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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 77 - 1/10/2007
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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
77
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January 10, 2007
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Interview with Spencer Weart, author of The Discovery of Global Warming; News Items: Stem Cell Updates, Enviga, Hawking in Space, Weight loss pill firms fined; Your E-mails and Questions: Corrections, The Moon, True belief skeletons; Randi Speaks: Coincidence; Science or Fiction; Skeptical Puzzle
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Segment: News Items
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Segment: Questions and E-mails
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Corrections and Clarifications
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900 Foot Jesus
The 900 Foot Jesus was seen by the Reverend Oral Roberts in the 1980s. He believed that if he didn't raise enough money, that Jesus would take him away. Unfortunately, he raised the money he needed, and we'll never know if Jesus would have taken him away.
William Brinkman
United States
Capsaicin
Dr. Novella,
I have really enjoyed your show over the last year and a half. It just seems to be getting better every show. However, I believe that you may be misinformed (at least partially) on the action of capsaicin. There are receptors in primary sensory nerves that are sensitive to capsaicin called TRPV1. The sense of pain from hot peppers is not due to death of neurons.
Here is the wiki on capsaicin: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin
or
Nature 389, 816 - 824 (23 October 1997)
Thanks again for a great show!
Jason Rall
Article indicating that both the pain and subsequent relief are at least partially due to the death of neurons.
Topical capsaicin in humans: parallel loss of epidermal nerve fibers and pain sensation. Pain. 1999 May;81(1-2):135-45.
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Shoot the Moon
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Hi Guys,
Only a 'baboon' could mistake the Moon for a UFO huh? Well I'm delighted to be able to supply solid video evidence against this outragous notion! Being able to back up Rebecca, too, just makes it all the sweeter!
Rebecca: you are absolutely correct, and if I were you, I wouldn't be putting up with such close-minded thinking!
You see, a number of years ago, 2002 I think, I was intending to film the Moon as it rose above the River Tay, in Scotland for a small movie project known as "being bored in charge of a video camera."
What I filmed was this:
http://www.stevehammond.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Moon_UFO_DIVX.avi
I didn't think I was going to get anything at all because of the clouds, but a small break in the cloud did indeed appear at the right time. Now because the clouds were appearing in streaks, only the centre portion of the Moon was visible. Chopping the top and bottom of off the moon meant that only a rectangular portion in the middle was actually visible. And because there was evidently a large amount of dust in the atmosphere at the time, the result was bright red. The whole apparation lasted for a few minutes.
Now I know full well that this was the Moon; I'd planned for it at that place and that time using some astronomy software. I defy anyone to have casually glanced at this apparently bright red rectangle hovering over the river for a minute and immediately thought of the Moon!
Anyway, thanks for the podcasts which keep me entertained on my walks to work in the morning!
Steve Hammond
Scotland
P.S. Always amusing when someone across the pond attempts a Scottish accent!
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True Believer Skeletons
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Heya guys (non-gender specific from where I'm from), let me begin by saying that not only is your podcast "numero uno" in my opinion but that you are without a doubt the greatest collective of skeptic minds that I have been exposed to in my lifetime.
My question for you however is about not so skeptical beliefs that you may have held previously in your lifetime. Are there any major psuedoscientific or "true believer" style notions that you have given credence to or truly believed yourselves in the past? Come on guys be honest, and I'm not talking about Santa Claus-esque fantasies, were any of you believers in psychics, dowsing, extra-terrestrial visitations, ESP etc?
Christian Polson-Brown
Perth, Australia
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Segment: Interview
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Segment: Randi Speaks
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James Randi
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The Uncompromising Observations of a Veteran Skeptic
Each week James Randi gives a skeptical commentary in his own unique style.
This week's topic: Coincidence
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Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
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Question #1  Science
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Men are struck by lightening four times as often as women.
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Question #2  Fiction
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Since people have been putting artificial satellites into orbit, over 40 satellites have been damaged or destroyed by meteors.
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Question #3 Science
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The crack of a whip is made by the tip exceeding the speed of sound, causing a small sonic boom
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Question #4 Science
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Russian scientists thawed out a salamander they believe to have been frozen for 90 years, and it was still alive.
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Segment: Skeptical Puzzle
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Puzzle
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This Week's Puzzle
I have something that was said to have existed in the first century
That was first written about in the eighth century
That was actually produced in the 14th century
That was almost destroyed in the 16th century
And proven to be a hoax in the 20th century
What do I have?
Last Week's Puzzle
I read red lines on a white background
But occasionally, the background is not white
I interpret stress patterns
But by nature, I struggle to stay upright
I analyze vessels and the directions they travel
But their movements mean nothing
And though its lone job is to protect you
I have the power to see beyond this purpose
What is my profession?
Sclerologist
Mike from the SGU boards was the first to give the correct answer
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Segment: Quote of the Week
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Quote
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"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny."
- Isaac Asimov
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