Skeptics Guide

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #967 January 17th 2024 Segment #1. News Items News Item #1 - Betavolt 50 Year Battery theness.com/neurologicablog/b... News Item #2 - Moon Landing Delayed apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-... News Item #3 - Cloned Monkeys for Research www.science.org/content/artic... News Item #4 - Converting CO2 into Carbon Nanofibers www.sciencedaily.com/releases... News Item #5 - Feng Shui www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/4-fen... www.realhomes.com/design/smal... Segment #2. Who’s That Noisy Segment #3. From TikTok Jellyfish UFO www.tiktok.com/@ufoexplorer/v... Segment #4. Interview with Robert Sapolsky Segment #5. Science or Fiction Each week our host will come up with three science news items or facts, two genuine, one fictitious. He will challenge our panel of skeptics to sniff out the fake - and you can play along. Theme: Chat GPT Item 1: A recently discovered species of deep-sea fish in the Antarctic ocean has been found to have transparent blood, due to a complete lack of hemoglobin. Item 2: Researchers have developed a type of biodegradable plastic that decomposes completely in just one week when exposed to sunlight and air. Item 3: Researchers have successfully trained a group of goldfish to drive a small, water-filled vehicle on land, demonstrating their ability to navigate in a terrestrial environment and challenging long-held views on fish spatial awareness. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "Every great idea is a creative idea: The fact that you're using paint or you're using guitar strings or you're using equations, they're not really very different things. Getting that spirit into the education process ... being curious about the world, that is a gift we would love to share." Damian Kulash, OK GO

[@nicholaicheck]

[0:26] Good [insert day segment here] everyone [0:37] Health update [1:13] Where in the world is Cara Santa Maria [1:38] Snow report [4:08] Salt vs. sand for icy roads [6:27] News Item #1 - Betavolt 50 Year Battery [23:37] News Item #2 - Moon Landing Delayed [32:55] News Item #3 - Cloned Monkeys for Research [44:21] News Item #4 - Converting CO2 into Carbon Nanofibers [54:02] News Item #5 - Feng Shui [1:04:03] Sponsor - Vessi Shoes [1:05:04] Who’s That Noisy [1:09:02] Patreon Plug [1:09:25] Weekly Email [1:09:55] Google podcast player problems [1:11:37] Eclipse extravaganza [1:13:34] From TikTok Jellyfish UFO [1:16:38] Interview with Robert Sapolsky [1:44:27] Science or Fiction [1:59:26] Quote of the Week

[@ii3325]

Im in the north, can't afford 15$ to wash my car over and over in the winter to manage salt. Beater cars fail long before salt rusts them out. It is very irritating having your truck wheel wells rust out though, so ugly, and needs garbage repairs just to pass inspection that look just as bad. ☹️

[@Xsetsu]

I don't know if you read this - BUT Google is ending Google Podcast on April 1, 2024, and they are moving everything to KZbin Music, so Podcast will just go to KZbin (Music) just like Video or Music now. Honestly, it shouldn't be changing anything on your end that much as KZbin Music just imports Google Podcast by default, but it might have something to do with the problem you are describing.

[@PhysicsPolice]

1:32:00 Good question Jay. Too bad he didn't answer you. Sapolsky refuses to define free will so he gets to say we don't have it without ever being challenged. This is why he rags on philosophers. They don't let him get away with changing the subject. Compatibilism, the view he's arguing against, also changes the subject by redefining "free will" from what it used to mean (so called libertarian free will) to a more modern understanding. This is when a change in subject is actually justified. We learned something new about what free will actually is, so we change the definition to keep up with the modern, useful concept. This is how science works, and it's how good philosophy works, too.

[@peterjv8748]

Alfred Hitchcock. Nailed it.

[@slianyong7550]

Yay! Dr Robert Sapolsky!

[@snowiisnowman8370]

Pac NW here, PDX area-ish. Don't just use salt here also alot of sand. And only freeways and major highways are focused on, back roads side roads main roads are alllllll shit

[@kennyw871]

Coughing is a common symptom presenting to an outpatient clinic. Sorry to take exception, but coughing can be good for you, as it clears material from the lungs typically following an upper respiratory infection, which can be facilitated by fluids, humidity (steam) and OTC expectorants. On the other hand, a dry (nonproductive) cough is not necessarily good for you and can be suppressed with OTC remedies containing DM when it interferes with sleeping and activities of daily living. But keep in mind that coughing can be a symptom of, among others, asthma. Also, smokers rely almost 100% on chronic coughing to expel products of combustion from their lungs. In vapors, chemicals such as aldehydes, acrolein and herbicides are cleared from the lungs by coughing. Also, coughing requires the use of accessory muscles in the chest wall and can result in muscle type pain. Coughing only herniates a IV disc when it’s about to “rupture” anyway. So, there you have it, a mini medical school course on coughing, the good, the bad and the very ugly. Thanks for your indulgence. Now, back to what I tuned in for, science.

[@lance134679]

I'm hoping y'all can weigh in on the Ozempic issue, as it seems like a dangerous drug that hooks people into being customers for life.

[@sme91158]

Was exactly was on board the recent failed peregrine mission (January 18, 2024) that you talked about? You mentioned human remains, a message from Japan, etc. More details anybody? 🤔

[@sme91158]

OK I googled it and got my own answer. Nevermind

[@user-qo1fc5id2n]

1:36:00 Oops, Steve, you fell for the trap! He never claimed nor proved that free will is incompatible with determinism. Something being 100% caused doesn't mean it's not wet. Or red. Or good. Or free will.

[@snowiisnowman8370]

Ooh im gonna win wtn, wait for it....

[@subliminalvibes]

Nice one. I had a few when I was a kid in the 80s. 👍😉

[@snowiisnowman8370]

​@@subliminalvibesThis show wasn't around in the 80's

[@subliminalvibes]

@@snowiisnowman8370 no... Haha. You misunderstood. 😅 The ANSWER to WTN next week (which you think you guessed correctly) is one of those 'fingernail records' - a long strip of plastic which you run across your fingernail to play. I owned several of them in the 80s. What do you think the noisy is? 👍😎

[@snowiisnowman8370]

​@@subliminalvibesOhh haha! My bad, ya I felt clever for thinking that but I'm obviously not alone, I just can't figure out what's it's supposed to say

[@subliminalvibes]

@@snowiisnowman8370 yeah I can't figure that part out at all! Haha. I hope you win as I didn't enter this week. 👍😎

[@AbqHalsey]

extra 50 more for a betavoltaic cell on your phone? more like an extra 50,000

[@Malavander]

How is Sapolsky not in the headline or thumbnail? Also, add timestamps and format your info.

[@PhysicsPolice]

1:36:00 Oops, Steve, you fell for the trap! He never claimed nor proved that free will is incompatible with determinism. Something being 100% caused doesn't mean it's not wet. Or red. Or good. Or free will.