Author: Steven Galbraith
7 articles
14,823 words
(2118 words per article)
Years Published: 2014 - 2018
Steven Galbraith is an associate professor in mathematics at the University of Auckland. His research interests include cryptography and information security, and he enjoys breaking mathematical cryptosystems (cryptanalysis is basically skepticism about cryptosystems).
His research interests include genetics and evolution, including the effects of stress (particularly induced by antibiotics and agrochemicals), risk assessment and the influence of language on science and eugenics.
It is hard to avoid hearing about Bitcoin and other so-called cryptocurrencies these days. Almost every issue of every newspaper has an article about some aspect of Bitcoin. As a researcher in cryptography I have been interested in Bitcoin since around 2013 (though I confess to have never "mined" a block or invested in Bitcoin). The purpose of this article is not to explain the technology of Bitcoin or to give a detailed overview of it. And I am definitely not giving investment advice! Instead I want to highlight a few aspects of the Bitcoin story that I think are of particular interest to skeptics.
Siouxsie is frequently to be found blogging or on the TV or radio, explaining in a down-to-earth manner current developments in science, or why she is skeptical of certain claims whenever they appear in the media. In 2016 alone she took on MPs, anti-vaxxers and Mike Hosking, as well as tackling topics such as e-cigarettes and the Zika virus. She regularly appears in the “Skeptical Thoughts” radio slot with Graeme Hill on Radio Live, and she also has a fortnightly slot on Radio New Zealand's "Nine to Noon" show, talking about science. She was nominated for the Denis Dutton award in recognition of her outstanding communication skills and sustained efforts to demonstrate critical thinking, skepticism and the scientific method.
HOW TO FIND THE APOLLO LANDING SITES
In December 1952, letters appeared in the Otago Daily Times reporting sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects across the length of New Zealand. The story was apparently quite convincing, as the correspondents were relatively respectable people scattered widely around the country.
First, please don't panic! This article is about pseudoscience and those who practice it, and does not require knowledge of mathematics.
Completely Unnecessary? Hardly. New Zealand's own Completely Unnecessary Skeptical Podcast is celebrating its fourth birthday and has established a niche for itself in the country's digital airwaves.