SGU Episode 366

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Introduction

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

This Day in Skepticism (0:59)

• July 21, 2012 Nibiru Strike Earth
• July 21, 1620 Jean Picard born - French Astronomer

News Items

Fake Bomb Detector Maker Charged (4:30)

• BBC: 'Bomb detector' maker Jim McCormick faces fraud charges

Debating an Antivaccinationist (9:20)

• Science-based Medicine: Steve Novella vs. Julian Whitaker on vaccines at FreedomFest

Feathered Dinosaurs (17:11)

• American Museum of Natural History: Newly Discovered Dinosaur Implies Greater Prevalence of Feathers

New Moon for Pluto (27:53)

• BBC: Hubble discovers new Pluto moon

Higgs Discovery Announced (36:22)

• Science News: Higgs found - Last particle in physics's standard model falls into place

Sex Myths (43:56)

• 7 common myths about sex

Sapphire Hard Drive (51:50)

• Science Magazine: A Million-Year Hard Disk

Science or Fiction (58:40)

Item #1: Scientists have isolated a new kind of fat cell in humans known as beige fat. Item #2: Scientists have "resurrected" a 500 million year old bacteria (E. coli) by reproducing its genome. Item #3: A Cochrane review finds no evidence that electric fans are useful in a heat wave.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:15:13)

Sometimes, even by accident, the universe makes beauty, and we can stand back in awe of it. Even better - we can figure out why. Science! I love this stuff.

Phil Plait

References