Event Listing

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  1. GMSS Skeptics in the Pub: Jeff Forshaw

    http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/2/c/5/event_48049861.jpegJeff will discuss the topics from his new book, "The Quantum Universe", co-authored by Brian Cox, in which they set out to explain the deepest questions in science. This book follows on from the hugely successful "Why Does E=mc^2?". If you're very good, he may even answer your questions about "Wonders of the Universe", the BBC series which Jeff served as series consultant on.

    Jeff Forshaw is professor of theoretical physics at the University of Manchester, specialising in the physics of elementary particles. He was awarded the Institute of Physics Maxwell Medal in 1999 for outstanding contributions to theoretical physics.

    19:30 doors for 8pm Sharp Start.

    7:30PM Thursday 12 January 2012 Bar21
  2. GMSS Skeptics in the Pub with Sense About Science

    Sense About Science is a charitable trust that equips people to make sense of scientific and medical claims in public discussion – with a database of over 5,000 scientists, from Nobel prize winners to postdocs and PhD students, they work in partnership with scientific bodies, research publishers, policy makers, the public and the media, to change public discussions about science and evidence.

    Since 2002 they have shared the tools of scientific thinking and scrutiny through award-winning public campaigns. Their activities and publications are used and shaped by community groups, civic bodies, patient organisations, information services, writers, publishers, educators, health services and many others.

    Dr Tabitha Innocent, Communications Officer for Sense About Science, will be at GMSS Skeptics in the Pub to bring us all up to speed with current challenges. She’ll take us on a whistle-stop tour of Sense About Science and tell us about the launch of their fantastic ‘Ask for Evidence’ campaign. You can read all about this campaign on this link here, feel free to donate!

    This event will be at Tv21, 10 Thomas St, Manchester. Doors are 7:30, it starts 8pm sharp.

    7:30PM Thursday 10 November 2011 Bar21
  3. GMSS Skeptics in the Pub on Scientology with Martin Poulter

    http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/c/c/5/event_48052421.jpegHow to create your own cult: The Scientology way

    Scientology has been described in the States as “ruthless, litigious and lucrative” and in this country as “corrupt, sinister and dangerous”, yet it boasts global success and has made hundreds of millions of dollars. Thanks to the Internet, it now faces an unprecedented global opposition. The scary secrets of Scientology and its recruitment methods will be exposed in this talk. It will be useful for anyone wanting to set up their own lucrative cult.

    Martin Poulter first encountered skepticism while a teenager. He has a Philosophy and Psychology degree from Oxford University and a PhD in Philosophy of Science from the University of Bristol. He has been a Scientology-watcher since 1995, when he was threatened with legal action over material he posted online. He is an ordained minister in the Church of the SubGenius, which offers eternal spiritual salvation or triple your money back.

    7:30PM Thursday 13 October 2011 Bar21
  4. GMSS Skeptics in the Pub with David Colquhoun

    http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/f/3/1/event_48053041.jpegThe corruption of science.
    Managerialism and quackery endanger a noble enterprise.
    TBA Doors 7:30 Starts 8pm sharp.

    David Colquhoun, PhD, FRS, is a noted British pharmacologist. He held the A.J. Clark Chair of Pharmacology at the University College of London (UCL) from 1985 to 2004, Honorary Director of the Wellcome Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, and is now is an Honorary Fellow (2004) and research assistant at UCL.

    Since 2001, Dr Colquhoun has run DC’s Improbable Science, a wildly popular blog and website (with 2,209,000 hits) and Twitter account (with over 2600 followers). These sites are dedicated to critical assessment of various sorts of pseudoscience, such as “Alternative Medicine” and much managerialism and science fraud. Lately he has taken an interest in more general problems of inference in clinical trials, science policy, and science communication. He has been particularly critical of a number of United Kingdom universities that offer science degrees incorporating pseudoscientific courses such as homeopathy and acupuncture.

    In December 2009, Dr Colquhoun won a freedom-of-information judgment, requiring the University of Central Lancashire to release details of their undergraduate course in homeopathy.

    7:30PM Thursday 8 September 2011 Bar21
  5. SkepLit meets Manchester Girl Geeks: The Age of Spiritual Machines

    This month we're holding a special event with Manchester Girl Geeks, to discuss Ray Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines.

    Published thirteen years ago, the book contains Kurzweil's predictions about the possibilities presented by a future full of computers. It includes a list of predictions for 10, 20 and 30 years into the future.

    Since the first year of predictions has passed (2009), this is a chance to discuss how accurate t hey turned out to be, and what we think of the chances of his other ideas coming true might be. Hey, we might even start making our own predictions.

    This is a great opportunity to discuss the effect of the computer and internet on our lives, how futurologists make their predictions and how accurate they turn out to be.

    Join us for tea, cake and skeptical geekery!

    Note: Madlab is a community project dependent on donations, grants and charity for support. A small contribution of a £1-2 to help keep it running and providing a space for us all to meet and geek is appreciated.

    2:00PM Sunday 28 August 2011 MadLab
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