Episode #170

News Items

    Interview with Phil Plait

    • We discuss with Phil his new book, Death from the Skies http://www.badastronomy.com http://www.randi.org

    Question #1 Blacklight

    • I am emailing from my iPhone while listening to you lot – what a great time we live in. Astonishing technology and intelligent discussion on tap. Blacklight power recently made renewed claims as reported in the New York times online. I don’t see a lot of skeptical chatter on this. I found a brief mention on skepchick and reasonable coverage on wikipedia. I would be very interested to hear your views given the high profile backers who I read are invested in this. My gut says that it is nonsense, but who said that they prefer not to think with their gut? John Pollard UK http://www.blacklightpower.com/profile.shtml http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-12-21/news/quantum-leap/ http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg10909.html

    Science or Fiction

    • Item #1 Science

      A new study demonstrates that synaesthesia can be induced in normal subjects through hypnosis.

    • Item #2 Science

      Scientists have discovered how to selectively and safely erase specific memories and have demonstrated this in mice.

    • Item #3 Fiction

      Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, researchers were able to implant an image directly into the visual cortex of a subject.

    Skeptical Quote of the Week.