Episode #998

Episode #998

News Items

• Water on Exoplanets
• Mpox
• Darkling Beetles
• Moon Gravity Assist
• Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Science or Fiction [ Show Answers ]

• Item #1 Science

  A recent study finds using a mixture of 50% crushed glass in potting soil results in faster growth rates than using 100% potting soil. https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2024/august/pilot-study-uses-recycled-glass-to-grow-plants-for-salsa-ingredients.html

• Item #2 Fiction

  Astronomers have identified a near-Earth asteroid rich in lithium, estimated to have enough lithium to meet current demand for over 200 years. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2590238524004247

• Item #3 Science

  MIT engineers have developed the first comprehensive mathematical model of wind turbine aerodynamics.https://news.mit.edu/2024/new-theory-could-improve-design-and-operation-wind-farms-0821

Skeptical Quote of the Week.

“The real trouble begins when confirmation bias distorts your active pursuit of facts.” ― David McRaney, You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You’re Deluding Yourself