Episode #902
News Items
- Electric Universe
- Neanderthal Clan
- Gorillas and Chimps Friends
- Most Powerful Gamma Ray Burst
- Cheating Scandals
Who's That Noisy
- Answer to last week: wolves
Science or Fiction
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Item #1
Fiction
Nipple piercing was popular among Victorian upper class women, as it was believed to suppress sexual desire and prevent pregnancy if the former function failed. https://blog.souldoctors.com/nipple-rings-and-genital-piercings-were-once-a-symbol-of-the-victorian-upper-class/
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Item #2
Science
There was widespread belief that the speed and constant rattling noise of passenger trains caused people to go insane, resulting in violent outbursts. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/railway-madness-victorian-trains
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Item #3
Science
Tobacco smoke enemas, literally blowing smoke up someone’s ass, were popular mainstream treatments for multiple ailments from cholera to drowning. https://bcmj.org/special-feature/special-feature-tobacco-smoke-enemas
Skeptical Quote of the Week.
‘In a way, everyone in this story is seeing Jesus in the Toast. We all want to see what we want to see. We are projecting our own selves. That’s what we do as humans, we look to make connections between different things. And sometimes, when those things align, we declare those connections ‘truth.’ Geoffrey Gray – author Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B Cooper