Episode #105

News Items

    Interview with Jimmy Carter

    • James Earl ‘Jimmy’ Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924), was the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, and the Nobel Peace laureate of 2002. Prior to becoming president, Carter served two terms in the Georgia Senate, and was the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.

      Carter NICAP report
      www.cohenufo.org/Carter/carter_abvtopsec.htm

      Carter and Evolution
      www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/01/30/georgia.evolution/index.html
      www.wayoflife.org/fbns/jimmycarter.htm

      Carter on Birding
      www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/travel/j_carter.aspx

      Venus Halo: www.clearskies.se/Venus%20halo%20&%20Earthshine.htm
      Corona: hea-www.harvard.edu/hrc.ARCHIVE/2005/2005315.000000-2005315.240000/SpaceWeather/
      epod.usra.edu/archive/images/dsc06491.jpg

    Who Killed the Electric Car

    • Hi, I’ll shorten the kudos for the show…suffice it to say it keeps me thinking on my long commutes (burning more fossil fuel than I’d prefer) like none other. A recent show had a 175 mpg car in the science or fiction segment. I was suprised by the talk on the topic especially the flippant remark about the electric cars in California in the late 80’s
      and 90’s. Have none of you seen the documentary ‘Who killed the electric car?’ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_the_Electric_Car%3F It seem compelling to me…and batteries were not the issue. Many people wanted to take over the leases on these vehicles that could be charged at home and go 125 miles on a charge with the batteries of the day. They even had charging stations in the last century! In big cities, this would eliminate a lot of smog, and many have commutes of way under half that, but something else extinguished them. The inventer of Ni-MH batteries is interviewed and his solar cell roofing tiles seem like a no brainer…but… Please discuss this issue in depth.

      Thanks, David

    • Evolution of the Brain

      How do biologists refute the following argument by evolution deniers:

      The brain has the capacity for storing information far greater than can be ‘filled’ in many human lifetimes. If the brain is developed by the natural selection of desirable traits, how would this incremental process develop such storage capability far beyond any ‘useful purpose’.

      I have a good idea of how I would refute this, but perhaps your answer would be more thorough and precise.

      Thanks for setting the record straight,

      Christian
      Central PA

    Science or Fiction

    • Item #1 Fiction

      Astronomers, using spectrographic analysis, have discovered organic molecules in interstellar space sufficiently complex that they might be considered life.

    • Item #2 Science

      Researchers have found that using hand gestures in learning dramatically improves memory.

    • Item #3 Science

      Researchers have discovered a fruit fly gene that was created de novo and is not the product of gene duplication.

    Skeptical Quote of the Week.