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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 299 - 4/4/2011
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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
299
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April 04, 2011
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This Day in Skepticism: The Mercury 7
News Items: Pioneer Anomaly Solved, Pigasus Awards, Wakefield and Somalis, Boy Genius
Who's That Noisy
Your Questions and E-mails: Thorium Reactors
Science or Fiction
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Segment: This Day in Skepticism
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April 9, 1959
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NASA announced the selection of America's first seven astronauts for project Mercury. Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Donald Slayton were chosen from 110 applicants. Their training program at Langley, which ranged from a graduate-level course in introductory space science to simulator training and scuba-diving. Project Mercury, NASA's first high profile program, was an effort to learn if humans could survive in space. NASA required astronaut candidates to be male, not older than 40 years of age, not more than 5' 11" height and in excellent physical condition. On 5 May 1961, Shepard became the first American in space.
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Segment: News Items
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Segment: Who's That Noisy
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Who's That Noisy
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Answer to last week: Phineas J. Woopie
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Segment: Questions and Emails
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Question #1 - Thorium Reactors
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I've heard thorium reactors mentioned several times since the Fukushima disaster started unfolding. They're supposed to be safer, cleaner, cheaper, and easier to build than the uranium reactors in use today. And apparently they've been known about for decades.
First of all, are these claims correct? Are there any hidden downsides that aren't being mentioned?
Secondly, I've heard it claimed the only reason these reactors haven't been built is because they can't be used to create nuclear weapons. Is that true? Kinda depressing if it is.
Here's a link to an article that makes these claims...
http://realdoctorstu.com/2011/03/24/the-future-of-nuclear-power-after-fukushima-thorium-reactors/
Thanks guys, love the show!
James Russell
Australia
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Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
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Segment: Skeptical Quote of the Week
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Skeptical Quote of the Week
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"If an outsider perceives 'something wrong' with a core scientific model, the humble and justified response of that curious outsider should be to ask 'what mistake am I making?' before assuming 100% of the experts are wrong."
- David Brin
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