SGU Episode 194

Introduction
You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

Dennis Lee Strikes Again

 * http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29899191/

Computers That Do Science

 * http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/newtonai.html http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/robotscientist.html

Question # 1 - Home Energy Scam
"Last year I was visiting my mom and she had an appointment with some people to come over and check her house because they could 'save her money' on her electrical bill. Of couse when they showed up I was immediatly asking for specifics about what they did. They had all kinds of fancy words and equipment, but here is the jist. The lady pluged a device with a small LCD screen into the wall sockett and said, 'Ooohhh...' then told me that the current in the line was jumping up and down really bad. She also threw in some 'wave' and Diffrental' words She then pluged a capacitor into another plug on the same circuit and showed me her little LCD readout witch had droped to neer zero. She told me that the capacitor would store all that wasted energy 'noise' and smooth out the flow in the lines, then release it later. Thus saving up to 30% on your energy bill. I was astounded, mostly that my mother and stepdad would let these people within 100 yards of their front door. There are so many reasons why this is bunk, the most obvious being that if it works, this guy should be richer than the entire Middle East. Have you heard about this one? Sorry I cant remember the name of it, but I found a similar one here. http://www.kvarenergysavings.com/ The diference is that the ones my parents were installing just pluged into your wall outlet. Great show, keep up the good work. Jason Brown Idaho"

Interview with Daniel Loxton

 * http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/ http://media.libsyn.com/media/skepticality/063_skepticality.mp3 WHAT DO I DO NEXT? DOWNLOAD the full discussion version (PDF) http://www.skeptic.com/downloads/WhatDoIDoNext.pdf READ the Quick Reference Guide version at Skeptic.com http://www.skeptic.com/article/WhatDoIDoNext LISTEN to my Skepticality interview inrtoducing this project on (20MB MP3) http://media.libsyn.com/media/skepticality/098_skepticality.mp3

Science or Fiction
Item # 1: New research suggests that Vitamin D supplementation may exacerbate autoimmune disease. Item # 2: A new study finds that treating asymptomatic acid reflux can significantly improve asthma symptoms. Item # 3: Scientists have discovered a possible mechanism to pacify rather than kill harmful bacteria in order to treat or prevent bacterial infections.

Who's That Noisy

 * Answer to last week: Douglas Adams

Quote of the Week
"'Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all.' and 'To teach superstitions as truth is a most terrible thing.' - Hypatia of Alexandria"