Episode #431
News Items
Who's That Noisy
- Answer to last week: Meteor entering atmosphere
Science or Fiction
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Item #1
Science
A single brown bat can consume 1,200 mosquito-size insects in one hour. http://animal.discovery.com/mammals/13-incredible-bat-facts.htm
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Item #2
Fiction
The sucker footed bat from Madagascar attaches to palm leaves by suction cups on its wings and ankles. http://listverse.com/2011/03/04/top-10-bizarre-bats/
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Item #3
Science
Bats are the most common source of human rabies in the Americas, but this is still rare, only causing 1-2 cases per year in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/education/
Skeptical Quote of the Week.
…academic credentials are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for having your ideas taken seriously. If a famous professor repeatedly says stupid things, then tries to claim he never said them, there’s no rule against calling him a mendacious idiot — and no special qualifications required to make that pronouncement other than doing your own homework. Conversely, if someone without formal credentials consistently makes trenchant, insightful observations, he or she has earned the right to be taken seriously, regardless of background. -Paul Krugman