| |
The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 223 - 10/28/2009
|
|
|
|
|
<<< 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
223
-
October 28, 2009
|
News Items: Swine Flu Scams, Hulda Clark Died of Cancer, The Physics of Homeopathy, Scientology Trouble, Suzanne Somers Cancer Quackery
Your Questions and E-mails: Size of the Universe (With Special Guest - Pamela Gay), Mad Scientists, Suspended Animation
Science or Fiction
Whos That Noisy
|
|
|
|
Segment: News Items
|
|
|
Segment: Questions and E-mails
|
|
Question # 1 - Size of the Universe
|
The Universe
The universe is about 14 billion years old, so how come the observable universe is larger then 28 billion light years? As a follow up, how is it possible for any star or galaxy or whatever to be more then 14 billion light years apart?
Thanks for putting together such a great show
Adam Warren
Bristol UK
|
|
Question #2 - Mad Scientists
|
If you were mad scientists...
Message: ...how would you use your knowledge to take over the world?
Anders Starmark
GÃteborg, Sweden
|
|
Question # 3 - Suspended Animation
|
A Big hello to SGU from Darwin Australia,
I am writing in to seek your opinion on something I came across on a paranormal and believers pod cast, it may be a good topic for discussion on the show. As painful as it is to listen to them, in the interest of being a good skeptic I find it compulsory to get both sides of the story. They mentioned a possible development in mans quest to cheat death itself.
They reported that there could be a way to shut down your body and organs and reanimate them without any ill effects. Of all things, by using poison gas.
A biologist named Mark Roth is reported to have been experimenting with a gas (hydrogen sulphide) that when inhaled replaces the oxygen in the body and thus stops the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that initiate degeneration. By doing this even though all vital signs have ceased the body will not die and remains in a state of suspended animation.
Roth reportedly started experimenting on fish embryos by draining the oxygen from the embryo finding that the embryo stopped growing and when he reintroduced the oxygen they started growing again. He claims to have repeated the experiment on fruit flies and now rats and the process works. However has reached a hurdle. He says he needs to introduce the hydrogen sulphide by injection to anything larger than a rat.
I would love to know what you guys think. Keep up the great work, hope you make it to Australia soon.
Keith Simmons
PS. I smell a zombie plague on the horizon……..
|
|
Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
|
|
|
Segment: Who's That Noisy
|
|
Whos That Noisy
|
Answer to last week - the quacking frog
|
|
Segment: Quote of the Week
|
|
Quote of the Week
|
"If anyone can show me, and prove to me, that I am wrong in thought or deed, I will gladly change. I seek the truth, which never yet hurt anybody. It is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance which does harm."
-Marcus Aurelius
|
|
|
|
|
|