How to recognise fascism when you see it, by the the Italian humanist and author Umberto Eco. This 14-point guide is taken from Eco's 1995 essay 'Ur-Fascism' – informed by his own experiences of Nazism in the 20th century.

Home of humanism, #ConwayHall, opened its doors on this day, 1929. One of two surviving buildings in the UK built for the non-religious to gather and find community. 🧵https://heritage.humanists.uk/conway-hall/

Where am I? I'll tell you at #Halloween !

Yesterday I had a great chat with Bernard at @BernSpeakEasy (@YouTube). The podcast will go out on 3rd October. @chriscfrench 's talk is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=xApj...

Why do myths about the brain persist in education? Professor Paul Howard-Jones explores 'neuromyths' and how they undermine learning in our #BlackhamLecture 2025 on 19 November online. Book now humanists.uk/events/black...

No actor scares me like McAvoy, he's top psycho

'Speak No Evil' is well worth an hour and a half of your time, psychological horror with a 'Straw Dogs' vibe.

Paya Lehane is an amazing multi-instrumental musician - the storytelling in my recent YouTube series about The Green Children of Woolpit was beautifully enhanced by music from her album 'Oppidamus'. Here we are at my b'day last week. Find out more: www.facebook.com/payalehanemu...

It was great to see Norie Miles last week for birthday drinks.

How is it you can tell I'm catching up on all my piccies from the last week? Here is critic and writer Barry Forshaw at last weekend's birthday party. I have known Barry for yeeeeeears

Thank you so much to The Society of Ink Slingers who hosted a brilliant event today. I was there to talk with Lauren McMenemy. Thanks for all the questions folks.

Discerning people drink 'The Goblin's Demise'. Thanks so much to Ed Blackshaw and Emma Holohan for giving me this at the Black Shuck Festival last month.

Deborah joins us today as part of Writing the Occult: Belief, providing the skeptics viewpoint. Ticket sales have ended, but we do record the whole thing for ticket-holders so get in touch if you missed out.

One of the drivers behind tackling 'belief' at Writing the Occult was our ongoing fascination with why people are drawn to cults and conspiracy theories, so we asked the crew to share the things that capture their attention. Here's what famed skeptic @deborahhyde.bsky.social told us ⬇️

So what will you be in for when you log on for Writing the Occult: Belief on Saturday 6 September? A whole bunch of fascinating discussions about belief and speculative fiction, including this one with @deborahhyde.bsky.social ⬇️

Donald Trump is the weakest President America has ever had. Putin and the Russians own this guy. Cartoon by Daniel Boris

Fairy caught on film. Except real fairies don't fly like Tinker Bell. tinyurl.com/yrdr9ama

Speakers: @deborahhyde.bsky.social, @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social, @lilithdorsey.bsky.social, @wtalabi.bsky.social, @demonologian.bsky.social, @bgrafius.bsky.social, @jordanscarroll.bsky.social, Ella Snyder, Sarah Elliott & Chris Hawton. 🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-th...

Here we all are at the wonderful blackshuckfestival.com yesterday. There's me, @bbmiiler.bsky.social of Eerie Essex, Siofra & Stacia of @Norfolkfolklore & Emma of Ghost Catcher Isles.

Good to see @BethanJones9 at the blackshuckfestival.com yesterday

Here are @katecherrell.bsky.social and I after our talks at yesterday's blackshuckfestival.com

Here is @katecherrell.bsky.social at the blackshuckfestival.com from telling us about an outbreak of witchcraft in Lincolshire.

In Somerset they know fairies have to be treated with extreme care, at least

Join us online 31 October for this year’s Voltaire Lecture, where AI expert and neuroscientist @anilseth.bsky.social ‬ will guide us through the science of AI, human consciousness, and what it means to be human in an age of increasingly ‘intelligent’ machines. humanists.uk/events/volta...

Turn 666 upside down and you'll (appropriately) get this week's episode number, 999 — when the medieval dead arose and walked the Earth. A special Skeptoid Podcast by @deborahhyde.bsky.social: skeptoid.com/episodes/999

Many thanks to @helenlewis.bsky.social for being such a fantastic guest at my event this evening! And thanks to so many of you for coming along! Don’t forget to grab Helen’s book! amzn.to/3IQlwqc

I cannot wait for the Black Shuck Festival this weekend! So many great events, but I especially cannot wait to hear talks by Kate Cherrell, @deborahhyde.bsky.social and @norfolkfolklore.bsky.social! 😍 Who else is going? #blackshuckfestival #blackshuck #folklore #paranormalevents

A short break between @jamesomalley.co.uk & @helenlewis.bsky.social 's discussion abiot 'The Genius Myth' this evening. Q& A shortly

Here is @Psythor introducing @helenlewis for this evening's talk about her latest book 'The Genius Myth'.

Jeremy Harte will be here in Todmorden on Saturday! Anyone who has read his books or seen Jeremy speak will tell you that he is an absolute well of wondrous folklore knowledge and a delight to listen to! There are some tickets left- grab yours now! www.folkloremythmagic.com/event-detail...

I looked into Dr John Dee's scrying glass for tonight's lottery numbers, but no luck.

Absolute pleasure doing this

If you're using theme music, it could be provided by the Grateful Medieval Dead...

This month I did a guest edition of a great podcast - @skeptoid.bsky.social with brilliant voicework from @owenstaton.bsky.social. Join us to look further into 'Day of the Medieval Dead' tinyurl.com/4ddej686

Yesterday’s BBCRadio4 Sunday with @williamcrawley.bsky.social has many highlights. Chief for me is the (too short!) interview with @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social on what is 1 of my books of the year.

Deborah Hyde 🇺🇦 Remember that Sunday next week I'll be speaking about the Green Children of Woolpit at The Black Shuck Festival at Bungay. Come and join us all! blackshuckfestival.com

I am delighted and honoured to now be a patron of @humanists.uk. Great people and great campaigns. humanists.uk

It gives me great pleasure to welcome @deborahhyde.bsky.social and @ajwestauthor.bsky.social to our family of patrons. Both bring unique voices & exceptional talents – Deborah with her incisive skeptical insights and AJ with his compelling storytelling. I look forward to working with them!

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A fascinating piece by @anilseth.bsky.social reminding us that we perceive a 'controlled hallucination': “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Of course, not everyone blindly believes what they're told - and if you're going to talk about skepticism, you may as well head straight for the top. @deborahhyde.bsky.social is back at Writing the Occult, this time in conversation about what it means to be a skeptic. Meet Deborah ⬇️

Why hasn’t someone in Cerne Abbas started a fashion brand called Tommy Hill Figure?

Another piccie from @CharterhouseEC1 today. Lots of lovely Tudor brickwork.

Amazing trip to @CharterhouseEC1 today. Part medieval (lots of Tudor) building just outside the City of London. Started life as a Carthusian monastery.

Tonight the debate is about ghosts & telepathy & all that. @CallumECooper thinks they may be real & @chriscfrench thinks probably not.

ALL 3 EPISODES OF THE #UNCANNY SUMMER SPECIAL ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO BINGE on @bbcsounds.bsky.social & all other podcast platforms! Dare you listen to them all? #Uncanny #Uncannypodcast #Uncannypodcastlive #UncannySummerSpecial

June 23 is St John’s Eve — Midsummer Night. In Welsh folklore, it was a night to beware the Cŵn Annwn —ghostly hounds from the Otherworld — who roam the lonely roads and byways of Wales in eerie procession. Listen carefully, they might be closer than you think... #Wales #Folklore

Bit sweary this one... well, more than usual. Be warned. From the Jonathan Pie: Back to the Studio Tour (2018).