Episode #435

Episode #435

News Items

• Oldest Animal
• Junk DNA
• Martian Lizard
• Dark Energy

Who's That Noisy

• Answer to last week – porcupine

Interview with Gerald Posner

• http://www.posner.com/ JFK Assassination November 22, 1963

Science or Fiction [ Show Answers ]

• Item #1 Science

  New World porcupines, like New World monkeys, have prehensile tails they use to climb trees. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/porcupine/

• Item #2 Fiction

  While porcupines cannot shoot their quills, some species can throw them a short distance by whipping their tails. http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/facts-about-porcupine-6509.html

• Item #3 Science

  A recent study documented porcupines killings dogs, foxes, and even badgers with their quills. http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2013/11/scienceshot-license-quill

Skeptical Quote of the Week.

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” – H. L. Mencken