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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 168 - 10/8/2008
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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, LLC - dedicated to promoting critical thinking, reason, and the public understanding of science through online and other media. The first episode of the SGU podcast went online on May 4th, 2005. It soon became a popular science/skeptical podcast, and remains one of the most popular science podcasts on iTunes.
SGU Podcasting Awards: SGU on XM: You can listen to the SGU on America's Talk XM 166 every Saturday night from 8-9pm Eastern.
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Podcast
168
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October 08, 2008
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Interview with PZ Myers; News Items
2008 Nobel Awards, Turing Test
Your Questions and E-mails: Darwin Quote, Cosmology
Name That Logical Fallacy
Science or Fiction
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Segment: News Items
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Segment: Questions and E-mails
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Question #1 – Corrections and Extensions
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Rebecca's attribution of the quote last week ("the universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.") to Darwin is incorrect, but is a common misattribution on the net. Richard Dawkins writes this sentence on page 133 of his 1995 book River Out of Eden. The searchable data base at the Darwin online site (http://www.darwin-online.org.uk) has no match for Darwin writing this sentence anywhere. It does seem a little too harsh and nihilistic for Darwin, but not for his modern bulldog, Dawkins. Otherwise a great podcast!
Joe Walsh
Farmington, CT
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Question #2 – Cosmology
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Hey guys,
I LOVE this Podcast. I've gone back in time to catch up on the original's and I've just listened to the one where Rebecca joined - a truly great addition to a working formula!
Anyway, I'm not a scientist or mathematician, however, I am absolutely fascinated by everything you guys do. I have four questions that I hope you can either answer, or at least discuss.
1. Why does light have a maximum speed?
2. Does the theory of dark matter have something to do with it?
3. Can the Universe expand faster than the speed of light since it's expanding into "nothing"?
4. When are you visiting us Down Under?
Thanks in advance,
Greg Quan
Sydney, Australia
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Segment: Interview
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Segment: Name that Logical Fallacy
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Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
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Item # 1  Science
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Scientists develop a special thermometer, quick and durable enough to measure the temperature during an explosion.
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Item #2  Fiction
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New research shows that people who score highest on measures of sociopathic behavior are more likely to assume leadership positions.
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Item #3 Science
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Scientists discover a new protein that is 8 times as effective as morphine at relieving pain.
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Segment: Skeptical Quote
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Henri Poincaré
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"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful."
- Henri Poincaré
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