Young Australian Skeptics

Young Australian Skeptics (YAS) is an Australian skeptical organization established in 2008 by Elliot Birch. Its work has centered on a collaborative community blog intended to examine subjects related to science, critical thinking, and scientific skepticism. Rather than operating as a conventional commercial brand, YAS has functioned as a media and community project within the broader skeptical movement, with particular attention to younger participants, including high-school students, university students, scientists, artists, and other people interested in evidence-based inquiry. The organization emerged in Melbourne and was designed as an experimental, community-style online publication. Its audience focus was commonly described as extending from high school through the late twenties. This youth orientation shaped both its subject matter and its outreach: YAS addressed familiar skeptical topics such as pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, and questionable claims while also discussing how younger skeptics could participate in the wider movement and communicate with peers who held more credulous views. A central part of the project was The Pseudoscientists, described as the official weekly podcast of Young Australian Skeptics. The program combined interviews with science communicators, book reviews, and other segments concerning science and critical thinking. Contemporary coverage reported that, during its early period, the podcast performed strongly on the Australian iTunes chart relative to several established science and public-media offerings. The podcast gave YAS a format for reaching listeners beyond its written blog and for connecting younger audiences with researchers, authors, and skeptical activists. YAS also developed a significant publishing project. In 2009, it began compiling a reader-nominated anthology of skeptical blog writing, initially drawing on posts published during that year. The resulting Skeptical Blog Anthology was edited by Kylie Sturgess and released as a print collection in 2012. The project helped preserve and circulate writing from the online skeptical community, while also positioning YAS as a curator and promoter of skeptical media rather than only a source of original blog posts. The group participated in major skeptical events and media discussions. At The Amaz!ng Meeting Australia 2010, it took a leadership role in promoting activities associated with the Freethought University Alliance and interviewed prominent figures in skepticism, including Eugenie C. Scott and Simon Singh. YAS representatives also appeared on Australian and North American broadcast programs. In 2009, Alastair Tait discussed Moon-landing conspiracy claims on ABC Radio Sydney, addressing arguments involving the lunar flag, radiation exposure, rocket exhaust, photographed stars, and later imagery of the Apollo landing sites. In 2010, Jack Scanlan, Elliot Birch, and Jason Ball appeared on the Canadian program Skeptically Speaking to discuss the role of younger people in the skeptical community. The available reference material documents YAS primarily through its early blog, podcast, publication, event, and media activities. It does not establish its current operating status, present leadership, ownership, headquarters beyond its Melbourne association, or the continuing availability of its website and podcast. Accordingly, the organization is best understood as a historically documented Australian skeptical-media initiative whose public contribution included youth-oriented science communication and community building.

Young Australian Skeptics was founded in Melbourne in 2008 by Elliot Birch as a youth-oriented initiative within the Australian skeptical movement. Its website was conceived as an experimental community blog where contributors could examine claims and controversies through science, evidence, and critical reasoning. The organization sought to make skeptical participation accessible to younger people, broadly understood as ranging from high-school age to people in their late twenties. The project combined written publishing with audio and public outreach. Its principal podcast, The Pseudoscientists, presented interviews with science communicators, book reviews, and discussions of science and critical thinking. Early reporting indicated that the podcast achieved notable visibility on the Australian iTunes chart. This helped establish YAS as a media project capable of reaching audiences outside its immediate Melbourne community. In 2009, the organization began an anthology initiative based on reader nominations of skeptical blog posts. The first selection period covered material published during that year. Kylie Sturgess edited the resulting Skeptical Blog Anthology, which became available as a print publication in 2012. The anthology gave YAS a curatorial role in the online skeptical community and created a durable publication from material that had originally appeared in blogs. YAS also participated in skeptical conferences and movement-building activities. At The Amaz!ng Meeting Australia 2010, it helped promote Freethought University Alliance groups and conducted interviews with recognized skeptical figures, including Eugenie C. Scott and Simon Singh. Its members additionally contributed to broadcast discussions. In 2009, Alastair Tait appeared on ABC Radio Sydney to respond to Moon-landing conspiracy theories, discussing topics such as the behavior of the Apollo flag, radiation in the Van Allen belts, lunar-module exhaust, the absence of visible stars in certain photographs, and later orbital images of the landing sites. In 2010, Jack Scanlan, Elliot Birch, and Jason Ball appeared on the Canadian radio program Skeptically Speaking, where they discussed the position of young skeptics within the broader movement and the difficulty of engaging more credulous peers. The documented history of Young Australian Skeptics is concentrated in its formative years. The available sources do not provide reliable information about later organizational activity, current officers, legal structure, financial position, or whether the website and podcast remain active. Its known historical identity is that of an Australian youth-focused skeptical media and community organization rather than a conventional commercial brand.

• 2012

  Skeptical Blog Anthology released

  [1]Young Australian Skepticsen.wikipedia.org

  Kylie Sturgess edited and Young Australian Skeptics published a print anthology of reader-nominated skeptical writing.

• 2010

  Participation in The Amaz!ng Meeting Australia

  [1]Young Australian Skepticsen.wikipedia.org

  The organization promoted Freethought University Alliance activities and interviewed leading skeptical figures at TAMOz.

• 2009

  Skeptical anthology project begins

  [1]Young Australian Skepticsen.wikipedia.org

  YAS began collecting reader-nominated skeptical blog posts for a planned anthology, initially covering material published during 2009.

• 2008

  Organization founded

  [1]Young Australian Skepticsen.wikipedia.org

  Elliot Birch founded Young Australian Skeptics in Melbourne as a youth-oriented community and media initiative focused on science and skepticism.

Youth-oriented science communication and scientific skepticism, combining online publishing, podcasting, community discussion, event participation, and media outreach.

• Podcast · 2009

  The Pseudoscientists

  The official weekly podcast associated with Young Australian Skeptics. Episodes explored science, critical thinking, and skeptical inquiry through interviews with science communicators, book reviews, and additional discussion segments. The program was designed to engage younger skeptics while introducing listeners to wider debates about evidence and pseudoscience.

• Book · 2012

  Skeptical Blog Anthology

  A print collection of reader-nominated skeptical blog posts and essays compiled through a Young Australian Skeptics anthology project. Edited by Kylie Sturgess, the book brought together writing from the skeptical blog community and extended the organization's publishing work beyond its website.

• Online publication · 2008

  Young Australian Skeptics collaborative blog

  The organization's core online publishing platform, established as an experimental community-style blog. Its subject areas included science, pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, scientific skepticism, and practical questions about communicating critical thinking.

• 2010TAMOz youth skepticism and Freethought University Alliance outreach

  Australia

  YAS took a leadership role in promoting Freethought University Alliance activities at The Amaz!ng Meeting Australia and used the event to connect younger participants with the wider skeptical movement.

  Outcome. The organization gained a visible role in the event's youth-oriented skeptical programming and interviewed prominent skeptical figures.

  Source

• 2009

  Create a reader-nominated skeptical writing anthologyOther

  Background

  YAS sought to preserve and circulate notable skeptical blog writing produced by the online community.

  Action taken

  It invited nominations and began compiling posts published during 2009 for a future collection.

  Aftermath

  The project resulted in the Skeptical Blog Anthology, published in print in 2012 and edited by Kylie Sturgess.

  Source

1. 1Young Australian Skepticsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Young Australian Skeptics websiteyoungausskeptics.com