SGU Episode 900

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SGU Episode 900
October 8th 2022
The silk moth, whose complete pan-genome has been published
SGU 899                      SGU 901
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before.
Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction, hurricanes and earthquakes

Voice-over: You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality. [00:08.920 --> 00:12.760] Hello and welcome to the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe.

[00:12.760 --> 00:17.440] Today is Thursday, October 6th, 2022, and this is your host, Steve Novella.

[00:17.440 --> 00:19.200] Joining me this week are Bob Novella,

[00:19.200 --> 00:20.200] Hey everybody.

[00:20.200 --> 00:21.200] Kara Santamaria,

[00:21.200 --> 00:22.200] Howdy.

[00:22.200 --> 00:23.200] Jay Novella,

[00:23.200 --> 00:24.200] Hey guys.

[00:24.200 --> 00:25.200] And Evan Bernstein.

[00:25.200 --> 00:27.080] Good evening folks.

[00:27.080 --> 00:33.280] So 900, 900, 900, 900, wait, what?

[00:33.280 --> 00:35.600] This is SGU episode 900, nine zero zero.

[00:35.600 --> 00:36.600] How did that happen?

[00:36.600 --> 00:39.120] I know, it kind of snuck up on you.

[00:39.120 --> 00:40.120] After 899, you know.

[00:40.120 --> 00:41.120] Who would have thought of that?

[00:41.120 --> 00:46.020] Yeah, we're not going to make a big deal out of it.

[00:46.020 --> 00:50.000] But what this means is that we're just a little bit over two years away from 1000.

[00:50.000 --> 00:53.160] I think we're going to have to do something big.

[00:53.160 --> 00:54.160] Something big.

[00:54.160 --> 00:55.720] It's going to have to be something big.

[00:55.720 --> 00:57.400] Like record naked or something.

[00:57.400 --> 01:01.360] Yeah, like can it be, can it be something big, but also something that's not exhausting?

[01:01.360 --> 01:03.560] I don't know, Kara, that's a big ask.

[01:03.560 --> 01:04.560] Can we find that, pal?

[01:04.560 --> 01:05.560] Like a 48-hour episode?

[01:05.560 --> 01:06.560] No!

[01:06.560 --> 01:12.200] We will come up with something to do for 1000, but.

[01:12.200 --> 01:13.200] What about a destination?

[01:13.200 --> 01:14.200] Can we make it?

[01:14.200 --> 01:15.200] Ooh.

[01:15.200 --> 01:16.200] I like that.

[01:16.200 --> 01:17.200] Going somewhere?

[01:17.200 --> 01:18.200] Me too.

[01:18.200 --> 01:19.200] Disney World?

[01:19.200 --> 01:20.200] No, think bigger, Bob.

[01:20.200 --> 01:21.200] Yeah, right?

[01:21.200 --> 01:22.200] Yeah.

[01:22.200 --> 01:23.200] Okay.

[01:23.200 --> 01:24.200] Disney World during Halloween.

[01:24.200 --> 01:29.280] Two years, two years to plan.

[01:29.280 --> 01:30.520] We're open to suggestions.

[01:30.520 --> 01:31.520] Two years.

[01:31.520 --> 01:32.520] Yeah, we can 20.

[01:32.520 --> 01:37.840] It should be around the, ooh, Labor Day of 2024, right?

[01:37.840 --> 01:38.840] You'll be 2024.

[01:38.840 --> 01:39.840] Late 2024.

[01:39.840 --> 01:40.840] Yeah.

[01:40.840 --> 01:43.880] Kara, how did you survive your hurricane?

[01:43.880 --> 01:44.880] I survived.

[01:44.880 --> 01:50.400] It was kind of weird because before it actually made landfall, I'm trying to remember.

[01:50.400 --> 01:52.340] So Hurricane Ian, it was Tropical Storm Ian.

[01:52.340 --> 01:57.260] It was apparently, did you guys see this, two miles per hour shy of being a category

[01:57.260 --> 01:58.260] five.

[01:58.260 --> 01:59.260] Yes.

[01:59.260 --> 02:03.280] Like it didn't quite, it was literally like within a couple of miles of making the cutoff.

[02:03.280 --> 02:05.540] So it was still technically a category four.

[02:05.540 --> 02:10.760] But before it even made landfall, I would say about two days before it made landfall,

[02:10.760 --> 02:15.280] we had all of the storms that were spinning off of it hit where I am in South Florida

[02:15.280 --> 02:16.600] in Fort Lauderdale.

[02:16.600 --> 02:20.680] So two tornadoes touched down within a couple miles of me.

[02:20.680 --> 02:26.320] All night there were these like tornado warnings going off on my phone and just like a lot

[02:26.320 --> 02:27.740] of like severe weather warnings.

[02:27.740 --> 02:28.740] And they're so funny.

[02:28.740 --> 02:32.280] They're like, seek shelter in basement immediately, which is like, nobody in Florida has a basement.

[02:32.280 --> 02:34.320] Like why would you put that warning there?

[02:34.320 --> 02:35.320] Right?

[02:35.320 --> 02:36.320] Well, they got to say it.

[02:36.320 --> 02:37.320] Yeah.

[02:37.320 --> 02:38.320] Exactly.

[02:38.320 --> 02:42.440] And then our clinic was closed the next day.

[02:42.440 --> 02:45.280] I mean, they waited way too long to close it, but they did ultimately close it the

[02:45.280 --> 02:46.680] next day.

[02:46.680 --> 02:48.600] But the weather was just windy.

[02:48.600 --> 02:49.880] Nothing really happened here.

[02:49.880 --> 02:51.040] It didn't really even rain.

[02:51.040 --> 02:53.680] And then the day that it made landfall, I think it was either later that day or early

[02:53.680 --> 02:59.480] the next morning that it made landfall, it just devastated Fort Myers on the West Coast

[02:59.480 --> 03:00.480] and just pummeled.

[03:00.480 --> 03:01.760] Like people, a lot of people died.

[03:01.760 --> 03:03.200] Like it was terrible.

[03:03.200 --> 03:06.960] So much property damage, but we didn't see any of it where I am.

[03:06.960 --> 03:08.520] And that's the thing about hurricanes.

[03:08.520 --> 03:10.600] They're just, they're predictable.

[03:10.600 --> 03:15.160] They're more predictable than tornadoes, but they can just turn on a dime and they can

[03:15.160 --> 03:16.160] pick up speed.

[03:16.160 --> 03:17.500] They can drop speed.

[03:17.500 --> 03:21.880] The forecasts are amazing, but they also have a mind of their own.

[03:21.880 --> 03:26.040] And then I had this whole travel saga where I was going back to LA that weekend and it

[03:26.040 --> 03:28.560] was not even related to the hurricane, which was extra obnoxious.

[03:28.560 --> 03:31.480] It was related to emergency lights on the floor of the plane.

[03:31.480 --> 03:32.480] Kill me.

[03:32.480 --> 03:33.480] I was delayed 14 hours.

[03:33.480 --> 03:38.880] But I was following, yeah, it was bad, but I was following the news and this was amazing.

[03:38.880 --> 03:45.200] So as Ian made landfall, it like did all this destruction and damage because it was a super

[03:45.200 --> 03:46.200] powerful storm.

[03:46.200 --> 03:50.160] And then of course it starts to lose energy and it was downgraded to a tropical storm

[03:50.160 --> 03:54.180] as it moved inland and like dumped a bunch of water on a bunch of inland cities.

[03:54.180 --> 03:59.300] After it crossed over Florida and hit water again, it picked back up and became a category

[03:59.300 --> 04:03.960] one or two, maybe just a one, but it was recategorized as a hurricane again.

[04:03.960 --> 04:05.440] It was that powerful.

[04:05.440 --> 04:06.440] That's like nuts.

[04:06.440 --> 04:07.440] It refueled itself.

[04:07.440 --> 04:08.440] Yeah.

[04:08.440 --> 04:09.440] It was kind of warm water.

[04:09.440 --> 04:10.440] Yeah.

[04:10.440 --> 04:13.040] Like that's, that's, that's a pretty intense storm.

[04:13.040 --> 04:17.160] I mean, this is like, was the worst one that hit Florida in decades, right?

[04:17.160 --> 04:21.840] I think, well, what I read was that it was the worst since 2018, which to me doesn't

[04:21.840 --> 04:23.680] seem like it was that long ago.

[04:23.680 --> 04:28.000] But I think they were saying it could have been, or it was almost like the fifth worst

[04:28.000 --> 04:30.300] storm in America.

[04:30.300 --> 04:32.880] Like there were, it was back when they were doing all the forecasts, they were like, this

[04:32.880 --> 04:34.040] is gearing up to be X.

[04:34.040 --> 04:39.560] And so I haven't seen the final takeaway of like, you know, the ranking system of like

[04:39.560 --> 04:41.880] worst storms to hit Florida, worst storms to hit America.

[04:41.880 --> 04:47.560] Of course, most of the terrible storms to hit America hit Florida, but also Puerto Rico,

[04:47.560 --> 04:51.640] also Texas, and some nor'easters in the Northeast.

[04:51.640 --> 04:54.540] But Florida gets pummeled by hurricanes all the time.

[04:54.540 --> 04:56.440] And you should have seen the people I work with down here.

[04:56.440 --> 04:58.480] Like I was like, uh, are we going to be okay?

[04:58.480 --> 04:59.480] And they're like, this is nothing.

[04:59.480 --> 05:00.480] You'll be fine.

[05:00.480 --> 05:01.480] They're like so.

[05:01.480 --> 05:02.480] They're like, whatever.

[05:02.480 --> 05:05.040] They probably won't even cancel school.

[05:05.040 --> 05:06.040] And they almost didn't.

[05:06.040 --> 05:08.580] I was like, what is happening?

[05:08.580 --> 05:11.600] Is that like earthquake culture in California similar?

[05:11.600 --> 05:13.080] Well, just get used to it.

[05:13.080 --> 05:17.260] And they're so used to everybody freaking out and then it like not hitting them.

[05:17.260 --> 05:19.720] But the sad thing is it probably does hit somewhere.

[05:19.720 --> 05:23.200] And so people who have actually lived through the devastation, like the people in Fort Myers

[05:23.200 --> 05:26.560] who lost everything, I don't think they have that casual view.

[05:26.560 --> 05:30.800] It's the people who have been so lucky that they've like just dodged a lot of bullets.

[05:30.800 --> 05:31.800] But I don't know.

[05:31.800 --> 05:32.800] I have the same thing with tornadoes.

[05:32.800 --> 05:36.040] Like my mom was texting me like, get in the bathtub, grab kitler, get in the bathtub.

[05:36.040 --> 05:38.440] I was like, mom, how many tornadoes warnings have we lived through?

[05:38.440 --> 05:40.920] I never got in the bathtub when we were little.

[05:40.920 --> 05:41.920] What are you doing?

[05:41.920 --> 05:42.920] Get in the bathtub.

[05:42.920 --> 05:43.920] I know.

[05:43.920 --> 05:44.920] It just sounds so ridiculous.

[05:44.920 --> 05:45.920] I know.

[05:45.920 --> 05:46.920] She's like, are you safe?

[05:46.920 --> 05:47.920] And I'm like, I don't know.

[05:47.920 --> 05:48.920] I'm in my apartment.

[05:48.920 --> 05:49.920] She's like, can you get to a lower level?

[05:49.920 --> 05:50.920] I'm like, what?

[05:50.920 --> 05:51.920] Go to somebody else's apartment?

[05:51.920 --> 05:52.920] Like, no.

[05:52.920 --> 05:57.080] So you have to get into the bathtub, but you also have to bring your mattress with you

[05:57.080 --> 05:59.040] and cover yourself with your mattress.

[05:59.040 --> 06:02.360] Which is like the funniest thing because I don't know about you, but I can't lift my

[06:02.360 --> 06:03.360] mattress.

[06:03.360 --> 06:04.360] Right.

[06:04.360 --> 06:05.360] It's so...

[06:05.360 --> 06:06.360] It's not very practical for everyone.

[06:06.360 --> 06:07.360] It's putting your backpack.

[06:07.360 --> 06:08.360] Right.

[06:08.360 --> 06:14.440] I mean, you have all these people like suffocating under their mattresses.

[06:14.440 --> 06:16.000] That was not the intention.

[06:16.000 --> 06:17.480] Oh, my God.

[06:17.480 --> 06:18.480] Jeez.

What's the Word? (6:20)

• Hominid vs Hominin

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

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

Nobel Prize in Chemistry (14:06)

• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022

Nobel Prize in Physics (22:55)

• The Nobel Prize in Physics 2022

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (30:46)

• The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2022

Homeopathy Lawsuit (40:37)

• [link_URL TITLE]

Silkworm Pangenome (49:49)

• Pangenome of the Domestic Silkworm

Quickie(s) with Steve (1:01:27)

New ALS Drug

• [link_URL TITLE]

3D Printing Computer Chips

• [link_URL TITLE]

Who's That Noisy? (1:12:00)

Answer to previous Noisy:

1972 Italian song of English gibberish, Prisencolinensinainciusol

New Noisy (1:15:33)

[animal or metal guttural growls/scratching]

J: ... So, guys, very interesting sound. If you are listening to this podcast and you think you know what that is, or you heard something really cool this week, then email me in at WTN@theskeptics.org.

Science or Fiction (1:18:41)

Theme: Adapting to Climate Change Item #1: Scientists at the University of the Philippines have proposed burying plastic waste beneath sinking islands to keep them above water. Item #2: China is at the forefront of building “sponge cities” – cities that incorporate features that absorb large amounts of water to help reduce storm water damage. Item #3: A glaciologist at Princeton University has proposed building massive miles-long seawalls at the bases of Antarctic and Greenland glaciers in order to delay their collapse, perhaps by hundreds of years.

Answer	Item
Fiction	Plastic under islands
Science	Sponge cities
Science	Miles-long seawalls

Host	Result
Steve	swept

Rogue	Guess
Bob	Plastic under islands
Evan	Plastic under islands
Cara	Plastic under islands
Jay	Plastic under islands

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

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:36:43)

No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before.
– Stephen Hawking (1942-2018), English theoretical physicist

Signoff

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.

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