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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 306 - 5/25/2011
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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.
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.
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Podcast
306
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May 25, 2011
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This Day in Skepticism
News Items: Rapture Rationalizations, Fake Moon Rock, Dark Energy Confirmed, Religious Right vs Women's Rights, Preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse
Who's That Noisy
Your Questions and E-mails: Banning Marmite
Science or Fiction
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Segment: This Day in Skepticism
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May 28, 585 BCE
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A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated.
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Segment: News Items
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Segment: Who's That Noisy
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Who's That Noisy
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Answer to last week - screaming frog
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Segment: Questions and Emails
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Banning Marmite
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Dear Steven and fellow sceptics,
Having discovered the show a few weeks ago I have now become somewhat addicted, gradually working my way through the back catalogue of episodes. Please keep up the good work. I never realised that I was a critical thinker/sceptic until listening to this podcast but would now put myself firmly in this bracket.
Listening to the radio this morning, I heard a story that had all the hallmarks of pseudoscience, scaremongering and political ignorance and wondered what your take on it was. Denmark have banned Marmite, along with Ovaltine, Rice Crispies and Shreddies (apologies if any of these don’t exist in the USA but I’m sure you can find out what they are), on the grounds that they have added vitamins and that fortification poses a public health risk. An interviewee from Denmark said that other mothers had approached her and warned her not to give her children Ovaltine as it had “too many vitamins”.
This sounds like the sort of nonsense peddled by cranks so I was amazed to hear it has been enacted as law in a developed, western nation.
Is there any scientific basis for these claims?
Best Regards,
Jez Morris, 26, UK.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/24/denmark-bans-marmite
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Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
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Segment: Skeptical Quote of the Week
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Skeptical Quote of the Week
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"The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA. Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic bacteria and there would be no music."
~Lewis Thomas
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