Episodes

  • 118 Scamming MAGA, Recycling PCBs, Mysterious Giant Dying Trees, Michigan's Renewable Energy Progress

    118 Scamming MAGA, Recycling PCBs, Mysterious Giant Dying Trees, Michigan's Renewable Energy Progress
    Oct 3 2024

    Skeptic: Scammers Target The Easily Fooled; MAGA Cultists

    Environment: Finally! Recyclable PCBs

    Plant Life: Mysteries of the Giant Trees Dying Worldwide

    Positive: Michigan's Renewable Energy Progress

    References:

    https://www.wired.com/story/maga-crypto-scammers-donald-trump/

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/06/18/trump-2024-campaign-fund-fraud-warning-as-crypto-scammers-strike/

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-are-giant-ancient-tropical-trees-dying-180984812/#:~:text=Research%20suggests%20human%2Ddriven%20climate,warming%20as%20a%20likely%20cause.

    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/grand-old-trees-are-dying-leaving-forests-younger-shorter https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/these-circuit-boards-turn-into-jelly-so-that-you-can-recycle-them-again-and-again/
    https://www.extremetech.com/science/this-sustainable-circuit-board-decomposes-to-jelly-for-easy-recycling
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    17 mins
  • 117 - 6 Types of Depression and Anxiety

    117 - 6 Types of Depression and Anxiety
    Sep 19 2024

    Skeptic: Election Deniers & Those Who Plan to Overthrown are Full Speed Ahead

    Environment: Climate Change Could Make Fungi More Dangerous

    Wildlife: Magpies Use Anti-Bird Spikes to Build Nests

    Positive: 6 Types of Depression and Anxiety

    References:

    https://www.wired.com/story/election-deniers-efforts-disenfranchise-voters/

    https://www.science.org/content/article/climate-change-could-make-fungi-more-dangerous#:~:text=Higher%20temperatures%20may%20trigger%20mutations%20that%20cause%20more%20aggressive%20growth%20or%20drug%20resistance&text=Scientists%20have%20long%20worried%20Earth's,evidence%20to%20support%20that%20idea https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-evidence-climate-fungi-dangerous.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11139277/ https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/birds-europe-anti-bird-spike-nests/ https://www.sciencealert.com/birds-seen-using-anti-bird-spikes-to-protect-their-nests-from-well-other-birds https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/06/depression-biotypes.html
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    20 mins
  • 116 - It's Sexual Health Awareness Month!

    116 - It's Sexual Health Awareness Month!
    Sep 5 2024
    Skeptic: The Clever Hans and Ideomotor Effects Environment: Micro Plastics in Penises Wildlife: Sea Lions Helping Science Article: The Secret to Better Sex? Have it With Yourself Positive: Getting Rid of Genetic Blindnes in Dogs References: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Clever-Hans https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3921203/ https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clever_Hans#:~:text=It%20is%20used%20in%20psychology,animals'%20intelligence%20or%20human%20intelligence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_phenomenon#:~:text=The%20ideomotor%20phenomenon%20is%20a,in%20hypnosis%20and%20psychological%20research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5858027/ https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ideomotor_effect https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/microplastic-found-in-penis-infertility-sperm-count-erectile-dysfunction#:~:text=Now%2C%20new%20research%20published%20in,25%2C000th%20of%20an%20inch). https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/06/27/microplastics-penis-study/74222430007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/19/microplastic-discovery-in-penises-raises-erectile-dysfunction-questions https://www.deccanherald.com/environment/wildlife/move-over-robots-sea-lions-with-cameras-can-map-the-ocean-floor-3142111#:~:text=Scientists%20usually%20map%20parts%20of,can%20be%20challenging%20and%20expensive.&text=Scientists%20use%20Sea%20Lions%20With%20Cameras%20Can%20Map%20the%20Ocean%20Floor. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02546-8 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/07/australia-sea-lions-cameras-ocean-floor https://www.vox.com/even-better/23854229/better-sex-masturbation-benefits-solo-pleasure https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-genetic-test-will-eliminate-a-form-of-inherited-blindness-in-dogs#:~:text=Cambridge%20scientists%20have%20identified%20the,future%20generations%20of%20the%20breed https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/scientists-uncover-genetic-mutation-causing-blindness-in-dogs-and-find-way-to-eradicate-it/
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    24 mins
  • 115 - Facilitated Communication

    115 - Facilitated Communication
    Aug 22 2024

    Environment: Zombie Fires

    Plant Life: The Deadly Angels' Trumpet Flower

    Researched: Facilitated Communication

    Positive: Basset Hound Saves Dozens of Other Animals

    Show Notes:

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/zombie-fires-canada-wildfires-1.7207765 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240528-why-canada-is-riddled-with-wildfires-that-burn-year-round https://ontarionature.org/zombie-fires-blog/ https://www.wired.com/story/zombie-fires-arctic-causes/ https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/what-are-zombie-fires https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/angels-trumpet-poisoning https://www.discovery.com/nature/Angels-Trumpet-Plant https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/119 https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/facilitated-communication-is-still-pseudoscience/ https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4831 https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/rom-houben-not-communicating-through-facilitated-communication/ https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/facilitated-communication-the-fad-that-will-not-die/ https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/what-is-facilitated-communication https://thegoodnewshub.com/animals/abandoned-dog-hero-saves-38others/
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    29 mins
  • 114 -Social Emotional Learning

    114 -Social Emotional Learning
    Aug 8 2024

    Environment: Floating Windfarms and Local Concerns

    Wildlife: Volcano Snails

    Researched: Why do Republicans Suddenly Hate Social Emotional Learning?

    Postive: A New Way to Target Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

    References:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-67211336

    https://a-z-animals.com/animals/volcano-snail/ https://www.iflscience.com/volcano-snail-the-armored-snail-from-the-bottom-of-the-ocean-73792 https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chrysomallon_squamiferum/ https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/49874/20240424/volcano-snail-gastropod-iron-metal-shell.htm https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23584837/social-emotional-learning-conservative-culture-war-in-schools https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/09/social-emotional-learning-under-fire https://www.thecut.com/2022/04/conservative-backlash-social-emotional-learning.html https://time.com/6170755/social-emotional-learning-schools-conservative-backlash/

    https://news.mit.edu/2024/protein-study-could-help-researchers-develop-new-antibiotics-0610#:~:text=Researchers%20created%20a%20water%2Dsoluble,screens%20to%20identify%20new%20antibiotics.
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    23 mins
  • 113 -The "He Gets Us" Campaign

    113 -The "He Gets Us" Campaign
    Jul 25 2024

    Skeptic: The 82%

    Wildlife: Bad News About the Spiders You Carefully Placed Outside

    Researched: The "He Gets Us" Campaign

    Positive: Just something cool: We Can't Feel Wet

    Show Notes

    https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/how-do-we-know-when-something-is-wet https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141001133416.htm#:~:text=that%20feel%20wet.-,Though%20it%20seems%20simple%2C%20feeling%20that%20something%20is%20wet%20is,we%20have%20learned%20are%20wet. https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/the-100000000-he-gets-us-ad-campaign https://www.vox.com/culture/24073780/he-gets-us-super-bowl-ad-foot-washing-controversy https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/us/he-gets-us-super-bowl-commercials-cec/index.html https://www.treehugger.com/facts-about-misunderstood-house-spider-4868827 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/516235/will-a-spider-survive-if-you-put-it-outside https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/arachnology-and-entomology/spider-myths/myth-house-spiders-belong
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    17 mins
  • 112 -Why Does the Sun Hurt My Face?

    112 -Why Does the Sun Hurt My Face?
    Jul 11 2024

    Skeptic: Taxpayer funded hospitals in Canada get to deny Canadians their rights.

    Wildlife: Sunbeam Butterfly

    Researched: Why does the sun hurt my face so much?

    Positive: Stopping Parkinson's with the tetanus vaccine

    Show Notes:

    https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/canadian-family-sues-after-catholic https://www.vice.com/en/article/gvzebx/mother-teresa-was-kind-of-a-heartless-bitch https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.03.24306800v1.full# https://www.newscientist.com/article/2433051-parkinsons-disease-could-be-prevented-by-a-recent-tetanus-vaccine/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13509763/Parkinsons-disease-tetanus-jabs-new-research.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4896576/ https://a-z-animals.com/animals/angled-sunbeam-caterpillar/ https://www.healthline.com/health/photic-sneeze-reflex https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109193/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7292289/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7673597/
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    18 mins
  • 111 Orca Update

    111 Orca Update
    Jun 13 2024

    Be Skeptikal Dammit: Truth is Simple

    Environment: Tidal Power

    Researched: Orca Update

    Positive: Capybara Foster Mom

    References:

    https://www.energy.ox.ac.uk/news_items/could-the-uks-tides-help-wean-us-off-fossil-fuels/

    https://abcnews.go.com/International/pod-killer-whales-attacks-sinks-50-foot-yacht/story?id=110226518 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/world/africa/orcas-sink-yacht-gibraltar.html https://www.businessinsider.com/orca-attacks-polish-yacht-sinking-it-morocco-killer-whales-2023-11 https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/killer-whales-dramatic-behavior-2023-rcna128353 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberian_orca_attacks#:~:text=Over%20250%20boats%20have%20been,into%202022%2C%20with%20207%20interactions. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/25/orcas-boats-rammings-scientists-open-letter-aoe https://www.newsweek.com/killer-whale-attack-boats-scientists-spain-1535219 https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/cheesecake-the-capybara-fosters-puppies https://www.thedodo.com/capybara-best-friends-animals-2326399131.html https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/cheesecake-the-capybara-is-the-worlds-best-puppy-foster-mom/
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    19 mins