Tim Trachet | |
---|---|
Born | 1958 Belgium |
Alma mater | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Occupation | Writer, journalist, skeptical activist |
Known for | Writing about history, skepticism and pseudoscience |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astronomy, mathematics, philosophy |
Tim Trachet (born 1958) is a Belgian writer, publicist, journalist and skeptic. He studied mathematics, astronomy and philosophy at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is a reporter at the VRT, where he produces history television documentaries. [1]
Since its foundation in 1976, he was active in the working group Prometheus of the Vereniging voor Sterrenkunde (Society for Astronomy), that focused on the critical investigation of pseudoscience. This working group resulted in the foundation of SKEPP, of which he became the first chairman from 1990 to 1998. At present he is honorary chairman and general secretary of SKEPP. [2] In 1990s and sometimes thereafter, Trachet frequently wrote for Skepter , the magazine of the Dutch skeptical organisation Stichting Skepsis. In 2000, its Flemish counterpart Wonder en is gheen wonder was founded, where he has since been member of the editorial staff and regularly publishes articles. Since 1988, he is also editorial board member of the popular science magazine Zenit for astronomy, meteorology and space research.
Since 2013, Trachet is vice-chairman [3] (previously as treasurer [2] ) in the board of directors of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO), of which he was one of the founders in 1994. [4]
In the frame of the 100th anniversary of the First World War in 2014, Trachet wrote about a series of myths that still surround 'The Great War'. [5]
The Skeptic is a British non-profit skepticism magazine. It describes itself as "the UK’s longest running and foremost sceptical magazine, which examines science, skepticism, secularism, critical thinking and claims of the paranormal."
Stichting Skepsis is a Dutch organisation dedicated to the promotion and practice of scientific skepticism. It is a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO).
The 10:23 Campaign (stylized as 1023) is an awareness and protest campaign against homoeopathy organised by the Merseyside Skeptics Society, a non-profit organisation, to oppose the sale of homoeopathic products in the United Kingdom. The campaign has staged public "overdoses" of homoeopathic preparations.
Cornelis "Kees" de Jager was a Dutch astronomer who specialized in predicting solar variation to assess the Sun's impact on future climate. He was the General Secretary of the IAU from 1967 to 1973 and former director of the observatory at Utrecht. He was a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and played an important role in the European skeptical movement as the first chairman of both Stichting Skepsis and the European Council of Skeptical Organisations.
The Hungarian Skeptic Society (HSS) is a skeptic organisation based in Hungary. Founded in 2006, it has been a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) since 2007. Its former president, Gábor Hraskó was also chairman of ECSO from 2013 to 2017. The current president, András Gábor Pintér who has been a board member of ECSO since 2017, is also the initiator, producer & co-host of the European Skeptics Podcast.
SKEPP is an independent Belgian skeptical organization. The organization’s name is a backronym for Studiekring voor de Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en het Paranormale.
The Comité Para, in full Comité belge pour l'Analyse Critique des parasciences, is a Francophone Belgian skeptical non-profit organisation. Founded in 1949, the Comité Para regards itself as the originator of the modern skeptical movement. The group's motto is Ne rien nier a priori, ne rien affirmer sans preuve.
The European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) is an umbrella of skeptical organisations in Europe.
Wonder en is gheen Wonder is a popular science magazine of the Flemish skeptical association SKEPP. The paper was founded in 2000 by Tom Schoepen, who also served as its editor for its first ten years. The magazine is published four times a year and addresses pseudoscientific as well as science philosophical topics. The title is a reference to the 16th century Flemish mathematician and engineer Simon Stevin's commentary to his famous thought experiment: even if something looks strange, it can still have a naturalistic explanation. The subtitle Tijdschrift voor wetenschap en rede was taken from Skeptical Inquirer, the most world-renowned skeptical magazine that is published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
Skepter is a popular science magazine of the Dutch skeptical foundation Stichting Skepsis. It describes paranormal or controversial theories and methods from a skeptical perspective.
European Skeptics Congresses (ESCs) – a series of congresses now supported by the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO), in which skeptical organisations from many different European countries participate. They have been held ever since 1989. The conferences are often held in the month of September, and may last from two up to four days. The ECSO was formed at the 6th ESC on 25 September 1994 in Ostend, Belgium. Since its foundation, the ECSO co-ordinates in the organisation of new ESCs that take place every other year, and is hosted by a different member organisation each time. Skeptical organisations that are non-ECSO members may also send their delegations. Past ESCs are enumerated below.
Jan Willem Nienhuys is a Dutch mathematician, book translator and skeptic. He taught mathematics at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He is also a board member and secretary of Stichting Skepsis and an editor of its magazine Skepter.
Catharina Jantina (Catherine) de Jong is a Dutch anesthesiologist, drug rehab physician, intensivist, since 2009 board member of the Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (VtdK), between 2011–2015 as chair, and board member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO).
Roelof Hendrik "Rob" Nanninga was a Dutch skeptic, writer, board member of Stichting Skepsis and editor of its magazine Skepter. He became known for his critical writings about sects, alternative healers and therapists, paranormal claims and pseudoscientific trainings and courses.
QED: Question, Explore, Discover is an annual skeptical conference held in Manchester, England. QED is organised by North West Skeptical Events Ltd (NWSE), a volunteer-owned non-profit organisation originating from a collaboration between the Merseyside Skeptics Society and the Greater Manchester Skeptics Society.
Pepijn van Erp is a Dutch mathematician and skeptical activist.