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.
November social
Tuesday 3rd November. Join us from 7.30pm in The Library at the Town Wall pub on Pink Lane (near Newcastle Central Station) to meet fellow Toon skeptics.
November event: The Only Skeptic in Glastonbury
Newcastle Skeptics in the Pub with Dr Kat Ford
1867 Cafe Bar & Hall (Tyne Theatre & Opera House)
Saturday 14 November 4pm
(please note later start time to usual programme)
Glastonbury is probably the most spiritually diverse town in the UK, it is steeped in myths, legends, and spiritual mystique. According to estimates it attracts over 100,000 tourists and spiritual pilgrims every year, and many of the permanent residents of Glastonbury are committed to spiritual exploration. As a postdoctoral research fellow Kat Ford moved to Glastonbury to try and gain a better understanding of modern spirituality, of how ideas spread and change, of what attracts people to alternative spiritual paths, and the enduring spiritual allure of Glastonbury itself.
As an atheist and long term member of the UK Skeptical community, what did Kat learn when she spent 18 months as a professional people watcher and vibe checker in the centre of modern British spirituality? Dr Kat Ford worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Brunel University London, as part of the Spirits and Sources project exploring alternative spiritual beliefs in Glastonbury UK. She gained her PhD in Psychology from the Centre for Culture and Evolution and Brunel University where she looked at the relationship between religious cognition and optimism.
Past events archive
| 10 Oct 2024 | Nikolas Lloyd – How your body lies to you about pain |
| 14 Nov 2024 | Michael Marshall – Using data to counter quackery and alternative medicine |
| 12 Dec 2024 | Professor Anqi Shen – When blessings turn to curses: scammers’ exploitation of supernatural beliefs |
| 09 Jan 2025 | Dr Rebecca Woods – What’s a question to start with?: Why interrogatives are so weird (in English) |
| 13 Feb 2025 | Dr Tom Nicholson – “We’re all just a little bit ADHD, right?!” – How the world makes life harder for neurodivergent adults |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Dr Alex Niven – How to Get a Rise out of the North-East: A History of the Future in the Deep North |
| 10 Apr 2025 | Brian Eggo – The Truth is Nowt There |
| 15 May 2025 | Professor Richard Wiseman – How to Transform a Tea Towel into a Chicken and Other Mysteries |
| 12 Jun 2025 | Dr Joel Wallenberg – Stealing money from old people slowly, or How We Came to Charge for the Future |
| 10 Jul 2025 | Shayna Weisz – What’s wrong with me? How mental health awareness might actually be making us feel worse |
| 14 Aug 2025 | Maeve Hanan – When healthy eating turns harmful: How ultra-processed food panic fuels anxiety and disordered eating |
| 11 Sep 2025 | Professor Jamie Tehrani – The Natural History of Narratives: how stories evolve, spread and survive, and how they decay and die |
| 09 Oct 2025 | Dr. Darrel Ray – Sexy Evolution: What the Pope Doesn’t Know About Human Sexuality |
| 13 Nov 2025 | Dr Jane Stewart – XX/XY: not always what you think |
| 4 Dec 2025 | Dr George Locke – Apostasy in the UK: on leaving a high-control religion |
| 14 Feb 2026 | Heidi Mounsey – The Woo of Wee |
| 14 March 2026 | Professor Bruce Baker – Recognized More and More: Frederick Douglass and Newcastle’s role in ending slavery in the United States |
| 11 April 2026 | Robin Ince: A Monkey Escaped |
| 16 May 2026 | Dr Icy Sedgwick – The Ethics of Ghost Hunting: When Science Meets Commercial Interest |
| 20 June 2026 | Skeptics Summer Sessions – multiple speakers from our fabulous community |
| 17 July2026 | Nikolas Lloyd / Lindybeige – Hollywood’s Medieval Balderdash |
| 8 August 2026 | Dr Alice Howarth – Chasing Empowerment: The Hidden Cost of Wellness |
| 12 September 2026 | Professor Hayley Fowler – Fighting denial in the new climate of extremes |
| 10 October 2026 | Doctor Jane Stewart – Alternative’ Fertility Therapies: Overthinking, Overdiagnosing, and Overtreatment |