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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 349 - 3/24/2012

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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.

Podcast 349 - March 24, 2012

This Day in Skepticism: Exxon Valdez
News Items: Superhero Pseudoscience, High Altitude Skydiving, Nuclear Clock, New Hampshire Abortion Bill, NDE and Lucid Dreaming, Designer Electrons
Who's That Noisy
Your Questions and E-mails: Here Comes the Metric System
Name That Logical Fallacy
Science or Fiction



Segment:   This Day in Skepticism     
March 24, 1989     Exxon Valdez oil spill: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill

Segment:   News Items     
Superhero Pseudoscience     http://colantotte.com/
High Altitude Skydiving     http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17399985
Nuclear Clock     http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-03-blueprint-nuclear-clock-accurate-billions.html
New Hampshire Abortion Bill     http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2012/03/20/abortion_bill_goes_back_to_committee_of_nh_house/
NDE and Lucid Dreams     http://www.livescience.com/19106-death-experiences-lucid-dreams.html
Designer Electrons     http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314142841.htm

Segment:   Who's That Noisy     
Who's That Noisy     Answer to last week: Martin Fleischman

Segment:   Questions and Emails     
Question #1 - Here Comes the Metric System     Just a quick question. I often wondered why America kept the Imperial system for measurements, miles, inches etc. Do you think it would be better (for science teaching in particular), if you switched to the metric system, and what problems do you think it would create? Thanks for the great show. Liz. Scotland

Segment:   Name That Logical Fallacy     
Name That Logical Fallacy     From the comments to NeuroLogica "natural selection (or selection in general) explains how two horses can become all the different breeds we have today- including zebras. This is also how the finches of Darwin fame have longer beaks some years and shorter beaks other years… Everyone knows this happens. The question is this– does that explain how a single celled life form could become an elephant? Some question that it does. (I would be one who questions- BTW) This is called micro-evolution vs. macro-evolution– aka the development of species or kinds vs. the development of breeds. To make an analogy– Everyone knows you can make a ladder to the roof of the house. Does that mean you can make a ladder to the sun?"

Segment:   Science or Fiction     [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
Item #1     New measurements indicate that Venice continues to sink into the ocean, contradicting the prior conclusion that the city is stable. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321172208.htm
Item #2     A new study finds that the whooping cough epidemic currently occurring in Australia is mostly due to a new strain of B. pertussis which is not well covered by the vaccine. http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/sharp-rise-cases-new-strain-whooping-cough
Item #3     A new survey finds that parents of children with cancer trust information they find on the internet as much or more than information from their health care provider. http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13271

Segment:   Skeptical Quote of the Week     
Skeptical Quote of the Week     “Advances are made by answering questions. Discoveries are made by questioning answers.” -Bernhard Haisch
 
 
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