Skeptics Guide

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #985 May 22nd 2024 Segment #1. What’s the Word Zooxanthellae Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 - Blue Origin Update www.blueorigin... www.space.com/... News Item #2 - Human Predator phys.org/news/... News Item #3 - Escaped GMOs journals.plos.... News Item #4 - Solar Storm www.scientific... News Item #5 - Crypto Astrology www.wired.com/... Segment #3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: AI Follow Up 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.d Theme: Armor Item 1: The oldest example of plate armor dates back to Europe 3,500 years ago, and has been demonstrated with modern testing to have been fully functional. Item 2: Although surprisingly maneuverable, at their peak a European full suit of armor weighed about 200 pounds, so that knights would require a hoist to assist them onto horseback. Item 3: Graphene-based body armor has been shown to have twice the stopping power as Kevlar, and 10 times that of steel. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week It’s Tough to Make Predictions, Especially About the Future Yogi Berra

[@nicholaicheck]

[0:27] Kitchen Nightmares starring Jay Novella [10:03] Starlink [13:25] What’s the Word [17:33] News Item #1 - Blue Origin Update [25:28] News Item #2 - Human Predator [35:25] News Item #3 - Escaped GMOs [48:38] News Item #4 - Solar Storm [1:03:15] News Item #5 - Crypto Astrology [1:16:59] Who’s That Noisy [1:20:43] Chicago Extravaganza [1:21:33] Notacon '25 [1:23:43] Question #1: AI Follow Up [1:33:02] Science or Fiction [1:49:26] Quote of the Week

[@Broken_robot1986]

Kitchen nightmares 😂. Revenge of the contractor grade.

[@michaelsheffield6852]

Hi thank you for the show.

[@Xen0Phanes]

Thanks for the show. 👍'd

[@TheMe9595]

I wonder if the reason that animals are likely to flee from dogs the second most is because other animals associate them with humans. That whole section was super interesting.

[@Broken_robot1986]

Yeah that's so cool. No wonder I have never seen a black bear, taking too much.

[@gregczarlinski2811]

Hi guys. Great episode. Please check out Neil Tyson’s latest startalk podcast with Helene Langevin from National Centre for complimentary and integrative medicine (alternative medicine which they now call complimentary) and address some of her claims like “acupuncture is legit” etc. i would really want to hear your opinion and what actual science says about it. Also check out Terrence Howards latest crazy appearance on Joe Rogan that blew up the internet last few days. Thx

[@CliffSedge-nu5fv]

An ad every 3 minutes?! Is that really necessary?

[@milanpintar]

these people, what do you mean these people 😂

[@chris999999999999]

Why keep calling it "animals learned humans are dangerous"? It seems pretty clearly an evolved response since animals that didn't evade people get eaten, and that's a pretty clear selection pressure. Humans have been in Australia for tens of thousands of years, so there's plenty of time for evolution to happen.

[@Broken_robot1986]

Yeah that's true but they've had the least amount of time living with humans so if there were any animals that wouldn't know, it would be them.

[@CliffSedge-nu5fv]

Or they could learn the behavior from observation and experience and same instincts about other predators.

[@emailadenizen4621]

Hopefully no one comments as though they are talking directly to the hosts, that's always pointless and embarrassing. 😬😳😉

[@imadoggggggg]

Steve or Jay please delete any comments directed at you.

[@gregczarlinski2811]

No it’s not. I got a reply before. You think they aren’t reading the comments?

[@gregczarlinski2811]

No it’s not. I got a reply before. You think they aren’t reading the comments?

[@emailadenizen4621]

@@gregczarlinski2811 Yes, I think they aren't reading the comments. Send an email, commenting at people is to do a public display, not to to speak to someone. Let's test it, hey hosts, are you reading this? Let's watch. Forever.

[@emailadenizen4621]

@@gregczarlinski2811 correct.