SGU Episode 783

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SGU Episode 783
July 8th 2020
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 782                      SGU 784
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
Quote of the Week
I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

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

COVID-19 Update ()

• NatGeo: How scientists know COVID-19 is way deadlier than the flu

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

(laughs) (laughter) (applause) [inaudible]

Roundness Bias ()

• ScienceDaily: Consumers prefer round numbers even when the specific number is better news

Pooled Testing ()

• Smithsonian: Pooled Testing Could Be the Fastest and Cheapest Way to Increase Coronavirus Screening

Insect Feed ()

• Neurologica: Feeding Animals Insects

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion ()

• Are Technica: The US military is getting serious about nuclear thermal propulsion

Who's That Noisy? ()

• Answer to last week’s Noisy: Helicopter on Mars

New Noisy ()

[brief, vague description of Noisy]

Science or Fiction ()

Answer	Item
Fiction	Spider silk
Science	Robot scientist
Science	Polynesian contact

Host	Result
Steve	win

Rogue	Guess
Jay	Polynesian contact
Cara	Spider silk
Bob	Spider silk

Voiceover: It's time for Science or Fiction.

Item #1: A new genetic analysis confirms that Polynesians made contact with Native Americans before European contact, despite being separated by thousands of miles of open ocean.
Item #2: Researchers have built a “robot scientist” capable of autonomously carrying out chemical experiments, and using AI to determine what experiments to run, with 1000 times the efficiency of human scientists.
Item #3: Scientists have finally been able to produce commercial-level spider silk by genetically engineering hag fish to produce spider silk slime.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
– Thomas Paine (1737-1809), The Age of Reason

Signoff/Announcements ()

S: —and until next week, this is your Skeptics' Guide to the Universe.

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.

Today I Learned

• Fact/Description, possibly with an article reference
• Fact/Description
• Fact/Description

References

Vocabulary