SGU Episode 554

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SGU Episode 554
February 20th 2016
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SGU 553                      SGU 555
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
The many instances of forged miracles, and prophecies, and supernatural events, which, in all ages, have either been detected by contrary evidence, or which detect themselves by their absurdity, prove sufficiently the strong propensity of mankind to the extraordinary and the marvellous, and ought reasonably to beget a suspicion against all relations of this kind.
David Hume
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Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

Forgotten Superheroes of Science ()

• Skeptical Quote of the Week: Nikolai Vavilov was a biologist and geneticist who pioneered the concept of seed banks and fought Stalin's genetic pseudoscience in war-torn Russia.

This section is in the middle of being transcribed by D_Inwood (talk) as of Oct 6, 2016. To help avoid duplication, please do not transcribe this section while this message is displayed.

News Items

14 Billion Year Memory ()

• http://futurism.com/memory-that-lasts-forever-new-quartz-coin-can-store-360tb-of-data-for-14-billion-years/

3D Printing Body Parts ()

• http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/3d-printing-body-parts/

Eating Mammoth ()

• http://www.forbes.com/sites/shaenamontanari/2016/02/03/was-mammoth-on-the-menu-at-new-york-citys-famed-explorers-club/#3ef708eddf78

Who's That Noisy ()

• Answer to last week: Sublimation

Questions and Emails

Question #1: David Szuki ()

Follow up on quote from last week

Science or Fiction ()

Item #1: Scientists report the analysis of a new species, Chororapithecus abyssinicus, from a >40% complete specimen they believe represents the most recent common ancestor between humans and gorillas. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160216143926.htm Item #2: A new app turns smarts phones into a global seismic detection network. Item #3: A recent survey finds that Americans are more likely to have “a great deal of confidence” in scientific leaders than any other community, other than the military.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

'The many instances of forged miracles, and prophecies, and supernatural events, which, in all ages, have either been detected by contrary evidence, or which detect themselves by their absurdity, prove sufficiently the strong propensity of mankind to the extraordinary and the marvellous, and ought reasonably to beget a suspicion against all relations of this kind.' - David Hume

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, dedicated to promoting science and critical thinking. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at theskepticsguide.org, where you will find the show notes as well as links to our blogs, videos, online forum, and other content. You can send us feedback or questions to info@theskepticsguide.org. Also, please consider supporting the SGU by visiting the store page on our website, where you will find merchandise, premium content, and subscription information. Our listeners are what make SGU possible.

References