A new group advocating a strong basis in rigorous science for the provision of safe and effective healthcare has been established in New Zealand. Mark Hanna explains. There is a lot of medical ... (930 words)

"… she successfully resisted the forces pitted against her, giving an astounding manifestation of some power other than that making up the ordinary phenomena of nature." So wrote the Feilding Star on ... (1886 words)

"Alkaline and hydrogen-rich" water is being touted as the latest cure-all. There is a sort of health shop in the Johnsonville Mall on the outside of which is this handsome sign: Which is intriguing. ... (819 words)

Stuart Landsborough conducts a small experiment which may land him in big trouble. I tried an experiment with my wife, but until now she knows nothing about it. I wonder what her reaction will be ... (692 words)

A new alternative treatment for Alzheimer's doing the rounds seems to be based on a misunderstanding of the underlying science. The title of this piece is a question posed by the 'health ... (634 words)

A therapy marketed as a guaranteed way to stop smoking appears to lack a sound theoretical basis and to have little experimental support. As health researchers in the field of tobacco smoking ... (2402 words)

Placebos may contain no active ingredients, but they have real effects on the human brain. This article is based on a presentation to the NZ Skeptics 2008 conference in Hamilton, September 26-28. ... (2648 words)

Why is Canterbury University fostering an alternative therapy at its Health Centre? Should Canterbury University be funding pseudo-science? It was implied that this was occurring in a recent ... (1169 words)

Bob Brockie considers the enduring influence of the founder of Anthroposophy Down on the farm, Rudolf Steiner taught that our forbears lived on the continents of Atlantis (which sank beneath the ... (412 words)

The Painted Apple Moth spraying programme in the western suburbs of Auckland has generated considerable controversy. An alternative programme was evaluated at last year's Skeptics The Painted apple ... (952 words)

This is the press release (slightly edited) which announced this year's Bent Spoon Winner. Most of the reports used only a small proportion, and included a quote from Ms Fitzsimons saying that the ... (3584 words)