.gif)
Richard Saunders (skeptic)
Encyclopedia
Richard Saunders is an Australia
n skeptic
, podcast
er and professional origami
st. He has received recognition by the Australian Skeptics
with a Life Membership in 2001 for his contributions to the organisation. Saunders has been President and is currently co-Vice President of the Australian Skeptics
and is the founder of Sydney Skeptics in the Pub.
In addition, he has presented on skepticism globally, represented the Australian Skeptics
on numerous television and radio shows and is the co-host of the Skeptic Zone podcast
.
Australia. His early life involved international travel, as his father Rev. Robert H. Saunders', career as a Methodist preacher required the family to live in Tribune, Saskatchewan
, Canada
from 1968-1969. Returning to Australia, Saunders attended a variety of primary schools in Mullumbimby, Lithgow and graduated from Woy Woy High School in 1984.
, The ABC Afternoon Show and similar programs.
He has also worked as a web designer for The Advance Bank of Australia and Commonwealth Bank In 1999 his job was transferred to EDS where he worked for two years (he designed the interface for netBank online banking) before joining GreenStone Pty Ltd as a web designer for three years.
From 2005 - 2008 he worked part time as a film and TV extra
appearing in the background in such feature films as Superman Returns
and Australia
as well as in the background in the TV shows All Saints (TV series)
and Home And Away
.
in 2001 and has been President and Vice President of the organization. He was granted a Life Membership to the organization in reward for his work on The Great Skeptic CD. He went on to create the Great Water Divining DVD and the "card carrying skeptic card". He founded Sydney Skeptics in the Pub, initiated "The Skeptic Tank" radio show on Net.FM with Stefan Sojka, produced The Australian Skeptics collection on "Theories of Everything" for TVS local Sydney TV and created several of the Australians Skeptics convention DVDs. He was the acting artistic director and layout manager for The Skeptic Magazine from Australian Skeptics, until Tim Mendham was appointed the new editor, in June 2009.
In 2003 he and Alynda Brown founded The Mystery Investigators Show for schools. This program demonstrates scientific concepts by testing claims of the paranormal. In 2008 Brown left the show and was replaced with Dr. Rachael Dunlop.
He has used his expertise in origami to design an origami pigasus
in honor of the mascot of the James Randi Educational Foundation
. He has posted instructions for folding the pigasus and a dragon for Skeptic (U.S. magazine)
.
He has appeared as a guest on many other podcasts and vodcasts including The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
, Skepticality
, Dragon*Pod,
The Reason Driven Podcast, The Amateur Scientist Podcast and Bad Psychics TV.
, Sunrise
, Radio 2GB
, Radio 2UE
, Nova 106.9
, 702 ABC
and on the pilot show for Curiosity Aroused. In 2007 he did a recurring segment for the Mike Williams Saturday Night Live radio program called Myths and Mysteries.
In July and August 2008 he appeared as the resident skeptic judge on The One
, an Australian reality television program on ATN 7 Australia, that tested the alleged powers of several psychics.
He has spoken at many skeptic meetings including the Australian Skeptics National Convention in 2003, 2004 and 2008. In the United States he appeared at The Amaz!ng Adventure North to Alaska in 2007, and The Amaz!ng Meeting 6 and Dragon Con
Skeptrack, both in 2008.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n skeptic
Scientific skepticism
Scientific skepticism is the practice of questioning the veracity of claims lacking empirical evidence or reproducibility, as part of a methodological norm pursuing "the extension of certified knowledge". For example, Robert K...
, podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
er and professional origami
Origami
is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
st. He has received recognition by the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
with a Life Membership in 2001 for his contributions to the organisation. Saunders has been President and is currently co-Vice President of the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
and is the founder of Sydney Skeptics in the Pub.
In addition, he has presented on skepticism globally, represented the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
on numerous television and radio shows and is the co-host of the Skeptic Zone podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
Early life
Born in Kurri Kurri, New South WalesKurri Kurri, New South Wales
Kurri Kurri is a small town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Cessnock LGA. At the 2006 census its population was 5,644...
Australia. His early life involved international travel, as his father Rev. Robert H. Saunders', career as a Methodist preacher required the family to live in Tribune, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from 1968-1969. Returning to Australia, Saunders attended a variety of primary schools in Mullumbimby, Lithgow and graduated from Woy Woy High School in 1984.
Professional career
After graduating from high school, Saunders joined educational publishers Ashton Scholastic and sold educational software for Apple and Commodore home computers. From 1988 he authored over thirty books on origami, which subsequently featured on the Australian children's television program WombatWombat (TV series)
Wombat was an award-winning Australian children's TV show produced at BTQ Channel 7 in Brisbane from 1979 to 1990. It was aired on weekday afternoons, and later Saturday and Sunday mornings, across Australia....
, The ABC Afternoon Show and similar programs.
He has also worked as a web designer for The Advance Bank of Australia and Commonwealth Bank In 1999 his job was transferred to EDS where he worked for two years (he designed the interface for netBank online banking) before joining GreenStone Pty Ltd as a web designer for three years.
From 2005 - 2008 he worked part time as a film and TV extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
appearing in the background in such feature films as Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
and Australia
Australia (2008 film)
Australia is a 2008 epic historical romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It is the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time, behind Crocodile Dundee. The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and screenwriter Stuart Beattie, with Ronald Harwood...
as well as in the background in the TV shows All Saints (TV series)
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
and Home And Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
.
Career as a skeptic
He has over 10 years experience researching claims of the paranormal. He joined the committee of the Australian SkepticsAustralian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
in 2001 and has been President and Vice President of the organization. He was granted a Life Membership to the organization in reward for his work on The Great Skeptic CD. He went on to create the Great Water Divining DVD and the "card carrying skeptic card". He founded Sydney Skeptics in the Pub, initiated "The Skeptic Tank" radio show on Net.FM with Stefan Sojka, produced The Australian Skeptics collection on "Theories of Everything" for TVS local Sydney TV and created several of the Australians Skeptics convention DVDs. He was the acting artistic director and layout manager for The Skeptic Magazine from Australian Skeptics, until Tim Mendham was appointed the new editor, in June 2009.
In 2003 he and Alynda Brown founded The Mystery Investigators Show for schools. This program demonstrates scientific concepts by testing claims of the paranormal. In 2008 Brown left the show and was replaced with Dr. Rachael Dunlop.
He has used his expertise in origami to design an origami pigasus
Pigasus Award
The Pigasus Award is the name of an annual tongue-in-cheek honor recognized by noted skeptic James Randi. The awards seek to expose parapsychological, paranormal or psychic frauds that Randi has noted over the previous year...
in honor of the mascot of the James Randi Educational Foundation
James Randi Educational Foundation
The James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
. He has posted instructions for folding the pigasus and a dragon for Skeptic (U.S. magazine)
Skeptic (U.S. magazine)
Skeptic is a quarterly science education and science advocacy magazine published internationally by The Skeptics Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting scientific skepticism and resisting the spread of pseudoscience, superstition, and irrational beliefs...
.
Awards and Honours
- 2001 Made 'Life Member' of Australian Skeptics Inc.
- 2011 Made CSI Fellow (Center for Skeptical Inquiry)
Podcasting
He was producer and host of the The Tank Vodcast (aka The Skeptic Tank). In 2008 this podcast was reformed into The Skeptic Zone podcast which he still hosts. It appears biweekly and is billed as "The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason."He has appeared as a guest on many other podcasts and vodcasts including The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a weekly, 80 minute podcast hosted by Steven Novella, MD, and a panel of "skeptical rogues". It is the official podcast of the New England Skeptical Society, and is produced in conjunction with the James Randi Educational Foundation...
, Skepticality
Skepticality
Skepticality is the official biweekly podcast of The Skeptics Society's Skeptic magazine. It explores rational thought, skeptical ideas, and famous myths from around the world and throughout history...
, Dragon*Pod,
The Reason Driven Podcast, The Amateur Scientist Podcast and Bad Psychics TV.
Public & Media appearances
He has made many appearances on radio and television in his role as a skeptic including on Today TonightToday Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
, Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
, Radio 2GB
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
, Radio 2UE
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
, Nova 106.9
Nova 106.9
Nova 106.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Brisbane, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network. DMG Radio purchased the Brisbane FM licence for $80 million in April 2004 to complete their national network of Nova stations...
, 702 ABC
702 ABC Sydney
702 ABC Sydney is an ABC radio station in Sydney, Australia. It is the flagship station in the ABC Local Radio network and broadcasts on 702 kHz on the AM dial....
and on the pilot show for Curiosity Aroused. In 2007 he did a recurring segment for the Mike Williams Saturday Night Live radio program called Myths and Mysteries.
In July and August 2008 he appeared as the resident skeptic judge on The One
The One (TV program)
The One is an Australian television program broadcast by the Seven Network, hosted by Andrew Daddo. The program pits several psychics against one another, participating in trials which challenge their purported abilities in activities such as clairvoyance, telepathy and mediumship to determine who...
, an Australian reality television program on ATN 7 Australia, that tested the alleged powers of several psychics.
He has spoken at many skeptic meetings including the Australian Skeptics National Convention in 2003, 2004 and 2008. In the United States he appeared at The Amaz!ng Adventure North to Alaska in 2007, and The Amaz!ng Meeting 6 and Dragon Con
Dragon Con
Dragon*Con is a North America multigenre convention, founded in 1987, which takes place once each year in Atlanta, Georgia...
Skeptrack, both in 2008.
External links
- The Skeptic Zone
- Richard Saunders' photos on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
- Richard Saunders Fans group on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...