SGU Episode 362

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Introduction

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

This Day in Skepticism ()

• June 23, 1611
• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hudson-set-adrift-by-mutineers

News Items

Mystery Carbon Spike ()

http://www.nature.com/news/mysterious-radiation-burst-recorded-in-tree-rings-1.10768

Younger Dryas Impact ()

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2158054/Scientists-discover-evidence-meteorite-storm-hit-Earth-13-000-years-ago-killed-prehistoric-civilisation.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Liberation Procedure Study ()

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/liberation-procedure-for-multiple-sclerosis/

Testing Female Athletes ()

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/sumc-ptt061312.php

Interview with Zhong Lin Wang ()

http://nanopatentsandinnovations.blogspot.com/2012/06/ancient-effect-harnessed-to-produce.html

Who's That Noisy? ()

Answer to last week: Baby rhinos

Questions and Emails ()

Fetal Pill Update

A few weeks ago you referenced and discussed an article that came out of South Korea, concerning the seizure of shipments of pills that contained ground human foeti (correct spelling of the plural of foetus?) that had been sent from China. The comment was made and I'm sorry but I forget by whom, that aside from the lack of fact checking there was a lack of information to back up the Asian/Eastern medicine beliefs extending to human body parts. Those beliefs being, that the consumption of certain parts of humans provide medicinal benefits much in the way eating birds' nest soup or shark fin soup, or dried tiger penis will impart some sort of advantage. I have come across some information that would state otherwise. Now I recognize that it is coming from a tertiary source, but the research of this source tends to reputable. Joel Brinkley, Pulitzer prize winning author and journalist of "Cambodia's Curse" references just such a belief. His references is a Chinese bureaucrat sent to the Angkor kingdom in the year AD 1295 and 1296 by the name of Zhou Daguan. On page 21 of "Cambodia's Curse" Brinkley makes expressive mention of Cambodians, the Vietnamese (Champa) and others eating human body parts. There is even mention of this continuing well into the 20th century. The belief in various parts of the body being inhabited by spirits remains strong in Cambodia and other parts of SE Asia. This article from the Phnom Penh Post, provides further evidence and perhaps discussion: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012061256749/National-news/the-power-of-faith-and-medicine.html So, presumably the feotal tablets are not inconceivable knowing the value ascribed to human life and those of others and the beliefs in certain types of medicine that persist here in Asia. I of course being a "barang" (foreigner) am not privilege to all of these beliefs and can only provide anecdotal evidence based upon my observations, but as I said before the pills made of human babies is possible. Thank you for your time and keep us thinking.

Greg Pellechi Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Science or Fiction ( )

Item number one. A recent review of evidence concludes that, contrary to common belief, fathers in centuries past were nurturing and heavily involved in child care. Item number two. A new study finds that children born to older fathers have a longer life expectancy. And item number three. A review of over 500 studies concludes that a nurturing and accepting relationship with one's father is often more important to healthy psychological development than with one's mother.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

I believe in nothing, never have, never will. What matters is what I can see, hear, smell, taste, touch. Tangible things, physical things, reality, the rest is imagination.

J: Wolverine!