SGU Episode 521
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| SGU Episode 521 |
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| July 4th 2015 |
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| (brief caption for the episode icon) |
| Skeptical Rogues |
| S: Steven Novella |
B: Bob Novella |
J: Jay Novella |
E: Evan Bernstein |
| Quote of the Week |
The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion AND have others listen to it. The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense! |
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| Download Podcast |
| Show Notes |
| Forum Discussion |
Introduction
You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.
Special Report ()
- with Joanne Benhamu
Forgotten Superheroes of Science ()
- Maria Goeppert-Mayer: won a Nobel Prize for her research on nuclear shell structure.
News Items
Bionic Lens ()
Inside Out Brain Metaphors ()
Pyramids on Mars and Ceres ()
Dumbest Thing of the Week ()
- http://www.evolutionnews.org/2015/06/in_explaining_d097121.html
- http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/06/24/smoker-eddie-van-halen-blames-his-tongue-cancer-on-guitar-picks-electromagnetic-energy/
Questions and Emails
Question #1: Skeptical Lessons ()
I really enjoy listening to your show and especially guidelines on how to discuss skeptical topics with family & friends. It's often very hard when you have a wife who is a fan of homeopathy (very common in France), a sister in law who is against GMOs, a best friend who is really into astrology. I have taken to heart you advice to not just laugh at their beliefs, but instead engage in a discussion, even though we come back to the usual debate points (but I know homeopathy works for me!). I was wondering if I should not start by discussing some baby steps in critical thinking, such as confirmation bias, the importance of double blinded trials, looking at more than one experiment, fishing for positives... What would you say are the top 4 – 5 conversations to have, that would pave the way for a better critical discussion later on? Thanks and keep up the good work! Dominic
Science or Fiction ()
Item #1: The Brown/Willy Effect is an optical phenomenon visible during a transit of Venus or Mercury, in which something resembling a drop of water appears to connect the disc of the planet with the edge of the sun. It is named for the discoverers of the effect. Item #2: The Jack-In-The-Box Effect is a catastrophic kill on a tank or other turreted armored vehicle in which an ammunition explosion causes the tank's turret to be violently blown off the chassis and into the air. It is named after the child's toy, the jack-in-the-box, in which a puppet pops up. Item #3: The Overview Effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth either from orbit or from the lunar surface Item #4: The Woozle Effect occurs when frequent citation of previous publications that lack evidence misleads people into believing there is evidence. Urban Legends are an example of The Woozle Effect.
Skeptical Quote of the Week ()
"The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion AND have others listen to it. The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!" - Brian Cox
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.
References
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