SGU Episode 233

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

Predictions for 2009 and 2010

 * The Rogues review 'psychic' predictions for 2009 and 2010

The G-spot controversy

 * http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=1428

New Stellar Companion

 * http://news.discovery.com/space/blazing-stellar-companion-defies-explanation.html

Who's That Noisy

 * Answer to last week - club-winged manakin

Question # 1 - Brain Capacity
"How much information can the human brain hold in gigabytes/terabytes? Message: Hey guys, LOVE the podcast. It has literally become the only thing I listen to at work and gets me through the mundane days of working in the boring office building. Keep up the good work. Anyways, I was listening to a very old podcast going through the backlogs and you were talking about the percentage of our brain that we use. It got me to thinking about how much that really is in terms of todays data storage. How many gigabytes (or even terabytes) can the human brain hold? I have seen some figures online but none are consistant ranging from 2^10billionth to 10^13. Other figures stating 1 to 1000 terabytes. The range seems a little to wide to me and I was hoping you could shed some light on it for me. I apologize if this has ever been brought up in the podcast before but I still have about a hundred to listen to. Again keep up the good work, best podcast ever. And Rebecca, Boston seems a little colder this winter. Happy New Year Jeff Champagne Boston Mass"

Interview with D. J. Grothe

 * D.J. discusses his new appointment as the president of the JREF. www.randi.org http://www.djgrothe.com/Home.html

Science or Fiction
Item # 1: New research suggests that listening to Mozart helps premature infants grow faster. Item # 2: Scientists have developed a new method for creating a flu vaccine using insect cells that is significantly faster than existing methods. Item # 3: Researchers have developed a new drug that promotes the burning of fat instead of carbohydrates for energy, which in mouse studies resulted in significant weight loss.

Quote of the Week
"'In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness.' - Carl Sagan"