Skeptics Guide #938

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #938 June 29th 2023 Segment #1. What’s the Word decussate Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – Ripples in Spacetime https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/ripples-in-spacetime/ News Item #2 – Mars Simulation https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/nasa-mars-simulation-experiment-chapea-b2364217.html News Item #3 – Multimillion Dollar Psychic Scam https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/canadian-man-convicted-multimillion-dollar-psychic-mass-mailing-fraud-scheme News Item #4 – Who is Most Susceptible to Misinformation https://phys.org/news/2023-06-misinformation-susceptibility-online-gen-millennials.html News Item #5 – Malaria in Florida https://news.yahoo.com/malaria-alert-issued-florida-why-154500905.html Segment #3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: Existential Dread Love the show. I'm an agnostic, somewhat of a nihilist. I also deal with genrealized anxiety disorder and OCD. I'm petrified that upon death, I will be greeted by a diety or some force that will condemn me to eternal suffering for not believing. I know the chances of this scenario is next to zero. But my OCD keep me obsessing over it. How do you and the rogues deal with this concept and enjoy life? Stay "grounded" so to speak? I'm not asking for medical advice. I'm asking how you cope. Thank you. Matt Long Island 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: Computers #1) The FBI reported that financial losses due to cybercrime in 2022 exceeded $1 trillion. #2) A 2020 analysis found that 77% of American jobs involved medium to high levels of digital skill. #3) A recent study estimates that even skilled computer users lose 11-20% of their work time dealing with computer issues. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "I hold my theories on the tips of my fingers, so that the merest breath of fact will blow them away." - Attributed to Michael Faraday


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