SGU Episode 662

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SGU Episode 662
March 17th 2018
Professor Hawking died at the age of 76 after living with ALS for over 50 years.
SGU 661                      SGU 663
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.
Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction, Pi Day

Voice-over: You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

In Memoriam: Stephen Hawking (0:52)

• Stephen Hawking: Visionary physicist dies aged 76

Forgotten Superheroes of Science (15:11)

• Brenda Milner, British-Canadian neuropsychologist

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

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

The Brain's Predictive Coding (17:23)

• The Brain and Predictive Coding

Daylight Savings (32:42)

• All the ways daylight saving time screws with you

Fusion in 15 years? (42:58)

• Fusion in 15 Years?

Who's That Noisy? (59:45)

Answer to previous Noisy:

Falcon Heavy side booster landing burns, specifically the sonic booms of the retro rockets as they slow down, similar to this double landing

New Noisy (1:03:48)

[repetitive, rapid beeping, similar to morse code]

J: ... So if you think you know what the Noisy is this week or you have something awesome that you heard, email me at WTN@theskepticsguide.org.

Questions/Emails/Corrections/Follow-ups

_consider_using_block_quotes_for_emails_read_aloud_in_this_segment_
with_reduced_spacing_for_long_chunks –

Science or Fiction (1:09:50)

Theme: Stephen Hawking Item #1: Hawking did not learn to read until he was 8 and did poorly in school. Item #2: Hawking almost died in 1985 from pneumonia, but his wife would not let them take him off the ventilator, and instead he was given a tracheostomy. Item #3: Although he never won a Nobel prize, Hawking was knighted by the Queen in recognition for his contributions to science.

Answer	Item
Fiction	Hawking was knighted
Science	Saved by tracheostomy
Science	Late reader, poor student

Host	Result
Steve	swept

Rogue	Guess
Jay	Hawking was knighted
Evan	Hawking was knighted
Cara	Hawking was knighted
Bob	Hawking was knighted

Voice-over: It's time for Science or Fiction.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:19:49)

Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.
– Professor Stephen Hawking (1942-2018), English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author

Signoff/Announcements (1:20:15)

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

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.

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Today I Learned

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

References

Vocabulary