SGU Episode 375

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Introduction

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

This Day in Skepticism ()

• September 22, 1823: Joseph Smith supposedly finds the Golden plates that eventually become the Book of Mormon. Also: Hobbit Day.

News Items

Warp Drive ()

• Warp Drive May Be More Feasible Than Thought, Scientists Say

Bad Science Reporting ()

• Who's to Blame for Bad Science News Reporting

Dark Energy Camera ()

• Dark Energy Camera Snaps First Images Ahead of Survey

Crowdsourcing Science ()

• Crowdsourcing Discovery Kickoff Party

Spheres on Mars ()

• Mars Rover Discovers Mysterious 'Blueberries'

CSICon 2012 ()

• CSICon 2012

Who's That Noisy ()

• Answer to last week: Being Human

Science or Fiction ()

Item #1: A new study finds that more than 30% of patients who meet strict criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome are infected with the XMRV virus. Item #2: Russian scientists announce an earlier discovery of a massive deposit of diamonds, estimated at trillions of carats or 10 times existing world reserves, in a large Siberian meteor crater. Item #3: A large study of SAT scores find that they are good predictors of later college performance across socioeconomic status.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

The most important service rendered by the press and the magazines is that of educating people to approach printed matter with distrust.

Samuel Butler

References