When Kim Kardashian tells her 364 million followers she doesn’t believe in the moon landing, it’s tempting to roll your eyes. But in 2025, conspiracy thinking isn’t just a fringe obsession — it’s mainstream entertainment. 

From claims that aliens built the Pyramids to the wild theory that birds aren’t real (they’re government-controlled drones, apparently), these ideas spread faster than ever and reach millions who never question them. 

As Ireland’s Science Week gets underway, Shane Beatty is joined by Dr Shane Bergin, Associate Professor in Science Education at UCD, host of The Trust Race podcast, and the man who actually teaches a course on conspiracy theories at UCD. 

Dr Bergin explains why we fall for fake facts, how social media algorithms amplify suspicion, and what centuries-old events like the Gunpowder Plot reveal about the long, strange history of paranoia and mistrust. He also recalls how conspiracy and misinformation surrounding the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s cost lives — a reminder that these ideas aren’t harmless fun. 

From 5G panic to flat-Earth videos, and from anti-vaccine movements to moon-landing denial, this episode explores how mistrust takes root — and how science can fight back through education, creativity, and connection. Welcome to your crash course in the psychology of disbelief. 

🔬 Explore Science Week 2025 events and activities: https://www.scienceweek.ie 

📘 Read Dr Shane Bergin’s new book, The Experimenters: Luke and Ruby’s Scientific Sleepover (Little Island Books): https://littleisland.ie/books/the-experimenters-luke-and-rubys-scientific-sleepover/ 

💌 Share your favourite (or strangest) science conspiracy with us: newstalkdaily@newstalk.com