Episode #425

Episode #425

News Items

• NASA Spiders
• Chicken Wings and Penis Size
• TCM for Flu

Who's That Noisy

• Answer to last week: Seal

Science or Fiction [ Show Answers ]

• Item #1 Fiction

  A thorough review of published studies in Psychology found that only 5% of published replications confirm the prior results. http://www.tip.duke.edu/node/1437

• Item #2 Science

  Studies have found that as many as 50% of published peer-reviewed research contains statistical errors, sometimes changing the conclusions of the study. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-05/bc-prc052604.php http://phys.org/news/2011-09-statistical-error-large-neuroscience-papers.html

• Item #3 Science

  In surveys, 34% of researchers admitted to questionable research practices themselves, and up to 72% in their colleagues. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0005738

Skeptical Quote of the Week.

‘Science is the only thing that disproves science, and it does it all the time.’ - Matt Dillahunty