - The party that ate China: the subsuming of a great culture 1:10:06

3+ y ago1:10:06

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In the second Ramsay Lecture for 2022, Walkley Award winner and distinguished China commentator Rowan Callick OBE offers unique insight into the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) and argues that the Party’s actions are subsuming China’s great culture as we know it. Drawing on some 20 years of reporting, Rowan Callick lists examples of manipulation of C…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Bettany Hughes - Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire 47:29

3+ y ago47:29

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In the first Ramsay Lecture for 2022, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us on a journey piecing together the story of Venus and Aphrodite throughout the ages. In this exclusive lecture, the fourth in the series delivered by Professor Hughes for the Ramsay Centre, Bettany draws upon research from her …

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On the legacies of eugenics 48:22

4y ago48:22

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This episode is a recording of a talk given by medical historian, Marius Turda, at the Royal Institution in September 2021. His talk explored the historical roots of eugenics. He argued that the longevity of eugenics is due not just to its promise of drawing together social and cultural theories of human improvement, but also the credibility it was…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Tom Holland – ‘Why the West is more Christian than it thinks’ 58:25

4y ago58:25

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What has been the impact of Christianity on the development of Western civilisation? Could it have been so profound that it is now hidden from view? Even in a secular West, are we ‘goldfish swimming in a Christian pond’? In our final Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Centre Academic Director and Deputy CEO Dr. Stephen McInerney interviews award-winning UK h…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Socrates and his Athens - An exclusive lecture by Professor Bettany Hughes OBE 1:00:47

4y ago1:00:47

1:00:47

In the eighth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us back to Golden Age Athens, as seen through the eyes of Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher and arguably the true father of western thought. In her exclusive lecture Professor Hughes draws on her comprehensive research on…

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Science museums and the 'culture war' 51:44

4y ago51:44

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This episode features a panel discussion hosted online by the Association of British Science Writers in October 2021. The theme was the so-called ‘culture war’ and its effect on the UK's science and technology museums. The panelists discuss their personal experiences of government influence on museum independence and policy, and who should and shou…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Great Covid Panic: Ramsay Centre CEO Prof. Simon Haines in Discussion with Prof. Gigi Foster 1:00:46

4y ago1:00:46

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In this seventh Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Professor Gigi Foster joins Ramsay Centre CEO, Professor Simon Haines, in discussion on The Great Covid Panic: What Happened, Why, and What To Do Next.By The Ramsay Centre

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: "Istanbul, Constantinople, Byzantium – the Queen of Cities" An exclusive lecture by Bettany Hughes OBE 1:00:34

4y ago1:00:34

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In the sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us on ‘dazzling historical journey through the many incarnations of one of the world’s greatest cities’ – Istanbul. In her lecture, Istanbul, Constantinople, Byzantium – the Queen of Cities, Professor Hughes draws upon her in-de…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The sensible centre: can it hold? In conversation with award-winning journalist Chris Uhlmann 58:12

4y ago58:12

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In the fifth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines interviews Chris Uhlmann about Australia’s response to COVID-19, and what it reveals about our politics, Federation, media, and leadership and its possible long-term effect on our future generations.By The Ramsay Centre

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Fake news fighters 41:16

4y ago41:16

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This episode features a panel discussion held at the British Science Festival Live in Chelmsford, UK, in September 2021. The theme was fake news and how to tackle the spread of scientific misinformation. The panelists discuss how social media algorithms help the spread of misinformation and fake news, they speak about the language to be aware of wh…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 13 – Aeschylus’ The Oresteia: The Eumenides 32:24

4y ago32:24

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By The Ramsay Centre

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Last Straw: has Covid-19 finally broken freedom’s back? Lord Daniel Hannan in conversation with Professor Simon Haines 56:50

4y ago56:50

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In the fourth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines interviews Lord Daniel Hannan where they discuss and answer the question “The Last Straw: has Covid-19 finally broken freedom’s back?”By The Ramsay Centre

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SS 315 - Diet Breaks for Fat Loss- Yay or Nay? 35:11

4y ago35:11

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In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Heavey shares the research on diet breaks for fat loss. The boys also announce a big change to the podcast format. Finally, they touch on the mental health and stress levels of high-level athletes such as Simone Biles...and how the last year has affected all of us. If you love the strength part of Stre…

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SS 314 - How Grant Lost 30 Pounds of Fat… And A Debate Over the 75 Hard Challenge 48:26

4y ago48:26

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In this episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant shares his journey of losing over 30 pounds in the last 7 months. Addressing his 4 pillars of health, Coach Heavey walks through Grant’s progress and success. The boys also answer a listener question about the 75 Hard Challenge. Is it worth it? Is it really about mental toughness or marketing genius? If…

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SS 313 - Is Willpower Genetic? 33:40

4y ago33:40

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In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss nature vs nurture: Is willpower genetic and thus preordained at birth? The boys also debate who has the most willpower between the two of them. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd like to get into the best shape of your life, be sure to subscribe to Hea…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 12 – Aeschylus' The Oresteia: The Libation Bearers 27:52

4y ago27:52

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By The Ramsay Centre

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SS 312 - The #1 Reason People Fail to Lose Weight 41:12

4y ago41:12

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In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Coach Heavey discusses the #1 reason why people struggle with fat loss- it’s not what you think! Grant also shares his recent success with fat loss, a memorable 9-mile run and a sneak peek at this month’s whiskey club selection. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd like to get i…

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Misinformation and censorship on social media 50:03

4y ago50:03

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This episode features a panel discussion held at the Association of British Science Writers online in June 2021. The theme was misinformation and censorship on social media. The panel discussed how algorithms that feed us science news on social media sometimes promote disinformation and inadvertently demote good scientific content. The panelists ex…

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SS 311 - Concurrent Training: What Happens When You Mix Cardio and Lifting 38:00

4+ y ago38:00

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In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey chat about concurrent training: the combination of weight training and cardio. Does cardio interfere with strength gains? What’s the ideal workout order, recovery period and frequency of training when combining strength and cardio? Tune in to hear what the research says ...and to hear …

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 11 - Aeschylus' The Oresteia: Agamemnon 33:39

4+ y ago33:39

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By The Ramsay Centre

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Vaccines: Warriors and worriers 1:20:33

4+ y ago1:20:33

1:20:33

This episode was a panel discussion about vaccines hosted by the Royal Institution in February 2021. The panel explored how vaccines work, why some people are sceptical of them despite the evidence, and how disinformation about vaccines spreads online. They also took questions from the audience, offering lots of practical advice. The discussion was…

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Disinformation and how to counter it 1:08:47

4+ y ago1:08:47

1:08:47

This episode was a panel discussion on the theme of disinformation held at the Association of British Science Writers for their online UK Conference of Science Journalists in October 2020. We focused on the difference between misinformation and disinformation, the tactics of those spreading pseudoscientific theories such as climate change denial, a…

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SS 310 - All Things Running with Coach Nicole 56:48

4+ y ago56:48

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In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey are joined by Coach Nicole of Evidence Based Athlete to answer all of Grant’s running questions. Having recently been bit by the running bug, Grant gets advice on running shoes, how to properly increase mileage, setting running goals, form tweaks and mindset. If you love the strength p…

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The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Why are we so rich - Prof Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago 48:39

4+ y ago48:39

48:39

Prof Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago discusses why Liberalism and not investment or exploitation or Christianity made us rich.By The Ramsay Centre