SGU Episode 665

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SGU Episode 665
7th April 2018
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 664                      SGU 666
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Guest
ML: Mark Lynas
Quote of the Week
Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Plato (The Rebuplic)
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

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

What's the Word (7:22)

• Atavism

News Items

Cell Phones and Cancer (13:43)

• Science-Based Medicine: The Nation indulges in fear mongering about cell phones and cancer

Robot Bees on Mars (27:18)

• Phys.org: NASA funds project to study feasibility of using robot bees to study Mars from a new perspective

Largest Dinosaurs (37:00)

• National Geographic: Huge Dinosaur Footprints Discovered on Scottish Coast

Who's That Noisy? (44:31)

• Answer to last week: stones

Questions and Emails

Question 1: Math Correction (50:16)

• F of Y/F – 1 = Y/((1-.3)*Y) – 1 = 1/.7 – 1 = 42.9%.

Question 2: Interstitium (53:09)

• NeuroLogica Blog: Science and Pseudoscience of the Interstitium

Interview with Mark Lynas (1:01:57)

• Mark Lynas

Science or Fiction (1:27:16)

(Science or Fiction music)

It's time for Science or Fiction

Item #1 The pirarucu is a large carnivorous fish that grows up to 3 meters long and has teeth on its tongue. Item #2 The Cyclosa spider is tiny, but it will build a large decoy spider replica in its web out of leaves, twigs, and dead insects. Item #3 Pink river dolphins get their pink color from the shrimp that is their primary food.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:39:24)

Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. — Plato (The Republic)

Announcements

NECSS 2018 (1:43:49)

S: Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, dedicated to promoting science and critical thinking. For more information, visit us at theskepticsguide.org. Send your questions to info@theskepticsguide.org. And, if you would like to support the show and all the work that we do, go to patreon.com/SkepticsGuide and consider becoming a patron and becoming part of the SGU community. Our listeners and supporters are what make SGU possible.

References