SGU Episode 181

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

How to Contribute

SGU Episode 181
January 7th 2009
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 180                      SGU 182
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
R: Rebecca Watson
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
'You see, I can live with doubt, and uncertainty, and not knowing. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing, than to have answers that might be wrong. I have approximate answers, and possible beliefs, and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I'm not absolutely sure about anything, and many things I don't know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask, 'why are we here?'... But I don't have to have an answer; I don't feel frightened by not knowing things.'
Richard Feynman
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

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

Psychic Predictions 2008 ()

• Predictions 2008: The Rogues review psychic predictions for 2008, plus make some of their own predictions for 2009.

News Items ()

True Love ()

• http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/relationships/article5439805.ece

The Death of John Travolta’s Son ()

• http://www.theskepticsguide.org/sgublog/?p=410

Christine Maggiorie Dies ()

• http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=449

Pushback Against Detox ()

• http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=452

Weblog Awards 2008 ()

• Weblog Science Awards
  http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-science-blog/
  
  Medical Blog Awards
  http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2009/01/the_2008_medical_weblog_awards_the_polls_are_open.html

Randi Speaks ()

• Miscommunication
  
  Plus - check out the JREF's new Youtube channel here:
  http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesRandiFoundation

Science or Fiction ()

Item #1: Scientists discover the first vertebrate species whose eyes use a mirror to focus light on the retina. Item #2: Scientists discover that the male field cricket copulates using specialized components of its mouth parts. Item #3: A new analysis reveals that pterosaurs launched themselves into the air from four legs, not two, as was previously assumed.

Who's That Noisy ()

• NEW SEGMENT for 2009
  
  Each week Evan will play a science-related sound and the source of the sound will be revealed the following week.

Quote of the Week ()

'You see, I can live with doubt, and uncertainty, and not knowing. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing, than to have answers that might be wrong. I have approximate answers, and possible beliefs, and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I'm not absolutely sure about anything, and many things I don't know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask, 'why are we here?'... But I don't have to have an answer; I don't feel frightened by not knowing things.' - Richard Feynman

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by the New England Skeptical Society in association with the James Randi Educational Foundation and skepchick.org. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at www.theskepticsguide.org. For questions, suggestions, and other feedback, please use the "Contact Us" form on the website, or send an email to info@theskepticsguide.org. If you enjoyed this episode, then please help us spread the word by voting for us on Digg, or leaving us a review on iTunes. You can find links to these sites and others through our homepage. 'Theorem' is produced by Kineto, and is used with permission.

References