SGU Episode 970

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SGU Episode 970
February 10th 2024
"Obelisks comprise a class of diverse RNAs that have colonized and gone unnoticed in human and global microbiomes."
SGU 969                      SGU 971
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
C: Cara Santa Maria
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
I don't wish to be without my brains, tho' they doubtless interfere with a blind faith, which would be very comfortable.
Ada Lovelace, English mathematician and writer
Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction, Eclipse 2024 planning

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

What's the Word? (6:14)

• Cardinal

News Items

S:

B:

C:

J:

E:

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

New Class of Microbes Found (12:01)

• 'Obelisks': Entirely New Class of Life Has Been Found in The Human Digestive System 

B:...could be meatballs...

SLIM Lunar Tech (22:08)

• SLIM lander's precise 'moon sniper' tech will lend itself to future lunar missions

Misinformation and Wellness Influencers (32:29)

• The Menace of Wellness Influencers

Super Earth in Habitable Zone (50:10)

• NASA announces new 'super-Earth': Exoplanet orbits in 'habitable zone,' is only 137 light-years away

Climate Change and Storms (58:32)

• We may need a new 'Category 6' hurricane level for winds over 192 mph, study suggests

Who's That Noisy? (1:09:22)

Answer to previous Noisy:

Pulsejet engine ... on an ice buggy

New Noisy (1:15:09)

[Melodic beeping with robotic voice]

J:...There's something very particular going on here...

Announcements (1:16:21)

...A thousand episodes...

Name That Logical Fallacy (1:19:51)

• "Weaponized pedantry"

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Science or Fiction (1:27:41)

Theme: SGU Shark Week Item #1: The age of most sharks can be accurately estimated by counting growth rings on their vertebrae. Item #2: Sharks as a group have poor vision, relying instead on their sense of smell and special electroreceptor organs that can sense electromagnetic fields. Item #3: Most sharks have to swim to get oxygen, but benthic sharks are able to pump water through their spiracles (small holes behind their eyes) and over their gills so they can breathe without swimming.

Answer	Item
Fiction	Sharks have poor vision
Science	Growth rings on vertebrae
Science	Some breathe w/o swimming

Host	Result
Steve	clever

Rogue	Guess
Jay	Some breathe w/o swimming
Evan	Growth rings on vertebrae
Cara	Sharks have poor vision
Bob	Growth rings on vertebrae

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

Jay's Response

Evan's Response

Cara's Response

Bob's Response

Steve Explains Item #1

A shark's vertebral bands, or growth rings, show the shark's growth rate, similar to that of a tree. Click/tap image for article.

Skeptical Quote of the Week (1:40:20)

I don't wish to be without my brains, tho' they doubtless interfere with a blind faith which would be very comfortable.  – Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), English mathematician and writer

_Rogue_mentions_SGU_discussing_Lovelace_previously_

Signoff (1:46:41)

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