SGU Episode 386

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SGU Episode 386
8th December 2012
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 385                      SGU 387
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Guest
PP: Phil Plait
Quote of the Week
When a man eminent in science tells us of something in his particular sphere, into which no fraud can intrude, and which can be verified under scientific conditions, he is entitled to a respectful hearing, but if he states that on a particular night his cow jumped over the postoffice his testimony on that point is no more valid than the testimony of other persons. The mere fact that a man is noted in his particular field of research, astronomy, physics, or mathematics should not be considered as presumptive evidence of his ability to see correctly things outside his experience.
Joseph Rinn
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Introduction

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

This Day in Skepticism (1:11)

• December 8, 1953: United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers his "Atoms for Peace" speech.

News Items

End of the World (3:02)

• In Panicky Russia, It’s Official: End of World Is Not Near
• 'The only place that will survive the Mayan Apocalypse': Residents of French mountain crack open End of the World wine (and offer house rental at $1,600-a-night)

Denver Bug UFO Update (13:27)

• Another Journalism Fail on the Denver Bug-UFO

Inattentional Amnesia (24:46)

• Did You Not Notice or Not Remember?

Curiosity Kurfuffle (33:06)

• Mars Curiosity announcement to be 'one for the history books'

Age of the Grand Canyon (41:43)

• Study challenges presumed age of Grand Canyon

Planetary Rings and Moon Formation (49:53)

• Planet Rings Could Be Behind the Formation of Solar System Satellites

Who's That Noisy? (57:24)

• Answer to last week: Lucy

Science or Fiction (59:43)

Item number one. 2012 saw the warmest July on record, a hurricane season tied for the 3rd most active, and an Arctic ice cap minimum smaller than in any year on record. Item number two. NASA warns about "cosmophobia" - fear of astronomy especially among children who have been lead to believe that the universe is going to kill them. And item number three. Despite the fact that there were no major consequences of the Y2K bug, minor computer system glitches were common and were estimated to cost over 2 trillion dollars worldwide.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:18:49)

When a man eminent in science tells us of something in his particular sphere, into which no fraud can intrude, and which can be verified under scientific conditions, he is entitled to a respectful hearing, but if he states that on a particular night his cow jumped over the postoffice his testimony on that point is no more valid than the testimony of other persons. The mere fact that a man is noted in his particular field of research, astronomy, physics, or mathematics should not be considered as presumptive evidence of his ability to see correctly things outside his experience.

Joseph F Rinn

References