SGU Episode 46: Difference between revisions

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SGU Episode 46
7th June 2006
Phil shuttle.jpg
(brief caption for the episode icon)

SGU 45                      SGU 47

Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella

B: Bob Novella

R: Rebecca Watson

J: Jay Novella

E: Evan Bernstein

P: Perry DeAngelis

Guest

PP: Phil Plait

Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion


Introduction

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

News Items

The World Survives June 6th, 2006 (00:50)

Skepchick infiltrates Christian Scientists (5:00)

Questions and Emails (11:48)

Altruism and Evolution

Great show. Absolutely one of my favorite podcasts! My wife eagerly awaits my lobbing the "science or fiction" her way after each show.


Speaking of the fact or fiction segment, I have a question about the altruism gene discovery as studied in the multicellular organism Volvox. You defined altrusim as "you do something which sacrifices your own Darwinian fitness in order for your relatives to survive." I was viewing this gene as somehow increasing fitness, such as by increasing the overall percentage of like genes passed on to future generations since the individuals in a simple multicellular organism are highly related. So while you don't reproduce, your overall fitness is still higher than had you "gone it alone." Otherwise the altruism gene would be selected against, right? An analogous, though far more complex, situation might be the "altruism" of non reproducing individuals in social insect species.

Please set me straight if I'm looking at this incorrectly.

Thanks!
Marty Steitz

Minnesota, US

Reply to 9/11 Hoax (14:01)

More on 9/11 (16:28)

Interview with Phil Plait (24:16)

Bad Astronomy

Science or Fiction (1:03:21)

Question #1 This week military surgeons are testing a system for remote mobile robotic "telesurgery." Question #2 New study suggests that phantom limb pain is psychosomatic. Question #3 Drinking caffeine makes us more susceptible to persuasion.

Announcements (1:10:11)

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by the New England Skeptical Society. For information on this and other podcasts, please visit our website at www.theskepticsguide.org. Please send us your questions, suggestions, and other feedback; you can use the "Contact Us" page on our website, or you can send us an email to info@theskepticsguide.org. 'Theorem' is produced by Kineto and is used with permission.


References


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