The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #488 November 6th, 2014

Segment #1. This Day in Skepticism

November 15, Happy birthday to Sara Josephine Baker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Josephine_Baker

Segment #2. News Items

News Item #1 – New Antibiotic https://www.theskepticsguide.org/the-antibiotic-thats-not-an-antibiotic

News Item #2 – The Primeval Code https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/the-primeval-code/

News Item #3 – Curiosity Discovery https://news.discovery.com/space/curiosity-finds-tantilizing-mineral-clues-for-mars-habitability-141105.htm Ben Clark - https://www.spacescience.org/about_ssi/staff/clark.html

News Item #4 – HAARP Closing https://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/conspiracy-theories-abound-u-s-military-closes-haarp-n112576

News Item #5 – GMO Labeling https://io9.com/questionable-new-report-claims-gmo-labeling-wont-raise-1641760666

Segment #3. Interview With Sheldon Helms And Siouxsie Wiles

Segment #4. 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.

#1) Astronomers have found evidence that half of all stars in the universe exist outside of galaxies.

#2) A new study finds that methods currently used at airports to detect deceptive passengers works only 3% of the time, but a new method being tested was effective 66% of the time.

#3) The tiger beetle moves so fast it cannot see its prey, so instead, biologist recently found, it relies on thin hair-like projections that are 20 times the length of its body.

Segment #5. Skeptical Quote of the Week

"Without precisely defined sources, methods and concepts, it is possible to see absolutely everything and it's opposite"

Thomas Piketty

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