Steven Novella

I'll teach you how to become the media's go-to expert in your field. Enroll in The Professional's Media Academy now: https://www.professionalsmediaacademy.com/ Buy Dr. Steven Novella's books The Skeptics Guide To The Universe and The Skeptics Guide To The Future here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/dr-steven-novella/ Listen to Dr. Novella's podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4RVc0stLre1yB5Ac3hiAPl 00:00 Intro 01:27 What Is A Skeptic? 14:00 RFK Jr. & Vaccines 28:16 AI Skepticism 37:36 Cherrypicking Experts 46:29 Debating Flat-Earthers 54:20 My Worst Podcast Guest 57:49 Jubilee's Surrounded 1:09:30 Using Anti-vaxxers Tricks 1:20:50 Responding With Anger 1:24:13 Institutional Failures 1:31:06 Social Media / Insurance 1:37:40 Science Based Medicine 1:45:50 Acupuncture & KT Tape 2:07:00 Alternative/Homeopathic Medicine 2:23:30 Funding Research / Fraud Help us continue the fight against medical misinformation and change the world through charity by becoming a Doctor Mike Resident on Patreon where every month I donate 100% of the proceeds to the charity, organization, or cause of your choice! Residents get access to bonus content, and many other perks for just $10 a month. Become a Resident today:https://www.patreon.com/doctormike Let’s connect: IG: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/instagram/DMinstagram Twitter: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/twitter/DMTwitter FB: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/facebook/DMFacebook TikTok: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/tiktok/DMTikTok Reddit: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/reddit/DMReddit Contact Email: DoctorMikeMedia@Gmail.com Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Production Director and Editor: Dan Owens Managing Editor and Producer: Sam Bowers Editor and Designer: Caroline Weigum Editor: Juan Carlos Zuniga * Select photos/videos provided by Getty Images * ** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

The definition and nature of biological sex in humans should be a straightforward scientific question, so why is the topic so controversial even among skeptics and science communicators? This week on RfRx, Dr. Steven Novella will tackle this subject. Novella is an Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast , author of three books as well as the NeuroLogica blog , and founding editor and regular contributor to the Science-Based Medicine blog . Join Us Live Every Monday! https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/rfrx https://linktr.ee/RecoveringFromReligion https://www.facebook.com/RecoveringfromReligion https://instagram.com/rfrorg https://www.tiktok.com/@recoveringfromreligion https://bsky.app/profile/recoveringfromreligion.org https://www.linkedin.com/company/rfrorg

Steven Novella reflects on the evolution of the modern skeptical movement, particularly through the lens of his own decades-long involvement and the 20-year success of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, which recently celebrated its 1,000th episode. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2025/06/after-decades-of-skepticism-how-are-we-doing/ About the Author: Steven Novella, MD, is an assistant professor of neurology at Yale University School of Medicine. He is the host of the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, author of the NeuroLogica blog, executive editor of the Science-Based Medicine blog, and president of The New England Skeptical Society . Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/ Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is a production of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry.

In this episode of The Proof , I’m joined by Dr. Steven Novella, a clinical neurologist at Yale School of Medicine and host of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe . Steven has spent decades helping people think more clearly, spot misinformation, and navigate the increasingly noisy world of science, health, and media. Together we explore what it really means to be a skeptic — not a cynic — and why scientific humility is more powerful than absolute certainty. We talk about how to have better conversations with people who believe in conspiracy theories, the psychology behind motivated reasoning, and why embracing “I don’t know” can actually make us more grounded, not less. What we cover: Scepticism vs. denialism Why stories often override facts What science literacy actually looks like The cognitive traps we all fall into How social media fuels misinformation Rebuilding trust in science and institutions If you enjoy this episode, I’d love it if you shared it with someone who values critical thinking and curiosity. 00:00 Introduction 05:48 Sceptic vs. Contrarian: What's the difference? 08:57 Combating Misinformation and Disinformation 12:13 The Role of Critical Thinking 18:06 Why We Reject Facts That Make Us Uncomfortable 21:09 How Echo Chambers Hijack Reality 24:41 The Hardest Choice: Truth or Belonging? 37:54 Why People No Longer Trust Experts 48:16 Debating Pseudoscience 52:53 The Deadly Cost of Misinformation 56:03 The GMO Lies People Still Believe 01:03:00 How to Teach Critical Thinking to Anyone 01:10:00 How to Think, Not What to Think 01:14:34 Why Science Sounds Uncertain and Why That’s a Good Thing 01:23:51 Being Sceptical Doesn’t Make You Automatically Right 01:35:59 The Double-Edged Sword of AI This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's ⁠DMN prebiotic supplement⁠ a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health provides a practical solution to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. For the first 1,000 listeners, new members get a $100 credit when signing up. Head to ⁠functionhealth.com/simonhill⁠ to claim your credit. Only available to those living in the United States. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Get 20% off your first purchase by using the code LIVINGPROOF at checkout at ⁠livemomentous.com⁠ Shopify Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠shopify.com/proof⁠ . Birch Sleep deeply and wake up refreshed with a Birch Natural Mattress, combining premium natural materials with unbeatable comfort. Rest easy with a 100-night trial and 25-year warranty. Get 20% off sitewide and 2 free Eco-Rest Pillows at ⁠birchliving.com/simonhill⁠ . Pique Tea Pique's Nandaka provides sustainable, all-day

​To kick off the new show, I wanted to re-release my conversation with Dr. Steven Novella, most famously known as the producer and host of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Podcast and author of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe book. Dr. Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine and an advocate of the skepticism movement. In our conversation we talk about the concept of reality vs perception and how to evaluate whether we are in touch with reality or are lost in our own fictions and hallucinations that our brains produce for us so easily. We discuss some of the cognitive biases that we wrestle with every day, common misconceptions about skepticism, the failings of public education in promoting critical thinking skills in kids, the severe consequences that may be in store if humans can’t learn to think better, and much more! Learn more about The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe at https://www.theskepticsguide.org/ Stay curious!

In the true crime space, we have noticed the creep of misinformation and conspiratorial thinking. It's not always easy to spot, though. Critical thinking can help us all engage better with stories about law and crime. But how can we start engaging in critical thinking around our favorite genre? Today's guest, Dr. Steven Novella, can help. Dr. Novella is a clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine. He's also one of the hosts of the podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe . We'll talk to him about how to spot a con job, our adversarial criminal justice system, Occam's razor, and the appeal of conspiracy theories. Learn more about Dr. Novella and his podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/ Check out the Science-Based Medicine website here: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow by Dr. Steven Novella, Jay Novella, and Bob Novella: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542 Read the other book from the Novella brothers: The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow : https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542 Read the other books that Dr. Novella mentioned! The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-demon-haunted-world-science-as-a-candle-in-the-dark-ann-druyan/6315853?ean=9780345409461 Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time by Michael Shermer: https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-people-believe-weird-things-pseudoscience-superstition-and-other-confusions-of-our-time-michael-shermer/11054136?ean=9780805070897 Nonsense on Stilts by Massimo Pigliucci: https://bookshop.org/p/books/nonsense-on-stilts-massimo-pigliucci/8283291?ean=9780226495996 Support The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/ Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com. The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

From the bestselling authors and hosts of "The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe" podcast, Steven Novella, Jay Novella & Bob Novella visit Google to discuss their book "The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us About the World of Tomorrow." The book is a high-tech roadmap of the future, cracking open the follies of futurists' past and how technology will profoundly change our world, redefining what it means to be human. Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the '60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb the lessons from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better. In the book, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future. Visit <a href= "ht

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/163622 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Skeptics' Guide to the Future Author: Dr. Steven Novella, Bob Novella - contributor, Jay Novella - contributor Narrator: Dr. Steven Novella Format: mp3 Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins Release date: 09-27-22 Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 269 ratings Genres: Science Publisher's Summary: In THE SKEPTICS' GUIDE TO THE FUTURE, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/44828 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Skeptics' Guide to the Future Author: Steven Novella Narrator: Steven Novella Format: mp3 Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins Release date: 09-27-22 Ratings: 5 out of 5 stars, 25 ratings Genres: Anthropology Publisher's Summary: Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the '60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better.

From the bestselling authors and hosts of 'The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe' a high-tech roadmap of the future in their beloved voice, cracking open both the follies of futurists past and how technology will profoundly change our world moving forward. Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the '60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better. In The Skeptics' Guide to the Future, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future of tomorrow.

Dr Steven Novella is a neurologist, an author, part of the sceptic community, a podcast host and assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Recently Dr Novella wrote on his Neurologica blog a post entitled "Joe Rogan and the Media Algorithm" talking about how algorithms are driving information with no "journalistic filter" and the dangers of that.

In our first episode to kick off the show, we are joined by Dr. Steven Novella, most famously known as the producer and host of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Podcast and author of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe book. Dr. Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine and an advocate of the skepticism movement. In our conversation we talk about the concept of reality vs perception and how to evaluate whether we are in touch with reality or are lost in our own fictions and hallucinations that our brains produce for us so easily. We discuss some of the cognitive biases that we wrestle with every day, common misconceptions about skepticism, the failings of public education in promoting critical thinking skills in kids, the severe consequences that may be in store if humans can’t learn to think better, and much more! Learn more about The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe at https://www.theskepticsguide.org/ Stay curious!