Skeptics Guide #990

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #990 June 26th 2024 Segment #1. Quickie with Steve Routine Multivitamins https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2820369 Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – GOES-U Satellites https://www.space.com/goes-u-satellite-space-earth-weather-forecasts News Item #2 – Risks of Cannabis https://neurosciencenews.com/cannabis-covid-26358/ https://www.sciencealert.com/teen-cannabis-use-dramatically-raises-risk-of-psychotic-disorders News Item #3 – Improved Enzymes https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-algorithm-enzymes.html News Item #4 – Geopathic Stress https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/what-is-geopathic-stress-and-is-it-a-threat-to-our-health/ar-BB1oIHvR?item=flightsprg-tipsubsc-v1a?utm_source=milei.news News Item #5 – Using AI To Predict Alzheimer’s https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13886 Segment #3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: The Pattern PLEASE debuk this very popular app: The Pattern (https://apps.apple.com/se/app/the-pattern/id1071085727) that is making tons of sensible persons believe in stupid Astrology shit like that exact planet position combined with exact time of day of your birth somehow determines your personality. People us this to find partners! “I don’t believe in Astrology but this app is spot on for my friends, it is NOT generic text I can read my own conclusions into, this is science!” Oh pleeease. “As featured in Vanity Fair, Time, Tech Crunch, Vogue ….” Matthias Sweden Question #2: Processing Grief Hello, I am not sure if this qualifies as a critical thinking question. Long story short: Someone I had an 'incidental relationship' with died unexpectedly. I did not start crying until I saw the flowers left at the garden of remembrance. The thing I am struggling with is why with all the empirical evidence before the funeral I was sad without crying. And then several days later seeing the floral tributes it triggered the emotional response. I think I thought the data was enough. I am not a fan of flowers or tributes. As someone who strives for science, I was shocked by my response. I knew the person was dead the whole time. Why did a bunch of dying flowers several days later push me over the edge to grief? Brendan 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: Technology Item 1: Researchers have achieved a new data rate record of 40 petabits per second in a standard commercially available optical fiber. Item 2: Scientists present a new gene editing system based on transposable elements that is 10 times more efficient than existing systems. Item 3: Engineers have made a thin film organic light harvesting system with 38% efficiency, a technique that can be utilized for photovoltaics. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "When I talk about information literacy, it's understanding what sources are more reliable than others. People have to understand their own biases and their own errors, and understand that it interferes with their ability to use that information." Melanie Trecek-King, Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches a general-education science course designed to equip students with empowering critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills.


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