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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 318 - 8/17/2011
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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 318 - August 17, 2011

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Interview with Paul Provenza
This Day in Skepticism
News Items: Non-Growing Earth, Boiron Threatens Blogger, Woman Romance and Science, Space X Going to the Space Station
Who's That Noisy
Your Questions and E-mails: More on Helium
Science or Fiction



Segment:   This Day in Skepticism     
August 20, 1897     Physician Sir Ronald Ross made a key breakthrough when he discovered malaria parasites while dissecting a mosquito. The day became known as Mosquito Day.

Segment:   News Items     
Non-Growing Earth     http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-254
Boiron Threatens Blogger     http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d5197.extract
Women, Romance, and Science     https://mcshanahan.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/women-romantic-goals-and-science-the-evidence-just-isn%E2%80%99t-there/
Space X Going to Space Station     http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16053/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ldHK9YDc

Segment:   Who's That Noisy     
Who's That Noisy     Answer to last week: Fred Dagg

Segment:   Questions and Emails     
Question #1 - More on Helium     Helium is a Noble (not Nobel) gas element usually recovered from natural gas wells. In the US, the gas wells are the top fraction of oil formations - the oil is created in sandstone or other relatively porous rock covered by shale, or much less porous rock. The gas percolates up to the non-porous layer where it gets trapped. Helium is trapped with the gas, and is separated when the gas is extracted. The helium is produced by the decay of transuranic minerals in the rock BELOW the oil formations. The transuranics, like uranium, thorium, and radium, decay radioactively through a mechanism which includes "alpha decay", where the atoms emit helium nuclei, becoming lighter elements of lower atomic number (helium has 2 protons, so the atomic number decreases by 2). Essentially ALL the helium on earth is produced by this method, NATURALLY. All the original helium in the cloud which created the earth 4.6 Billion years ago was lost in the creation. The US has a virtual monopoly on helium reserves because most places do not have transuranic ores buried miles below gas and oil deposits. The depleted reserves will eventually replenish themselves - in millions of years. Louis Bookbinder Palo Alto, CA

Segment:   Interview     
Interview with Paul Provenza     http://www.sho.com/site/greenroom/home.sho

Segment:   Science or Fiction     [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
Item #1     Amid growing concern that using food crops to produce biodiesel fuel will raise the price of food, scientists have identified a new raw material for the fuel: Alligator fat. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817094926.htm
Item #2     Being fat can be good for you. Study finds that obese people who are otherwise healthy live just as long as their slim counterparts, and are less likely to die of cardiovascular causes. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815095034.htm
Item #3     The recurrence risk of autism in younger siblings is lower than previously thought. The risk that an infant with an older sibling with autism also will develop the disorder, previously estimated at 19 percent, is substantially lower; between 3 and 10 percent. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815095019.htm

Segment:   Skeptical Quote of the Week     
Skeptical Quote of the Week     "Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, and a treasure you can always carry easily." - cheap fortune cookie
 
 
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