SGU Episode 937

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SGU Episode 937
June 24th 2023
Although sand dunes often conjure images of great deserts, they also occur along coastlines worldwide and can be an important buffer against sea level rise, storms, and coastal erosion. Click for detailed caption More than 45% of southern California's coastline is groomed with machinery used to remove debris from sandy beaches, creating a flat topography ideal for recreational activities of the local population and tourists. However, vegetation is consequently actively discouraged from growing, reducing habitats for local wildlife and resulting in some native and threatened species becoming locally extinct. "Oblique aerial photograph of the restoration project site from the 10 November 2022 UAS flight, with key elements labeled including the project boundary, perimeter fence, various habitat types, adjacent groomed beach (control site), and the incipient foredune ridge." Credit: Frontiers in Marine Science (2023).
SGU 936                      SGU 938
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
Science is the acceptance of what works and the rejection of what does not. That needs more courage than we might think.
Jacob Bronowski, Polish-British mathematician and philosopher
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Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction, submersible sinks down to the Titanic

Voice-over: You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

(laughs) (laughter) (applause) [inaudible]

Neuroforecasting (14:43)

• Using AI for Neuroforecasting

Coastal Erosion (34:34)

• Coastal erosion could be reduced by dune restoration projects

S: I'm in favor of them.

C: They're really big and pretty.

E: "It's coarse. It gets everywhere." Was that what you--

C: --Oh god.

B: Anakin would hate them.

C: Saw that coming.

Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole (44:36)

• The Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole had a Burst of Activity 200 Years Ago. We Just Saw the Echo.

Aliens in Vegas (52:11)

• Did aliens land in Las Vegas? NASA says no

Alcohol Use Disorder (1:03:13)

• Alcohol Use Disorder: More Alcohol, More Impairment, Regardless of Drinking Habits

Who's That Noisy? (1:15:44)

Answer to previous Noisy:

Fox getting its tummy rubbed

New Noisy (1:20:20)

[raspy warblings]

short_text_from_transcript

Questions/Emails/Corrections/Follow-ups

Question #1: Debating RFK Jr. (1:27:23)

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Science or Fiction (1:34:03)

Theme: Lesser-known dramatic events Item #1: Often called the forgotten genocide, in the 1880s, the Ottoman Empire engaged in ethnic cleansing in the region of Astrakhan, killing over 1 million native Cossacks, and ultimately absorbed the territory. Item #2: In 1919, in Boston's North End, a large tank ruptured, spilling 2 million gallons of molasses, which raged through the streets at 35 miles per hour, killing 21 people and injuring 150. Item #3: In 1862, some soldiers in the Battle of Shiloh noticed that their wounds glowed green-blue, and these wounds seemed to heal faster than non-glowing wounds. Recent investigations suggest the glow was due to bioluminescent bacteria seeded in the wounds by nematodes.

Answer	Item
Fiction	Forgotten genocide
Science	Molasses disaster
Science	Glowing wounds

Host	Result
Steve	win

Rogue	Guess
Cara	Forgotten genocide
Jay	Glowing wounds
Evan	Forgotten genocide
Bob	Glowing wounds

Voice-over: It's time for Science or Fiction.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:48:39)

Science is the acceptance of what works and the rejection of what does not. That needs more courage than we might think.  – Jacob Bronowski (1908-1974), Polish-British mathematician and philosopher

Signoff

S: —and until next week, this is your Skeptics' Guide to the Universe.

S: Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, dedicated to promoting science and critical thinking. For more information, visit us at theskepticsguide.org. Send your questions to info@theskepticsguide.org. And, if you would like to support the show and all the work that we do, go to patreon.com/SkepticsGuide and consider becoming a patron and becoming part of the SGU community. Our listeners and supporters are what make SGU possible.

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Today I Learned

• Fact/Description, possibly with an article reference
• Fact/Description
• Fact/Description

References