SGU Episode 970

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SGU Episode 970
February 10th 2024
"Obelisks comprise a class of diverse RNAs that have colonized and gone unnoticed in human and global microbiomes."
SGU 969                      SGU 971
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
I don't wish to be without my brains, tho' they doubtless interfere with a blind faith, which would be very comfortable.
Ada Lovelace, English mathematician and writer
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction, Eclipse 2024 planning

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

What's the Word? (6:14)

• Cardinal

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

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

New Class of Microbes Found (12:01)

• 'Obelisks': Entirely New Class of Life Has Been Found in The Human Digestive System  

B:...could be meatballs...

SLIM Lunar Tech (22:08)

• SLIM lander's precise 'moon sniper' tech will lend itself to future lunar missions 

Misinformation and Wellness Influencers (32:29)

• The Menace of Wellness Influencers 

Super Earth in Habitable Zone (50:10)

• NASA announces new 'super-Earth': Exoplanet orbits in 'habitable zone,' is only 137 light-years away 

Climate Change and Storms (58:32)

• We may need a new 'Category 6' hurricane level for winds over 192 mph, study suggests 

Who's That Noisy? (1:09:22)

Answer to previous Noisy:

Pulsejet engine ... on an ice buggy

New Noisy (1:15:09)

[Melodic beeping with robotic voice]

J:...There's something very particular going on here...

Announcements (1:16:21)

...A thousand episodes...

Name That Logical Fallacy (1:19:51)

• "Weaponized pedantry"

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Science or Fiction (1:27:41)

Theme: SGU Shark Week Item #1: _item_text_from_show_notes_ Item #2: _item_text_from_show_notes_ Item #3: _item_text_from_show_notes_

Answer	Item
Fiction
Science

Host	Result
Steve	clever

Rogue	Guess

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

Jay's Response

Evan's Response

Cara's Response

Bob's Response

Steve Explains Item #1

A shark's vertebral bands, or growth rings, show the shark's growth rate, similar to that of a tree. Click/tap image for article.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:40:20)

I don't wish to be without my brains, tho' they doubtless interfere with a blind faith which would be very comfortable.  – Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), English mathematician and writer

_Rogue_mentions_SGU_discussing_Lovelace_previously_

Signoff (1:46:41)

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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Today I Learned

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

References

Vocabulary