Podcast Blogs Video Forums
 
 

The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 230 - 12/16/2009
<<< 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 230 - December 16, 2009

  Download Podcast
   Print Show Notes
News Items: Steorn Still At It, Computer-Brain Interface, Ancient Ruins in the Caribbean, Octopus Coconuts, Homeopathic Suicide
Your E-mails and Questions: Holodeck Food
Special Report: Coalition for Libel Reform
Science or Fiction
Who's That Noisy



Segment:   News Items     
Steorn Still At It     http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/steorn-invites-us-to-get-real-with-fairy-powered-orbo-free-en/
Computer-Brain Interface     http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=3122
Ancient Ruins of the Caribbean     http://www.heralddeparis.com/previously-undiscovered-ancient-city-found-on-caribbean-sea-floor/65855
Octopus Coconuts     http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18281-octopuses-use-coconut-shells-as-portable-shelters.html
Homeopathic Suicide     http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/12/06/2009-12-06_alexa_ray_joel_daughter_of_billy_joel_and_christie_brinkley_will_be_fine.html

Segment:   Questions and E-mails     
Question # 1 - Holodeck Food     Hi rogues, me here. In episode 107 Jay asked (paraphrase) "have you ever thought 'what if you could eat whatever you wanted in any quantity consequence free'". I of course have thought about that- it occurred to me that one could do this in the Star Trek holodeck. Walk in gorge yourself on icecream and walk out empty. After a little more thought, I began to wonder- what would happen if you lived inside the holodeck for an extended time? When you walked out of there after living off "artificial" stuff, would large sections of your body be composed entirely of holodeck stuff and dissapear? Maybe that's a dumb question. Have fun, continue excellent work. JamesBoggs

Segment:   Special Report     
Coalition for Libel Reform     Rebeca interviews John Kampfner, Robin Ince, and Dara O'Briain

Segment:   Science or Fiction     [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
Item # 1     Researchers have developed a process for making boron nitride nanotubes, which they claim have superior qualities to carbon nanotubes and can be woven into macroscopic threads. http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2009/12/electromagnetic-fields-as-cutting-tools.jsp
Item # 2     A new study finds that matching learning techniques, primarily audio vs video, to student preferred styles results in improved academic performance. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/afps-lsd121609.php
Item # 3     New evidence suggests that mammoths were around as recently as 7,500 years ago – 5,600 years later than previous estimates. http://www.physorg.com/news180026128.html

Segment:   Who's That Noisy     
Who's That Noisy     Answer to last week - the Vela Pulsar

Segment:   Quote of the Week     
Quote of the Week     “Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while on the other hand to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment upon anything new.” - Galileo
 
 
Home About Resources Media Store Contact Site Map Credits Privacy Policy Terms of Use ©2011 SGU PRODUCTIONS, LLC