Skeptics Guide #902

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #902 October 20th 2022 Segment #1. Quickie with Jay https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/10/anti-vaccine-groups-avoid-facebook-bans-by-using-emojis/ Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – Electric Universe https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/electric-universe-is-crank-pseudoscience/ News Item #2 – Neanderthal Clan https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03339-7 News Item #3 – Gorillas and Chimps Friends https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/science/gorillas-chimps-friends.html News Item #4 – Most Powerful Gamma Ray Burst https://www.newscientist.com/article/2342779-astronomers-have-just-watched-the-most-powerful-explosion-ever-seen/ News Item #5 – Cheating Scandals https://www.zmescience.com/other/pieces/bizarre-cheating-scandals-are-rocking-the-worlds-of-chess-poker-fishing-and-tap-dancing/ Segment #3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: COVID Vaccines and Bell’s Palsy I have seen reports of an increased rate of Bell's Palsy in people who have gotten a COVID vaccine or booster. I've also heard that COVID the disease has a higher risk of causing Bell's Palsy and that it is only temporary if it occurs. Should I be concerned about this and if it were to happen what is the prognosis? Thanks, love the show! Corey Mier Holland, MI 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: 19th Century Pseudoscience #1) Nipple piercing was popular among Victorian upper class women, as it was believed to suppress sexual desire and prevent pregnancy if the former function failed. #2) There was widespread belief that the speed and constant rattling noise of passenger trains caused people to go insane, resulting in violent outbursts. #3) Tobacco smoke enemas, literally blowing smoke up someone’s ass, were popular mainstream treatments for multiple ailments from cholera to drowning. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "In a way, everyone in this story is seeing Jesus in the Toast. We all want to see what we want to see. We are projecting our own selves. That's what we do as humans, we look to make connections between different things. And sometimes, when those things align, we declare those connections "truth." Geoffrey Gray - author Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B Cooper


View on YouTube.