1 00:00:22,070 --> 00:00:09,089 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 2 00:00:28,890 --> 00:00:24,870 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 3 00:00:32,609 --> 00:00:28,900 episode number 214 for the 24th of 4 00:00:35,970 --> 00:00:32,619 November 2012 Richard Saunders here with 5 00:00:39,229 --> 00:00:35,980 you from a wonderfully beautifully sunny 6 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:39,239 Sydney Australia summer is on the way 7 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:41,650 might be time to go to the beach eyeing 8 00:00:47,579 --> 00:00:44,290 it might be time for a barbecue at least 9 00:00:51,150 --> 00:00:47,589 anyway on today's show a man who I have 10 00:00:53,850 --> 00:00:51,160 a barbecue with any time dr. Phil Plait 11 00:00:57,119 --> 00:00:53,860 the bad astronomer what a wonderful man 12 00:01:00,119 --> 00:00:57,129 Phil is what a great advocate for 13 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:00,129 science and reason Phil played the bad 14 00:01:04,890 --> 00:01:03,250 astronomer his website bad astronomy 15 00:01:08,789 --> 00:01:04,900 which I'm sure you're all familiar with 16 00:01:11,010 --> 00:01:08,799 has just moved location move to another 17 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:11,020 server Phil plates here in a few moments 18 00:01:17,340 --> 00:01:13,650 to tell us all about that and other 19 00:01:20,310 --> 00:01:17,350 wonders of the universe and following 20 00:01:23,070 --> 00:01:20,320 that maynards back again I don't think 21 00:01:25,499 --> 00:01:23,080 he ever really went away Maynard catches 22 00:01:28,399 --> 00:01:25,509 up with Ross blocher from the oh no Ross 23 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:28,409 and Carrie podcast and they have a very 24 00:01:36,359 --> 00:01:31,270 very deep and meaningful discussion 25 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:36,369 about colonic irrigation yes they really 26 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:38,770 get to the bottom of this one oh he had 27 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:41,170 to say it that's coming up after our 28 00:01:47,219 --> 00:01:44,170 interview with her Phil Plait Maynard 29 00:01:49,050 --> 00:01:47,229 back at tam back in Las Vegas still 30 00:01:51,870 --> 00:01:49,060 giving the goods with the interviews 31 00:01:55,739 --> 00:01:51,880 it's just amazing but before all that a 32 00:01:57,510 --> 00:01:55,749 couple of messages wow it's finally here 33 00:01:58,830 --> 00:01:57,520 it's finally here in a couple of days 34 00:02:00,630 --> 00:01:58,840 I'll be boarding that flight with 35 00:02:04,410 --> 00:02:00,640 Maynard heading down to Melbourne to 36 00:02:06,719 --> 00:02:04,420 enjoy the skeptics convention and I hear 37 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:06,729 there are now some one day tickets 38 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:09,250 available so if you just want to go for 39 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:11,050 one day you want to see James Randi or 40 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:13,330 rebecca watson on the one day or some 41 00:02:17,670 --> 00:02:15,490 other people on the other day however it 42 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:17,680 works out you can get one day tickets 43 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:22,870 check it out w WV skeptics wordpress com 44 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:26,050 be really quick now as in right now as 45 00:02:29,790 --> 00:02:27,910 soon as you hear me say this run to your 46 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:29,800 computer grab up those tickets snap up 47 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:32,050 those dinner tickets as well it's all 48 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:33,850 happening it's really exciting 49 00:02:38,370 --> 00:02:36,250 and I'm really excited to say that as I 50 00:02:40,830 --> 00:02:38,380 mentioned on last week's show there's a 51 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:40,840 possibility that would be a sort of a an 52 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:43,450 informal meet up before the convention 53 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:46,450 well it's all happening yes maynard's no 54 00:02:52,110 --> 00:02:49,090 agenda skeptic zone dirty disbeliever 55 00:02:54,750 --> 00:02:52,120 malaise ha it's all happening on the 56 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:54,760 night of the 28th of November that's 57 00:03:00,570 --> 00:02:56,530 Wednesday coming this coming wednesday 58 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:00,580 at six thirty at the penny black the 59 00:03:05,940 --> 00:03:03,910 penny black which is at 420 sydney road 60 00:03:09,510 --> 00:03:05,950 brunswick and you can check out more 61 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:09,520 details about that on facebook i'll put 62 00:03:14,490 --> 00:03:11,710 a link on the skeptics own page or you 63 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:14,500 can just google maynards no agenda 64 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:16,450 skeptics own dirty disbeliever malaise 65 00:03:24,090 --> 00:03:21,010 or just turn up at the penny black 420 66 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:24,100 sydney road in brunswick in melbourne 67 00:03:28,830 --> 00:03:26,650 and we'll get together fantastic can't 68 00:03:30,630 --> 00:03:28,840 wait to meet you turn up anybody can 69 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:30,640 turn up may not it'll be running around 70 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:32,710 with his microphone you can have a chat 71 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:34,810 with me have a chat with Maynard and 72 00:03:38,310 --> 00:03:36,250 other great people who will be turning 73 00:03:40,170 --> 00:03:38,320 up including postie Lindley a good 74 00:03:41,790 --> 00:03:40,180 friend postal in lee and steve roberts 75 00:03:43,370 --> 00:03:41,800 from the australian skeptics and lots of 76 00:03:47,010 --> 00:03:43,380 other people i can't even imagine 77 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:47,020 melbourne people i'll see you there now 78 00:03:52,380 --> 00:03:48,850 i was a little bit saddened during the 79 00:03:54,210 --> 00:03:52,390 past week to hear that larry hagman has 80 00:03:56,850 --> 00:03:54,220 died larry hagman from I Dream of 81 00:03:58,830 --> 00:03:56,860 Jeannie and a Dallas of course now the 82 00:04:01,140 --> 00:03:58,840 reason I was a little bit sad to hear 83 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:01,150 this was our Maynard and I met Larry 84 00:04:07,830 --> 00:04:05,770 Hagman in 2011 just last year at the 85 00:04:09,690 --> 00:04:07,840 supernova science fiction convention in 86 00:04:13,050 --> 00:04:09,700 Sydney in fact there's an interview if 87 00:04:14,490 --> 00:04:13,060 you google may nod at supernova and look 88 00:04:16,470 --> 00:04:14,500 down the list you'll see a little 89 00:04:19,530 --> 00:04:16,480 picture of Maynard with Larry Hagman 90 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:19,540 having an interview what a really nice 91 00:04:24,210 --> 00:04:22,630 guy and brief moment I met him and he 92 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:24,220 didn't shake my hand because he had a 93 00:04:28,770 --> 00:04:25,810 sort of a thing about shaking hands so 94 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:28,780 he sort of touched fist it was very nice 95 00:04:32,970 --> 00:04:31,210 sad to know Larry Hagman is no longer 96 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:32,980 with us but you can check out maynards 97 00:04:38,430 --> 00:04:36,250 interview of larry hagman a little 98 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:38,440 report I produced if you search for 99 00:04:42,659 --> 00:04:40,690 Maine our debt supernova and while 100 00:04:47,370 --> 00:04:42,669 you're on the internet looking at things 101 00:04:48,870 --> 00:04:47,380 on YouTube check out death valley grove 102 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:48,880 now I know many of you have seen this 103 00:04:54,530 --> 00:04:51,730 before but I'm quite amazed to see how 104 00:04:57,270 --> 00:04:54,540 many hits it's been getting lately and 105 00:04:59,760 --> 00:04:57,280 it's also a little bit of source of 106 00:05:01,890 --> 00:04:59,770 revenue for Brian nanning sceptile 107 00:05:03,690 --> 00:05:01,900 podcast and the skeptic zone podcast 108 00:05:05,910 --> 00:05:03,700 we're sort of splitting the profits it's 109 00:05:07,830 --> 00:05:05,920 not a huge amount but every little scent 110 00:05:10,170 --> 00:05:07,840 count so if you want to check out Death 111 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:10,180 Valley gravity google that have a look 112 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:11,710 at the video pass it on to your friend's 113 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:14,410 blog it tweet it let's get more people 114 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:16,930 looking it's only goes for about a 115 00:05:22,050 --> 00:05:19,210 minute it's great fun and a little bit 116 00:05:25,110 --> 00:05:22,060 of profit goes to help the skeptic zone 117 00:05:27,630 --> 00:05:25,120 and the Skip toyed podcast and of course 118 00:05:29,940 --> 00:05:27,640 my undying gratitude goes out to those 119 00:05:32,550 --> 00:05:29,950 people who subscribe to the skeptic zone 120 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:32,560 less than a dollar a week and there's a 121 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:37,330 link at ww skeptics own TV and some 122 00:05:42,330 --> 00:05:40,450 people even our chip in by buying US 123 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:42,340 drinks well it's sort of giving us a 124 00:05:45,210 --> 00:05:43,690 little bit of a donation but on the 125 00:05:47,460 --> 00:05:45,220 website it's called buying us a drink 126 00:05:50,250 --> 00:05:47,470 and I really do thank those people it's 127 00:05:52,740 --> 00:05:50,260 those donations that make the skeptic 128 00:05:55,530 --> 00:05:52,750 zone possible well that's enough for me 129 00:05:59,790 --> 00:05:55,540 I'm going to run downstairs open the 130 00:06:02,610 --> 00:05:59,800 fridge and have another slice of the 131 00:06:06,060 --> 00:06:02,620 wonderful chocolate cake with pink icing 132 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:06,070 my mother made for my niece's party just 133 00:06:12,660 --> 00:06:09,250 the other day mother's chocolate cake 134 00:06:14,220 --> 00:06:12,670 folks I tell you what mmm why I do that 135 00:06:33,020 --> 00:06:14,230 and stack on the calories I'll let you 136 00:06:39,150 --> 00:06:36,030 and joining me now from sunny the 137 00:06:42,150 --> 00:06:39,160 sun-drenched shores of beautiful Boulder 138 00:06:44,430 --> 00:06:42,160 Colorado is bad astronomer dr. Phil 139 00:06:48,330 --> 00:06:44,440 Plait hi Phil hey Richard I don't know 140 00:06:49,890 --> 00:06:48,340 what what atlas you're looking at we we 141 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:49,900 kind of a but the mountains here we're 142 00:06:53,820 --> 00:06:51,970 right up against the Rockies that's true 143 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:53,830 well maybe once upon a time it was the 144 00:06:57,330 --> 00:06:55,930 shoreline there somewhere how is Boulder 145 00:06:59,520 --> 00:06:57,340 these days I haven't been there for a 146 00:07:01,680 --> 00:06:59,530 few years it has been a while since 147 00:07:03,180 --> 00:07:01,690 you've been here and in fact uh this did 148 00:07:04,620 --> 00:07:03,190 used to be a shoreline it's why we have 149 00:07:08,310 --> 00:07:04,630 so much sandstone here this used to be 150 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:08,320 underwater a long time ago um everything 151 00:07:13,050 --> 00:07:11,050 here is great in fact if it's anything 152 00:07:16,140 --> 00:07:13,060 it's too sunny we are not getting much 153 00:07:19,770 --> 00:07:16,150 rain and it's been very warm it's it's 154 00:07:21,150 --> 00:07:19,780 november and i know it's uh edgmont 155 00:07:22,830 --> 00:07:21,160 towards somewhere where you guys are 156 00:07:25,050 --> 00:07:22,840 standing on your heads yeah but up here 157 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:25,060 in the real hemisphere it's uh it 158 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:27,370 shouldn't be this warm and it means like 159 00:07:30,090 --> 00:07:28,690 room temperature outside and it should 160 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:30,100 be really cold out right now so it's 161 00:07:35,250 --> 00:07:32,770 crazy I see but I know one thing for 162 00:07:38,190 --> 00:07:35,260 sure that in your neck of the woods you 163 00:07:39,540 --> 00:07:38,200 get the most incredible skyscapes if I 164 00:07:43,230 --> 00:07:39,550 may put it that way with the most 165 00:07:46,710 --> 00:07:43,240 amazing Thunder cloud cells coming 166 00:07:48,270 --> 00:07:46,720 through occasionally I wish yeah when 167 00:07:51,630 --> 00:07:48,280 you were here yeah it was amazing you 168 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:51,640 know every every afternoon the air blown 169 00:07:55,770 --> 00:07:53,410 over the mountains with with moisture in 170 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:55,780 it builds up and you get huge thunder 171 00:07:59,790 --> 00:07:57,130 clouds blowing through here and it's at 172 00:08:02,640 --> 00:07:59,800 sunset so you get fantastic rainbows and 173 00:08:04,590 --> 00:08:02,650 orange clouds and it's gorgeous but you 174 00:08:07,470 --> 00:08:04,600 know not that there's any global warming 175 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:07,480 of course but yeah it's really messed up 176 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:09,250 on our weather here this this mountains 177 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:10,510 don't even have snow on them right now 178 00:08:14,910 --> 00:08:13,210 it's crazy really look yeah so people 179 00:08:16,110 --> 00:08:14,920 are sitting here denying global warming 180 00:08:19,050 --> 00:08:16,120 and I'm like you know I look out my 181 00:08:20,460 --> 00:08:19,060 window and I kind of see it the one of 182 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:20,470 the things that struck me once when I 183 00:08:25,650 --> 00:08:23,530 flew into Denver and I walked outside 184 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:25,660 the airport to go to your car in fact 185 00:08:30,570 --> 00:08:27,130 and I looked up in the sky and I thought 186 00:08:32,550 --> 00:08:30,580 wow look at that sky those clouds it's 187 00:08:34,830 --> 00:08:32,560 quite someone isn't it when we had those 188 00:08:36,610 --> 00:08:34,840 two mushroom clouds yep yeah and they 189 00:08:38,469 --> 00:08:36,620 look like nuclear bombs had gone off and 190 00:08:42,730 --> 00:08:38,479 ever yeah yeah that was awesome for a 191 00:08:45,070 --> 00:08:42,740 second now of course apart from staring 192 00:08:46,570 --> 00:08:45,080 at the clouds in Boulder Colorado you've 193 00:08:49,420 --> 00:08:46,580 been very busy lately and you've got 194 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:49,430 some big news about a movie of done with 195 00:08:56,340 --> 00:08:52,490 the bad astronomy site yeah I've been 196 00:09:00,130 --> 00:08:56,350 crazy busy and it's a it's been fun I 197 00:09:03,190 --> 00:09:00,140 after four and a half years of writing 198 00:09:05,680 --> 00:09:03,200 for discover magazine I got an offer 199 00:09:08,019 --> 00:09:05,690 from slate magazine which is run by The 200 00:09:09,610 --> 00:09:08,029 Washington Post which is a newspaper 201 00:09:11,230 --> 00:09:09,620 that's been around forever I used to 202 00:09:13,870 --> 00:09:11,240 deliver the Washington Post when I was 203 00:09:16,210 --> 00:09:13,880 in high school and yeah and it's it's 204 00:09:17,769 --> 00:09:16,220 all online there's no print version or 205 00:09:20,890 --> 00:09:17,779 anything like that it is it is 206 00:09:24,070 --> 00:09:20,900 specifically an online entity they have 207 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:24,080 a handful of blogs no science blog they 208 00:09:28,210 --> 00:09:26,930 cover science but not specifically you 209 00:09:31,450 --> 00:09:28,220 know when it's news they cover it 210 00:09:33,490 --> 00:09:31,460 there's a lot of news and economics 211 00:09:35,829 --> 00:09:33,500 politics that sort of thing but they 212 00:09:37,900 --> 00:09:35,839 wanted someone to write more dedicated 213 00:09:40,090 --> 00:09:37,910 science and they contacted me and made 214 00:09:45,430 --> 00:09:40,100 me an offer I really couldn't refuse Wow 215 00:09:47,079 --> 00:09:45,440 so I accepted and it's been nine days as 216 00:09:50,490 --> 00:09:47,089 I look at my calendar it was on Monday 217 00:09:53,310 --> 00:09:50,500 November twelfth uh-huh and it's been um 218 00:09:55,630 --> 00:09:53,320 moving a blog is always a little bit 219 00:09:57,430 --> 00:09:55,640 well it's terrifying for one thing but 220 00:09:59,800 --> 00:09:57,440 it's also there are a lot of bumps in a 221 00:10:01,210 --> 00:09:59,810 road and we're smoothing them out it's 222 00:10:03,579 --> 00:10:01,220 the point now where it's much much 223 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:03,589 easier than it was a week ago just a 224 00:10:12,190 --> 00:10:06,170 learning curve yeah that's right now I 225 00:10:14,470 --> 00:10:12,200 have 7100 posts and and we had to copy 226 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:14,480 that database over from discover and so 227 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:15,770 we're still in the middle of doing that 228 00:10:21,790 --> 00:10:18,529 it just it turns out it just simply 229 00:10:22,990 --> 00:10:21,800 takes a long time it's not just hey grab 230 00:10:26,260 --> 00:10:23,000 them and move them over and up they go 231 00:10:27,610 --> 00:10:26,270 as no it'sit's actually yeah it's quite 232 00:10:29,620 --> 00:10:27,620 complicated so though hopefully those 233 00:10:31,660 --> 00:10:29,630 will be up soon and once that's up you 234 00:10:33,490 --> 00:10:31,670 know that's it will be off and running I 235 00:10:35,590 --> 00:10:33,500 guess you in the process you're 236 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:35,600 revisiting a lot of blog posts you wrote 237 00:10:41,170 --> 00:10:39,650 years ago yeah it's funny I II I've 238 00:10:42,790 --> 00:10:41,180 written about everything when you've 239 00:10:44,410 --> 00:10:42,800 written seven thousand blog posts you 240 00:10:46,269 --> 00:10:44,420 know you pretty much covered every topic 241 00:10:47,290 --> 00:10:46,279 in astronomy and there's a 242 00:10:49,389 --> 00:10:47,300 handful I have and I've been thinking 243 00:10:52,569 --> 00:10:49,399 about covering those two and it's it's 244 00:10:54,460 --> 00:10:52,579 so easy especially when I was at 245 00:10:56,050 --> 00:10:54,470 discover it was just a matter of you 246 00:10:58,420 --> 00:10:56,060 know search for what I wrote about I 247 00:11:00,759 --> 00:10:58,430 don't know solar flares find the best 248 00:11:01,389 --> 00:11:00,769 one and link to it as an explanation is 249 00:11:03,759 --> 00:11:01,399 that way I don't have to explain 250 00:11:05,230 --> 00:11:03,769 everything over and over again now it's 251 00:11:07,660 --> 00:11:05,240 a little bit tougher but hopefully that 252 00:11:09,489 --> 00:11:07,670 will that like I said that will smooth 253 00:11:11,350 --> 00:11:09,499 out over the next couple of weeks but as 254 00:11:12,670 --> 00:11:11,360 it is you know I'm often running i'm 255 00:11:14,110 --> 00:11:12,680 writing I've already written a couple of 256 00:11:16,389 --> 00:11:14,120 political posts that have gotten a hate 257 00:11:17,949 --> 00:11:16,399 mail which is awesome and you know 258 00:11:20,069 --> 00:11:17,959 there's some vaccines stuff coming up 259 00:11:23,350 --> 00:11:20,079 some global warming stuff coming up so 260 00:11:26,319 --> 00:11:23,360 besides the usual astronomy and gorgeous 261 00:11:29,110 --> 00:11:26,329 pictures and space news and all that the 262 00:11:30,790 --> 00:11:29,120 did nothing will have changed my voice 263 00:11:32,530 --> 00:11:30,800 is still the same I'm still posting the 264 00:11:34,629 --> 00:11:32,540 same sort of thing I posted Doctor Who 265 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:34,639 stuff the other day so I had a couple 266 00:11:38,290 --> 00:11:36,170 emails from people really worried I was 267 00:11:40,179 --> 00:11:38,300 going to be you know towing some sort of 268 00:11:42,460 --> 00:11:40,189 party line it's like no why would you 269 00:11:44,319 --> 00:11:42,470 even think that I wouldn't accept a job 270 00:11:46,540 --> 00:11:44,329 where they made me talk about different 271 00:11:48,489 --> 00:11:46,550 things or things I didn't want to do so 272 00:11:50,199 --> 00:11:48,499 I'm pretty happy now I think you've 273 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:50,209 probably come in for sir como no 274 00:11:54,490 --> 00:11:52,250 criticism in the past because for an 275 00:11:58,090 --> 00:11:54,500 astronomy site which is primarily what 276 00:11:59,860 --> 00:11:58,100 it is which is really great you do dip 277 00:12:01,480 --> 00:11:59,870 your toe into skepticism which is 278 00:12:05,199 --> 00:12:01,490 natural enough of given your background 279 00:12:07,090 --> 00:12:05,209 and especially your promotion of the 280 00:12:09,249 --> 00:12:07,100 good cause which is vaccination and your 281 00:12:12,579 --> 00:12:09,259 fight against the anti-vaxxers has that 282 00:12:14,769 --> 00:12:12,589 caused you much much trouble over the 283 00:12:18,819 --> 00:12:14,779 years that people really can't get the 284 00:12:20,980 --> 00:12:18,829 fact that you're Pro vaccinations well 285 00:12:23,410 --> 00:12:20,990 for a sufficient definition of trouble I 286 00:12:24,819 --> 00:12:23,420 mean when you write about anything where 287 00:12:26,949 --> 00:12:24,829 there's a controversy you're going to 288 00:12:29,710 --> 00:12:26,959 get a lot of noise in the comments 289 00:12:31,269 --> 00:12:29,720 section for example as well as email and 290 00:12:33,100 --> 00:12:31,279 and on the social networks where people 291 00:12:34,449 --> 00:12:33,110 make funny ax and it doesn't matter what 292 00:12:37,419 --> 00:12:34,459 you say it doesn't matter if you're pro 293 00:12:40,329 --> 00:12:37,429 or anti vax a climate change denier or 294 00:12:41,740 --> 00:12:40,339 climate change acceptor I suppose would 295 00:12:43,629 --> 00:12:41,750 be the word you know take any issue 296 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:43,639 where there are quote unquote two sides 297 00:12:48,489 --> 00:12:46,610 by a real side and a fantasy side if you 298 00:12:51,189 --> 00:12:48,499 wish and you're just gonna get hate mail 299 00:12:52,749 --> 00:12:51,199 no matter what you say uh so I decided 300 00:12:54,730 --> 00:12:52,759 long ago if I'm gonna get hate mail and 301 00:12:57,179 --> 00:12:54,740 if I'm gonna get people yelling at me 302 00:12:59,870 --> 00:12:57,189 I'm gonna do it for the right reasons so 303 00:13:02,450 --> 00:12:59,880 writing about vaccine 304 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:02,460 patient's is is something I do because 305 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:06,570 it's important and it saves lives so you 306 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:10,530 know you can you can deny the benefits 307 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:11,970 of vaccination all you want you can say 308 00:13:15,890 --> 00:13:14,370 they are related autism they have toxins 309 00:13:18,530 --> 00:13:15,900 in them all this ridiculous stuff that's 310 00:13:20,450 --> 00:13:18,540 just totally made up and wrong but 311 00:13:22,010 --> 00:13:20,460 you're wrong and I'm gonna call you on 312 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:22,020 it and you can go in my comments and 313 00:13:26,060 --> 00:13:24,090 yell at me but you know be prepared to 314 00:13:29,270 --> 00:13:26,070 have your head handed to you with facts 315 00:13:30,910 --> 00:13:29,280 when it's all done so it's not trouble 316 00:13:32,660 --> 00:13:30,920 it's not like anybody said you know 317 00:13:34,340 --> 00:13:32,670 we're not going to invite you to our 318 00:13:36,710 --> 00:13:34,350 party because you vaccinated your kid or 319 00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:36,720 anything like that and in fact the 320 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:39,120 support you get from people who are 321 00:13:44,330 --> 00:13:41,970 fighting the good fight all by itself is 322 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:44,340 worth the trouble but of course what's 323 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:46,830 really worth the trouble is doing this 324 00:13:52,130 --> 00:13:50,490 on on its own merits getting people to 325 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:52,140 talk to their doctors about vaccinations 326 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:55,050 getting people to understand about the 327 00:13:58,160 --> 00:13:56,850 forces of anti reality and government 328 00:14:02,240 --> 00:13:58,170 and religion and all of these other 329 00:14:05,510 --> 00:14:02,250 places is critical and doing that is why 330 00:14:08,390 --> 00:14:05,520 I do it that's fantastic and I've just 331 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:08,400 been looking at you and new well I guess 332 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:10,050 you could say it's a new site it's and 333 00:14:14,930 --> 00:14:12,090 you look for your site and it is a new 334 00:14:18,220 --> 00:14:14,940 look indeed it's somewhat it's almost 335 00:14:22,580 --> 00:14:18,230 like it's been made aerodynamic Phil 336 00:14:25,870 --> 00:14:22,590 it's it's a different layout my if I had 337 00:14:28,790 --> 00:14:25,880 one complaint it would be that the 338 00:14:30,770 --> 00:14:28,800 content in the middle of the blog the 339 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:30,780 content column is a little bit narrower 340 00:14:36,380 --> 00:14:34,170 but it's so is such a small percentage 341 00:14:37,910 --> 00:14:36,390 it hardly matters and it's easy enough 342 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:37,920 to click a picture and make it big so 343 00:14:42,110 --> 00:14:40,170 that's you know that's not a big deal 344 00:14:45,470 --> 00:14:42,120 and if that's my only complaint come on 345 00:14:47,690 --> 00:14:45,480 so it's nice it's it's a little bit more 346 00:14:52,670 --> 00:14:47,700 minimalistic and easier to read and I 347 00:14:56,660 --> 00:14:52,680 think they're very supportive and it's 348 00:14:59,390 --> 00:14:56,670 just great to be in a new community 349 00:15:03,170 --> 00:14:59,400 sometimes you need to shake things up a 350 00:15:04,460 --> 00:15:03,180 little bit to knock yourself out of a 351 00:15:06,140 --> 00:15:04,470 rut I mean it's not that I was in a rut 352 00:15:07,490 --> 00:15:06,150 but it's just that well I'm just really 353 00:15:10,070 --> 00:15:07,500 talking myself into a corner here Oh 354 00:15:11,199 --> 00:15:10,080 everything was terrible and I sucked no 355 00:15:13,900 --> 00:15:11,209 it's not like that it's just every now 356 00:15:15,609 --> 00:15:13,910 again you need you need to shake 357 00:15:18,910 --> 00:15:15,619 yourself a little bit too to achieve 358 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:18,920 more and to try different things that's 359 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:21,290 what I've done here I think and we'll 360 00:15:26,230 --> 00:15:24,290 see how this goes and one of the things 361 00:15:28,359 --> 00:15:26,240 that impressed me I would always 362 00:15:29,319 --> 00:15:28,369 impresses me to visit bad astronomy of 363 00:15:31,869 --> 00:15:29,329 course there's always something 364 00:15:33,790 --> 00:15:31,879 interesting to see there but this video 365 00:15:35,619 --> 00:15:33,800 which is currently on your front page 366 00:15:37,749 --> 00:15:35,629 and I suspect will be there by the time 367 00:15:40,509 --> 00:15:37,759 this interview goes out is quite 368 00:15:44,290 --> 00:15:40,519 hypnotic it's quite hypnotic moon phases 369 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:44,300 for 2013 every phase of the Moon of the 370 00:15:50,109 --> 00:15:47,050 Moon in one video that's something else 371 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:50,119 in NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is a 372 00:15:55,359 --> 00:15:52,490 research center with NASA I used to work 373 00:15:57,759 --> 00:15:55,369 there actually they have a visualization 374 00:15:59,650 --> 00:15:57,769 studio where they put together images 375 00:16:02,530 --> 00:15:59,660 and videos and what they did and this is 376 00:16:03,939 --> 00:16:02,540 phenomenal they took imagery from two 377 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:03,949 different missions the Clementine 378 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:06,410 mission which was in the 1990s a joint 379 00:16:10,869 --> 00:16:09,410 NASA military mission and the lunar 380 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:10,879 reconnaissance orbiter which is still 381 00:16:14,499 --> 00:16:12,290 orbiting the moon and taking phenomenal 382 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:14,509 data and they took images from those two 383 00:16:18,549 --> 00:16:16,970 missions and combine them with altimeter 384 00:16:20,829 --> 00:16:18,559 data this this Lunar Reconnaissance 385 00:16:23,019 --> 00:16:20,839 Orbiter has a laser altimeter it it 386 00:16:25,059 --> 00:16:23,029 shoots down little pulses of laser light 387 00:16:27,669 --> 00:16:25,069 and times how long it takes them to go 388 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:27,679 down and come back and that way it can 389 00:16:31,900 --> 00:16:30,170 basically measure the elevation of 390 00:16:33,879 --> 00:16:31,910 features below it mountains craters 391 00:16:36,699 --> 00:16:33,889 whatever and they put these two things 392 00:16:38,919 --> 00:16:36,709 together and using the elevation data 393 00:16:40,749 --> 00:16:38,929 they can create realistic shadows on the 394 00:16:42,340 --> 00:16:40,759 images so if there's a mountain in the 395 00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:42,350 image and they know where it is then a 396 00:16:47,139 --> 00:16:44,720 how tall it is they can add a shadow to 397 00:16:50,919 --> 00:16:47,149 it so knowing where the sun's position 398 00:16:53,710 --> 00:16:50,929 is you can accurately recreate what the 399 00:16:56,289 --> 00:16:53,720 landscape the moonscape is so what they 400 00:16:58,840 --> 00:16:56,299 did knowing the Earth Moon Sun geometry 401 00:17:02,710 --> 00:16:58,850 is they calculated it every hour 24 402 00:17:04,360 --> 00:17:02,720 hours a day for 365 days for 2013 and 403 00:17:08,019 --> 00:17:04,370 then calculated what the moon would look 404 00:17:09,309 --> 00:17:08,029 like its phase the shadows and and also 405 00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:09,319 because the moon's orbit is elliptical 406 00:17:14,679 --> 00:17:12,260 and tilted we actually see a little bit 407 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:14,689 more than half and it's sort of we see a 408 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:16,730 little bit past one side and the other 409 00:17:22,090 --> 00:17:19,010 side and it tips and nods and as you 410 00:17:23,949 --> 00:17:22,100 watch this video you can see that motion 411 00:17:26,110 --> 00:17:23,959 the moon is sort of coming towards you 412 00:17:29,740 --> 00:17:26,120 and moving away and tipping and and and 413 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:29,750 and panning it's really really cool so I 414 00:17:32,789 --> 00:17:31,370 added some music to it and explained a 415 00:17:36,730 --> 00:17:32,799 little bit about what you were seeing 416 00:17:38,590 --> 00:17:36,740 they did this last year 24 2012 and it's 417 00:17:41,220 --> 00:17:38,600 it's fascinating to watch it it's just 418 00:17:43,810 --> 00:17:41,230 like four and a half minutes of oh 419 00:17:46,570 --> 00:17:43,820 really there's just something about it 420 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:46,580 and what I've done is I've I've hit the 421 00:17:50,350 --> 00:17:48,710 button on the YouTube there which makes 422 00:17:52,029 --> 00:17:50,360 it go fullscreen and you can see all the 423 00:17:53,649 --> 00:17:52,039 data and the fact I'll just do it again 424 00:17:55,330 --> 00:17:53,659 while we're speaking there we go now 425 00:17:58,149 --> 00:17:55,340 it's on my full screen and I can see the 426 00:18:00,879 --> 00:17:58,159 time and the phase and the diameter of 427 00:18:03,430 --> 00:18:00,889 the distance position it goes on and on 428 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:03,440 and of course you then you can go scroll 429 00:18:06,310 --> 00:18:04,730 straight to your birthday and see 430 00:18:09,820 --> 00:18:06,320 exactly how the moon will look on that 431 00:18:12,580 --> 00:18:09,830 day right and there's a link to the NASA 432 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:12,590 website where this is all hosted you can 433 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:14,210 download a much higher resolution 434 00:18:17,919 --> 00:18:16,010 version if you want and also there's a 435 00:18:20,799 --> 00:18:17,929 picture at the top of that web page of 436 00:18:22,779 --> 00:18:20,809 the phase of the moon that will be 437 00:18:25,450 --> 00:18:22,789 updated in real time starting January 438 00:18:27,639 --> 00:18:25,460 first right now it's got a waxing 439 00:18:29,019 --> 00:18:27,649 gibbous moon I believe I'd have to look 440 00:18:33,070 --> 00:18:29,029 at it again it might be waning but it's 441 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:33,080 a give us moon and it's um uh for 442 00:18:37,539 --> 00:18:35,570 january first at midnight UTC for 443 00:18:39,159 --> 00:18:37,549 greenwich time but it will be updated 444 00:18:40,419 --> 00:18:39,169 every hour so when you go to the page it 445 00:18:42,070 --> 00:18:40,429 will show you the current phase of the 446 00:18:44,049 --> 00:18:42,080 moon which is pretty cool and in 447 00:18:46,870 --> 00:18:44,059 stunning detail i'm just looking at that 448 00:18:49,690 --> 00:18:46,880 picture right now well of course let's 449 00:18:51,159 --> 00:18:49,700 talk about space and stars and things 450 00:18:54,279 --> 00:18:51,169 for a moment and one of the reasons that 451 00:18:55,990 --> 00:18:54,289 I've certainly first became aware of you 452 00:18:58,899 --> 00:18:56,000 when you wrote your book bad astronomy 453 00:19:00,070 --> 00:18:58,909 and I think it's interesting how these 454 00:19:02,950 --> 00:19:00,080 things come around and come around 455 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:02,960 because right now we're heading headlong 456 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:04,490 into the end of the world of course in 457 00:19:09,669 --> 00:19:07,850 december this year december 2012 but one 458 00:19:11,409 --> 00:19:09,679 thing i must say that surprises me feel 459 00:19:14,169 --> 00:19:11,419 i thought by now there would be a lot 460 00:19:16,149 --> 00:19:14,179 more hoopla about it but you know what 461 00:19:18,310 --> 00:19:16,159 you you really don't hear much about the 462 00:19:20,289 --> 00:19:18,320 end of the world all mysterious planets 463 00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:20,299 heading our way although i did meet a 464 00:19:23,379 --> 00:19:21,710 man the other day who said there was a 465 00:19:25,389 --> 00:19:23,389 mysterious planet heading our way are 466 00:19:28,139 --> 00:19:25,399 there any mysterious planets new ones 467 00:19:31,810 --> 00:19:28,149 feel that we should be looking out for 468 00:19:33,909 --> 00:19:31,820 well let me freeze this carefully there 469 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:33,919 are made-up nonsense ones that don't 470 00:19:36,910 --> 00:19:36,530 exist and then there are real planets 471 00:19:38,530 --> 00:19:36,920 orbiting 472 00:19:42,210 --> 00:19:38,540 they're stars that we're seeing which is 473 00:19:44,710 --> 00:19:42,220 awesome so you know as far as the 474 00:19:47,890 --> 00:19:44,720 quote/unquote Mayan apocalypse on 475 00:19:49,660 --> 00:19:47,900 December 21st that's all nonsense it 476 00:19:52,420 --> 00:19:49,670 you're right it's kind of funny I'm not 477 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:52,430 seeing it as much as I thought I would 478 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:54,410 right now I'm not getting the emails 479 00:19:59,140 --> 00:19:56,330 every day I'm not seeing it all over the 480 00:20:01,930 --> 00:19:59,150 web when I am seeing it people are 481 00:20:04,300 --> 00:20:01,940 making fun of it it's it's a line in a 482 00:20:07,570 --> 00:20:04,310 TV show or somebody's using it as in an 483 00:20:10,870 --> 00:20:07,580 ad and that's about it I was expecting 484 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:10,880 it to be much more popular which is 485 00:20:14,620 --> 00:20:12,650 great you know oh it's nice to see that 486 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:14,630 this is not getting the traction I 487 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:16,130 thought I wish I weren't getting any I 488 00:20:19,930 --> 00:20:18,530 dunno some astronomers who are getting 489 00:20:22,210 --> 00:20:19,940 emails all the time from people who were 490 00:20:24,850 --> 00:20:22,220 scared usually kids yeah I get those two 491 00:20:26,410 --> 00:20:24,860 just not as often as I thought so it is 492 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:26,420 kind of nice that that that's not 493 00:20:30,670 --> 00:20:28,730 happening and one of the things you know 494 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:30,680 this is all based on the fact you know 495 00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:32,450 what let me back up a little bit what is 496 00:20:36,310 --> 00:20:34,160 all based on it's not a fact it's based 497 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:36,320 on a gross misinterpretation of Mayan 498 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:39,650 calendar it's the idea that the Mayan 499 00:20:44,740 --> 00:20:42,290 calendar end on December 21st 2012 and 500 00:20:46,360 --> 00:20:44,750 that's nonsense just like we do they 501 00:20:48,310 --> 00:20:46,370 have cycles to their calendar they had 502 00:20:52,150 --> 00:20:48,320 something like a week something like a 503 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:52,160 year 360 days and they had bigger units 504 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:54,290 and one of them is about 400 years and 505 00:20:59,320 --> 00:20:57,170 that one does apparently end on december 506 00:21:00,490 --> 00:20:59,330 twenty first of this year but what's 507 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:00,500 going to happen is the same thing that 508 00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:02,330 happens every time a cycle ends you know 509 00:21:07,150 --> 00:21:04,910 it goes back to zero the next cycle tix 510 00:21:09,490 --> 00:21:07,160 up by one and you start over again so 511 00:21:11,590 --> 00:21:09,500 there's nothing about the calendar the 512 00:21:13,570 --> 00:21:11,600 Mayans themselves had no mythology's 513 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:13,580 about the end of the world this was just 514 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:16,610 totally made up from scratch but a lot 515 00:21:22,540 --> 00:21:19,690 of people have been sort of pushing 516 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:22,550 astronomical events as some sort of 517 00:21:26,860 --> 00:21:24,410 doomsday thing that the Mayans could 518 00:21:29,830 --> 00:21:26,870 have predicted like an asteroid impact 519 00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:29,840 solar flares a gigantic planet on its 520 00:21:34,030 --> 00:21:31,370 way to the earth and the thing is you 521 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:34,040 know Mayans didn't have telescopes so 522 00:21:37,810 --> 00:21:35,570 they couldn't have known about it if 523 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:37,820 this stuff anyway and the fact of the 524 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:40,910 matter is you know there any planet that 525 00:21:45,250 --> 00:21:42,650 would be headed towards the Earth that 526 00:21:47,010 --> 00:21:45,260 would be here in time to do anything to 527 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:47,020 us by december twenty first would be 528 00:21:52,030 --> 00:21:49,310 brighter than the full moon in the sky 529 00:21:55,030 --> 00:21:52,040 right now Jupiter is hundreds of 530 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:55,040 millions of miles away and it's one of 531 00:21:58,330 --> 00:21:56,930 the brightest objects in the sky so if 532 00:21:59,950 --> 00:21:58,340 there were something two million miles 533 00:22:01,600 --> 00:21:59,960 away it would be intensely bright and 534 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:01,610 there's nothing there so that's all just 535 00:22:07,330 --> 00:22:04,490 nonsense yeah I think I think we would 536 00:22:09,550 --> 00:22:07,340 have noticed it by now but I'm glad too 537 00:22:12,250 --> 00:22:09,560 that this hasn't caused the big stir 538 00:22:14,350 --> 00:22:12,260 that maybe it's we can thank someone 539 00:22:16,450 --> 00:22:14,360 like Harold Camping who was it last year 540 00:22:18,070 --> 00:22:16,460 or the year before was making a lot 541 00:22:20,140 --> 00:22:18,080 who'll are about the the end of the 542 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:20,150 world which didn't come and maybe it's 543 00:22:23,770 --> 00:22:21,890 like the the boy who cried wolf maybe 544 00:22:27,460 --> 00:22:23,780 finally people are just sick of hearing 545 00:22:30,070 --> 00:22:27,470 about the end of the world maybe that 546 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:30,080 would be nice I guess um I wouldn't put 547 00:22:35,770 --> 00:22:32,840 too much faith in that idea though this 548 00:22:37,750 --> 00:22:35,780 is not the first end of the world and I 549 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:37,760 don't think it's going to be the last we 550 00:22:43,630 --> 00:22:39,490 see this over and over again in fact in 551 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:43,640 2003 there was this idea that that got 552 00:22:49,690 --> 00:22:47,210 widespread coverage for biz give reasons 553 00:22:51,310 --> 00:22:49,700 the bizarre I have no idea but there was 554 00:22:53,860 --> 00:22:51,320 a giant planet on its way to earth 555 00:22:56,590 --> 00:22:53,870 Nibiru and this was actually back in 556 00:22:59,290 --> 00:22:56,600 2003 the third time something like this 557 00:23:01,270 --> 00:22:59,300 had come up and it was shown not to 558 00:23:04,270 --> 00:23:01,280 happen of course we're still here and it 559 00:23:06,660 --> 00:23:04,280 got cycled for 2012 so you know who 560 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:06,670 knows what's going to happen in 561 00:23:11,740 --> 00:23:09,410 2014-2020 I don't know somebody will 562 00:23:13,030 --> 00:23:11,750 come up with something you know there's 563 00:23:14,500 --> 00:23:13,040 a comet that's going to pass by the 564 00:23:15,730 --> 00:23:14,510 earth next year people are already 565 00:23:17,230 --> 00:23:15,740 saying that that's going to hit us and 566 00:23:19,090 --> 00:23:17,240 it's not it's not even to come within 10 567 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:19,100 million kilometers of the earth so it's 568 00:23:23,350 --> 00:23:21,650 it's it's you know head banging against 569 00:23:25,870 --> 00:23:23,360 the wall constantly for people like me 570 00:23:28,810 --> 00:23:25,880 trying to debunk this stuff it is it is 571 00:23:31,870 --> 00:23:28,820 but I'm again it's interesting that 572 00:23:33,220 --> 00:23:31,880 people like you are keeping score so to 573 00:23:35,140 --> 00:23:33,230 speak because that's yeah that's about 574 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:35,150 the time I first got to know you was in 575 00:23:40,030 --> 00:23:38,090 about two thousand three when all this 576 00:23:42,130 --> 00:23:40,040 was going on and of course with the book 577 00:23:44,350 --> 00:23:42,140 bad astronomy and subsequently you wrote 578 00:23:46,180 --> 00:23:44,360 that great book of course death from the 579 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:46,190 skies which really does talk about the 580 00:23:53,140 --> 00:23:49,370 end of the world yeah thanks for the 581 00:23:54,790 --> 00:23:53,150 plug um it's yeah I got so tired of 582 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:54,800 doomsday scenarios and people making 583 00:23:58,330 --> 00:23:56,810 stuff up I decided to write about the 584 00:24:00,850 --> 00:23:58,340 real ways astronomical events could 585 00:24:02,830 --> 00:24:00,860 destroy the earth and the whole point of 586 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:02,840 the book is that 587 00:24:08,170 --> 00:24:05,360 to most likely ones which would be an 588 00:24:09,790 --> 00:24:08,180 asteroid impact or a huge solar storm 589 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:09,800 which by the way the latter cannot 590 00:24:14,410 --> 00:24:11,810 destroy the earth but it can damage our 591 00:24:17,470 --> 00:24:14,420 technology wipe out satellites and cause 592 00:24:20,290 --> 00:24:17,480 blackouts both of those are our if not 593 00:24:24,700 --> 00:24:20,300 preventable at least they are something 594 00:24:28,450 --> 00:24:24,710 we can mitigate by launching rockets to 595 00:24:30,190 --> 00:24:28,460 push asteroids out of the way or protect 596 00:24:32,170 --> 00:24:30,200 our satellites in our power grid from 597 00:24:34,330 --> 00:24:32,180 big solar flare so that they don't they 598 00:24:36,940 --> 00:24:34,340 don't hurt us everything else is just so 599 00:24:38,830 --> 00:24:36,950 low statistics a black hole passing by 600 00:24:40,660 --> 00:24:38,840 the earth or a nearby supernova there's 601 00:24:41,950 --> 00:24:40,670 basically zero chance of them happening 602 00:24:43,780 --> 00:24:41,960 so it's kind of fun to talk about them 603 00:24:45,070 --> 00:24:43,790 the point being that you know 604 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:45,080 realistically speaking they're not 605 00:24:49,420 --> 00:24:47,330 anything we have to worry about yes yes 606 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:49,430 I I agree and it's a good way I've found 607 00:24:53,830 --> 00:24:52,610 to when I'm talking to students and they 608 00:24:56,230 --> 00:24:53,840 say do you think the world is going to 609 00:24:58,420 --> 00:24:56,240 end in this year earlier in the year 610 00:24:59,890 --> 00:24:58,430 they were asking me this and I said well 611 00:25:01,930 --> 00:24:59,900 no and then I asked them how do you 612 00:25:04,870 --> 00:25:01,940 think that could possibly happen and of 613 00:25:06,490 --> 00:25:04,880 course and fair enough they're still you 614 00:25:08,290 --> 00:25:06,500 know finding their feet they hadn't got 615 00:25:10,090 --> 00:25:08,300 that far as to actually think how the 616 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:10,100 world could possibly end but it's a nice 617 00:25:15,850 --> 00:25:11,810 catch phrases and it the world's going 618 00:25:18,730 --> 00:25:15,860 to end right and it turns out it's hard 619 00:25:19,990 --> 00:25:18,740 to do you know if you if you were to 620 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:20,000 talk about wiping out life on Earth 621 00:25:24,610 --> 00:25:23,090 that's that's not easy but it can be 622 00:25:25,930 --> 00:25:24,620 done with a large enough you know 623 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:25,940 asteroid impact or something like that 624 00:25:30,100 --> 00:25:28,370 but actually destroying a planet is 625 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:30,110 really hard it turns out the earth has a 626 00:25:34,750 --> 00:25:33,290 lot of gravity and even taking the moon 627 00:25:36,670 --> 00:25:34,760 and smacking it into the earth that 628 00:25:39,820 --> 00:25:36,680 would wipe out all life but the planet 629 00:25:41,470 --> 00:25:39,830 itself would survive so even the phrase 630 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:41,480 end of the world are destroying the 631 00:25:46,860 --> 00:25:43,970 earth or whatever is a little vague 632 00:25:49,570 --> 00:25:46,870 booth and I and even then it's like well 633 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:49,580 maybe maybe it wipes out humans which 634 00:25:54,130 --> 00:25:51,170 would suck I don't want that to happen 635 00:25:57,250 --> 00:25:54,140 but even even destroying life on this 636 00:25:58,510 --> 00:25:57,260 planet would be really hard to do so in 637 00:26:00,160 --> 00:25:58,520 a sense at least that's kind of 638 00:26:01,870 --> 00:26:00,170 uplifting you know yeah all the animals 639 00:26:04,180 --> 00:26:01,880 are dead but you know something on 30 640 00:26:06,370 --> 00:26:04,190 million years you'd never know yeah them 641 00:26:08,380 --> 00:26:06,380 all again there will be another odd 642 00:26:10,150 --> 00:26:08,390 group of creatures evolved probably in 643 00:26:13,090 --> 00:26:10,160 the in the time that this planet 644 00:26:14,890 --> 00:26:13,100 certainly has to to go to carry on now 645 00:26:16,659 --> 00:26:14,900 before we wrap it up Phil let's let's 646 00:26:19,539 --> 00:26:16,669 turn our gaze away from the steer 647 00:26:21,820 --> 00:26:19,549 planets and back to real ones I'm sure 648 00:26:23,799 --> 00:26:21,830 you've been excited as I have and I'm 649 00:26:26,499 --> 00:26:23,809 sure our listeners have to of all the 650 00:26:30,549 --> 00:26:26,509 wonderful information images coming back 651 00:26:33,779 --> 00:26:30,559 from curiosity oh yeah it's been 652 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:33,789 fantastic that's uh that's been a 653 00:26:40,899 --> 00:26:38,210 culmination of oh my gosh close to 35 654 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:40,909 years of sending probes to Mars and it's 655 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:43,330 it's the largest and most sophisticated 656 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:46,850 probe ever to land on Mars and and 657 00:26:52,659 --> 00:26:49,369 certainly of the rover's it's the most 658 00:26:53,739 --> 00:26:52,669 functional and it's it just incredibly 659 00:26:58,029 --> 00:26:53,749 capable it takes high-resolution 660 00:26:59,649 --> 00:26:58,039 pictures it has a chemistry set on it so 661 00:27:02,019 --> 00:26:59,659 to speak so that it can actually sample 662 00:27:04,330 --> 00:27:02,029 the soil and see what's in it it's got 663 00:27:06,099 --> 00:27:04,340 that that really way cool laser that it 664 00:27:08,109 --> 00:27:06,109 can zap rocks with and yeah it makes 665 00:27:09,970 --> 00:27:08,119 them mum sorry yeah that you're 666 00:27:12,220 --> 00:27:09,980 absolutely right that I love watching 667 00:27:13,629 --> 00:27:12,230 the images coming back from this is 668 00:27:16,299 --> 00:27:13,639 where we've just shut the laser that's 669 00:27:17,950 --> 00:27:16,309 fantastic it's a very powerful laser it 670 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:17,960 only shoots for a tiny tiny fraction of 671 00:27:23,409 --> 00:27:20,090 a second but it vaporizes The Rock The 672 00:27:25,479 --> 00:27:23,419 Rock glows and the the specific colors 673 00:27:27,580 --> 00:27:25,489 you break that that glow up into its 674 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:27,590 colors like a rainbow except much more 675 00:27:31,869 --> 00:27:29,450 detail and you can actually determine 676 00:27:33,669 --> 00:27:31,879 what elements are in it so silicon 677 00:27:36,129 --> 00:27:33,679 oxygen carbon all of those things can be 678 00:27:39,099 --> 00:27:36,139 seen in the rocks they can sample them 679 00:27:41,259 --> 00:27:39,109 that way so it's an amazing thing that 680 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:41,269 it's doing and it's it's landed in this 681 00:27:47,409 --> 00:27:44,210 gigantic crater gale crater which is 682 00:27:48,909 --> 00:27:47,419 close to 100 kilometres across and 683 00:27:50,769 --> 00:27:48,919 that's cool because when the asteroid 684 00:27:53,409 --> 00:27:50,779 impact hit their billions of years ago 685 00:27:55,539 --> 00:27:53,419 it basically exposed all these layers of 686 00:27:57,580 --> 00:27:55,549 Martian history so it doesn't have to 687 00:27:59,549 --> 00:27:57,590 dig very far it can just roll over this 688 00:28:02,169 --> 00:27:59,559 landscape it's kind of like walking down 689 00:28:04,509 --> 00:28:02,179 into a canyon it's then all the work is 690 00:28:06,399 --> 00:28:04,519 done for you so it's learning a huge 691 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:06,409 amount about Mars and that of course the 692 00:28:09,639 --> 00:28:08,090 pictures have been fantastic the 693 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:09,649 pictures are fantastic there's one on 694 00:28:14,979 --> 00:28:11,450 your website now which I'm looking at is 695 00:28:19,690 --> 00:28:14,989 leaving a little alien in there yeah as 696 00:28:21,249 --> 00:28:19,700 we're recording this yesterday a media 697 00:28:22,659 --> 00:28:21,259 organization interviewed one of the 698 00:28:24,879 --> 00:28:22,669 scientists the project scientist 699 00:28:26,739 --> 00:28:24,889 actually for curiosity and he said they 700 00:28:30,190 --> 00:28:26,749 found something that's really exciting 701 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:30,200 and of course everybody's speculating 702 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:31,490 what it is people are saying its life 703 00:28:35,890 --> 00:28:33,650 it's organics it's this it's that it's 704 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:35,900 like we don't know what it is and he 705 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:38,690 won't even say so I'm guessing it's 706 00:28:41,860 --> 00:28:40,130 something scientifically very 707 00:28:43,570 --> 00:28:41,870 interesting yeah they need to wait to 708 00:28:46,330 --> 00:28:43,580 confirm it and then they'll announce it 709 00:28:48,820 --> 00:28:46,340 I don't think it's aliens it could it 710 00:28:51,430 --> 00:28:48,830 will even know if it's biology they 711 00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:51,440 could have found evidence of you know 712 00:28:54,730 --> 00:28:53,510 warm water standing in this place two 713 00:28:57,010 --> 00:28:54,740 billion years ago it could be some 714 00:28:58,360 --> 00:28:57,020 interesting geology it there's we don't 715 00:29:01,870 --> 00:28:58,370 even know what field of science he's 716 00:29:03,010 --> 00:29:01,880 talking about so speculating on what 717 00:29:06,070 --> 00:29:03,020 they found which is of course what 718 00:29:09,070 --> 00:29:06,080 everybody's doing I think is just a 719 00:29:11,890 --> 00:29:09,080 little bit premature oh well it's but 720 00:29:13,930 --> 00:29:11,900 it's a lot of fun to wonder oh yeah I 721 00:29:15,970 --> 00:29:13,940 mean I'm wondering too but I you know 722 00:29:18,220 --> 00:29:15,980 I'm not gonna go out and write a big 723 00:29:20,620 --> 00:29:18,230 newspaper article or whatever online 724 00:29:22,270 --> 00:29:20,630 saying you know we think it's organics 725 00:29:23,290 --> 00:29:22,280 and it's like you don't know crap you 726 00:29:26,110 --> 00:29:23,300 don't know what you're talking I mean 727 00:29:27,390 --> 00:29:26,120 you could be anything come on so we've 728 00:29:29,740 --> 00:29:27,400 been through this before NASA's 729 00:29:32,110 --> 00:29:29,750 sometimes will make a will have an 730 00:29:33,490 --> 00:29:32,120 announcement in a few days and they'll 731 00:29:35,500 --> 00:29:33,500 put out a press release to journalists 732 00:29:37,390 --> 00:29:35,510 saying we're going to announce something 733 00:29:39,820 --> 00:29:37,400 that has impact on the field of 734 00:29:41,980 --> 00:29:39,830 astrobiology and then everybody thinks 735 00:29:43,420 --> 00:29:41,990 aliens it's like really yet you really 736 00:29:46,570 --> 00:29:43,430 think that's how NASA would announce 737 00:29:49,930 --> 00:29:46,580 this so it's speculations gonna run no 738 00:29:51,310 --> 00:29:49,940 matter what you do hopefully when this 739 00:29:52,510 --> 00:29:51,320 comes out it will still be pretty 740 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:52,520 interesting I think it will be 741 00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:54,110 everything curiosities finding on Mars 742 00:29:59,530 --> 00:29:57,650 it's interesting it's on Mars yes that's 743 00:30:02,140 --> 00:29:59,540 absolutely right it's hard to go wrong 744 00:30:04,540 --> 00:30:02,150 when you're getting back these wonderful 745 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:04,550 photographs they are absolutely stunning 746 00:30:10,660 --> 00:30:06,770 that the high detail of them and that 747 00:30:12,550 --> 00:30:10,670 video that was produced of the curiosity 748 00:30:15,430 --> 00:30:12,560 landing on Mars is something I use in my 749 00:30:16,900 --> 00:30:15,440 talks it's just just breathtaking I've 750 00:30:19,540 --> 00:30:16,910 used that as well the seven minutes of 751 00:30:23,110 --> 00:30:19,550 Terror talk well yeah and there's the 752 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:23,120 actual um images that the curiosity was 753 00:30:28,300 --> 00:30:25,910 taking as it was making it's right down 754 00:30:29,470 --> 00:30:28,310 on the parachute right it had cameras 755 00:30:31,420 --> 00:30:29,480 pointing down you can see the heat 756 00:30:33,130 --> 00:30:31,430 shield yep flying away and the 757 00:30:35,020 --> 00:30:33,140 parachutes and then as it lands and that 758 00:30:37,750 --> 00:30:35,030 had been remixed a bunch of times people 759 00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:37,760 kept making better and better videos 760 00:30:41,950 --> 00:30:40,040 doing interpolation between frames to 761 00:30:43,139 --> 00:30:41,960 make it smoother with the high def 762 00:30:44,999 --> 00:30:43,149 pictures and so the 763 00:30:47,369 --> 00:30:45,009 videos that that are out there now or if 764 00:30:48,779 --> 00:30:47,379 you haven't seen them folks down you can 765 00:30:51,659 --> 00:30:48,789 find them easily they're all there on my 766 00:30:54,389 --> 00:30:51,669 blog and they're stunning really 767 00:30:55,979 --> 00:30:54,399 something to look at it is because when 768 00:30:57,659 --> 00:30:55,989 I've been showing these especially the 769 00:31:00,450 --> 00:30:57,669 students I can tell them point blank 770 00:31:03,329 --> 00:31:00,460 this is not a Hollywood special-effects 771 00:31:05,759 --> 00:31:03,339 this isn't done in in computers it's not 772 00:31:08,729 --> 00:31:05,769 CGI although its computer assisted one 773 00:31:10,769 --> 00:31:08,739 could say it's an actual movie of a real 774 00:31:13,079 --> 00:31:10,779 spaceship landing on another planet and 775 00:31:14,549 --> 00:31:13,089 even every time I see it my heart skips 776 00:31:17,489 --> 00:31:14,559 a beat i think it's just it's just 777 00:31:20,729 --> 00:31:17,499 astounding yeah and I you know how 778 00:31:23,759 --> 00:31:20,739 spoiled we are now I a Voyager going 779 00:31:25,889 --> 00:31:23,769 past the outer giant planets and you 780 00:31:28,259 --> 00:31:25,899 have to wait and wait and wait for that 781 00:31:30,329 --> 00:31:28,269 data to come back you know line by line 782 00:31:31,889 --> 00:31:30,339 it was writing stuff and we didn't have 783 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:31,899 the internet it was just being covered 784 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:34,450 by the news if they covered it and even 785 00:31:39,209 --> 00:31:37,330 then typically it was the magazines that 786 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:39,219 could print the color pictures where 787 00:31:42,629 --> 00:31:40,450 you'd have to exceed be waiting two 788 00:31:44,430 --> 00:31:42,639 months in a Voyager had past Neptune or 789 00:31:46,829 --> 00:31:44,440 something like that and then it was a 790 00:31:48,659 --> 00:31:46,839 long time later before we even saw the 791 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:48,669 images now we're getting what's 792 00:31:53,519 --> 00:31:50,710 essentially video from other planets in 793 00:31:56,579 --> 00:31:53,529 color in high definition you know if not 794 00:31:58,049 --> 00:31:56,589 within days if not even even more 795 00:32:01,499 --> 00:31:58,059 quickly than that it's astonishing 796 00:32:04,619 --> 00:32:01,509 wasn't it an episode of cosmos with Carl 797 00:32:06,180 --> 00:32:04,629 Sagan where he was probably at NASA 798 00:32:07,769 --> 00:32:06,190 somewhere by a machine that was 799 00:32:09,779 --> 00:32:07,779 producing an image and he was saying 800 00:32:11,190 --> 00:32:09,789 this is coming through right now as 801 00:32:14,579 --> 00:32:11,200 we're filming and I think it was from 802 00:32:15,930 --> 00:32:14,589 from one of the voyagers the timing for 803 00:32:18,629 --> 00:32:15,940 that would have been about right yeah 804 00:32:20,519 --> 00:32:18,639 late 70s early 80s when cosmos was done 805 00:32:23,579 --> 00:32:20,529 late 70s I think so yeah that'd be about 806 00:32:26,519 --> 00:32:23,589 right to see the first close-up images 807 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:26,529 of a world never before known this 808 00:32:31,289 --> 00:32:28,570 moment is one of the greatest joys in 809 00:32:32,789 --> 00:32:31,299 the life of a planetary scientist in the 810 00:32:35,310 --> 00:32:32,799 early morning hours of july nine 811 00:32:36,989 --> 00:32:35,320 nineteen seventy nine on the real-time 812 00:32:39,239 --> 00:32:36,999 television monitors at the Jet 813 00:32:42,330 --> 00:32:39,249 Propulsion Laboratory we began to learn 814 00:32:45,220 --> 00:32:42,340 about a world called europa 815 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:45,230 finally the end product of this 816 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:49,650 remarkable set of links and relays 817 00:32:56,090 --> 00:32:51,690 is a hard copy which comes out of this 818 00:32:58,490 --> 00:32:56,100 machine showing in this case the wonders 819 00:33:02,230 --> 00:32:58,500 of Europa which were recorded for the 820 00:33:05,810 --> 00:33:02,240 first time in human history today is 821 00:33:08,210 --> 00:33:05,820 absolutely astonishing that's exciting 822 00:33:10,940 --> 00:33:08,220 stuff now before we wrap it up Phil if 823 00:33:12,350 --> 00:33:10,950 people can't wait to visit your new site 824 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:12,360 and I hope they have done already but if 825 00:33:17,470 --> 00:33:15,450 they haven't is the URL still the same 826 00:33:19,670 --> 00:33:17,480 or should they book make a new bookmark 827 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:19,680 well you should make a new bookmark uh 828 00:33:27,770 --> 00:33:24,210 it's just slate com s la te like the 829 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:27,780 blue black sedimentary rock it is 830 00:33:31,580 --> 00:33:29,250 sedimentary isn't it's not metamorphic 831 00:33:35,660 --> 00:33:31,590 oh my gosh I'm not a Jew I don't know 832 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:35,670 okay just go to slate com and you'll see 833 00:33:41,870 --> 00:33:39,690 the link for blogs mine's there the old 834 00:33:44,930 --> 00:33:41,880 website bad astronomy com is still up 835 00:33:46,970 --> 00:33:44,940 and that's where i am and i'm on twitter 836 00:33:49,300 --> 00:33:46,980 at bad astronomer and google+ and 837 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:49,310 facebook and all the usual haunts that 838 00:33:54,710 --> 00:33:52,410 socially media savvy people waste their 839 00:34:00,500 --> 00:33:54,720 time on that's right so there it is 840 00:34:02,450 --> 00:34:00,510 folks go to ww 8s lati com follow the 841 00:34:04,130 --> 00:34:02,460 links to bad astronomy I think you'll 842 00:34:06,950 --> 00:34:04,140 agree with me it looks slick it looks 843 00:34:09,409 --> 00:34:06,960 fast it's more like a newspaper sort of 844 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:09,419 look but all the information that you 845 00:34:12,889 --> 00:34:10,890 know and love from bad astronomy and 846 00:34:14,750 --> 00:34:12,899 Phil Plait is all still there feel 847 00:34:17,750 --> 00:34:14,760 wonderful to talk with you again I'm 848 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:17,760 going to try and rally myself in 2013 to 849 00:34:23,030 --> 00:34:20,490 visit Boulder and just walk up at the 850 00:34:25,909 --> 00:34:23,040 sky and in one wonderment and amazement 851 00:34:27,380 --> 00:34:25,919 and maybe see a comment or two but under 852 00:34:29,630 --> 00:34:27,390 then it's wonderful to catch up with you 853 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:29,640 and thanks very much for being on the 854 00:34:48,450 --> 00:34:45,299 the skeptic magazine the journal from 855 00:34:50,669 --> 00:34:48,460 Australian skeptics subscribe online to 856 00:34:55,980 --> 00:34:50,679 the world's second oldest skeptical 857 00:34:58,739 --> 00:34:55,990 magazine visit w WC apx com au and click 858 00:35:02,539 --> 00:34:58,749 the publication's League you can also 859 00:35:06,029 --> 00:35:02,549 find their over 30 years of back issues 860 00:35:19,849 --> 00:35:06,039 free to download the skeptic magazine 861 00:35:26,660 --> 00:35:19,859 from Australian skeptics here's may not 862 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:28,920 we know there's a lot of podcasts out 863 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:31,570 there and when I listen to things in my 864 00:35:35,580 --> 00:35:33,970 ear very closely with earbuds I want to 865 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:35,590 hear about people's bowels and we're 866 00:35:38,610 --> 00:35:36,970 about to talk to a man right now who's 867 00:35:41,100 --> 00:35:38,620 been doing look who work lately who we 868 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:41,110 got here oh boy this is ross Blocher of 869 00:35:45,420 --> 00:35:43,810 oh no Ross and Carrie and boy do we 870 00:35:46,710 --> 00:35:45,430 deliver on the bowel movements that 871 00:35:47,940 --> 00:35:46,720 that's what you're interested in yeah 872 00:35:49,530 --> 00:35:47,950 well I'll be you've been going to places 873 00:35:51,390 --> 00:35:49,540 that we wouldn't normally go to but I 874 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:51,400 actually have had a colonic irrigation 875 00:35:55,740 --> 00:35:53,650 twice oh hey all right we're part of the 876 00:35:57,270 --> 00:35:55,750 the same club then only once here Wow 877 00:35:58,770 --> 00:35:57,280 okay yeah well because I went back again 878 00:36:00,510 --> 00:35:58,780 because the first time it didn't do 879 00:36:01,740 --> 00:36:00,520 anything surprise and they were all 880 00:36:04,110 --> 00:36:01,750 maybe you have to have a couple of times 881 00:36:05,340 --> 00:36:04,120 before you realize what might happen it 882 00:36:06,660 --> 00:36:05,350 might just be a bit of a springing this 883 00:36:08,010 --> 00:36:06,670 step that will improve or something I 884 00:36:09,570 --> 00:36:08,020 thought that's good fake well I was 885 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:09,580 gonna say if that's your yardstick you 886 00:36:12,810 --> 00:36:10,930 know it doing something you might be 887 00:36:14,580 --> 00:36:12,820 going for the rest of your life I mean 888 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:14,590 certainly it's doing something they're 889 00:36:20,460 --> 00:36:18,490 putting water into your colon yeah I the 890 00:36:22,230 --> 00:36:20,470 fancy when I was lying down and it was a 891 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:22,240 lovely room it was a very medical kind 892 00:36:26,190 --> 00:36:24,610 of grade sort of looking nicely centered 893 00:36:28,470 --> 00:36:26,200 all that sort of stuff what did you have 894 00:36:30,390 --> 00:36:28,480 like be like a shovel at a pint of water 895 00:36:32,430 --> 00:36:30,400 was almost well you know they have this 896 00:36:34,380 --> 00:36:32,440 plastic bed and it was kind of this 897 00:36:36,030 --> 00:36:34,390 curved shape and so there's padding for 898 00:36:37,890 --> 00:36:36,040 your head and there's kind of almost 899 00:36:40,530 --> 00:36:37,900 like plastic stirrups for your feet and 900 00:36:42,330 --> 00:36:40,540 this goalie that runs under your butt to 901 00:36:44,490 --> 00:36:42,340 collect everything can i say but unless 902 00:36:45,720 --> 00:36:44,500 y'all yeah yeah and so could you see 903 00:36:47,220 --> 00:36:45,730 what was coming at you oh absolutely 904 00:36:49,260 --> 00:36:47,230 yeah they're in mind couldn't i was 905 00:36:50,490 --> 00:36:49,270 lying down you see I couldn't see it but 906 00:36:52,860 --> 00:36:50,500 did they give you like a clear plastic 907 00:36:54,570 --> 00:36:52,870 tube so you could no no at no stage did 908 00:36:56,130 --> 00:36:54,580 I see what was going on whatsoever oh 909 00:36:57,600 --> 00:36:56,140 they want they were gave me a full 910 00:36:58,950 --> 00:36:57,610 viewing gallery they really wanted to 911 00:37:00,510 --> 00:36:58,960 make sure I could see everything coming 912 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:00,520 out of me so so yeah I'm lying down 913 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:02,410 horizontally and this tube is running 914 00:37:06,810 --> 00:37:04,210 parallel to me essentially and I can 915 00:37:10,980 --> 00:37:06,820 watch it and that would have to be 916 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:10,990 disturbing okay indeed I mean I'm under 917 00:37:15,330 --> 00:37:12,610 no illusions about what's inside of me 918 00:37:16,980 --> 00:37:15,340 so I don't that I I suppose I'm a 919 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:16,990 realist enough not to be grossed out by 920 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:18,850 but the best part was they had this 921 00:37:22,980 --> 00:37:21,850 poster right in front of me that said 922 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:22,990 all these little inspirational phrases 923 00:37:27,990 --> 00:37:26,170 like be happy try new things you know 924 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:28,000 experiment poop their floor and that 925 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:30,130 kind of thing right inspirational 926 00:37:35,070 --> 00:37:32,650 phrases I make every moment count what's 927 00:37:36,690 --> 00:37:35,080 the last one and I thought oh okay I 928 00:37:38,550 --> 00:37:36,700 guess that's what I'm doing yeah you got 929 00:37:39,030 --> 00:37:38,560 you so on my here if that's the case why 930 00:37:40,650 --> 00:37:39,040 am i doing 931 00:37:42,690 --> 00:37:40,660 is with him one every moment scouting 932 00:37:45,570 --> 00:37:42,700 why am i lying here pooping right so I 933 00:37:48,060 --> 00:37:45,580 got to insert the tube myself really yes 934 00:37:50,010 --> 00:37:48,070 see that I did that for me at 10 they 935 00:37:52,170 --> 00:37:50,020 did offer if I you know was having a 936 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:52,180 difficult time the the woman helping us 937 00:37:56,850 --> 00:37:54,610 did check under the you know I had this 938 00:37:57,990 --> 00:37:56,860 discreet white town so she checked under 939 00:38:00,960 --> 00:37:58,000 to make sure it was inserted properly 940 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:00,970 yes apparently it was and yeah and then 941 00:38:04,020 --> 00:38:02,290 the water started and there were three 942 00:38:06,900 --> 00:38:04,030 pressure levels there's the low medium 943 00:38:08,940 --> 00:38:06,910 and high so I you know I started as also 944 00:38:11,370 --> 00:38:08,950 the Alec Baldwin level as well but that 945 00:38:14,070 --> 00:38:11,380 Sonny was at the him right indeed yeah 946 00:38:15,930 --> 00:38:14,080 that was prohibited and covered in red 947 00:38:17,490 --> 00:38:15,940 tape but until what would I promising 948 00:38:18,780 --> 00:38:17,500 what was their big what did I promise 949 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:18,790 you I was a big claim that you would 950 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:20,650 definitely get out of this sure well 951 00:38:25,410 --> 00:38:23,170 there's the weight loss aspect of it and 952 00:38:27,090 --> 00:38:25,420 then there's detoxification and that's 953 00:38:28,290 --> 00:38:27,100 really the extraordinary claim that 954 00:38:30,870 --> 00:38:28,300 we're going for it then it then again 955 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:30,880 that as a weight loss method I would say 956 00:38:37,140 --> 00:38:35,530 is also spurious because certainly you 957 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:37,150 know when you flush a a bunch of stuff 958 00:38:42,330 --> 00:38:39,490 out of your innards you're losing weight 959 00:38:43,890 --> 00:38:42,340 because that's wait that's material but 960 00:38:45,720 --> 00:38:43,900 other than that I don't see it as a 961 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:45,730 dietary plan and I don't think medical 962 00:38:49,140 --> 00:38:47,530 science would back that up but but the 963 00:38:51,690 --> 00:38:49,150 main claim there was that it detoxifies 964 00:38:53,370 --> 00:38:51,700 that somehow it's removing something 965 00:38:55,470 --> 00:38:53,380 that the body is not removing on its own 966 00:38:57,540 --> 00:38:55,480 and that the substance is dangerous to 967 00:39:00,060 --> 00:38:57,550 you and that is the part that there's no 968 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:00,070 empirical claims to demonstrate you know 969 00:39:03,660 --> 00:39:01,810 and we even asked we have this woman 970 00:39:05,490 --> 00:39:03,670 helping us we said so what are these 971 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:05,500 toxins and the first she said well you 972 00:39:09,570 --> 00:39:08,290 know if you smoke or you drink you know 973 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:09,580 those are the sort of bad things to 974 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:11,530 build up I said oh well I don't I don't 975 00:39:17,340 --> 00:39:14,410 smoke I rarely drink said you know a lot 976 00:39:19,230 --> 00:39:17,350 of eat eating meat as I don't eat too 977 00:39:21,210 --> 00:39:19,240 much meat and said well you know there's 978 00:39:22,470 --> 00:39:21,220 other toxins we said well what are those 979 00:39:24,750 --> 00:39:22,480 what are they made out of what did they 980 00:39:26,670 --> 00:39:24,760 look like and she kind of paused a 981 00:39:28,230 --> 00:39:26,680 little awkwardly for a second said you 982 00:39:30,030 --> 00:39:28,240 know I know there's an answer to this 983 00:39:31,530 --> 00:39:30,040 but I can't really remember I'll have to 984 00:39:34,110 --> 00:39:31,540 look that up for you have you ever 985 00:39:35,250 --> 00:39:34,120 secretly recorded audio with some of 986 00:39:36,540 --> 00:39:35,260 these encounters you've had I guess you 987 00:39:39,690 --> 00:39:36,550 probably could but I guess it's maybe 988 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:39,700 unethical and illegal official answer no 989 00:39:45,510 --> 00:39:43,810 wink we we have at times recorded audio 990 00:39:47,190 --> 00:39:45,520 for our own reference purposes which 991 00:39:49,230 --> 00:39:47,200 could be tempted because some of the 992 00:39:50,460 --> 00:39:49,240 stuff is people are going to go no they 993 00:39:54,690 --> 00:39:50,470 didn't really say that 994 00:39:57,089 --> 00:39:54,700 right a yes certainly there are laws in 995 00:39:59,370 --> 00:39:57,099 in each state really it's on a per state 996 00:40:01,020 --> 00:39:59,380 basis about what you can do in the u.s. 997 00:40:03,810 --> 00:40:01,030 in terms of recording your conversation 998 00:40:05,190 --> 00:40:03,820 we do take photos you know we'll get 999 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:05,200 that kind of reference just to prove as 1000 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:06,490 you say you know that we were actually 1001 00:40:10,290 --> 00:40:08,770 there and doing what we say look when i 1002 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:10,300 went to have my colonic irrigation it 1003 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:12,490 was bibin folklore going around and even 1004 00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:13,930 the people didn't claim this themselves 1005 00:40:17,849 --> 00:40:15,730 that were doing it in that all the 1006 00:40:19,620 --> 00:40:17,859 recreational drugs you've had he is a 1007 00:40:21,540 --> 00:40:19,630 sort of in your colon there somewhere 1008 00:40:23,420 --> 00:40:21,550 and if you flush them all out you get 1009 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:23,430 this effect of it coming on again 1010 00:40:27,599 --> 00:40:26,410 interesting never happened okay never 1011 00:40:29,190 --> 00:40:27,609 happen and I can't imagine how would 1012 00:40:30,750 --> 00:40:29,200 because if you had all them in your 1013 00:40:32,609 --> 00:40:30,760 column that means all the medicine you 1014 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:32,619 taken all over these years would also be 1015 00:40:35,370 --> 00:40:34,090 there so you get another hit of 1016 00:40:37,650 --> 00:40:35,380 antibiotics or what I you know what you 1017 00:40:41,070 --> 00:40:37,660 know indeed right yeah that there would 1018 00:40:43,260 --> 00:40:41,080 be a lot of you know conclusions to draw 1019 00:40:45,270 --> 00:40:43,270 from that but yeah I don't see any of 1020 00:40:46,230 --> 00:40:45,280 them playing out if that that's 1021 00:40:47,700 --> 00:40:46,240 interesting she hadn't mentioned 1022 00:40:49,170 --> 00:40:47,710 anything like that I guess they couldn't 1023 00:40:50,460 --> 00:40:49,180 officially say hey you got a drug the 1024 00:40:52,410 --> 00:40:50,470 high from all the stuff you used to have 1025 00:40:54,390 --> 00:40:52,420 again even that would be bit much even 1026 00:40:55,980 --> 00:40:54,400 for people who make spurious claims no 1027 00:40:58,410 --> 00:40:55,990 instead they warned that i may have the 1028 00:41:00,960 --> 00:40:58,420 urge to vomit which I you know I did 1029 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:00,970 almost feel there Wow and in after a 1030 00:41:05,430 --> 00:41:03,490 while I did go up to the medium strength 1031 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:05,440 of the water but I think that was about 1032 00:41:10,079 --> 00:41:07,210 as much as I could handle and this came 1033 00:41:12,150 --> 00:41:10,089 with a massage as well so yes this young 1034 00:41:13,890 --> 00:41:12,160 lady offered to give me a massage and 1035 00:41:16,290 --> 00:41:13,900 I'm wearing only a towel on my lower 1036 00:41:17,940 --> 00:41:16,300 half and so she's massaging my belly and 1037 00:41:19,770 --> 00:41:17,950 she's going to lathered up her hands 1038 00:41:21,540 --> 00:41:19,780 with something and it was good you know 1039 00:41:22,710 --> 00:41:21,550 seven and to be right up there would one 1040 00:41:25,770 --> 00:41:22,720 of the strangest things you've ever done 1041 00:41:27,390 --> 00:41:25,780 Ross wouldn't it Hey yes and but you've 1042 00:41:29,220 --> 00:41:27,400 done it here so you know I know oh yeah 1043 00:41:32,339 --> 00:41:29,230 it is really odd it's not something i'd 1044 00:41:34,890 --> 00:41:32,349 recommend I mean no no well you know the 1045 00:41:37,020 --> 00:41:34,900 whole motto of our podcast is we show up 1046 00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:37,030 see you don't have to so where do you go 1047 00:41:40,710 --> 00:41:38,650 to from here but you like you've done 1048 00:41:43,020 --> 00:41:40,720 the Mormon thing you've done the colonic 1049 00:41:45,359 --> 00:41:43,030 irrigation the the weird diet stuff 1050 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:45,369 what's next oh well there's no shortage 1051 00:41:51,599 --> 00:41:48,130 certainly of religions that go door to 1052 00:41:54,810 --> 00:41:51,609 door or you know dangerous cold sore 1053 00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:54,820 secret societies alternative medicine 1054 00:41:58,230 --> 00:41:56,290 practices there's a lot of stuff out 1055 00:42:00,720 --> 00:41:58,240 there for us to do so we certainly have 1056 00:42:02,490 --> 00:42:00,730 no shortage we've actually plotted out a 1057 00:42:03,930 --> 00:42:02,500 list of things that we'd like to do and 1058 00:42:06,300 --> 00:42:03,940 that could carry us on for 1059 00:42:07,770 --> 00:42:06,310 six years plus what do you think is the 1060 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:07,780 biggest challenge to the skeptic 1061 00:42:11,790 --> 00:42:09,610 movement I always think part of the 1062 00:42:13,110 --> 00:42:11,800 challenge is explaining what it is to 1063 00:42:14,790 --> 00:42:13,120 people half the time because a lot of 1064 00:42:17,250 --> 00:42:14,800 people skeptic it doesn't really mean a 1065 00:42:19,050 --> 00:42:17,260 lot to most people well I mean I think 1066 00:42:20,730 --> 00:42:19,060 the biggest challenge is just to impart 1067 00:42:21,810 --> 00:42:20,740 these ways of thinking to everybody else 1068 00:42:23,700 --> 00:42:21,820 that's really what we're trying to do 1069 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:23,710 give them tools to critically evaluate 1070 00:42:29,370 --> 00:42:26,770 and just kind of save themselves from a 1071 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:29,380 lot of inconvenience and wasted money 1072 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:33,610 and imperiled health I mean skeptical 1073 00:42:38,220 --> 00:42:36,130 thinking is you know just takes away a 1074 00:42:40,710 --> 00:42:38,230 lot of bad and overly simplistic 1075 00:42:42,900 --> 00:42:40,720 solutions to life and leaves you with 1076 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:42,910 you know life which is difficult enough 1077 00:42:46,500 --> 00:42:45,370 on its own and so hopefully you know 1078 00:42:47,460 --> 00:42:46,510 that's just spreading the message I 1079 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:47,470 think that's the most difficult thing 1080 00:42:51,090 --> 00:42:49,330 and we've got to find ways to do it 1081 00:42:53,190 --> 00:42:51,100 however we can see you're challenging 1082 00:42:56,580 --> 00:42:53,200 people to think and that often isn't 1083 00:42:58,170 --> 00:42:56,590 much fun really I beg to differ i think 1084 00:43:00,240 --> 00:42:58,180 it's funny from the bank oh but it is 1085 00:43:01,530 --> 00:43:00,250 much easier if someone says he's the 1086 00:43:03,150 --> 00:43:01,540 thing that's going to do it all for you 1087 00:43:05,730 --> 00:43:03,160 like what you do is get the bowel 1088 00:43:07,530 --> 00:43:05,740 cleansing done no more dieting no more 1089 00:43:09,810 --> 00:43:07,540 exercise just go get your poo washed out 1090 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:09,820 yeah there's certainly an appeal to easy 1091 00:43:12,780 --> 00:43:11,410 answers and I think that's why a lot of 1092 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:12,790 people go for a lot of these things oh I 1093 00:43:15,720 --> 00:43:14,170 want to lose weight but I want to do it 1094 00:43:18,630 --> 00:43:15,730 quickly I don't want to have to you know 1095 00:43:21,390 --> 00:43:18,640 eat healthy and workout constantly and 1096 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:21,400 you know I want to feel loved and feel 1097 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:23,050 like I purpose in life but jeez I don't 1098 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:24,610 want to have to like find it on my own I 1099 00:43:27,660 --> 00:43:25,930 want someone to just kind of hand it to 1100 00:43:30,090 --> 00:43:27,670 me I'm actually wearing my Spanx today 1101 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:30,100 these eggs wonderful Spanx things that 1102 00:43:33,750 --> 00:43:31,810 give you the Shatner gap they pull you 1103 00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:33,760 in there and I think it's a nice bit of 1104 00:43:39,150 --> 00:43:36,850 whoo okay so you do the same kind of 1105 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:39,160 investigations we do clearly I'm wearing 1106 00:43:42,420 --> 00:43:40,690 it there for no apparent reason now 1107 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:42,430 where can we find your podcast and you 1108 00:43:46,470 --> 00:43:43,930 have a bit of a forum where you go back 1109 00:43:49,020 --> 00:43:46,480 and forth with people well the the 1110 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:49,030 website is oh no podcast com that's 1111 00:43:54,630 --> 00:43:52,330 ohnoo podcast calm and then we have a 1112 00:43:57,720 --> 00:43:54,640 facebook presence at facebook.com slash 1113 00:43:59,010 --> 00:43:57,730 on rack Oh in RAC and that is where 1114 00:44:00,750 --> 00:43:59,020 we're really involved we do a lot of 1115 00:44:02,910 --> 00:44:00,760 back and forth and so we encourage 1116 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:02,920 people to come there like us see extra 1117 00:44:06,780 --> 00:44:04,810 comments videos pictures and who are the 1118 00:44:08,190 --> 00:44:06,790 most feisty people you've taken on sofa 1119 00:44:09,720 --> 00:44:08,200 who are the people that came coming back 1120 00:44:12,090 --> 00:44:09,730 on facebook and going you guys 1121 00:44:13,380 --> 00:44:12,100 misrepresented us you ninny in you 1122 00:44:15,570 --> 00:44:13,390 that's the noise they make us at typing 1123 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:15,580 eenie meenie yeah I don't know if we've 1124 00:44:19,530 --> 00:44:17,530 so much had that as we've had 1125 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:19,540 well certainly i'd say the Raelians 1126 00:44:23,580 --> 00:44:21,850 would be the feistiest that was a UFO 1127 00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:23,590 cult that we joined look they have a 1128 00:44:27,270 --> 00:44:25,090 great float in the sydney gay and 1129 00:44:29,310 --> 00:44:27,280 lesbian mardi gras every year fantastic 1130 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:29,320 float great looking Bunch yeah and they 1131 00:44:33,390 --> 00:44:30,970 break great looking Bunch to take care 1132 00:44:35,940 --> 00:44:33,400 of themselves very friendly when you 1133 00:44:39,150 --> 00:44:35,950 meet them and they advance a lot of 1134 00:44:42,450 --> 00:44:39,160 great social issues and so we applaud a 1135 00:44:45,330 --> 00:44:42,460 lot of that but it's based on this you 1136 00:44:47,370 --> 00:44:45,340 know quite a fantastical explanation of 1137 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:47,380 how life was seated on the planet by 1138 00:44:52,590 --> 00:44:49,810 aliens from another planet and so after 1139 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:52,600 we recorded our podcasts two of them on 1140 00:44:56,730 --> 00:44:54,010 that subject they sent us a cease and 1141 00:44:58,500 --> 00:44:56,740 desist notice upset that we'd mentioned 1142 00:45:01,650 --> 00:44:58,510 a few things that they didn't want 1143 00:45:04,170 --> 00:45:01,660 talked about so so I would then classify 1144 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:04,180 them as the feistiest mmm okay well I'm 1145 00:45:08,490 --> 00:45:05,650 sure you got a few battles ahead of you 1146 00:45:10,890 --> 00:45:08,500 yet Oh indeed oh you know we'll take 1147 00:45:12,780 --> 00:45:10,900 them as they come but we're not worried 1148 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:12,790 we're having a good time now you're 1149 00:45:17,130 --> 00:45:13,930 gonna bring you a show down to Australia 1150 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:17,140 sometime Oh hold love to absolutely i'm 1151 00:45:35,300 --> 00:45:18,490 sure there's all kinds of were down 1152 00:45:41,190 --> 00:45:38,850 good eye I'm Steve you can call me Steve 1153 00:45:42,900 --> 00:45:41,200 I don't know how things are down under 1154 00:45:44,730 --> 00:45:42,910 but here in North America science is 1155 00:45:46,590 --> 00:45:44,740 falling off the radar if you're a 1156 00:45:48,150 --> 00:45:46,600 skeptic and I assume you are if you're 1157 00:45:50,370 --> 00:45:48,160 listening to this podcast you're 1158 00:45:52,020 --> 00:45:50,380 probably a saddened as I am to see logic 1159 00:45:54,150 --> 00:45:52,030 and reason swept aside by mindless 1160 00:45:56,130 --> 00:45:54,160 drivel I'm going to step up and try to 1161 00:45:58,200 --> 00:45:56,140 change that I've decided to become the 1162 00:46:00,060 --> 00:45:58,210 next bill nye or Carl Sagan and I've 1163 00:46:01,860 --> 00:46:00,070 started an IndieGoGo campaign to fund a 1164 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:01,870 series of youtube videos called science 1165 00:46:06,930 --> 00:46:04,210 isn't scary you can check out our site 1166 00:46:08,820 --> 00:46:06,940 at science isn't scary webs com you look 1167 00:46:11,160 --> 00:46:08,830 for us on facebook twitter and indiegogo 1168 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:11,170 com or you can contact us directly at 1169 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:14,130 science is not scary onward at gmail com 1170 00:46:33,579 --> 00:46:16,450 chip in or just spread the word and help 1171 00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:35,960 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1172 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:38,250 zone well that's it that's it let me see 1173 00:46:45,170 --> 00:46:42,210 ah trousers what papers are going to 1174 00:46:47,150 --> 00:46:45,180 need those what's this ipad case and 1175 00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:47,160 spare glasses it's all getting together 1176 00:46:52,849 --> 00:46:50,250 or tripod better better take that one 1177 00:46:54,380 --> 00:46:52,859 I'm all i'm getting ready I mean all my 1178 00:46:56,359 --> 00:46:54,390 little ducks in a line so to speak 1179 00:46:58,099 --> 00:46:56,369 packing my bags getting ready to fly 1180 00:47:02,990 --> 00:46:58,109 down to Melbourne for the Australian 1181 00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:03,000 skeptics National Convention now I'm not 1182 00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:04,650 sure what that means for the skeptic 1183 00:47:09,530 --> 00:47:06,690 zone i'm going to endeavor to have the 1184 00:47:11,450 --> 00:47:09,540 show out on time or at least within a 1185 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:11,460 window of time down there in melbourne 1186 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:13,530 during the convention always a bit of a 1187 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:16,050 challenge why not I line for that but if 1188 00:47:21,470 --> 00:47:18,690 the skeptic zone is a day late next week 1189 00:47:23,059 --> 00:47:21,480 you probably understand I'll be quite 1190 00:47:26,059 --> 00:47:23,069 busy at the convention which is a good 1191 00:47:27,559 --> 00:47:26,069 thing which is a very good thing if you 1192 00:47:30,559 --> 00:47:27,569 come to the convention please come up 1193 00:47:32,240 --> 00:47:30,569 and say hi to me hi to Maynard and other 1194 00:47:34,640 --> 00:47:32,250 members of the skeptic zone who will be 1195 00:47:36,950 --> 00:47:34,650 there r answer give dr. Rachel Joe Ben 1196 00:47:39,559 --> 00:47:36,960 amoud they'll all be there come up and 1197 00:47:41,839 --> 00:47:39,569 say hi that would be really great angle 1198 00:47:44,420 --> 00:47:41,849 then and my first report and maynards 1199 00:47:46,460 --> 00:47:44,430 report from the Australian skeptics 1200 00:47:48,380 --> 00:47:46,470 national convention with James Randi and 1201 00:47:50,270 --> 00:47:48,390 lots of other people this is Richard 1202 00:47:56,210 --> 00:47:50,280 Saunders signing off from Sydney 1203 00:47:57,970 --> 00:47:56,220 Australia you've been listening to the 1204 00:48:02,770 --> 00:47:57,980 skeptic zone 1205 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:02,780 visit our website at www skeptics on TV