Launceston Skeptics

13/07/2026

Gold coin donation is appreciated.
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15/06/2026

No meeting this month but we will be back next month. To subscribe to our newsletter, send an email request to [email protected]

20/05/2026

I'm pleased to say that it is one of our local Launceston Skeptics members who is funding these scholarships to assist student attendance at the next Skepticon / NotACon in Sydney in July. This year the event is being hosted by the fabulous 'Skeptics Guide to the Universe' podcast people. If you'd like to attend, please apply!

Calling all secondary and tertiary students!

19/05/2026

There was a good turnout for the debate. You can watch the recording of it on YouTube here:

2 likes, 1 comment. "Justifying our Worldviews: A Christian Skeptic debate"

02/04/2026

This discussion highlights the danger that disinformation brings to our society. Nordic countries are proactively taking on the challenge to counteract disinformation. The recently retired Australian Electoral Commisioner joins this discussion and gives examples of attempts to derail Autalian democracy.
Vital listening for Skeptics and our role in educating the public in thinking critically.

Misinformation, disinformation, deep fakes, false news — do you feel confident spotting them? They’re doing real harm to our relationships, our communities, our health, even to the future health of our democracy. New research has found 73% of Australians believe disinformation will be a major th...

15/03/2026

The generation of fake scientific credentials and research papers has been reported on for a few years now. There is some new research from Northwest University USA on the scale of this problem which shows it is getting worse. There are semi-criminal gangs operating 'paper mills' producing fake scientific papers, selling authorships, and manipulating journals to mass-publish fraudulent research.
How do Universities and real Research Institutions counter this problem?

A sweeping new study from Northwestern University reveals that scientific fraud is no longer just the work of a few rogue researchers—it has evolved into a global, organized enterprise. By analyzing massive datasets of publications, retractions, and editorial records, researchers uncovered network...

16/02/2026

Something to be concerned about.
Christian fundamentalist Charlie Kirk's 'Turning Point' organisation is expanding in Australia. Encouraged by Nigel Farage of the UK's Reform party, the organisation here wants to "persue rightwing issues including “mass migration”, net zero, trans issues, the persecution of Christians and the fear that western culture will be replaced."
Turning Point Australia aims to establish chapters across the country, including in high schools and universities.
This article in The Guardian elaborates on the situation. It also offers hope in that Australia is more resistant to such fundamentalism and Australian youth less religious than their cohort in he USA.

Emboldened by major successes in the US and UK, the conservative Christian organisation Turning Point has its sights set on Australia’s political ecosystem

02/12/2025

Are you a Skeptic who enjoys musicals and/or movies? This talk might interest you...

Science has advanced enormously in the past 500 years, guided by experimental tests of theory and practice. In that same time, science teaching and education—guided primarily by tradition and dogma—has remained largely medieval. Carl Wieman will discuss research from university classrooms that r...