Newcastle Skeptics

Welcome to Newcastle Skeptics, a community dedicated to promoting critical thinking, science, and reason in the heart of the North East. We are a diverse group of individuals who share a passion for questioning the world around us, from debunking pseudoscience to discussing the latest developments in scientific research and philosophy.

Our monthly meetings feature guest speakers, lively debates, and opportunities to engage with like-minded people in a friendly, open environment. Whether you’re a seasoned skeptic or just beginning your journey into the world of critical inquiry, Newcastle Skeptics offers a welcoming space to explore new ideas, challenge assumptions, and connect with others who value rational discourse.

September social

1st September 7.30pm. Join us every first Tuesday of the month in The Library at the Town Wall pub on Pink Lane (near Newcastle Central Station) to meet fellow Toon skeptics. No ticketing, no signing up, just pop in!

September event: Professor Hayley Fowler – “Fighting denial in the new climate of extremes”

TICKETS

Newcastle Skeptics in the Pub with Professor Hayley Fowler.
1867 cafe bar & Hall (Tyne Theatre & Opera House)
Saturday 12 September 3pm

After decades of warnings, Earth’s climate has now measurably and demonstrably changed. Extreme weather events from storms to droughts are now normal world-wide. And yet denialism remains abundant. Professor Fowler will explore the surprisingly deliberate forces currently fostering ignorance and complacency in the general public about the climate crisis.

Professor Hayley Fowler FRS is Professor of Climate Change Impacts and Director of the Centre of Climate and Environmental Resilience at Newcastle University. Her research develops high-resolution climate projections to inform adaptation strategies. She is a member of the UK Climate Change Committee’s Adaptation Committee.

Tickets are PAYF – please note free tickets are only available on the door.

Past events archive

10 Oct 2024Nikolas Lloyd – How your body lies to you about pain
14 Nov 2024Michael Marshall – Using data to counter quackery and alternative medicine
12 Dec 2024Professor Anqi Shen – When blessings turn to curses: scammers’ exploitation of supernatural beliefs
09 Jan 2025Dr Rebecca Woods – What’s a question to start with?: Why interrogatives are so weird (in English)
13 Feb 2025Dr Tom Nicholson – “We’re all just a little bit ADHD, right?!” – How the world makes life harder for neurodivergent adults
13 Mar 2025Dr Alex Niven – How to Get a Rise out of the North-East: A History of the Future in the Deep North
10 Apr 2025Brian Eggo – The Truth is Nowt There
15 May 2025Professor Richard Wiseman – How to Transform a Tea Towel into a Chicken and Other Mysteries
12 Jun 2025Dr Joel Wallenberg – Stealing money from old people slowly, or How We Came to Charge for the Future
10 Jul 2025Shayna Weisz – What’s wrong with me? How mental health awareness might actually be making us feel worse
14 Aug 2025Maeve Hanan – When healthy eating turns harmful: How ultra-processed food panic fuels anxiety and disordered eating
11 Sep 2025Professor Jamie Tehrani – The Natural History of Narratives: how stories evolve, spread and survive, and how they decay and die
09 Oct 2025Dr. Darrel Ray – Sexy Evolution: What the Pope Doesn’t Know About Human Sexuality
13 Nov 2025Dr Jane Stewart – XX/XY: not always what you think
4 Dec 2025Dr George Locke – Apostasy in the UK: on leaving a high-control religion
14 Feb 2026Heidi Mounsey – The Woo of Wee
14 March 2026Professor Bruce Baker – Recognized More and More: Frederick Douglass and Newcastle’s role in ending slavery in the United States
11 April 2026Robin Ince: A Monkey Escaped
16 May 2026Dr Icy Sedgwick – The Ethics of Ghost Hunting: When Science Meets Commercial Interest
20 June 2026Skeptics Summer Sessions – multiple speakers from our fabulous community
17 July2026Nikolas Lloyd / Lindybeige – Hollywood’s Medieval Balderdash
8 August 2026Dr Alice Howarth – Chasing Empowerment: The Hidden Cost of Wellness