SGU Episode 42

This episode is in the middle of being transcribed by Jim Gibson (talk) as of 2015-05-11. To help avoid duplication, please do not transcribe this episode while this message is displayed.

This episode needs: transcription, formatting, links, 'Today I Learned' list, categories, segment redirects. Please help out by contributing!

How to Contribute

SGU Episode 42
May 10th 2006
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 41                      SGU 43
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
R: Rebecca Watson
J: Jay Novella
P: Perry DeAngelis
Guest
ES: Eugenie Scott
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
SGU Forum

Introduction

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

S: Hello and welcome to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. Today is Wednesday, May 10th 2006, and this is your host, Steven Novella, president of the New England Skeptical Society. With me tonight are Bob Novella...

B: Hello.

S: Rebecca Watson...

R: Hello.

S: Perry DeAngelis...

P: Right on.

S: And Jay Novella.

J: Good evening, everybody.

S: Welcome, all.

R: Hi.

J: Hey, Steve.

S: Thanks for joining me again. So today a podcast of distinction in that this is our one-year anniversary, more or less.

(all cheering)

B: We made it.

S: We crossed the one-year mark. Our 42nd podcast and we've been doing this now for just over one year.

B: And, also we've been renewed for a second season.

S: That's right; we've been renewed for a second season.

(laughter)

S: So, more episodes to come.

J: Steve, aren't there 52 weeks in a year, though? What's the—

S: Yeah, we... when we initially started, we had some kinks to work out and get our schedules in tune and everything. So the first few months, we were a little intermittent, but I think for the last six or seven months we've been pretty much every week without missing any weeks. So hopefully next week—next year, we'll put out 52 episodes; we'll try not to miss—

P: We're also flying up on the iTunes download rating system.

S: That's right; we're up to, I think, 24 at last—

R: 24.

S: 24.

R: I just checked.

J: Under the science category.

S: Under the science category. That's right.

P: Well, of course.

R: Yeah, but you know, the only category that matters.

P: The meteoric rise has directly mirrored Rebecca's involvement in the show.

R: (laughs) Thank you.

S: Great addition.

R: Glad you noticed that.

S: So, thanks—

B: Is that a logical fallacy?

S: It's a—

R: No.

B: What was that, Steve?

R: Correlation-causation—

B: (laughs)

S: Confusing correlation with causation? I think so, yeah.

B: Yeah.

R: (laughs) One and the same.

S: But thanks to all our listeners out there. You guys have made this quite an experience. Thanks for listening.

Science or Fiction (1:03:17)

Item #1: Bottlenose dolphins appear to have names and identify themselves to other dolphins by this signature sound. Item #2: Studies with European starlings indicate that they understand a basic rule of grammar previously thought to be unique to humans. Item #3: Primatologists studying the proto-language of the rhesus macaque have discovered their vocabulary basic mathematical concepts such as numbers and operations.

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