Skeptics Guide #878

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #878 May 4th 2022 Segment #1. Quickie with Bob Solar Lens Follow up https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/using-the-sun-as-a-lens/ Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – Sustainable Jet Fuel https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/sustainable-jet-fuels/ News Item #2 – Dog Personality https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01193-1 News Item #3 – COVID and Cognitive Aging https://neurosciencenews.com/covid-cognition-aging-20514/ News Item #4 – Fertilizer Shortage https://finance.yahoo.com/news/world-feed-itself-historic-fertilizer-120018356.html?guccounter=1 News Item #5 – Cosmic Expansion https://www.livescience.com/end-cosmic-expansion Segment #3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: Lemuria Hi! Having listened to about 750 episodes by now I can't recall if the idea or "fact" about Lemuria has ever been discussed on the show. If it has could you give me the episode number. Thanks, love you guys ^^ Teemu Finland 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: Critical thinking #1) A recent systematic review of belief in the paranormal finds a robust correlation with intuitive thinking, increased confirmation bias, and reduced conditional reasoning. #2) A recent study finds that the more certain subjects were about the future course of the pandemic the more likely they were to follow recommended preventive protocols. #3) Research consistently finds that people have an action bias – they will favor doing something over doing nothing even if it worsens outcomes. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit their views. - Doctor Who, 1977


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