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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 301 - 4/20/2011
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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.

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Podcast 301 - April 20, 2011

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Guest Rogue: Iszi Lawrence
This Week in Skepticism
News Items: Hottel UFO Document, New Method to find Exoplanets, Plans for NASA Shuttles, Power Balance Lawsuit, Nails of Christ
Who's That Noisy
Science or Fiction



Segment:   This Day in Skepticism     
April 23, 2009     2009 The gamma ray burst GRB 090423 is observed for 10 seconds. The event signals the most distant object of any kind and also the oldest known object in the universe.

Segment:   News Items     
Hottel UFO Document     http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3089 http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/18/the-jfk-ufo-connection-bogus-documents-or-unanswered-questions/
New Method to find Exoplanets     http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418084007.htm
Plans for NASA Space Shuttles     - NASA to decide where retired shuttles go: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/04/13/where-the-shuttles-will-come-to-rest/ - NASA eyes private successors to the shuttle: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13124924 - Endeavor's last flight: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/04/19/endeavours-last-flight-april-29/
Another Power Balance Lawsuit     http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3111
Nails of Christ     http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/jesus-crucifixion-nails_n_848285.html

Segment:   Who's That Noisy     
Who's That Noisy     Answer to last week - simulation of gravity waves from black holes.

Segment:   Science or Fiction     [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
Item #1     A recent study suggests that all people have one of three types of gut flora ecosystems, which does not follow racial or geographical lines. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature09944.html
Item #2     Scientists have developed a fabric-like material that can automatically repair itself if it is scratched or even cut. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110420143618.htm
Item #3     Computer simulations find that temperatures and pressures in the Earth's mantle are sufficient for the abiogenesis of long-chain hydrocarbons - the formation of oil from methane rather than decomposing organic matter. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-04-hydrocarbons-deep-earth.html

Segment:   Skeptical Quote of the Week     
Skeptical Quote of the Week     "I think that it is much more likely, that the reports of flying saucers are the results of the known irrational characteristics of terrestrial intelligence, rather than the unknown rational efforts of extraterrestrial intelligence." -Richard Feynman
 
 
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