Skeptics Guide #1087

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #1087 May 7th 2026 Segment #1. Quickie with Bob Exotic Matter https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260504154014.htm Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – When Are Screening Tests Necessary https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/02/health/older-colonoscopy-screenings-treatments.html News Item #2 – Dawkins Writes LLMs Are Conscious https://theness.com/neurologicablog/richard-dawkins-discovers-ai-and-philosophy/ News Item #3 – Iron Flow Battery https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/New-Chinese-Iron-Battery-Lasts-16-Years.html News Item #4 – Haunting with Friends https://phys.org/news/2026-04-good-spirits-houses.html Segment 3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Interview with David Kyle Johnson Expertise vs Authority 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. Item 1: Observing a recent volcanic eruption, scientists discover a potential method for reducing atmospheric methane involving volcanic ash and seawater. Item 2: Scientists present a design for pure-copper 3D-printable cold plates that, under modeled conditions, could reduce data-center cooling energy use to about 1.1% of total energy consumption, compared with more than 30% in conventional air-cooled designs. Item 3: In a recent extensive survey of Arctic fish, researchers found the first example of a fish, the snailfish, that is able to use its tailfin for backward propulsion. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "Outside of their particular area of expertise scientists are just as dumb as the next person." Richard P. Feynman


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