SGU Episode 796

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SGU Episode 796
October 10th 2020
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 795                      SGU 797
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
In any 'big science' enterprise, like planetary exploration, where you must work in big teams of similarly driven people, it is important also to know how to work alongside others, even when they may be your fiercest competitors.
Carolyn Porco, American planetary scientist
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

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

COVID-19 Update ()

• The president gets COVID-19

In Memoriam: Scott Lillenfield

• Scott Lillenfield

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

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

Nobel Prize in Medicine ()

• Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020

Nobel Prize in Physics ()

• Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2020

Nobel Prize in Chemistry ()

• Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020

Circuit Creates Unlimited Power ()

• ScienceDaily: Physicists build circuit that generates clean, limitless power from graphene

Ouija Board Hysteria ()

• Metro News: Ghost hunter horrified that Poundland is selling ouija boards for Halloween

Who's That Noisy? ()

• Answer to last week’s Noisy: Call of a Red Deer

New Noisy ()

[_short_vague_description_of_Noisy]

Questions/Emails/Corrections/Follow-ups ()

_consider_using_block_quotes_for_emails_read_aloud_in_this_segment_ with_reduced_spacing_for_long_chunks –

Science or Fiction ()

Answer	Item
Fiction	Dogs & faces
Science	Land bridge & fossils
Science	Tuned lighting

Host	Result
Steve	clever

Rogue	Guess
Evan	Land bridge & fossils
Cara	Dogs & faces
Bob	Tuned lighting
Jay	Dogs & faces

Voiceover: It's time for Science or Fiction.

Item #1: An extensive review of fossil evidence finds that when North and South America became connected by a land bridge, migrations of mammals occurred in both directions, but South American species experienced a much higher extinction rate.
Item #2: A study of nursing home residents finds that tuned lighting (brighter hallway lighting during the day and dimmer at night) resulted in a halving of nighttime sleep disturbance events over traditional static lighting.
Item #3: A new study finds that dog brains have a similar response to faces as do humans and other primates.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

In any 'big science' enterprise, like planetary exploration, where you must work in big teams of similarly driven people, it is important also to know how to work alongside others, even when they may be your fiercest competitors.
– Carolyn Porco, American planetary scientist

Signoff/Announcements ()

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

Vocabulary