1 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:09,049 welcome to the skeptic Zone the podcast 2 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:13,940 from Australia for science and reason 3 00:00:23,570 --> 00:00:16,850 [Applause] 4 00:00:25,370 --> 00:00:23,580 [Music] 5 00:00:29,769 --> 00:00:25,380 yes it's the skeptic Zone podcast 6 00:00:32,450 --> 00:00:29,779 episode number 760 for the 30th of April 7 00:00:35,270 --> 00:00:32,460 2023 Richard Saunders coming to you this 8 00:00:39,049 --> 00:00:35,280 week from Bend Oregon from the 9 00:00:42,290 --> 00:00:39,059 headquarters of the skeptoid podcast I'm 10 00:00:44,990 --> 00:00:42,300 having a few days to get over jet lag 11 00:00:46,670 --> 00:00:45,000 with my good buddy Brian Dunning and 12 00:00:49,869 --> 00:00:46,680 we've already sampled a few of the 13 00:00:53,990 --> 00:00:49,879 wonderful local beers here in Bend and 14 00:00:55,549 --> 00:00:54,000 he tried to beat me at pool but that's a 15 00:00:57,910 --> 00:00:55,559 story for another day 16 00:01:00,049 --> 00:00:57,920 what however are the stories for today 17 00:01:01,850 --> 00:01:00,059 on this week's episode we're going to 18 00:01:04,549 --> 00:01:01,860 kick off with an interview with a good 19 00:01:07,070 --> 00:01:04,559 friend of the skeptic Zone chunder from 20 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:07,080 India and this interview is being 21 00:01:12,710 --> 00:01:10,380 conducted by Adrian Hill and I'm looking 22 00:01:14,330 --> 00:01:12,720 forward to seeing Adrian Hill next week 23 00:01:16,789 --> 00:01:14,340 in Canada 24 00:01:18,350 --> 00:01:16,799 Adrian tatsuabijit about many things 25 00:01:20,690 --> 00:01:18,360 including 26 00:01:23,090 --> 00:01:20,700 ayurvedic medicine now this is one 27 00:01:26,270 --> 00:01:23,100 branch of alternative medicine I know 28 00:01:28,969 --> 00:01:26,280 only a little bit about so I found this 29 00:01:30,890 --> 00:01:28,979 interview very interesting following 30 00:01:33,350 --> 00:01:30,900 that it's the return of the book of Tim 31 00:01:35,810 --> 00:01:33,360 with Tim Mendham recorded at the skeptic 32 00:01:39,109 --> 00:01:35,820 Zone Studios and Tim is going to be 33 00:01:40,910 --> 00:01:39,119 looking at a very early investigation by 34 00:01:44,330 --> 00:01:40,920 the Australian Skeptics into psychic 35 00:01:47,090 --> 00:01:44,340 surgery in fact this is Story one in 36 00:01:50,870 --> 00:01:47,100 volume one of the magazine the skeptic 37 00:01:53,450 --> 00:01:50,880 published way back in 1981 then to round 38 00:01:56,510 --> 00:01:53,460 off the show the Trove archives part two 39 00:01:58,969 --> 00:01:56,520 of our series on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 40 00:02:00,770 --> 00:01:58,979 the creator of Sherlock Holmes and this 41 00:02:05,810 --> 00:02:00,780 week we're going to look for references 42 00:02:07,550 --> 00:02:05,820 to Conan Doyle's belief in in fairies at 43 00:02:11,570 --> 00:02:07,560 the bottom of the Garden or fairies in 44 00:02:14,150 --> 00:02:11,580 the woods a strange story indeed and 45 00:02:15,290 --> 00:02:14,160 next week next week in the Trove segment 46 00:02:17,869 --> 00:02:15,300 we're going to be looking at the 47 00:02:20,210 --> 00:02:17,879 relationship between Sir Arthur Conan 48 00:02:23,089 --> 00:02:20,220 Doyle a staunch believer in the 49 00:02:28,670 --> 00:02:23,099 Paranormal and Harry Houdini 50 00:02:30,949 --> 00:02:28,680 a famed debunker of fake psychics 51 00:02:32,750 --> 00:02:30,959 now before we start in Australia I 52 00:02:35,570 --> 00:02:32,760 noticed that the teachers have gone back 53 00:02:37,610 --> 00:02:35,580 to their uh to their lessons in many 54 00:02:39,350 --> 00:02:37,620 parts of Australia and to let you know 55 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:39,360 I'm thinking about you because I think 56 00:02:44,570 --> 00:02:42,480 what you do is a a terrific job and it 57 00:02:47,509 --> 00:02:44,580 can be very difficult and very stressful 58 00:02:50,330 --> 00:02:47,519 so you teachers out there up and down 59 00:02:52,610 --> 00:02:50,340 the coast hats off to you but now it's 60 00:02:55,910 --> 00:02:52,620 time for me to run into Brian dunning's 61 00:02:59,570 --> 00:02:55,920 Kitchen open the skeptoid fridge what do 62 00:03:02,210 --> 00:02:59,580 I find I find some lovely cheese Oregon 63 00:03:11,949 --> 00:03:02,220 cheese well I eat that I hope you enjoy 64 00:03:11,959 --> 00:03:17,360 thank you 65 00:03:24,229 --> 00:03:21,290 [Music] 66 00:03:28,610 --> 00:03:24,239 can count on Adrian 67 00:03:33,229 --> 00:03:30,949 hello everyone this is Adrian Hill from 68 00:03:36,649 --> 00:03:33,239 Canada here and I have a really special 69 00:03:38,990 --> 00:03:36,659 guest and friend with me today babajit 70 00:03:41,449 --> 00:03:39,000 Chanda is joining me all the way from 71 00:03:43,850 --> 00:03:41,459 New Delhi India and he is the host of 72 00:03:46,309 --> 00:03:43,860 the podcast and YouTube channel called 73 00:03:50,330 --> 00:03:46,319 rationable 74 00:03:56,930 --> 00:03:52,910 so today I'm really happy to connect 75 00:04:02,030 --> 00:03:56,940 with Abhijit because we met originally 76 00:04:04,789 --> 00:04:02,040 in 2018 at cycon and I believe we were 77 00:04:07,430 --> 00:04:04,799 both really at the beginning of our 78 00:04:10,190 --> 00:04:07,440 skeptical Adventures is that correct for 79 00:04:11,509 --> 00:04:10,200 you oh absolutely absolutely I needed 80 00:04:13,729 --> 00:04:11,519 something to kind of give me that little 81 00:04:15,170 --> 00:04:13,739 push in the right direction and that's 82 00:04:18,590 --> 00:04:15,180 what that's what happened right there 83 00:04:21,110 --> 00:04:18,600 yeah we were sitting in the front row of 84 00:04:24,409 --> 00:04:21,120 the very first workshop with Susan 85 00:04:26,210 --> 00:04:24,419 gerbeck and Mark Edward and the two of 86 00:04:28,370 --> 00:04:26,220 us were side by side we introduced each 87 00:04:30,050 --> 00:04:28,380 other to ourselves and found out a 88 00:04:32,510 --> 00:04:30,060 little bit about each other and I 89 00:04:34,610 --> 00:04:32,520 believe I tried to recruit you to be a 90 00:04:38,330 --> 00:04:34,620 gsow editor even though I was just in 91 00:04:40,550 --> 00:04:38,340 training I was just started you're very 92 00:04:43,070 --> 00:04:40,560 good at sales I'll give you that because 93 00:04:45,350 --> 00:04:43,080 I did sign up eventually yeah you did 94 00:04:46,850 --> 00:04:45,360 sign up but then then you decided no 95 00:04:50,810 --> 00:04:46,860 this isn't quite what you wanted to do 96 00:04:53,330 --> 00:04:50,820 you wanted to take your own Road and and 97 00:04:54,950 --> 00:04:53,340 you have done really well so just 98 00:04:57,350 --> 00:04:54,960 describe a little bit about what you've 99 00:04:59,030 --> 00:04:57,360 been up to and uh first off I want to 100 00:05:02,629 --> 00:04:59,040 give you my perspective of our first 101 00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:02,639 meeting because yes I was in a complete 102 00:05:07,909 --> 00:05:04,800 stranger to this world to the skeptical 103 00:05:10,249 --> 00:05:07,919 Society the community and I had walked 104 00:05:12,469 --> 00:05:10,259 in this was day one I mean I first of 105 00:05:14,210 --> 00:05:12,479 all I'm actually an introvert most 106 00:05:16,370 --> 00:05:14,220 people won't believe it but I usually am 107 00:05:18,950 --> 00:05:16,380 because I I need a lot of energy to kind 108 00:05:21,290 --> 00:05:18,960 of okay I'm gonna talk to people and I 109 00:05:23,570 --> 00:05:21,300 just sat down and I was like okay here 110 00:05:26,689 --> 00:05:23,580 we go and I just I had no expectations 111 00:05:28,670 --> 00:05:26,699 at all and you were so welcoming and so 112 00:05:30,529 --> 00:05:28,680 warm and you started chatting with me 113 00:05:32,810 --> 00:05:30,539 immediately and you've made me feel so 114 00:05:36,350 --> 00:05:32,820 welcome that it was like okay I can get 115 00:05:41,029 --> 00:05:38,629 let's do that yeah 116 00:05:46,070 --> 00:05:41,039 awesome 117 00:05:48,290 --> 00:05:46,080 Susan will say that because that's the 118 00:05:49,850 --> 00:05:48,300 first time I met Susan as well that I 119 00:05:52,670 --> 00:05:49,860 kind of disappeared into the woodwork 120 00:05:55,430 --> 00:05:52,680 did you know I was out are you kind of 121 00:05:57,770 --> 00:05:55,440 towering above the woodwork yeah no I 122 00:06:00,170 --> 00:05:57,780 was really quiet especially around Susan 123 00:06:01,909 --> 00:06:00,180 because she was at that time to me a bit 124 00:06:03,770 --> 00:06:01,919 of an intimidating figure just because 125 00:06:05,450 --> 00:06:03,780 you know she was head of this 126 00:06:09,110 --> 00:06:05,460 organization that I just joined I didn't 127 00:06:10,909 --> 00:06:09,120 even know who Susan was but I was when I 128 00:06:13,490 --> 00:06:10,919 sat next to you that was the very first 129 00:06:15,350 --> 00:06:13,500 thing from the from scicon and I was 130 00:06:17,689 --> 00:06:15,360 feeling the same way it's funny but I 131 00:06:19,969 --> 00:06:17,699 just turned to you and forced myself to 132 00:06:21,529 --> 00:06:19,979 start talking and it was just very 133 00:06:23,510 --> 00:06:21,539 comfortable from the beginning so I 134 00:06:25,430 --> 00:06:23,520 think that's pretty cool I'm so glad 135 00:06:27,230 --> 00:06:25,440 that is so chill like I thought you were 136 00:06:28,909 --> 00:06:27,240 like you were like a you know total pro 137 00:06:30,950 --> 00:06:28,919 at this like hey I've been here a 138 00:06:31,870 --> 00:06:30,960 million times before I you know I know 139 00:06:34,969 --> 00:06:31,880 everybody 140 00:06:36,409 --> 00:06:34,979 I knew nobody it was my first psychon I 141 00:06:39,409 --> 00:06:36,419 think we just kind of Meant to hit it 142 00:06:43,010 --> 00:06:39,419 off so I think so fantastic so it's so 143 00:06:44,749 --> 00:06:43,020 nice to finally interview you and the 144 00:06:47,210 --> 00:06:44,759 reason that I've asked you to come on 145 00:06:49,550 --> 00:06:47,220 the show is because I had kind of an 146 00:06:51,409 --> 00:06:49,560 interesting experience on my last trip 147 00:06:54,170 --> 00:06:51,419 on our cruise I want to tell you a 148 00:06:57,050 --> 00:06:54,180 little story that happened we had this 149 00:06:59,749 --> 00:06:57,060 lovely waiter from India he was from 150 00:07:02,210 --> 00:06:59,759 Mumbai and we like to be interested in 151 00:07:03,770 --> 00:07:02,220 people we sit by the people who are 152 00:07:05,330 --> 00:07:03,780 working on the cruise ship and we just 153 00:07:07,070 --> 00:07:05,340 like to ask questions and so we were 154 00:07:09,170 --> 00:07:07,080 just asking him lots of stuff and he was 155 00:07:11,270 --> 00:07:09,180 a great Storyteller and so he was 156 00:07:12,950 --> 00:07:11,280 telling us all about his family back 157 00:07:14,510 --> 00:07:12,960 home and where he lives and where his 158 00:07:17,029 --> 00:07:14,520 wife's from and what his kids are like 159 00:07:20,529 --> 00:07:17,039 it was awesome and then a few days later 160 00:07:24,409 --> 00:07:20,539 we got into his magical cures he was 161 00:07:27,050 --> 00:07:24,419 very much into ayurvedic medicine and he 162 00:07:30,469 --> 00:07:27,060 was really trying to teach us about it 163 00:07:33,050 --> 00:07:30,479 which I found quite delightful but also 164 00:07:35,150 --> 00:07:33,060 amusing as you would know he had no idea 165 00:07:36,710 --> 00:07:35,160 that I'm from a skeptical community and 166 00:07:39,969 --> 00:07:36,720 I didn't think it was the time or the 167 00:07:43,790 --> 00:07:39,979 place to to set him straight 168 00:07:46,550 --> 00:07:43,800 exactly and we love to stories so we 169 00:07:48,650 --> 00:07:46,560 were we were interested but the very 170 00:07:52,430 --> 00:07:48,660 first thing that he started talking 171 00:07:55,730 --> 00:07:52,440 about was something called shilojit and 172 00:07:57,830 --> 00:07:55,740 he said it cured his knees he takes it 173 00:08:00,010 --> 00:07:57,840 every day it makes him feel much better 174 00:08:03,529 --> 00:08:00,020 it gives him energy you know the classic 175 00:08:05,629 --> 00:08:03,539 cure-all type of thing but he he he sold 176 00:08:07,969 --> 00:08:05,639 it right he really said this is amazing 177 00:08:12,110 --> 00:08:07,979 stuff and so the first thing I did after 178 00:08:13,550 --> 00:08:12,120 dinner was reach out to you and ask what 179 00:08:15,230 --> 00:08:13,560 is this stuff and you had some 180 00:08:17,870 --> 00:08:15,240 interesting things to say so tell us a 181 00:08:20,029 --> 00:08:17,880 little bit about this this is um it's 182 00:08:21,830 --> 00:08:20,039 very it's very interesting it's been in 183 00:08:25,010 --> 00:08:21,840 ayurveda for a very long time and it's 184 00:08:27,409 --> 00:08:25,020 called the oil of the Himalayas in some 185 00:08:29,869 --> 00:08:27,419 ways of the Himalayas it's a black 186 00:08:31,909 --> 00:08:29,879 greasy substance I'm not sure where it 187 00:08:33,829 --> 00:08:31,919 comes from and it's a it is something 188 00:08:37,250 --> 00:08:33,839 that can be found in the mountains but 189 00:08:41,630 --> 00:08:37,260 it has recently become even bigger 190 00:08:44,570 --> 00:08:41,640 because there has this brand of alcohol 191 00:08:46,970 --> 00:08:44,580 line water which has come into the 192 00:08:49,370 --> 00:08:46,980 Indian market called evocus and it's 193 00:08:51,710 --> 00:08:49,380 everywhere it's black water it doesn't 194 00:08:54,009 --> 00:08:51,720 look very appetizing but it's they claim 195 00:08:56,449 --> 00:08:54,019 that it has a 70 or 80 different 196 00:08:58,850 --> 00:08:56,459 minerals in it they don't have anything 197 00:09:00,889 --> 00:08:58,860 written on the ingredients label or the 198 00:09:02,750 --> 00:09:00,899 nutrition label interesting so they've 199 00:09:04,910 --> 00:09:02,760 got it written on the front they got 200 00:09:07,730 --> 00:09:04,920 nothing to show for it in the back what 201 00:09:11,210 --> 00:09:07,740 they say is is this thing called fulvic 202 00:09:14,329 --> 00:09:11,220 acid which somehow an acid turns things 203 00:09:16,190 --> 00:09:14,339 alkaline I don't understand how they 204 00:09:19,130 --> 00:09:16,200 think that works but that was very 205 00:09:23,630 --> 00:09:19,140 interesting nonetheless but fulvic acid 206 00:09:25,430 --> 00:09:23,640 is what they use in this water to make 207 00:09:29,389 --> 00:09:25,440 it black and they say that it's the same 208 00:09:32,509 --> 00:09:29,399 kind of stuff that has been that 209 00:09:35,030 --> 00:09:32,519 basically shilajit is so reading of the 210 00:09:37,550 --> 00:09:35,040 Wikipedia page which I'm sure Susan 211 00:09:39,530 --> 00:09:37,560 would appreciate humic substances are 212 00:09:44,210 --> 00:09:39,540 organic compounds that are important 213 00:09:45,949 --> 00:09:44,220 components of humus not hummus humus the 214 00:09:48,710 --> 00:09:45,959 top of the soil the most fertile part of 215 00:09:51,949 --> 00:09:48,720 the soil which is and peat and coal and 216 00:09:55,310 --> 00:09:51,959 also it's a constituent of many Upland 217 00:09:57,350 --> 00:09:55,320 streams dystrophic lakes and ocean water 218 00:09:59,630 --> 00:09:57,360 now I am not a geologist so I'm not 219 00:10:01,790 --> 00:09:59,640 really sure exactly what that means but 220 00:10:04,370 --> 00:10:01,800 basically these humic substances like 221 00:10:06,829 --> 00:10:04,380 fulvic acid you know organic acids and 222 00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:06,839 compounds which you know kind of are 223 00:10:12,350 --> 00:10:10,620 found in such areas and shilajit has 224 00:10:15,170 --> 00:10:12,360 been one of these things which has been 225 00:10:17,269 --> 00:10:15,180 in use in ayurveda for a very long time 226 00:10:19,430 --> 00:10:17,279 and it's supposed to have some magical 227 00:10:21,769 --> 00:10:19,440 healing properties but as you would 228 00:10:23,470 --> 00:10:21,779 rightly guess I don't think there have 229 00:10:26,509 --> 00:10:23,480 been any studies 230 00:10:28,310 --> 00:10:26,519 reliable randomized control trials done 231 00:10:30,910 --> 00:10:28,320 on fulvic acids and their effects on 232 00:10:34,190 --> 00:10:30,920 humans at least none that I could find 233 00:10:35,690 --> 00:10:34,200 so that's that now of course with 234 00:10:37,430 --> 00:10:35,700 ayurveda that's that's pretty much what 235 00:10:39,170 --> 00:10:37,440 everybody even with Homeopathy people 236 00:10:41,150 --> 00:10:39,180 will swear by it they say it made this 237 00:10:42,410 --> 00:10:41,160 rash go away and made this go away and 238 00:10:45,190 --> 00:10:42,420 it's done amazing things for this and 239 00:10:50,569 --> 00:10:45,200 that but of course it's got absolutely 240 00:10:53,590 --> 00:10:50,579 no foundation in reality it's all you 241 00:10:56,630 --> 00:10:53,600 know confirmation bias placebo effect 242 00:10:58,130 --> 00:10:56,640 and of course returning what is called 243 00:11:01,250 --> 00:10:58,140 regression to the mean which is 244 00:11:05,030 --> 00:11:01,260 basically a lot of diseases or disorders 245 00:11:07,250 --> 00:11:05,040 tend to go back to a more maintainable 246 00:11:08,750 --> 00:11:07,260 stage where basically it disappears and 247 00:11:10,970 --> 00:11:08,760 it might come back at a later time but 248 00:11:11,990 --> 00:11:10,980 people of course associate this with all 249 00:11:15,170 --> 00:11:12,000 sorts of things that they're doing at 250 00:11:17,210 --> 00:11:15,180 the time right same mechanism by by uh 251 00:11:20,030 --> 00:11:17,220 full footballers you know where magic 252 00:11:22,370 --> 00:11:20,040 undies or soccer necklaces and don't 253 00:11:24,889 --> 00:11:22,380 wash their socks anyway but it's the 254 00:11:27,050 --> 00:11:24,899 same mechanism basically so that's the 255 00:11:29,930 --> 00:11:27,060 that's the science or lack thereof 256 00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:29,940 behind shilajit wow interesting stuff 257 00:11:34,490 --> 00:11:32,160 I'd never heard of it before of course I 258 00:11:36,050 --> 00:11:34,500 had heard of ayurvedic medicine you 259 00:11:37,610 --> 00:11:36,060 brought it to my attention and of course 260 00:11:39,470 --> 00:11:37,620 the thing is that a lot of people just 261 00:11:41,990 --> 00:11:39,480 assume that since this is natural this 262 00:11:44,509 --> 00:11:42,000 is again the naturalistic fallacy that 263 00:11:46,310 --> 00:11:44,519 in because it's natural you can just 264 00:11:48,170 --> 00:11:46,320 sculp it down and there's going to be 265 00:11:52,130 --> 00:11:48,180 absolutely no side effects so of course 266 00:11:53,569 --> 00:11:52,140 that is not usually the case there is 267 00:11:55,910 --> 00:11:53,579 always if there is an effect there will 268 00:11:57,949 --> 00:11:55,920 be a side effect are there any known 269 00:11:59,449 --> 00:11:57,959 side effects like risks if you take too 270 00:12:02,569 --> 00:11:59,459 much Etc 271 00:12:05,050 --> 00:12:02,579 as far as side effects you shouldn't 272 00:12:07,130 --> 00:12:05,060 consume it raw or unprocessed 273 00:12:09,889 --> 00:12:07,140 you're just gonna lick it off the 274 00:12:12,650 --> 00:12:09,899 mountains well that was one of the the 275 00:12:14,990 --> 00:12:12,660 stories he told us was that you know 276 00:12:16,490 --> 00:12:15,000 memory is fickle so I might not get this 277 00:12:19,790 --> 00:12:16,500 right but what he was saying is that 278 00:12:22,730 --> 00:12:19,800 they'd observed monkeys licking the 279 00:12:25,130 --> 00:12:22,740 rocks that this was oozing out of and 280 00:12:28,190 --> 00:12:25,140 they noticed that these monkeys lived 281 00:12:31,250 --> 00:12:28,200 longer and therefore they thought it 282 00:12:33,050 --> 00:12:31,260 might help humans and it does according 283 00:12:35,630 --> 00:12:33,060 to him I thought that was an interesting 284 00:12:36,889 --> 00:12:35,640 story you haven't heard that one I 285 00:12:39,410 --> 00:12:36,899 haven't heard that one but it would be 286 00:12:42,410 --> 00:12:39,420 an interesting test to do 287 00:12:44,269 --> 00:12:42,420 to see how many people live longer the 288 00:12:46,850 --> 00:12:44,279 ones who consumed shilajit it's going to 289 00:12:49,250 --> 00:12:46,860 be difficult because you know mainstream 290 00:12:50,810 --> 00:12:49,260 medicine has already made people live a 291 00:12:52,610 --> 00:12:50,820 hell of a lot longer than they used to 292 00:12:54,350 --> 00:12:52,620 that's right which is why we are 293 00:12:56,810 --> 00:12:54,360 probably we're living in an age where we 294 00:12:58,910 --> 00:12:56,820 die more of lifestyle diseases and 295 00:13:02,329 --> 00:12:58,920 congenital diseases than we do of 296 00:13:04,990 --> 00:13:02,339 infections that's right yeah well it I 297 00:13:08,030 --> 00:13:05,000 just quickly looked up the monkey story 298 00:13:10,670 --> 00:13:08,040 according to one of the sellers this 299 00:13:13,790 --> 00:13:10,680 monkey story is actually ancient Indian 300 00:13:15,470 --> 00:13:13,800 folklore so it is a story that's been 301 00:13:18,170 --> 00:13:15,480 carried down and passed down it's not a 302 00:13:19,850 --> 00:13:18,180 study and it's monkeys in the Himalayas 303 00:13:21,889 --> 00:13:19,860 would climb to the highest peaks to 304 00:13:23,930 --> 00:13:21,899 collect their sheilajit and they were 305 00:13:26,870 --> 00:13:23,940 said to be able to live for hundreds of 306 00:13:29,690 --> 00:13:26,880 years and possess extraordinary strength 307 00:13:31,490 --> 00:13:29,700 and vitality thanks to the sheilajit 308 00:13:33,290 --> 00:13:31,500 they consumed and they call it the 309 00:13:35,269 --> 00:13:33,300 monkey secret 310 00:13:37,370 --> 00:13:35,279 um as far as humans are concerned I 311 00:13:40,550 --> 00:13:37,380 don't think any of us as any Indians 312 00:13:43,069 --> 00:13:40,560 have lived to that level of uh you know 313 00:13:52,870 --> 00:13:43,079 even the most Ardent Shield youth fans I 314 00:13:57,530 --> 00:13:55,730 by learning about the culture it is 315 00:13:59,090 --> 00:13:57,540 interesting it's where does this stuff 316 00:14:01,670 --> 00:13:59,100 come from I mean it's just it's 317 00:14:03,829 --> 00:14:01,680 anecdotal evidence handed down a few 318 00:14:05,569 --> 00:14:03,839 hundred years yeah uh maybe a couple of 319 00:14:08,050 --> 00:14:05,579 thousand and it's also appealing to what 320 00:14:12,490 --> 00:14:08,060 is that the appeal to Antiquity exactly 321 00:14:17,650 --> 00:14:12,500 Antiquity appeal to Nature appeal to 322 00:14:23,569 --> 00:14:20,389 of course in India monkeys are 323 00:14:26,509 --> 00:14:23,579 considered holy in many ways by many 324 00:14:28,190 --> 00:14:26,519 people because uh especially the you 325 00:14:30,590 --> 00:14:28,200 know the regular none of the male 326 00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:30,600 monkeys are supposed to have uh or be 327 00:14:36,050 --> 00:14:33,360 related to Hanuman who is the monkey God 328 00:14:39,410 --> 00:14:36,060 who was basically Ram's best friend from 329 00:14:43,850 --> 00:14:39,420 ramayan right so Ram is again another 330 00:14:47,389 --> 00:14:43,860 God King now considered a god basically 331 00:14:49,790 --> 00:14:47,399 um the monkey god Hanuman came down to 332 00:14:52,610 --> 00:14:49,800 help him and he he carried Mountains for 333 00:14:55,129 --> 00:14:52,620 him he opened his heart he literally 334 00:14:57,470 --> 00:14:55,139 opened his chest up and showed him the 335 00:14:59,210 --> 00:14:57,480 pureness of his heart etc etc and helped 336 00:15:00,350 --> 00:14:59,220 fight off the bad guys yeah so it's it's 337 00:15:03,769 --> 00:15:00,360 there's a lot of Monkey Business 338 00:15:06,350 --> 00:15:03,779 happening in our myths and legends and a 339 00:15:08,569 --> 00:15:06,360 lot of it is taken very seriously so so 340 00:15:11,449 --> 00:15:08,579 not surprising that this was part of his 341 00:15:14,509 --> 00:15:11,459 his story exactly that makes it uh makes 342 00:15:16,550 --> 00:15:14,519 it even more appealing to most Indians I 343 00:15:18,470 --> 00:15:16,560 would imagine oh fair enough so the the 344 00:15:21,470 --> 00:15:18,480 other thing that he brought up was that 345 00:15:24,889 --> 00:15:21,480 when he was 10 years old he went to a 346 00:15:27,829 --> 00:15:24,899 palm reader and I'm wondering how 347 00:15:31,009 --> 00:15:27,839 prevalent is palm reading in India 348 00:15:33,230 --> 00:15:31,019 it's incredibly prevalent like every 349 00:15:35,090 --> 00:15:33,240 everyone basically I mean every second 350 00:15:37,129 --> 00:15:35,100 person will if you meet at a party 351 00:15:38,629 --> 00:15:37,139 you'll say oh yes I I have done studies 352 00:15:40,009 --> 00:15:38,639 and palm reading and can I read your 353 00:15:42,290 --> 00:15:40,019 poem and they're like oh very 354 00:15:43,910 --> 00:15:42,300 interesting and uh you know they'll go 355 00:15:46,370 --> 00:15:43,920 through with it so I'm you know most of 356 00:15:48,829 --> 00:15:46,380 it is non-serious or people have had 357 00:15:50,810 --> 00:15:48,839 maybe cursory knowledge over read a book 358 00:15:53,509 --> 00:15:50,820 about it or something of that sort some 359 00:15:55,310 --> 00:15:53,519 can be uncannily good at it none that I 360 00:15:57,170 --> 00:15:55,320 have personally met palm reading is 361 00:16:00,230 --> 00:15:57,180 there's a there are institutes in of 362 00:16:02,930 --> 00:16:00,240 palmistry all over the country in fact 363 00:16:06,110 --> 00:16:02,940 um I went on a track once by the time we 364 00:16:09,350 --> 00:16:06,120 reached halfway I was pooped and I sat 365 00:16:10,670 --> 00:16:09,360 down and I noticed a Caucasian man a 366 00:16:12,769 --> 00:16:10,680 young Caucasian man sitting there 367 00:16:15,769 --> 00:16:12,779 peeling peas so I said what are you 368 00:16:18,230 --> 00:16:15,779 doing here if I may ask and he said well 369 00:16:20,870 --> 00:16:18,240 I I study at the palmistry school you 370 00:16:22,370 --> 00:16:20,880 know in the town and I just walk up here 371 00:16:25,550 --> 00:16:22,380 every now and then I help these guys 372 00:16:27,590 --> 00:16:25,560 with their bees or whatever else needs 373 00:16:29,990 --> 00:16:27,600 to be done to cook their food and stuff 374 00:16:31,790 --> 00:16:30,000 like so I helped bring up stuff and I 375 00:16:34,610 --> 00:16:31,800 take down stuff I was like oh palmistry 376 00:16:36,650 --> 00:16:34,620 is that's very interesting so uh so what 377 00:16:38,569 --> 00:16:36,660 do you uh how do you you know would you 378 00:16:40,009 --> 00:16:38,579 would like to read our palms so there's 379 00:16:42,650 --> 00:16:40,019 a friend of mine who was sitting next to 380 00:16:43,850 --> 00:16:42,660 me and she showed her palm and he read 381 00:16:44,930 --> 00:16:43,860 it and it's like oh you're not from 382 00:16:47,590 --> 00:16:44,940 around here 383 00:16:50,870 --> 00:16:47,600 it's just obvious I mean she's Chinese 384 00:16:52,370 --> 00:16:50,880 and and he he went on and said a lot of 385 00:16:53,870 --> 00:16:52,380 things and there was a full conversation 386 00:16:56,990 --> 00:16:53,880 happening so she was saying some things 387 00:16:58,910 --> 00:16:57,000 and he was responding and I I thought 388 00:17:01,389 --> 00:16:58,920 okay you know what when he comes to me 389 00:17:03,889 --> 00:17:01,399 I'm not going to tell him anything 390 00:17:07,189 --> 00:17:03,899 he's really good at Cold reading it 391 00:17:08,750 --> 00:17:07,199 sounds like exactly yeah so I just 392 00:17:12,169 --> 00:17:08,760 showed him my palm and I said okay go 393 00:17:16,130 --> 00:17:12,179 ahead what do you think he's like hmm 394 00:17:18,169 --> 00:17:16,140 so uh so what is it that a so you're uh 395 00:17:21,590 --> 00:17:18,179 where are you from I was like you tell 396 00:17:24,409 --> 00:17:21,600 me Ben I ain't saying nothing 397 00:17:26,390 --> 00:17:24,419 you look very hard to read I I think I 398 00:17:28,010 --> 00:17:26,400 think I think we're done for today but 399 00:17:29,450 --> 00:17:28,020 it's all right I mean maybe I'm just not 400 00:17:32,330 --> 00:17:29,460 having a good day I might be a little 401 00:17:35,330 --> 00:17:32,340 bit tired all right no problem it's cool 402 00:17:37,669 --> 00:17:35,340 go back to your peace long story short 403 00:17:40,909 --> 00:17:37,679 the anger it's extremely prevalent 404 00:17:43,430 --> 00:17:40,919 everybody does it and it's seriously 405 00:17:45,950 --> 00:17:43,440 believed it is taken very very seriously 406 00:17:47,390 --> 00:17:45,960 by most people so it's it's not 407 00:17:49,610 --> 00:17:47,400 something that nobody's mucking about 408 00:17:52,549 --> 00:17:49,620 they're very serious about palm reading 409 00:17:55,010 --> 00:17:52,559 interesting well average it has been 410 00:17:57,710 --> 00:17:55,020 such a pleasure talking to you today and 411 00:18:00,350 --> 00:17:57,720 thank you so much and I look forward to 412 00:18:08,110 --> 00:18:00,360 talking again soon it's my pleasure and 413 00:18:13,250 --> 00:18:10,909 has to say check out his YouTube channel 414 00:18:16,490 --> 00:18:13,260 called rationable or listen to his 415 00:18:18,350 --> 00:18:16,500 podcast the rationable podcast found 416 00:18:21,350 --> 00:18:18,360 everywhere that podcasts are available 417 00:18:24,169 --> 00:18:21,360 to get the latest episode soonest the 418 00:18:27,289 --> 00:18:24,179 rationable podcast is now also on 419 00:18:28,190 --> 00:18:27,299 YouTube until next time this is Adrian 420 00:18:46,610 --> 00:18:28,200 Hill 421 00:18:49,010 --> 00:18:46,620 here for those of you who would love an 422 00:18:52,190 --> 00:18:49,020 excuse to visit Calgary besides the 423 00:18:54,650 --> 00:18:52,200 maple syrup and mountains the Western 424 00:18:57,529 --> 00:18:54,660 Canadian reason or we can reason 425 00:19:00,770 --> 00:18:57,539 conference is happening May 5th and 6th 426 00:19:04,690 --> 00:19:00,780 we have a great lineup of both local and 427 00:19:09,529 --> 00:19:07,310 we have science communicator and secular 428 00:19:12,470 --> 00:19:09,539 activist Aaron Raw 429 00:19:13,610 --> 00:19:12,480 host of The Cue drops podcast Courtney 430 00:19:16,090 --> 00:19:13,620 heard 431 00:19:18,289 --> 00:19:16,100 host of the divorcing religion podcast 432 00:19:20,570 --> 00:19:18,299 Janice Selby 433 00:19:23,210 --> 00:19:20,580 co-host of the squaring the strange 434 00:19:24,110 --> 00:19:23,220 podcast and clever caricaturist Celestia 435 00:19:26,029 --> 00:19:24,120 Ward 436 00:19:28,010 --> 00:19:26,039 host of The Thinking Atheist podcast 437 00:19:30,590 --> 00:19:28,020 Seth Andrews 438 00:19:34,070 --> 00:19:30,600 noted pancake eating expert Richard 439 00:19:37,250 --> 00:19:34,080 Saunders I'm so excited he's coming and 440 00:19:39,710 --> 00:19:37,260 me Adrian Hill 441 00:19:41,990 --> 00:19:39,720 and now Richard besides eating pancakes 442 00:19:44,090 --> 00:19:42,000 and Real Canadian maple syrup what do 443 00:19:47,950 --> 00:19:44,100 you plan to do at the conference 444 00:19:51,470 --> 00:19:47,960 well if I'm not too full from pancakes 445 00:19:55,610 --> 00:19:51,480 we might be at the hotel Creek Friday 446 00:19:58,490 --> 00:19:55,620 May 5 at 6 PM that's Calgary time for 447 00:20:01,549 --> 00:19:58,500 registration and fun Celestia will be 448 00:20:03,470 --> 00:20:01,559 drawing all your beautiful faces Lois 449 00:20:07,190 --> 00:20:03,480 Edwards and Adrian will be holding a 450 00:20:10,669 --> 00:20:07,200 trivia competition and I might be 451 00:20:13,490 --> 00:20:10,679 bending a spoon or three because good 452 00:20:18,830 --> 00:20:13,500 things happen in threes and folding some 453 00:20:21,610 --> 00:20:18,840 paper into Pegasus and Magic rabbits 454 00:20:23,510 --> 00:20:21,620 check out the website at 455 00:20:25,850 --> 00:20:23,520 www.weekenreason.com for more 456 00:20:26,930 --> 00:20:25,860 information on speakers hotel and 457 00:20:29,150 --> 00:20:26,940 activities 458 00:20:31,810 --> 00:20:29,160 hope to see you there or you might be 459 00:20:47,590 --> 00:20:31,820 you know sorry 460 00:20:51,510 --> 00:20:47,600 [Music] 461 00:20:53,830 --> 00:20:51,520 and now a reading from the book of Tim 462 00:20:57,020 --> 00:20:53,840 [Music] 463 00:21:02,990 --> 00:20:57,030 with Tim Mendham 464 00:21:05,570 --> 00:21:03,000 [Music] 465 00:21:06,950 --> 00:21:05,580 hi my name is Tim Mendham I'm the editor 466 00:21:09,529 --> 00:21:06,960 of the Skeptics 467 00:21:11,029 --> 00:21:09,539 quarterly magazine the skeptic and I'm 468 00:21:13,669 --> 00:21:11,039 executive officer of Australians 469 00:21:17,450 --> 00:21:13,679 Skeptics Inc today I'll be reading to 470 00:21:20,150 --> 00:21:17,460 you from a very precious document this 471 00:21:23,090 --> 00:21:20,160 is the very first issue of our escaping 472 00:21:25,190 --> 00:21:23,100 magazine which came out as a four-page 473 00:21:27,710 --> 00:21:25,200 tabloid size 474 00:21:30,230 --> 00:21:27,720 rather sort of uh interestingly put 475 00:21:32,990 --> 00:21:30,240 together but it was it's very rare in 476 00:21:35,570 --> 00:21:33,000 fact the copy I have is the only one in 477 00:21:37,370 --> 00:21:35,580 existence uh Tim I've got one okay it's 478 00:21:39,950 --> 00:21:37,380 one of two in existence right there we 479 00:21:42,830 --> 00:21:39,960 have okay now I'm getting our scientific 480 00:21:45,110 --> 00:21:42,840 archivist to bring out the copy uh in 481 00:21:47,090 --> 00:21:45,120 the in the box so we'll thank you 482 00:21:48,169 --> 00:21:47,100 Dolores okay we know Dolores is a 483 00:21:50,690 --> 00:21:48,179 scientist because she's wearing a white 484 00:21:53,029 --> 00:21:50,700 lab coat okay and here we are getting 485 00:21:54,470 --> 00:21:53,039 the copy in front of us it's a bit 486 00:21:57,110 --> 00:21:54,480 fragile so we have to be very careful 487 00:21:58,909 --> 00:21:57,120 with it but here we are this story is on 488 00:22:00,950 --> 00:21:58,919 the front page the first story on the 489 00:22:02,390 --> 00:22:00,960 front page of the first issue of 490 00:22:05,149 --> 00:22:02,400 Australians Skeptics magazine the 491 00:22:08,570 --> 00:22:05,159 skeptic and it represents the first 492 00:22:11,330 --> 00:22:08,580 investigation that we ever did so it's 493 00:22:14,750 --> 00:22:11,340 pretty uh important historically 494 00:22:15,890 --> 00:22:14,760 and it's called Skeptics test psychic 495 00:22:17,390 --> 00:22:15,900 surgeon 496 00:22:19,490 --> 00:22:17,400 it's written by Mark Plummer who was 497 00:22:22,430 --> 00:22:19,500 then at that stage the president of the 498 00:22:23,810 --> 00:22:22,440 skeptic and the editor of this glorious 499 00:22:25,970 --> 00:22:23,820 magazine 500 00:22:27,710 --> 00:22:25,980 now I should point out it's not psychic 501 00:22:29,810 --> 00:22:27,720 surgery as we know it it's a different 502 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:29,820 sort of psychic surgery but you'll find 503 00:22:35,510 --> 00:22:31,310 that out as we go along 504 00:22:40,310 --> 00:22:37,970 and The Story Goes when a small 505 00:22:43,610 --> 00:22:40,320 paragraph advertisement in the age in a 506 00:22:46,850 --> 00:22:43,620 Melbourne newspaper on January 3rd 1981 507 00:22:49,070 --> 00:22:46,860 stated that an English medium psychic 508 00:22:52,490 --> 00:22:49,080 had the medium as in the spirit world 509 00:22:54,350 --> 00:22:52,500 not half done medium psychic certain 510 00:22:56,870 --> 00:22:54,360 would be commencing practice in 511 00:22:58,130 --> 00:22:56,880 Melbourne the Australian skeptic swung 512 00:23:00,649 --> 00:22:58,140 into action 513 00:23:03,710 --> 00:23:00,659 the advertised numbers were rung and we 514 00:23:05,990 --> 00:23:03,720 were told that Mr Roman di arkov acted 515 00:23:08,690 --> 00:23:06,000 as a medium for deceased surgeons to 516 00:23:10,490 --> 00:23:08,700 conduct psychic operations 517 00:23:13,430 --> 00:23:10,500 an appointment was arranged for an 518 00:23:16,250 --> 00:23:13,440 elderly patient and her son both in 519 00:23:18,350 --> 00:23:16,260 quotes to attend for surgery 520 00:23:21,830 --> 00:23:18,360 the patient was actually 73 year old 521 00:23:24,590 --> 00:23:21,840 medical practitioner Dr Miffy bednell 522 00:23:25,909 --> 00:23:24,600 and her son was magician Mike Wilton 523 00:23:27,289 --> 00:23:25,919 a Committee Member of the Australian 524 00:23:29,690 --> 00:23:27,299 Skeptics 525 00:23:33,110 --> 00:23:29,700 our team is Dr beatnell and Mike Wilton 526 00:23:36,169 --> 00:23:33,120 found that Mr diarkov's clinic located 527 00:23:37,490 --> 00:23:36,179 in a new Villa unit at well I won't give 528 00:23:39,289 --> 00:23:37,500 the address because in the Melbourne 529 00:23:40,909 --> 00:23:39,299 suburb of Q 530 00:23:42,710 --> 00:23:40,919 the family room of the Villa was the 531 00:23:44,450 --> 00:23:42,720 reception area and the receptionist 532 00:23:47,630 --> 00:23:44,460 nurse went to Great Lengths to reassure 533 00:23:50,029 --> 00:23:47,640 the seemingly fragile elderly lady that 534 00:23:52,190 --> 00:23:50,039 there would be no pain we were informed 535 00:23:55,549 --> 00:23:52,200 there would be no blood either as Mr 536 00:23:57,289 --> 00:23:55,559 diaco worked only on the psychic body 537 00:23:59,750 --> 00:23:57,299 at the time surgery was a bit of a 538 00:24:01,669 --> 00:23:59,760 misnomer the nurse assured our team that 539 00:24:03,169 --> 00:24:01,679 operations done to date had been very 540 00:24:05,450 --> 00:24:03,179 successful 541 00:24:08,750 --> 00:24:05,460 the archive left to prepare himself and 542 00:24:10,430 --> 00:24:08,760 under white coat he's a scientist Wilton 543 00:24:12,230 --> 00:24:10,440 was assured he would be able to observe 544 00:24:13,850 --> 00:24:12,240 the treatment in the bedroom which 545 00:24:14,810 --> 00:24:13,860 became the operating theater for the 546 00:24:17,090 --> 00:24:14,820 night 547 00:24:19,250 --> 00:24:17,100 with dim blue lighting and the strains 548 00:24:21,649 --> 00:24:19,260 of Michael Rowe the poker Shore 549 00:24:22,730 --> 00:24:21,659 Dr bednell was laid on the bed operating 550 00:24:27,409 --> 00:24:22,740 table 551 00:24:29,930 --> 00:24:27,419 aircraft slowly stood then walked with a 552 00:24:32,750 --> 00:24:29,940 limp he had adopted the plumbing accent 553 00:24:35,690 --> 00:24:32,760 of a pommy Dr Roberts 554 00:24:37,789 --> 00:24:35,700 Dr Roberts this is the spirit that gets 555 00:24:40,669 --> 00:24:37,799 in his body then examined Dr bednil's 556 00:24:42,049 --> 00:24:40,679 Cranium with a special invisible psychic 557 00:24:44,570 --> 00:24:42,059 microscope 558 00:24:46,190 --> 00:24:44,580 Dr Roberts amazed our team with the 559 00:24:49,250 --> 00:24:46,200 Revelation that the brain was divided 560 00:24:51,950 --> 00:24:49,260 into two halves the left and the right 561 00:24:53,029 --> 00:24:51,960 stunning and was composed of millions of 562 00:24:55,430 --> 00:24:53,039 cells 563 00:24:57,470 --> 00:24:55,440 Dr Robert stated that several of these 564 00:24:59,330 --> 00:24:57,480 naughty cells were misbehaving 565 00:25:01,909 --> 00:24:59,340 themselves this was explained in 566 00:25:04,430 --> 00:25:01,919 layman's terms as being akin to a car 567 00:25:06,230 --> 00:25:04,440 motor with loose spark plugs 568 00:25:09,590 --> 00:25:06,240 the problem explained the treatment 569 00:25:12,169 --> 00:25:09,600 began several special invisible psychic 570 00:25:12,950 --> 00:25:12,179 tubes were inserted through Dr bednar's 571 00:25:14,990 --> 00:25:12,960 head 572 00:25:17,029 --> 00:25:15,000 threaded through the body and came out 573 00:25:19,850 --> 00:25:17,039 through the soles of her feet 574 00:25:21,950 --> 00:25:19,860 then all the quote bad fluids were 575 00:25:24,049 --> 00:25:21,960 psychically drained from her body 576 00:25:25,610 --> 00:25:24,059 in the brain at the feet this was 577 00:25:27,470 --> 00:25:25,620 followed by the passing of hands down 578 00:25:29,450 --> 00:25:27,480 the length of the body and the amazing 579 00:25:30,830 --> 00:25:29,460 discovery that one half of the patient's 580 00:25:32,930 --> 00:25:30,840 brain was hot 581 00:25:35,210 --> 00:25:32,940 more passing of hands followed but 582 00:25:37,190 --> 00:25:35,220 clearly a second opinion was needed so 583 00:25:39,830 --> 00:25:37,200 Dr Roberts 584 00:25:43,010 --> 00:25:39,840 left and missed the archive's body and 585 00:25:45,110 --> 00:25:43,020 Dr Maurice supposedly a deceased French 586 00:25:47,870 --> 00:25:45,120 gynecologist took over 587 00:25:50,029 --> 00:25:47,880 Dr Maurice's French accent had clearly 588 00:25:52,490 --> 00:25:50,039 deteriorated since his death 589 00:25:55,310 --> 00:25:52,500 say nothing of his diagnostic talents 590 00:25:57,350 --> 00:25:55,320 for the diagnosis was that the patient's 591 00:26:00,230 --> 00:25:57,360 stomach pains were caused by displaced 592 00:26:01,730 --> 00:26:00,240 pelvic bones after the birth of her last 593 00:26:04,310 --> 00:26:01,740 child 594 00:26:06,529 --> 00:26:04,320 lying on the bed at Dr beanel couldn't 595 00:26:08,870 --> 00:26:06,539 remember having had any children not 596 00:26:11,090 --> 00:26:08,880 even a miscarriage nevertheless Dr 597 00:26:12,169 --> 00:26:11,100 Maurice also diagnosed deafness in her 598 00:26:13,970 --> 00:26:12,179 left ear 599 00:26:16,130 --> 00:26:13,980 a patient could remember deafness having 600 00:26:17,570 --> 00:26:16,140 ever been a problem either but clearly 601 00:26:19,730 --> 00:26:17,580 this like the birth of her various 602 00:26:22,310 --> 00:26:19,740 children must have slipped her memory 603 00:26:24,110 --> 00:26:22,320 Dr Roberts returned then to wrap up the 604 00:26:25,610 --> 00:26:24,120 post-operative treatment 605 00:26:27,769 --> 00:26:25,620 the good lady would have to come back 606 00:26:29,269 --> 00:26:27,779 for further treatment naturally she 607 00:26:31,669 --> 00:26:29,279 would feel quite tired over the next few 608 00:26:34,070 --> 00:26:31,679 days and must drink plenty of water she 609 00:26:35,810 --> 00:26:34,080 would also pass more fluid than normal 610 00:26:37,250 --> 00:26:35,820 in those night Plummer comments one 611 00:26:39,169 --> 00:26:37,260 would hope that anyone drinking more 612 00:26:40,610 --> 00:26:39,179 water than normal would also pass more 613 00:26:42,649 --> 00:26:40,620 water than normal 614 00:26:44,690 --> 00:26:42,659 a team posed a few more questions for Dr 615 00:26:46,610 --> 00:26:44,700 Roberts to find out that he was a 616 00:26:49,010 --> 00:26:46,620 practicing brain surgeon at Saint 617 00:26:50,510 --> 00:26:49,020 Bartholomew's hospital before dying in 618 00:26:52,430 --> 00:26:50,520 1948. 619 00:26:55,070 --> 00:26:52,440 before more questions could be put Dr 620 00:26:58,430 --> 00:26:55,080 Roberts had to depart leaving us with Mr 621 00:27:00,110 --> 00:26:58,440 diarkov to show our team out the door 622 00:27:02,390 --> 00:27:00,120 the opinion of the Australians Skeptics 623 00:27:04,789 --> 00:27:02,400 testing team in case you haven't guessed 624 00:27:07,130 --> 00:27:04,799 about the utterances are the doctors who 625 00:27:09,409 --> 00:27:07,140 operated revealed a complete lack of any 626 00:27:11,149 --> 00:27:09,419 medical knowledge their diagnosis was 627 00:27:13,430 --> 00:27:11,159 wrong and the Hopeless French accent 628 00:27:16,490 --> 00:27:13,440 merely added to the conclusion that Mr 629 00:27:18,350 --> 00:27:16,500 diakoff was false 630 00:27:20,870 --> 00:27:18,360 have finally confirmed that of an 631 00:27:23,930 --> 00:27:20,880 American Federal Trade Court commission 632 00:27:26,810 --> 00:27:23,940 judgment in 75 that psychic surgery and 633 00:27:28,310 --> 00:27:26,820 psychic healing is pure fakery and fraud 634 00:27:30,049 --> 00:27:28,320 accomplished by the deception and 635 00:27:32,630 --> 00:27:30,059 trickery of the psychic surgeons to 636 00:27:35,330 --> 00:27:32,640 deceive trusting persons into the false 637 00:27:37,070 --> 00:27:35,340 and mistaken belief that human bodies 638 00:27:39,649 --> 00:27:37,080 have been opened with the bare hands 639 00:27:42,289 --> 00:27:39,659 disease material or disease causing 640 00:27:44,690 --> 00:27:42,299 material removed and the incision closed 641 00:27:46,669 --> 00:27:44,700 or without pain or suffering 642 00:27:48,289 --> 00:27:46,679 can Mr dankov 643 00:27:49,850 --> 00:27:48,299 if you can reach him on the advertised 644 00:27:51,409 --> 00:27:49,860 phone numbers please tell him the 645 00:27:53,870 --> 00:27:51,419 Australian Skeptics are wondering how to 646 00:27:56,090 --> 00:27:53,880 explain the item in their books psychic 647 00:27:59,590 --> 00:27:56,100 surgery fee twenty dollars to their 648 00:28:06,649 --> 00:28:02,810 and that's the skeptic magazine volume 649 00:28:09,409 --> 00:28:06,659 one number one page one and the first 650 00:28:11,149 --> 00:28:09,419 test of these Skeptics ever did of a 651 00:28:13,010 --> 00:28:11,159 psychic surgeon not the sort of reaches 652 00:28:16,310 --> 00:28:13,020 into your body but the one who drains 653 00:28:19,430 --> 00:28:16,320 the bad psychic spark plugs out of your 654 00:28:22,010 --> 00:28:19,440 body with the help of a badly accented 655 00:28:24,769 --> 00:28:22,020 French surgeon 656 00:28:28,070 --> 00:28:24,779 and you can read that on the website by 657 00:28:30,529 --> 00:28:28,080 looking up volume one number one on the 658 00:28:32,409 --> 00:28:30,539 website on the magazine section of 659 00:28:35,269 --> 00:28:32,419 skeptics.com 660 00:28:37,850 --> 00:28:35,279 you can download it for free and read 661 00:28:40,130 --> 00:28:37,860 the exciting story of Mr dunkov we'll 662 00:28:46,750 --> 00:28:40,140 hit you like 663 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:51,890 [Music] 664 00:28:58,130 --> 00:28:54,610 foreign 665 00:29:00,950 --> 00:28:58,140 Hall MD known to thousands as the 666 00:29:03,649 --> 00:29:00,960 skeptalk was a retired family physician 667 00:29:05,750 --> 00:29:03,659 and former Air Force flight surgeon who 668 00:29:07,570 --> 00:29:05,760 wrote about medicine so-called 669 00:29:11,870 --> 00:29:07,580 complementary and Alternative Medicine 670 00:29:15,230 --> 00:29:11,880 Science quackery and critical thinking 671 00:29:17,570 --> 00:29:15,240 Harriet produced a free online course of 672 00:29:20,690 --> 00:29:17,580 10 video lectures on science-based 673 00:29:23,269 --> 00:29:20,700 medicine and alternative medicine 674 00:29:25,430 --> 00:29:23,279 the videos and an accompanying course 675 00:29:26,710 --> 00:29:25,440 guide can be found by following the link 676 00:29:30,470 --> 00:29:26,720 at 677 00:29:33,789 --> 00:29:30,480 skipdoc.info or by visiting tinyurl.com 678 00:29:36,110 --> 00:29:33,799 forward slash skep doc series 679 00:29:37,810 --> 00:29:36,120 topics covered in the series are 680 00:29:40,389 --> 00:29:37,820 science-based medicine versus 681 00:29:43,490 --> 00:29:40,399 evidence-based medicine what is Cam 682 00:29:46,010 --> 00:29:43,500 Chiropractic acupuncture Homeopathy 683 00:29:48,730 --> 00:29:46,020 naturopathy and herbal medicine Energy 684 00:29:52,070 --> 00:29:48,740 Medicine miscellaneous Alternatives 685 00:29:54,889 --> 00:29:52,080 pitfalls in research and science-based 686 00:29:57,470 --> 00:29:54,899 Medicine in the media and politics 687 00:29:59,930 --> 00:29:57,480 Harriet covers each Topic in a matter of 688 00:30:02,450 --> 00:29:59,940 fact no-nonsense way that is sure to 689 00:30:04,630 --> 00:30:02,460 educate and entertain 690 00:30:08,630 --> 00:30:04,640 find it at 691 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:08,640 tinyurl.com forward slash skep doc 692 00:30:25,210 --> 00:30:09,890 series 693 00:30:25,220 --> 00:30:29,630 [Music] 694 00:30:36,549 --> 00:30:32,870 now it's time to dive back into the 695 00:30:40,130 --> 00:30:38,630 trove.nla.gov.eu of course the online 696 00:30:42,710 --> 00:30:40,140 resource from the Australian government 697 00:30:46,730 --> 00:30:42,720 and the National Library of Australia 698 00:30:50,510 --> 00:30:46,740 choco block full of digital archives 699 00:30:53,510 --> 00:30:50,520 digital Recreations of newspapers and 700 00:30:55,370 --> 00:30:53,520 magazines and so on now last week we 701 00:30:57,590 --> 00:30:55,380 looked at some references to the famous 702 00:31:00,010 --> 00:30:57,600 author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the 703 00:31:03,409 --> 00:31:00,020 creator of Sherlock Holmes 704 00:31:06,950 --> 00:31:03,419 and we mentioned the fact that he 705 00:31:09,169 --> 00:31:06,960 believed in fairies at the bottom of the 706 00:31:12,169 --> 00:31:09,179 garden and this was to do with the 707 00:31:13,970 --> 00:31:12,179 cottingley fairies incident and 708 00:31:16,430 --> 00:31:13,980 according to Wikipedia 709 00:31:18,889 --> 00:31:16,440 the cottingly fairies appear in a series 710 00:31:23,110 --> 00:31:18,899 of five photographs taken by Elsie 711 00:31:26,810 --> 00:31:23,120 Wright 1901 to 1988 and Francis Griffith 712 00:31:29,590 --> 00:31:26,820 1907 to 1986 two young cousins who lived 713 00:31:32,990 --> 00:31:29,600 in cottingley near Bradford in England 714 00:31:36,169 --> 00:31:33,000 in 1917 when the first two photographs 715 00:31:39,110 --> 00:31:36,179 were taken Elsie was 16 and Francis was 716 00:31:42,169 --> 00:31:39,120 nine the pictures came to the attention 717 00:31:43,730 --> 00:31:42,179 of the writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who 718 00:31:45,710 --> 00:31:43,740 used them to illustrate an article on 719 00:31:48,889 --> 00:31:45,720 fairies he had been commissioned to 720 00:31:52,070 --> 00:31:48,899 write for the Christmas 1920 edition of 721 00:31:54,950 --> 00:31:52,080 The Strand magazine Doyle as a 722 00:31:57,289 --> 00:31:54,960 spiritualist was enthusiastic about the 723 00:31:59,810 --> 00:31:57,299 photographs and interpreted them as 724 00:32:03,230 --> 00:31:59,820 clear and visible evidence of psychic 725 00:32:06,169 --> 00:32:03,240 phenomena public reaction was mixed some 726 00:32:09,169 --> 00:32:06,179 accepted the images as genuine others 727 00:32:12,529 --> 00:32:09,179 believed that they had been fake it goes 728 00:32:14,450 --> 00:32:12,539 on to say in the early 1980s Elsie and 729 00:32:17,990 --> 00:32:14,460 Francis admitted the photograph were 730 00:32:20,269 --> 00:32:18,000 faked using cardboard cutouts of fairies 731 00:32:23,210 --> 00:32:20,279 copied from a popular children's book of 732 00:32:25,730 --> 00:32:23,220 the time but Francis maintained that the 733 00:32:28,190 --> 00:32:25,740 fifth and final photograph was genuine 734 00:32:31,430 --> 00:32:28,200 as of 2019 the photographs and the 735 00:32:33,590 --> 00:32:31,440 cameras used are in the collections of 736 00:32:35,289 --> 00:32:33,600 the National Science media Museum in 737 00:32:38,870 --> 00:32:35,299 Bradford England 738 00:32:41,810 --> 00:32:38,880 and this page also of course has copies 739 00:32:44,330 --> 00:32:41,820 of the photographs themselves with the 740 00:32:47,029 --> 00:32:44,340 two young girls in linear in the garden 741 00:32:48,970 --> 00:32:47,039 in the woods there surrounded by dancing 742 00:32:51,470 --> 00:32:48,980 and flying fairies 743 00:32:55,610 --> 00:32:51,480 and indeed there's a 744 00:32:58,210 --> 00:32:55,620 and exert from a book where the girls 745 00:33:00,649 --> 00:32:58,220 got the original illustrations from 746 00:33:04,190 --> 00:33:00,659 bearing all that in mind let's have a 747 00:33:06,980 --> 00:33:04,200 look at some of the reports as reported 748 00:33:14,810 --> 00:33:06,990 here in Australia 749 00:33:18,169 --> 00:33:14,820 [Music] 750 00:33:21,610 --> 00:33:18,179 started in the year 1920 on the 4th of 751 00:33:25,190 --> 00:33:21,620 December in the Maitland weekly Mercury 752 00:33:29,930 --> 00:33:25,200 fairies photographed Conan Doyle's 753 00:33:34,070 --> 00:33:29,940 theories the times cable London November 754 00:33:37,190 --> 00:33:34,080 25 that fairies actually exist and have 755 00:33:39,649 --> 00:33:37,200 been photographed is seriously asserted 756 00:33:42,769 --> 00:33:39,659 the photographs have been reproduced and 757 00:33:45,470 --> 00:33:42,779 resemble storybook illustrations one is 758 00:33:47,990 --> 00:33:45,480 shown playing a red pipe another is 759 00:33:50,389 --> 00:33:48,000 pivoting on a toadstool 760 00:33:53,210 --> 00:33:50,399 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle suggests that 761 00:33:55,730 --> 00:33:53,220 fairies are a compound of a butterfly 762 00:33:59,389 --> 00:33:55,740 and a human being 763 00:34:01,850 --> 00:33:59,399 and now in the year 1921 the 15th of 764 00:34:05,810 --> 00:34:01,860 January the Daily Telegraph Sydney 765 00:34:08,950 --> 00:34:05,820 the we folk are they fairies so Arthur 766 00:34:11,510 --> 00:34:08,960 Conan Doyle's belief a remarkable story 767 00:34:14,389 --> 00:34:11,520 some very interesting statements in 768 00:34:17,329 --> 00:34:14,399 emphasis of the existence of fairies 769 00:34:19,129 --> 00:34:17,339 were made by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 770 00:34:20,770 --> 00:34:19,139 the course of an interview with a 771 00:34:24,109 --> 00:34:20,780 representative of the Daily Mail 772 00:34:27,050 --> 00:34:24,119 Brisbane I consider this the famous 773 00:34:28,849 --> 00:34:27,060 Englishman said and of course Sir Arthur 774 00:34:31,250 --> 00:34:28,859 Conan Doyle was Scottish not English but 775 00:34:33,169 --> 00:34:31,260 never mind to be the greatest thing that 776 00:34:35,149 --> 00:34:33,179 has happened in the way of Discovery 777 00:34:36,050 --> 00:34:35,159 since Christopher Columbus discovered 778 00:34:38,210 --> 00:34:36,060 America 779 00:34:40,010 --> 00:34:38,220 it should be made clear that there is no 780 00:34:43,430 --> 00:34:40,020 distinct Affinity between this subject 781 00:34:46,129 --> 00:34:43,440 and spiritualism proper herein lies the 782 00:34:48,050 --> 00:34:46,139 reason why Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has 783 00:34:50,930 --> 00:34:48,060 not previously touched upon the subject 784 00:34:54,169 --> 00:34:50,940 in Australia I have not ventilated the 785 00:34:56,149 --> 00:34:54,179 question of fairy life he said because I 786 00:34:58,609 --> 00:34:56,159 was afraid it might obscure my main 787 00:35:01,370 --> 00:34:58,619 issue which is of course the survival of 788 00:35:04,730 --> 00:35:01,380 the soul and the conditions under which 789 00:35:06,950 --> 00:35:04,740 it continues its career it was pointed 790 00:35:09,230 --> 00:35:06,960 out to Sir Arthur that cable messages 791 00:35:12,470 --> 00:35:09,240 had already referred briefly to his 792 00:35:14,990 --> 00:35:12,480 belief in the matter and that there was 793 00:35:18,230 --> 00:35:15,000 a possibility of many people confusing 794 00:35:19,069 --> 00:35:18,240 fairies with human Spirits whereupon he 795 00:35:22,010 --> 00:35:19,079 said 796 00:35:24,290 --> 00:35:22,020 well I have no objection to saying a few 797 00:35:26,150 --> 00:35:24,300 words now upon this subject especially 798 00:35:29,810 --> 00:35:26,160 as the Christmas number of the Strand 799 00:35:31,849 --> 00:35:29,820 magazine is due here any day and it will 800 00:35:33,530 --> 00:35:31,859 be found to contain two excellent 801 00:35:36,710 --> 00:35:33,540 photographs of these extraordinary 802 00:35:39,170 --> 00:35:36,720 Little Creatures I look upon it as a 803 00:35:41,890 --> 00:35:39,180 great privilege in my life he continued 804 00:35:45,050 --> 00:35:41,900 that I have been permitted to follow up 805 00:35:47,690 --> 00:35:45,060 the clue which led to this strange 806 00:35:49,849 --> 00:35:47,700 development and which gave actual proof 807 00:35:52,690 --> 00:35:49,859 of the existence of forms of life which 808 00:35:55,730 --> 00:35:52,700 have always been testified 809 00:35:58,370 --> 00:35:55,740 to by certain members of the human race 810 00:36:01,310 --> 00:35:58,380 but which it has hitherto been 811 00:36:02,150 --> 00:36:01,320 impossible to prove the story is briefly 812 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:02,160 this 813 00:36:06,770 --> 00:36:04,320 two young children living in Yorkshire 814 00:36:08,690 --> 00:36:06,780 were accustomed to play in a wood behind 815 00:36:11,450 --> 00:36:08,700 their house and they continually 816 00:36:14,810 --> 00:36:11,460 described to their father the fairies 817 00:36:18,230 --> 00:36:14,820 which they saw the father an intelligent 818 00:36:20,990 --> 00:36:18,240 working man was quite agnostic and 819 00:36:23,930 --> 00:36:21,000 inclined to be skeptical he was induced 820 00:36:26,329 --> 00:36:23,940 however to allow the children to use his 821 00:36:28,670 --> 00:36:26,339 camera and when they returned in the 822 00:36:31,010 --> 00:36:28,680 evening with actual photographs of the 823 00:36:32,870 --> 00:36:31,020 fairies all doubts were set aside the 824 00:36:36,410 --> 00:36:32,880 family did not attempt to exploit the 825 00:36:38,810 --> 00:36:36,420 fact on the country they rather hushed 826 00:36:41,089 --> 00:36:38,820 it up it was three years after I heard 827 00:36:43,790 --> 00:36:41,099 of the existence of these photographs 828 00:36:46,910 --> 00:36:43,800 and with the help of Mr Gardner a 829 00:36:49,730 --> 00:36:46,920 well-known theosophist I traced them to 830 00:36:52,069 --> 00:36:49,740 their source Mr Gardner got hold of the 831 00:36:54,770 --> 00:36:52,079 negatives and we had them submitted to a 832 00:36:57,890 --> 00:36:54,780 well-known experts who certainly could 833 00:36:59,089 --> 00:36:57,900 not be deceived by Little Village 834 00:37:02,150 --> 00:36:59,099 children 835 00:37:05,870 --> 00:37:02,160 we enlarged the pictures eight foot in 836 00:37:08,690 --> 00:37:05,880 an attempt to find some floor but we 837 00:37:11,089 --> 00:37:08,700 were quite unable to do so 838 00:37:13,069 --> 00:37:11,099 we then interviewed everybody concerned 839 00:37:15,890 --> 00:37:13,079 and found that the family in question 840 00:37:18,950 --> 00:37:15,900 were honest good people quite incapable 841 00:37:20,630 --> 00:37:18,960 of Senseless deception in the meantime 842 00:37:23,450 --> 00:37:20,640 the two children had been separated 843 00:37:26,870 --> 00:37:23,460 apparently it is only when they are 844 00:37:29,270 --> 00:37:26,880 together that their mediumistic power is 845 00:37:32,089 --> 00:37:29,280 such that the fairies can use it we 846 00:37:34,250 --> 00:37:32,099 therefore took some trouble to reunite 847 00:37:37,430 --> 00:37:34,260 the two children after which we put them 848 00:37:39,589 --> 00:37:37,440 once more in the same wood and furnish 849 00:37:41,990 --> 00:37:39,599 them with a new camera I am not at 850 00:37:44,810 --> 00:37:42,000 Liberty to say yet what the results were 851 00:37:48,050 --> 00:37:44,820 as I am not in touch with Mr Gardner but 852 00:37:51,290 --> 00:37:48,060 I can go as far as to say that they were 853 00:37:52,910 --> 00:37:51,300 very astounding and that they surpassed 854 00:37:55,069 --> 00:37:52,920 those which we have published in the 855 00:37:57,109 --> 00:37:55,079 magazine I consider this to be the 856 00:37:59,390 --> 00:37:57,119 greatest thing that has happened in the 857 00:38:02,510 --> 00:37:59,400 way of Discovery since Christopher 858 00:38:05,150 --> 00:38:02,520 Columbus discovered America in fact it 859 00:38:07,849 --> 00:38:05,160 is a larger event than that as it 860 00:38:11,450 --> 00:38:07,859 reveals A Whole New World parallel to 861 00:38:15,950 --> 00:38:11,460 our own and divided by an exceedingly 862 00:38:18,349 --> 00:38:15,960 thin petition which a child's hand has 863 00:38:21,349 --> 00:38:18,359 broken down there are many psychic 864 00:38:24,230 --> 00:38:21,359 children there are many cameras there 865 00:38:26,030 --> 00:38:24,240 are many woods we shall soon learn a 866 00:38:29,810 --> 00:38:26,040 great deal which will make our country 867 00:38:32,210 --> 00:38:29,820 walks infinitely more interesting in a 868 00:38:34,609 --> 00:38:32,220 reply to a question sir Conan Doyle said 869 00:38:37,730 --> 00:38:34,619 he could say nothing regarding the 870 00:38:39,950 --> 00:38:37,740 speech of fairies from the fact however 871 00:38:42,290 --> 00:38:39,960 that a photograph showed one of the 872 00:38:45,109 --> 00:38:42,300 little creatures to be using a small 873 00:38:47,810 --> 00:38:45,119 musical instrument it was evident that 874 00:38:48,770 --> 00:38:47,820 they had their own polity and domestic 875 00:38:51,290 --> 00:38:48,780 life 876 00:38:55,609 --> 00:38:51,300 now there's a word that I was unfamiliar 877 00:38:58,010 --> 00:38:55,619 with polity a form or process of civil 878 00:38:59,690 --> 00:38:58,020 government or Constitution 879 00:39:02,510 --> 00:38:59,700 polity 880 00:39:05,210 --> 00:39:02,520 the photographing question as shown by 881 00:39:08,569 --> 00:39:05,220 Sir Arthur is certainly a very pretty 882 00:39:12,109 --> 00:39:08,579 picture a fairy figure harmonizing with 883 00:39:15,950 --> 00:39:12,119 the best human conception of the we folk 884 00:39:18,589 --> 00:39:15,960 is distinctly seen with a trumpet-like 885 00:39:21,230 --> 00:39:18,599 musical instrument to his lips beside 886 00:39:24,650 --> 00:39:21,240 the girl in a second photograph there is 887 00:39:28,069 --> 00:39:24,660 quite a troop of the daintly Ethereal 888 00:39:30,230 --> 00:39:28,079 figures surrounding the child and in yet 889 00:39:33,770 --> 00:39:30,240 another print the girl is associating 890 00:39:35,329 --> 00:39:33,780 with a quaint little Goblin 891 00:39:38,870 --> 00:39:35,339 well 892 00:39:42,069 --> 00:39:38,880 try to put yourself back in to the 893 00:39:47,089 --> 00:39:42,079 period of these photographs 894 00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:47,099 1917 and this report is from 1921. 895 00:39:51,109 --> 00:39:49,560 it's all very well with hindsight and 896 00:39:52,250 --> 00:39:51,119 looking at these photographs seeing 897 00:39:54,770 --> 00:39:52,260 clearly that they're just cardboard 898 00:39:56,510 --> 00:39:54,780 cutouts but at the time and if you are 899 00:39:58,730 --> 00:39:56,520 especially inclined to believe in these 900 00:40:01,069 --> 00:39:58,740 sort of things as Arthur Conan Doyle was 901 00:40:04,250 --> 00:40:01,079 well 902 00:40:07,130 --> 00:40:04,260 we can all be fooled and now from the 903 00:40:10,490 --> 00:40:07,140 year 1922 on the 9th of December the 904 00:40:11,569 --> 00:40:10,500 daily mail from Brisbane Conan Doyle's 905 00:40:15,470 --> 00:40:11,579 fairies 906 00:40:17,450 --> 00:40:15,480 sir Conan Doyle is at it again he has 907 00:40:20,510 --> 00:40:17,460 just published a book about fairies 908 00:40:23,930 --> 00:40:20,520 Illustrated with portraits of them many 909 00:40:27,230 --> 00:40:23,940 big literary men make the boast of 910 00:40:29,450 --> 00:40:27,240 believing in fairies and such belief is 911 00:40:33,349 --> 00:40:29,460 supposed to indicate great superiority 912 00:40:36,530 --> 00:40:33,359 of mind so Conan nevertheless does not 913 00:40:39,349 --> 00:40:36,540 vouch for the authenticity of the facts 914 00:40:41,810 --> 00:40:39,359 he has gathered however it is quite 915 00:40:46,010 --> 00:40:41,820 probable according to those fairy 916 00:40:49,430 --> 00:40:46,020 stories that the kitty of Tomorrow will 917 00:40:53,210 --> 00:40:49,440 reject granddad's story of Once Upon a 918 00:40:56,569 --> 00:40:53,220 Time with scorn by saying 919 00:40:59,990 --> 00:40:56,579 quote Oh but the fairies I was talking 920 00:41:02,810 --> 00:41:00,000 to today said that those Yarns of yours 921 00:41:06,349 --> 00:41:02,820 are all Bosh they have no record of them 922 00:41:08,030 --> 00:41:06,359 in their history books end quote now of 923 00:41:10,069 --> 00:41:08,040 course there are many more references to 924 00:41:14,410 --> 00:41:10,079 us so Arthur Conan Doyle and photographs 925 00:41:18,349 --> 00:41:14,420 but will end in the year 1983 926 00:41:19,690 --> 00:41:18,359 1983 on the 21st of March the Canberra 927 00:41:23,150 --> 00:41:19,700 times 928 00:41:26,030 --> 00:41:23,160 reputations in tatters so Arthur Conan 929 00:41:30,069 --> 00:41:26,040 Doyle misses Elementary clue famous 930 00:41:33,770 --> 00:41:30,079 fairy photos fakes London Sunday 931 00:41:35,990 --> 00:41:33,780 Australian Associated Press times the 932 00:41:38,270 --> 00:41:36,000 reputations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 933 00:41:40,730 --> 00:41:38,280 creator of Sherlock Holmes and the 934 00:41:44,030 --> 00:41:40,740 world's most famous fairies are in 935 00:41:45,530 --> 00:41:44,040 tatters Francis Griffith one of the two 936 00:41:48,050 --> 00:41:45,540 girls who created an international 937 00:41:49,670 --> 00:41:48,060 sensation more than 60 years ago with 938 00:41:53,690 --> 00:41:49,680 their photographs of the fairies in 939 00:41:56,569 --> 00:41:53,700 cuttingly Dell near Bingley Yorkshire as 940 00:41:59,630 --> 00:41:56,579 admitted to the times London that the 941 00:42:02,030 --> 00:41:59,640 pictures were fakes and Sir Arthur Conan 942 00:42:06,130 --> 00:42:02,040 Doyle was not simply taken in by two 943 00:42:09,650 --> 00:42:06,140 girls then aged 10 and 16 but actually 944 00:42:12,349 --> 00:42:09,660 misinterpreted a vital clue when it was 945 00:42:15,050 --> 00:42:12,359 staring him in the face desperate for 946 00:42:17,510 --> 00:42:15,060 evidence of the Paranormal when he saw 947 00:42:20,089 --> 00:42:17,520 it was actually a hat pin holding down a 948 00:42:24,230 --> 00:42:20,099 cut out illustration of a goblin 949 00:42:26,690 --> 00:42:24,240 he described it as evidence of a fairy 950 00:42:28,970 --> 00:42:26,700 Naval proof he told Valor researchers 951 00:42:31,370 --> 00:42:28,980 into psychic phenomena that the 952 00:42:32,569 --> 00:42:31,380 creatures reproduced in the same manner 953 00:42:35,870 --> 00:42:32,579 as humans 954 00:42:39,530 --> 00:42:35,880 his findings sparked about a fairy fever 955 00:42:41,930 --> 00:42:39,540 in which Mr Edward L Gardner National 956 00:42:45,050 --> 00:42:41,940 Secretary of the theosophical society 957 00:42:48,349 --> 00:42:45,060 declared that fairies worked inside the 958 00:42:51,829 --> 00:42:48,359 stems of flowers tinted petals and gave 959 00:42:55,609 --> 00:42:51,839 warm green color to the leaves Mrs 960 00:42:57,530 --> 00:42:55,619 Griffis now 76 has been dogged by the 961 00:43:00,230 --> 00:42:57,540 story of the cuttingly fairies all her 962 00:43:02,270 --> 00:43:00,240 life she has promised to reveal the 963 00:43:04,910 --> 00:43:02,280 secrets of the fakes in a book she is 964 00:43:06,710 --> 00:43:04,920 writing she said last week that most of 965 00:43:09,950 --> 00:43:06,720 the photographs were faked using 966 00:43:12,589 --> 00:43:09,960 illustrations and hat pins but insisted 967 00:43:15,170 --> 00:43:12,599 that one was genuine the photographs 968 00:43:19,309 --> 00:43:15,180 were taken by Mrs Griffis and her cousin 969 00:43:21,910 --> 00:43:19,319 Elsie Wright in 1917. LC right now 82 970 00:43:25,430 --> 00:43:21,920 was reluctant to discuss her cousin's 971 00:43:29,870 --> 00:43:25,440 confession but said she was proud of the 972 00:43:33,290 --> 00:43:29,880 one so-called genuine photograph it was 973 00:43:35,750 --> 00:43:33,300 a brilliant idea she said Francis was 974 00:43:38,569 --> 00:43:35,760 not there at the time and I just saw a 975 00:43:41,270 --> 00:43:38,579 way to take it I have never even told my 976 00:43:43,430 --> 00:43:41,280 son and husband how I did it and I will 977 00:43:45,530 --> 00:43:43,440 swear on the Bible that my father had 978 00:43:47,569 --> 00:43:45,540 nothing to do with it but I will not 979 00:43:50,510 --> 00:43:47,579 swear on the Bible that they are real 980 00:43:53,329 --> 00:43:50,520 fairies like her cousin she is also 981 00:43:55,970 --> 00:43:53,339 promising to reveal nearly all in an 982 00:43:57,710 --> 00:43:55,980 autobiography the story of the girls in 983 00:44:00,589 --> 00:43:57,720 their fairies was made into a BBC 984 00:44:03,650 --> 00:44:00,599 television program five years ago they 985 00:44:05,930 --> 00:44:03,660 have always until now insisted the 986 00:44:08,089 --> 00:44:05,940 pictures were genuine the photographs 987 00:44:09,950 --> 00:44:08,099 came to light when the girls after being 988 00:44:12,170 --> 00:44:09,960 scolded for saying they were late 989 00:44:15,230 --> 00:44:12,180 because they were playing with fairies 990 00:44:17,150 --> 00:44:15,240 borrowed a camera and later produced a 991 00:44:20,089 --> 00:44:17,160 photograph of several dancing figures 992 00:44:22,430 --> 00:44:20,099 they took other similar pictures as 993 00:44:24,770 --> 00:44:22,440 their Fame grew the hunt for the truth 994 00:44:26,809 --> 00:44:24,780 about the fairies created small fortunes 995 00:44:29,990 --> 00:44:26,819 for several people but all the girls 996 00:44:33,349 --> 00:44:30,000 received was the equivalent of 36 997 00:44:35,990 --> 00:44:33,359 Australian dollars each now to round off 998 00:44:40,370 --> 00:44:36,000 this segment I'll play a short clip from 999 00:44:41,690 --> 00:44:40,380 a TV series made in the UK in 1991 James 1000 00:44:44,030 --> 00:44:41,700 Randy 1001 00:44:46,910 --> 00:44:44,040 psychic investigator 1002 00:44:50,630 --> 00:44:46,920 now you can find this whole series 1003 00:44:52,430 --> 00:44:50,640 on various places on YouTube but this 1004 00:44:54,470 --> 00:44:52,440 particular episode or this part of this 1005 00:44:56,809 --> 00:44:54,480 particular episode dealt with the 1006 00:44:58,730 --> 00:44:56,819 cottingly fairies the claims of 1007 00:45:02,089 --> 00:44:58,740 spiritualism have been with us for years 1008 00:45:04,550 --> 00:45:02,099 a 1917 two young girls in Yorkshire 1009 00:45:07,010 --> 00:45:04,560 fooled the world with these photos of 1010 00:45:09,470 --> 00:45:07,020 fairies one of their main supporters was 1011 00:45:12,349 --> 00:45:09,480 the great writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1012 00:45:14,210 --> 00:45:12,359 who was a fervent spiritualist himself 1013 00:45:17,150 --> 00:45:14,220 and here we are by the favorite 1014 00:45:19,550 --> 00:45:17,160 waterfall at the back of the right home 1015 00:45:22,250 --> 00:45:19,560 in cottingling where photograph number 1016 00:45:25,490 --> 00:45:22,260 one the most important of all five was 1017 00:45:28,250 --> 00:45:25,500 taken while think of branches behind the 1018 00:45:30,589 --> 00:45:28,260 cutouts I'm taking the place of Brampton 1019 00:45:32,390 --> 00:45:30,599 where you see it with a waterfall that 1020 00:45:34,430 --> 00:45:32,400 was a clue to the whole thing that 1021 00:45:36,290 --> 00:45:34,440 should have tripped everybody off with 1022 00:45:38,870 --> 00:45:36,300 the secret of the host 1023 00:45:41,150 --> 00:45:38,880 the waterfall in the original picture is 1024 00:45:43,250 --> 00:45:41,160 heavily blurred because it took at least 1025 00:45:45,770 --> 00:45:43,260 a 10 second Soldier to break that 1026 00:45:48,890 --> 00:45:45,780 photograph while the wings of the ferry 1027 00:45:51,050 --> 00:45:48,900 are perfectly sharp and clear and those 1028 00:45:54,530 --> 00:45:51,060 wings should have been buttering very 1029 00:45:56,750 --> 00:45:54,540 rapidly an obvious flow but no one 1030 00:45:59,450 --> 00:45:56,760 spotted it 1031 00:46:01,430 --> 00:45:59,460 in later life Elsie explained how she 1032 00:46:04,030 --> 00:46:01,440 used these illustrations from a popular 1033 00:46:07,089 --> 00:46:04,040 children's book 1034 00:46:10,430 --> 00:46:07,099 because the gloves the goals 1035 00:46:13,490 --> 00:46:10,440 and the the glass just around the waist 1036 00:46:14,990 --> 00:46:13,500 and put the wings on and then we cut 1037 00:46:16,849 --> 00:46:15,000 them out 1038 00:46:19,550 --> 00:46:16,859 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the 1039 00:46:22,069 --> 00:46:19,560 cottingley fairies a wonderful chapter 1040 00:46:24,109 --> 00:46:22,079 in skeptical history 1041 00:46:26,569 --> 00:46:24,119 and you too can find out lots more 1042 00:46:29,770 --> 00:46:26,579 wonderful chapters and articles and 1043 00:46:32,329 --> 00:46:29,780 information when you visit Trove at 1044 00:46:35,510 --> 00:46:32,339 trove.nla.gov dot a u put in your search 1045 00:46:38,490 --> 00:46:35,520 and you never know what you might find 1046 00:46:54,530 --> 00:46:38,500 foreign 1047 00:46:59,030 --> 00:46:56,390 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1048 00:47:01,670 --> 00:46:59,040 Zone podcast on next week's show Tim 1049 00:47:04,870 --> 00:47:01,680 Mendham turns the table on me and 1050 00:47:07,190 --> 00:47:04,880 interviews me about skeptical 1051 00:47:09,470 --> 00:47:07,200 investigations will also have the 1052 00:47:11,450 --> 00:47:09,480 Australian Skeptics newsletter and part 1053 00:47:13,430 --> 00:47:11,460 three of our series on Serato Conan 1054 00:47:16,790 --> 00:47:13,440 Doyle where we look at the relationship 1055 00:47:20,030 --> 00:47:16,800 between Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini 1056 00:47:22,910 --> 00:47:20,040 also coming up on next week's show some 1057 00:47:25,430 --> 00:47:22,920 uh hopefully some interviews from Canada 1058 00:47:26,990 --> 00:47:25,440 from the week and reason conference or 1059 00:47:27,890 --> 00:47:27,000 maybe not maybe it might be a bit too 1060 00:47:31,309 --> 00:47:27,900 soon 1061 00:47:33,050 --> 00:47:31,319 because it is on the weekend anyway I'll 1062 00:47:34,670 --> 00:47:33,060 see what I can do 1063 00:47:36,950 --> 00:47:34,680 thank you to all those people who see 1064 00:47:39,710 --> 00:47:36,960 what they can do and contribute to the 1065 00:47:41,990 --> 00:47:39,720 skeptic Zone at skepticzone.tv Via 1066 00:47:45,589 --> 00:47:42,000 patreon or PayPal your contribution 1067 00:47:49,130 --> 00:47:45,599 means the show keeps going 1068 00:47:52,309 --> 00:47:49,140 but for this week from beautiful bend in 1069 00:47:57,190 --> 00:47:52,319 Oregon this is Richard Saunders signing 1070 00:48:04,089 --> 00:47:59,510 you've been listening to the skeptic 1071 00:48:06,410 --> 00:48:04,099 Zone podcast please visit our website at 1072 00:48:09,470 --> 00:48:06,420 www.skepticzone.tv for show notes 1073 00:48:13,130 --> 00:48:09,480 contacts and to access the back catalog 1074 00:48:14,990 --> 00:48:13,140 of episodes going back to 2008. 1075 00:48:18,589 --> 00:48:15,000 you can follow the skeptic Zone podcast 1076 00:48:20,930 --> 00:48:18,599 on Twitter at skepticzone visit our 1077 00:48:22,250 --> 00:48:20,940 Facebook page or leave a review on 1078 00:48:24,470 --> 00:48:22,260 iTunes 1079 00:48:27,770 --> 00:48:24,480 you can also support the skeptic Zone 1080 00:48:31,130 --> 00:48:27,780 via patreon or PayPal the skeptic Zone 1081 00:48:32,809 --> 00:48:31,140 podcast is an independent production the 1082 00:48:34,910 --> 00:48:32,819 views and opinions expressed on the 1083 00:48:37,309 --> 00:48:34,920 skeptic zone are not necessarily those 1084 00:48:38,970 --> 00:48:37,319 of Australian Skeptics or any other 1085 00:48:49,609 --> 00:48:38,980 skeptical organization 1086 00:48:52,930 --> 00:48:51,470 I'm not used to this sort of at least 1087 00:48:56,089 --> 00:48:52,940 more professional 1088 00:48:58,370 --> 00:48:56,099 Tim is in the skeptic Zone Studios and 1089 00:49:01,210 --> 00:48:58,380 he is demolishing the studios the 1090 00:49:03,470 --> 00:49:01,220 paneling's coming down 1091 00:49:05,150 --> 00:49:03,480 they didn't have the mastics well 1092 00:49:07,849 --> 00:49:05,160 honestly yeah yeah and we forgot the 1093 00:49:09,170 --> 00:49:07,859 Black Jelly mate beans I'm leaving I'm 1094 00:49:11,470 --> 00:49:09,180 sorry it's not good enough right the 1095 00:49:15,589 --> 00:49:11,480 beers downstairs 1096 00:49:17,750 --> 00:49:15,599 book of Tim book of Tim let me um can 1097 00:49:20,750 --> 00:49:17,760 you pass me that notepad up there 1098 00:49:22,010 --> 00:49:20,760 get out and all the delicate stuff on it 1099 00:49:23,410 --> 00:49:22,020 all the delicate stuff on it that's 1100 00:49:25,510 --> 00:49:23,420 right 1101 00:49:28,670 --> 00:49:25,520 thank you 1102 00:49:31,190 --> 00:49:28,680 so uh 1103 00:49:34,010 --> 00:49:31,200 bot in other words known as book of Tim 1104 00:49:45,890 --> 00:49:34,020 and this is volume in one and you put in 1105 00:49:53,329 --> 00:49:48,410 it's actually called Skeptics test 1106 00:49:56,510 --> 00:49:53,339 psychic surgeon by Mark Palama ah 1107 00:49:58,430 --> 00:49:56,520 it's only got one okay it is 1108 00:50:00,710 --> 00:49:58,440 all right this is the book of Tim and 1109 00:50:02,050 --> 00:50:00,720 you'll hear me clearly right you can 1110 00:50:05,089 --> 00:50:02,060 hear me clearly yeah 1111 00:50:06,950 --> 00:50:05,099 in the recording it's only your 1112 00:50:08,990 --> 00:50:06,960 microphone right it's going to be used 1113 00:50:10,130 --> 00:50:09,000 all right if we can pick up my stomach 1114 00:50:13,130 --> 00:50:10,140 it's gonna pick up you in the background 1115 00:50:14,870 --> 00:50:13,140 well I won't make it except for when I 1116 00:50:17,450 --> 00:50:14,880 say yes this is the only copy in 1117 00:50:19,550 --> 00:50:17,460 existence right and then you say no it's 1118 00:50:22,790 --> 00:50:19,560 not it's like I've got one I've got one 1119 00:50:26,390 --> 00:50:22,800 please get the line right here can you 1120 00:50:27,470 --> 00:50:26,400 can you believe it okay I'll say it as a 1121 00:50:30,109 --> 00:50:27,480 Greek god 1122 00:50:32,030 --> 00:50:30,119 no no you say there's a rather pathetic 1123 00:50:33,770 --> 00:50:32,040 figure in the background if you want I 1124 00:50:36,170 --> 00:50:33,780 am a rather pathetic figure there we are