Podcast Blogs Video Forums
 
 

The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 296 - 3/16/2011

<<< Back to Podcast Archive

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.

Podcast 296 - March 16, 2011

Interview with Mark Mervine
This Week in Skepticism
News Items: Japan Earthquake, Time Traveling Particle, Finding Atlantis, TAM9 From Outer Space
Who's That Noisy
Your Questions and E-mails: Corrections - Magellan and DNA Computing, Ambit Energy
Science or Fiction



Segment:   This Day in Skepticism     
1827     Charles Darwin made his earliest scientific discovery, at age 18. He dissected some specimens of a baranacle-like marine organism, the polyzoan Flustra. Thus he began what became a lifelong interest in natural history http://www.todayinsci.com/3/../2/2_12.htm#DarwinCharles

Segment:   News Items     
Japan Earthquake     http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12766930
Time Traveling Particle     http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110315163330.htm
Finding Atlantis     http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/us-tsunami-atlantis-idUSTRE72B2JR20110312
TAM9 From Outer Space     https://secure3.convio.net/jref/site/Ticketing?view=Tickets&id=100061

Segment:   Who's That Noisy     
Who's That Noisy     Answer to last week - geese walking on pavement

Segment:   Questions and Emails     
Question #1 - Corrections     Magellan DNA Computing
Question #2 - Ambit Energy     The other day in my high school class Ambit Energy (http://ww2.ambitenergy.com/) came up because a few of the students have parents in the program. It was explained and my first reaction was "this is a pyramid scheme and fraud" but I didn't have any evidence to back it up. Now that I've read the website it seems like it's clearly fraud, how do guys recommend I tell these guys that their parents, even if they are making money, are part of a scam? James New York

Segment:   Interview     
Interview with Mark Mervine     We discuss the Japan nuclear power plant melt down with an expert on commercial nuclear power.

Segment:   Science or Fiction     [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
Item #1     New Hubble measurements of the expansion of the universe lend support to the theory of dark energy. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/cosmic-expansion.html
Item #2     A psychological researcher warns that obsessive compulsive disorder is on the rise because it is being triggered by obsessive collecting. http://canalugr.es/social-economic-and-legal-sciences/item/47951
Item #3     A new study shows that beaching of beaked whales is not caused by military use of sonar, as has been previously claimed. http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=7545&tid=282&cid=94289&ct=162

Segment:   Skeptical Quote of the Week     
Skeptical Quote of the Week     "An unsophisticated forecaster uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts - for support rather than for illumination." - Andrew Lang
 
 
Home About Resources Media Store Contact Site Map Credits Privacy Policy Terms of Use ©2011 SGU PRODUCTIONS, LLC