SGU Episode 230

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SGU Episode 230
December 16th 2009
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 229                      SGU 231
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
R: Rebecca Watson
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
“Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while on the other hand to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment upon anything new.”
Galileo
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Show Notes
SGU Forum

Introduction

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

News Items ()

Steorn Still At It ()

• http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/steorn-invites-us-to-get-real-with-fairy-powered-orbo-free-en/

Computer-Brain Interface ()

• http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=3122

Ancient Ruins of the Caribbean ()

• http://www.heralddeparis.com/previously-undiscovered-ancient-city-found-on-caribbean-sea-floor/65855

Octopus Coconuts ()

• http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18281-octopuses-use-coconut-shells-as-portable-shelters.html

Homeopathic Suicide ()

• http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/12/06/2009-12-06_alexa_ray_joel_daughter_of_billy_joel_and_christie_brinkley_will_be_fine.html

Questions and E-mails ()

Question # 1 - Holodeck Food ()

Hi rogues, me here. In episode 107 Jay asked (paraphrase) 'have you ever thought 'what if you could eat whatever you wanted in any quantity consequence free. I of course have thought about that- it occurred to me that one could do this in the Star Trek holodeck. Walk in gorge yourself on icecream and walk out empty. After a little more thought, I began to wonder- what would happen if you lived inside the holodeck for an extended time? When you walked out of there after living off 'artificial' stuff, would large sections of your body be composed entirely of holodeck stuff and dissapear? Maybe that's a dumb question. Have fun, continue excellent work. JamesBoggs

Special Report ()

• Rebeca interviews John Kampfner, Robin Ince, and Dara O'Briain

Science or Fiction ()

Item # 1: Researchers have developed a process for making boron nitride nanotubes, which they claim have superior qualities to carbon nanotubes and can be woven into macroscopic threads. Item # 2: A new study finds that matching learning techniques, primarily audio vs video, to student preferred styles results in improved academic performance. Item # 3: New evidence suggests that mammoths were around as recently as 7,500 years ago – 5,600 years later than previous estimates.

Who's That Noisy ()

• Answer to last week - the Vela Pulsar

Quote of the Week ()

“Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while on the other hand to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment upon anything new.” - Galileo

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by the New England Skeptical Society in association with the James Randi Educational Foundation and skepchick.org. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at www.theskepticsguide.org. For questions, suggestions, and other feedback, please use the "Contact Us" form on the website, or send an email to info@theskepticsguide.org. If you enjoyed this episode, then please help us spread the word by voting for us on Digg, or leaving us a review on iTunes. You can find links to these sites and others through our homepage. 'Theorem' is produced by Kineto, and is used with permission.

References