Jessica Macfarlane

Lockdown made me think of what it would be like to travel to Mars. Stuck in familiar confines, the same people around every day. The same food. A slowly diminishing blue marble the only vibrant ... (911 words)

'Horrifying' impact of coronavirus misinformation for people with Asian background - Christchurch mayor Where: stuff.co.nz Who: Oliver Lewis When: 14/02/2020 Skeptic summary: Christchurch mayor ... (1264 words)

Take this questionnaire if you enjoy critical thinking and have a high tolerance for nonsense. Disclaimer: Entering into this questionnaire without a passing knowledge of logical fallacies may result ... (348 words)

As I looked out at the Australian smoke filling our normally blue New Zealand skies, it made me angry. Angry to think that where there is smoke, there is fake news holding us back from taking action ... (776 words)

The Underground network of kiwis who fight anti-vaxx propaganda Where: stuff.co.nz Who: Michelle Duff When: 7/09/2019 Skeptic summary: The kiwis who are taking a stand against vaccination ... (507 words)

Art by Melissa Bather At the 2019 NZ Skeptics conference I had the pleasure of meeting a student of Applied Mathematics and Statistics and SGU fan, Melissa Bather. I was impressed by her fan art of ... (653 words)

As one of the tweeters for NZ Skeptics, I've helped accumulate a diverse collection of followers, who inspire and educate me. However, lately, people with very different, and, frankly, misogynistic ... (1624 words)

Homeopathic treatment claims to ‘cure' autism in NZ Where: newsroom.co.nz Who: Farah Hancock When: 15/08/2019 Skeptic summary: A brilliant piece on CEASE therapy, the bogus autism ‘cure' made from ... (1440 words)

In a preface to the 2019 conference, and with the opening event being held at Riccarton House, a supposed haunted house, we thought we'd have a quick look at some of the reputed most-haunted houses ... (1048 words)

The Force Field Film Challenge A quick word to let you all know that our project to promote herd immunity through vaccination is still in the fund-raising stage. We have been working behind the ... (440 words)

The Cure for Pseudoscience? Clear Thinking Where: forbes.com Who: Helen Lee Bouygues When: 27/05/2019 Skeptic summary: Students took a test to measure their belief in pseudo-scientific ideas before ... (1164 words)

The claims made about the benefits of using a salt lamp are many. They range from reducing the need for an inhaler, to promoting happiness and wellbeing. Most of them seem to revolve around the idea ... (795 words)

The morning of the 15th of March I woke up ready for a positive day with my son at Cathedral square, to attend the school strike for climate. The protesters were in good spirits, there were a mix of ... (683 words)

‘Spiritual healer' told dying cancer patient to stop medical treatment, authorities say Where: stuff.co.nz Who: Aisha Dow When: 25/01/2019 Skeptic summary: Despicable. When people are in a vulnerable ... (1283 words)

The Force Field Film Challenge, aimed at helping kids to learn about the importance of vaccines, is an innovative competition being spearheaded by the New Zealand Skeptics. The Challenge will test ... (307 words)

Dowsing Wellington ratepayers foot bill for pseudoscience Where: newsroom.co.nz Who: Farah Hancock When: 6/3/2019 Skeptic summary: Downer, one of New Zealand's largest infrastructure companies, goes ... (265 words)

I was very honoured at this year's conference to be awarded the NZ Skeptic of the Year. That honour has made me reflect on what it means to me to be a skeptic and why I decided to jump into the role ... (903 words)

Anti-fluoride advert ruled 'socially irresponsible' Where: www.newshub.co.nz Who: Dan Satherley When: 3/11/18 Skeptic summary: Good work all those who complained. Fluoride is not a "Neurotoxin" and ... (849 words)

Twitter: @NZSkeptics From psychics to naturopaths, NZ Skeptics has been retweeting news from NZ and overseas that highlights the real harm that pseudoscience can do. Our twitter following is steadily ... (909 words)

As a metaphor for anxieties, stories of the paranormal provide a great release. For those of us up at night worrying about bills to pay, health issues, children or even climate change, shows about ... (1059 words)

More than 300 turn out for 1080 protest in Timaru Where: www.stuff.co.nz Who: Matthew Littlewood When: 09/09/2018 Skeptic summary: Kimberley Collins went to the anti-1080 protest in Timaru, but not ... (652 words)

I was having a flu jab the other day (because I believe in the amazing power of vaccines to prevent illness and protect vulnerable people in our community from infection) and told the nurse I was the ... (606 words)

Zoe Marshall Slammed by doctor for drinking her placenta Where: www.stuff.co.nz Who: Unknown When: 05/04/2018 Skeptic summary: Zoe Marshall, radio host, and wellness advice 'influencer' on Instagram, ... (3122 words)

In the last issue of this publication it was mentioned some skeptics were pulling out of this talk due to the nature of the allegations against Lawrence Krauss. He was accused of sexually assaulting ... (2429 words)

I've been following Astro Katie on twitter for a while, as I enjoy it when she replies to people who seem to display a lack of understanding of astrophysics, which allows me to enjoy how amazing she ... (1128 words)

On 23rd February 2018 Buzzfeed.com broke the news that the prominent atheist and skeptic Lawrence Krauss had been accused of sexual assault. Later we learned that this news had a New Zealand ... (705 words)

Photo of Kiwi killed by dogs and cats passed off as 1080 poisoned birds Where: www.newshub.co.nz Who: Newshub When: 12/02/2018 Skeptic summary: A facebook page protesting against the poison 1080 ... (868 words)

How to be a positively skeptically active person, some suggestions Socialise Go to Skeptics in the Pub with a friend who is sceptical of your skepticism. Buy them a beer (or beverage of their choice) ... (513 words)

In case you've missed it there is an awful lot going on in the Skeptical world all the time, right here in New Zealand. Here is a summary of the things you can dive into. Skeptics in the Pub Meet ... (265 words)

How to get your kids thinking critically… it's something I've thought about a lot. One thing I hooked on to was a new type of v-jay-o where science and popular culture meet—Because Science with Kyle ... (527 words)

It has felt this summer like we are on a highway to hell. The roads themselves have been literally melting, and we had better get used to it. We are heading to a new climate reality, with more and ... (700 words)

Prime time presenters call it quits Where: www.stuff.co.nz Who: Colin Peacock When: 15/12/2017 Skeptic summary: Happy day! Climate change denier quits radio Newstalk ZB host Leighton Smith announces ... (444 words)

Bravo Awards Rob Stock For the article “Don't waste money on superfoods and supplements” published in Stuff, 29th Sept 2017. Thank you Rob for using your experience of waiting in the pharmacy for ... (771 words)

Venue: I am almost certain, that despite the fact the conference was held in a Wellington nunnery, none of the attendees converted to the cloth, and none became extras in the next Peter Jackson ... (105 words)

I enjoy a good coffee, a bit of light astrophysics chat with Neil de Grasse Tyson, and spring with its blossoms and daffodils. It occurred to me, some things really do go together, like breakfast and ... (429 words)

'It pains us to say no': Church refuses to marry Kāpiti Couple Where: www.stuff.co.nz Who: Joel Maxwell When: 25/09/2017 Skeptic summary: Congregation sides with God who apparently prefers gay ... (342 words)

By Paul Cleave Published by Upstart Press Reviewed by Jessica Macfarlane, Editor I've just finished reading the new Paul Cleave book A Killer Harvest. It was a really good read, and had me ... (914 words)

I decided to dip my spoon further into the benefits (or not) of turmeric after reading this issue's bio-blog by Alison Campbell and ended up learning about how food safety methods are being dropped ... (588 words)