1 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:09,080 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 2 00:00:28,950 --> 00:00:25,350 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 3 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:28,960 for the sixth of October happy birthday 4 00:00:36,090 --> 00:00:32,140 to my sister Elizabeth 2013 episode 5 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:36,100 number 259 today on the show going to 6 00:00:41,610 --> 00:00:38,530 kick off with other welcome return of 7 00:00:42,959 --> 00:00:41,620 dr. rachy reports dr. rachy is going to 8 00:00:45,630 --> 00:00:42,969 be telling us all about the very 9 00:00:49,619 --> 00:00:45,640 important paper she has co offered all 10 00:00:52,290 --> 00:00:49,629 about motor neuron disease it's 11 00:00:54,689 --> 00:00:52,300 fascinating it really brings home the 12 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:54,699 fact to me that dr. 'he is a world-class 13 00:00:59,160 --> 00:00:56,890 scientist and we've got the likes of the 14 00:01:02,790 --> 00:00:59,170 anti-vaccination crowd pouring scorn on 15 00:01:04,470 --> 00:01:02,800 dr. Richie well okay anti-vaxxers you 16 00:01:06,570 --> 00:01:04,480 come up with the scientific paper of 17 00:01:11,219 --> 00:01:06,580 this caliber and maybe people listen to 18 00:01:13,469 --> 00:01:11,229 you then again and after dr. Reggie 19 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:13,479 report dr. a cheese back straightaway 20 00:01:19,170 --> 00:01:16,330 are interviewing the Warren bonnet from 21 00:01:21,450 --> 00:01:19,180 in biggin books in Melbourne dr. 'he was 22 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:21,460 in melbourne recently to launch the 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:25,090 explainer from the conversation website 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:26,770 she's one of the authors of this new 25 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:29,650 book a link to the book in the show 26 00:01:34,770 --> 00:01:32,530 notes or if you just google the 27 00:01:36,780 --> 00:01:34,780 explainer the conversation you're sure 28 00:01:38,550 --> 00:01:36,790 to find it so we'll hear her interview 29 00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:38,560 of warren bonnet and then we'll hear a 30 00:01:44,610 --> 00:01:42,310 little bit from doctormick vague and dr. 31 00:01:47,130 --> 00:01:44,620 Richie as they helped launch the book 32 00:01:49,380 --> 00:01:47,140 there in Melbourne after that we have an 33 00:01:52,230 --> 00:01:49,390 important message from susan goreck from 34 00:01:53,910 --> 00:01:52,240 the guerrilla skepticism campaign thanks 35 00:01:57,210 --> 00:01:53,920 Susan for sending that along to me and 36 00:01:59,130 --> 00:01:57,220 then we have one from the archives one 37 00:02:02,070 --> 00:01:59,140 from the archives and I'll explain why 38 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:02,080 in a moment I was on radio to UE here in 39 00:02:07,230 --> 00:02:04,090 Sydney some time ago i'm not even sure 40 00:02:09,930 --> 00:02:07,240 when it was maybe maybe eight years ago 41 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:09,940 talking about the mind-body-spirit 42 00:02:16,410 --> 00:02:12,310 festival but you know when i listen to 43 00:02:18,509 --> 00:02:16,420 my own interview back still relevant 44 00:02:21,209 --> 00:02:18,519 today so one from the archives me on 45 00:02:23,069 --> 00:02:21,219 radio talking about the mind-body wallet 46 00:02:24,599 --> 00:02:23,079 festival and then to wrap up the show 47 00:02:26,980 --> 00:02:24,609 it's a week in science without good 48 00:02:32,890 --> 00:02:26,990 friends from the Royal Institution avast 49 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:32,900 earlier w WR I a uso GA you and you can 50 00:02:37,180 --> 00:02:34,730 meet dr. Paul Willis from the Royal 51 00:02:40,150 --> 00:02:37,190 Institution and a week in science at the 52 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:40,160 upcoming national Australian skeptics 53 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:42,650 convention in Canberra on the 54 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:44,770 twenty-second to 24th and November 55 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:48,490 latest news is i think there's about 56 00:02:54,460 --> 00:02:52,370 hopefully some tickets left there are 57 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:54,470 some tickets left but not many it's 58 00:02:59,020 --> 00:02:56,330 they've done a wonderful job there it's 59 00:03:01,900 --> 00:02:59,030 almost completely gone all the tickets 60 00:03:03,430 --> 00:03:01,910 are almost sold out if he's going to get 61 00:03:07,620 --> 00:03:03,440 the ticket now it's the time to get it 62 00:03:09,990 --> 00:03:07,630 and just a couple of announcements 63 00:03:12,490 --> 00:03:10,000 wollongong skeptics in the pub 64 00:03:14,110 --> 00:03:12,500 Wollongong skeptics in the pub they've 65 00:03:16,780 --> 00:03:14,120 been around for about 14 months now and 66 00:03:19,450 --> 00:03:16,790 they meet on the last thursday of each 67 00:03:22,270 --> 00:03:19,460 month if you're in the wollongong area 68 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:22,280 hey why not go along find out more by 69 00:03:28,210 --> 00:03:24,050 visiting their meetup site which is 70 00:03:31,450 --> 00:03:28,220 meetup com wollongong hyphen skeptics 71 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:31,460 hyphen in hyphen the hyphen pub or I 72 00:03:35,350 --> 00:03:33,170 guess if you just Google Wollongong 73 00:03:37,150 --> 00:03:35,360 skeptics in the pub you should be able 74 00:03:38,980 --> 00:03:37,160 to find out more I might try and make 75 00:03:41,340 --> 00:03:38,990 that myself that sounds like great fun 76 00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:41,350 my mum lives down in an area so why not 77 00:03:47,620 --> 00:03:44,510 wollongong skeptics in the pub last 78 00:03:49,290 --> 00:03:47,630 thursday of each month most of people 79 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:49,300 who are listening around the world 80 00:03:54,910 --> 00:03:51,650 wollongong is just south of sydney run 81 00:03:57,420 --> 00:03:54,920 to Google Maps or Apple maps and have a 82 00:04:02,080 --> 00:03:57,430 look and also if you want to help 83 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:02,090 Maynard from may not spooky action you 84 00:04:06,100 --> 00:04:04,130 can contribute to Maynard's hotel room 85 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:06,110 it sounds a bit suspicious but there you 86 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:08,690 go we're hoping to raise three hundred 87 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:10,130 and eighty dollars not much we've 88 00:04:13,330 --> 00:04:11,510 already kicked it off we've already got 89 00:04:16,750 --> 00:04:13,340 some money in there if you go to ww 90 00:04:19,180 --> 00:04:16,760 skeptic zone TV you can see main answer 91 00:04:22,630 --> 00:04:19,190 thermometer mmm this is getting worse 92 00:04:24,370 --> 00:04:22,640 and how that's progressing and you can 93 00:04:26,530 --> 00:04:24,380 chip in you can buy us a round of drinks 94 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:26,540 you'll see the link there it would 95 00:04:31,030 --> 00:04:28,910 really help and and if may not can get 96 00:04:33,550 --> 00:04:31,040 down there to stay in Canberra for the 97 00:04:36,909 --> 00:04:33,560 National Convention he'll be bringing 98 00:04:39,460 --> 00:04:36,919 you many interesting hours of reports 99 00:04:41,140 --> 00:04:39,470 and insights so if you can help 100 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:41,150 contribute to main 101 00:04:47,260 --> 00:04:44,450 ads hotel room we all really appreciate 102 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:47,270 that now I had hope to bring you more 103 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:48,890 information about the chiropractor's 104 00:04:57,130 --> 00:04:53,290 this week chiropractors in the news 105 00:04:59,320 --> 00:04:57,140 links to reports of chiropractor 106 00:05:01,410 --> 00:04:59,330 breaking a baby's neck and stinking in 107 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:01,420 the hospitals and all that sort of stuff 108 00:05:05,590 --> 00:05:03,890 but keep listening right to the end of 109 00:05:07,650 --> 00:05:05,600 the show and you'll understand why this 110 00:05:11,590 --> 00:05:07,660 week has been a little bit unusual and 111 00:05:13,830 --> 00:05:11,600 maybe not the happiest of weeks but 112 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:13,840 never mind for now I'm going to wear 113 00:05:19,150 --> 00:05:16,370 have a nice glass of lemon lime and 114 00:05:33,059 --> 00:05:19,160 bitters while do you enjoy the skeptics 115 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:36,430 now it's time for dr. Rachel reports 116 00:05:45,249 --> 00:05:41,810 with dr. Rachel Dunlop hello listeners 117 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:45,259 and welcome to dr. Richie reports well I 118 00:05:48,550 --> 00:05:46,849 haven't done a report for a while on the 119 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:48,560 zone and there's a reason for that and 120 00:05:51,969 --> 00:05:49,970 I'm going to explain that to you in a 121 00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:51,979 moment I've actually been a little bit 122 00:05:57,850 --> 00:05:55,520 busy doing science we've recently had a 123 00:06:00,760 --> 00:05:57,860 paper published in my group my area of 124 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:00,770 research is murder neuron disease which 125 00:06:06,430 --> 00:06:03,530 is also known as amyotrophic lateral 126 00:06:08,140 --> 00:06:06,440 sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease I'm 127 00:06:10,990 --> 00:06:08,150 going to refer to it throughout this 128 00:06:13,149 --> 00:06:11,000 report as ALS for the sake of not 129 00:06:15,490 --> 00:06:13,159 getting confused or mixing up my words 130 00:06:17,710 --> 00:06:15,500 but this week we had a very big 131 00:06:20,140 --> 00:06:17,720 publication accepted and published in 132 00:06:21,790 --> 00:06:20,150 the online journal PLoS ONE and i'm 133 00:06:24,219 --> 00:06:21,800 going to give you today a short summary 134 00:06:26,589 --> 00:06:24,229 about the background to that research 135 00:06:29,559 --> 00:06:26,599 and also describe the significance of 136 00:06:31,510 --> 00:06:29,569 this finding for people with ALS so 137 00:06:33,730 --> 00:06:31,520 scientists have known for some time now 138 00:06:35,529 --> 00:06:33,740 that exposure to blue-green algae is 139 00:06:38,649 --> 00:06:35,539 linked to an increased incidence of 140 00:06:39,999 --> 00:06:38,659 several neurodegenerative diseases but 141 00:06:43,089 --> 00:06:40,009 the reason for the link has been a 142 00:06:45,550 --> 00:06:43,099 mystery until now research published in 143 00:06:49,270 --> 00:06:45,560 the journal PLoS ONE on September the 144 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:49,280 25th may have the answer an alkyl toxin 145 00:06:54,159 --> 00:06:52,130 called BMAA has been long associated 146 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:54,169 with the increased incidence of a motor 147 00:06:59,320 --> 00:06:57,530 neuron disease called ALS but for many 148 00:07:02,170 --> 00:06:59,330 years the hypothesis suffered repeated 149 00:07:04,659 --> 00:07:02,180 blows as skeptics poked at the gaping 150 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:04,669 hole in the theory and that was a lack 151 00:07:10,059 --> 00:07:07,849 of a plausible mechanism but now a team 152 00:07:12,370 --> 00:07:10,069 of cell biologists and ethno botanist 153 00:07:14,550 --> 00:07:12,380 it's based in both Australia and Wyoming 154 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:14,560 in the United States including myself 155 00:07:19,659 --> 00:07:17,810 have revealed that BMAA mimics and a 156 00:07:23,279 --> 00:07:19,669 minor acid that our body is naturally 157 00:07:25,930 --> 00:07:23,289 used to make proteins called l-serine 158 00:07:28,540 --> 00:07:25,940 mistaking the toxin for this amino acid 159 00:07:30,909 --> 00:07:28,550 l-serine means the body incorporates the 160 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:30,919 toxin into human proteins rendering them 161 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:34,250 harmful now because people can have low 162 00:07:39,519 --> 00:07:36,650 levels of exposure to be MAA over long 163 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:39,529 periods it can take between 10 to 15 164 00:07:44,950 --> 00:07:42,770 years before symptoms of ALS appear 165 00:07:48,430 --> 00:07:44,960 but the time from diagnosis to death can 166 00:07:50,170 --> 00:07:48,440 be as short as three years so this 167 00:07:52,990 --> 00:07:50,180 interestingly has something to do with 168 00:07:56,740 --> 00:07:53,000 Guam in the Pacific Ocean and fruit bats 169 00:07:58,689 --> 00:07:56,750 and I'm going to explain why so BMAA the 170 00:08:01,210 --> 00:07:58,699 alcohol toxin was first identified over 171 00:08:03,369 --> 00:08:01,220 40 years ago but was not linked to 172 00:08:05,860 --> 00:08:03,379 disease until ethno botanist and my 173 00:08:07,719 --> 00:08:05,870 collaborator dr. Paul Cox descended into 174 00:08:10,990 --> 00:08:07,729 the jungles of the Pacific island of 175 00:08:12,430 --> 00:08:11,000 Guam what he was searching for was the 176 00:08:15,490 --> 00:08:12,440 causes of a devastating neurological 177 00:08:17,950 --> 00:08:15,500 disease which was known as amyotrophic 178 00:08:23,439 --> 00:08:17,960 lateral sclerosis Parkinson's dementia 179 00:08:25,059 --> 00:08:23,449 like complex or ALS PDC which had killed 180 00:08:28,420 --> 00:08:25,069 nearly half of the adult indigenous 181 00:08:30,490 --> 00:08:28,430 population known as the Chamorros now 182 00:08:33,130 --> 00:08:30,500 although about 20 genes have now been 183 00:08:35,170 --> 00:08:33,140 linked to ALS around ninety percent of 184 00:08:38,290 --> 00:08:35,180 cases are of unknown cause and there's 185 00:08:40,540 --> 00:08:38,300 no cure so predictably a search for a 186 00:08:44,620 --> 00:08:40,550 genetic cause on Guam quickly reached a 187 00:08:47,110 --> 00:08:44,630 dead end but the trip was not wasted dr. 188 00:08:49,060 --> 00:08:47,120 Paul Cox noted that like Australian 189 00:08:52,150 --> 00:08:49,070 Aboriginals the Chamorros relied heavily 190 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:52,160 on the seeds of the cycad palm to make 191 00:08:56,889 --> 00:08:54,670 flour for tortillas and dumplings and 192 00:08:59,440 --> 00:08:56,899 also like their Australian counterparts 193 00:09:01,690 --> 00:08:59,450 they knew the unwashed flour contained a 194 00:09:05,460 --> 00:09:01,700 poison of some description so they 195 00:09:08,410 --> 00:09:05,470 washed the flour thoroughly before use 196 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:08,420 cox and his colleague dr. sandrov banaag 197 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:10,970 who was also on this paper found a 198 00:09:15,579 --> 00:09:13,730 neurotoxin in the flour but it was in 199 00:09:17,530 --> 00:09:15,589 such low quantities that locals would 200 00:09:19,210 --> 00:09:17,540 need to consume over one ton of the 201 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:19,220 flour before they could possibly get 202 00:09:26,260 --> 00:09:22,610 sick so this left the hypothesis up in 203 00:09:28,060 --> 00:09:26,270 the air but also of interest to Cox and 204 00:09:30,460 --> 00:09:28,070 Bannock was that the Chamorros had a 205 00:09:33,519 --> 00:09:30,470 voracious appetite for fruit bat coconut 206 00:09:36,190 --> 00:09:33,529 soup a delicacy described by the locals 207 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:36,200 as like nothing you've ever tasted the 208 00:09:40,329 --> 00:09:38,450 bats also ate the cycad seeds but 209 00:09:43,150 --> 00:09:40,339 curiously they had what appeared to be 210 00:09:46,150 --> 00:09:43,160 exorbitantly high levels of BMA for what 211 00:09:48,730 --> 00:09:46,160 they had consumed and an analysis of 212 00:09:50,710 --> 00:09:48,740 their tissue found that BMAA stuck to 213 00:09:53,319 --> 00:09:50,720 their proteins enabling it to 214 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:53,329 concentrate in their flesh so when the 215 00:09:56,260 --> 00:09:55,370 Chamorros ate the bats they got a huge 216 00:10:00,010 --> 00:09:56,270 dose of B 217 00:10:02,530 --> 00:10:00,020 ma now this process is now termed 218 00:10:06,220 --> 00:10:02,540 bioconcentration and has been observed 219 00:10:07,450 --> 00:10:06,230 in shellfish crustaceans and sharks but 220 00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:07,460 then how is this linked to 221 00:10:13,750 --> 00:10:11,120 neurodegeneration well BMAA has been 222 00:10:15,790 --> 00:10:13,760 found in the brain tissue of ALS PDC 223 00:10:17,380 --> 00:10:15,800 patients from Guam as well as 224 00:10:20,650 --> 00:10:17,390 Alzheimer's patients from north america 225 00:10:23,230 --> 00:10:20,660 and other populations are also consumed 226 00:10:25,990 --> 00:10:23,240 cycad flour including people who live on 227 00:10:28,510 --> 00:10:26,000 the key peninsula of Japan and Western 228 00:10:32,860 --> 00:10:28,520 Papua New Guinea have also experienced 229 00:10:35,140 --> 00:10:32,870 clusters of ALS an elegant google maps 230 00:10:37,930 --> 00:10:35,150 analysis of New Hampshire in the United 231 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:37,940 States also tracked ALS patients to 232 00:10:42,820 --> 00:10:40,010 having lived by lakes or other bodies of 233 00:10:45,190 --> 00:10:42,830 water that was subject to frequent algal 234 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:45,200 blooms and the hypothesis behind this 235 00:10:49,210 --> 00:10:46,850 was they were actually inhaling the 236 00:10:51,730 --> 00:10:49,220 toxin because people who lives downwind 237 00:10:54,820 --> 00:10:51,740 of the lakes had even higher levels of 238 00:10:56,770 --> 00:10:54,830 ALS so just because it's natural doesn't 239 00:10:59,590 --> 00:10:56,780 mean it's safe and the idea that 240 00:11:02,500 --> 00:10:59,600 non-human armaano acids in other words 241 00:11:05,500 --> 00:11:02,510 amino acids that come from plants can 242 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:05,510 cause disease is not a new one indeed 243 00:11:08,890 --> 00:11:07,490 plants make thousands of a minor acid 244 00:11:12,430 --> 00:11:08,900 mimics that have been linked to human 245 00:11:14,410 --> 00:11:12,440 and animal diseases for decades nurul a 246 00:11:16,270 --> 00:11:14,420 tourism for example is a permanent 247 00:11:19,210 --> 00:11:16,280 paralytic condition that predominantly 248 00:11:22,210 --> 00:11:19,220 occurs in famine affected areas and is 249 00:11:26,410 --> 00:11:22,220 caused by an unusual amano acid known as 250 00:11:28,330 --> 00:11:26,420 Oh DAP further in our lab we've spent 251 00:11:30,250 --> 00:11:28,340 more than 10 years looking at the drug 252 00:11:33,550 --> 00:11:30,260 used in Parkinson's disease called labor 253 00:11:35,410 --> 00:11:33,560 dopa or l-dopa it's very similar to the 254 00:11:37,180 --> 00:11:35,420 human and my know I said that we use in 255 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:37,190 our own proteins are called a tyrosine 256 00:11:44,350 --> 00:11:41,930 and like BMAA l-dopa can also be miss 257 00:11:48,070 --> 00:11:44,360 incorporated or accidentally inserted 258 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:48,080 into our proteins and also like BMAA the 259 00:11:52,540 --> 00:11:49,970 resulting proteins do not fold correctly 260 00:11:54,970 --> 00:11:52,550 they build up his junk inside the cell 261 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:54,980 over time eventually choking the cell 262 00:11:58,930 --> 00:11:56,930 and sending it into programmed cell 263 00:12:02,200 --> 00:11:58,940 death or suicide which is known as 264 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:02,210 apoptosis importantly cell suicide 265 00:12:06,490 --> 00:12:04,730 induced by misfolded proteins is now 266 00:12:08,650 --> 00:12:06,500 known to occur in a variety of 267 00:12:09,990 --> 00:12:08,660 neurodegenerative diseases such as 268 00:12:14,130 --> 00:12:10,000 Alzheimer's 269 00:12:16,170 --> 00:12:14,140 essence and importantly in ALS so what's 270 00:12:18,510 --> 00:12:16,180 this got to do with blue-green algae and 271 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:18,520 bats after all who in Australia or in 272 00:12:23,100 --> 00:12:20,410 most of the Western world eats fruit 273 00:12:25,380 --> 00:12:23,110 bats well let's go back to blue-green 274 00:12:27,090 --> 00:12:25,390 algae for a moment the size and 275 00:12:29,130 --> 00:12:27,100 frequency of algal blooms which 276 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:29,140 typically appear as a green carpet on 277 00:12:32,820 --> 00:12:30,910 the surface of lakes and rivers is 278 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:32,830 increasing with rising water 279 00:12:36,990 --> 00:12:34,930 temperatures and with an excessive 280 00:12:39,180 --> 00:12:37,000 richness in nutrients in bodies of water 281 00:12:42,030 --> 00:12:39,190 such as lakes and this is caused by 282 00:12:44,250 --> 00:12:42,040 overflow or runoff from agriculture and 283 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:44,260 farming or if you want to get technical 284 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:47,770 ultra fication indeed Australia is the 285 00:12:52,140 --> 00:12:49,510 proud owner of the largest freshwater 286 00:12:56,190 --> 00:12:52,150 algal bloom in the world which occurred 287 00:12:58,430 --> 00:12:56,200 in the summer of 1991-92 covering 1,200 288 00:13:01,560 --> 00:12:58,440 kilometres of the barwon murray basin 289 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:01,570 but you may ask if it's true that we're 290 00:13:06,630 --> 00:13:03,970 all being exposed to BMI ages to some 291 00:13:09,570 --> 00:13:06,640 degree then why do we not all have ALS 292 00:13:12,690 --> 00:13:09,580 well this is a very good question and a 293 00:13:15,150 --> 00:13:12,700 very important one with an instance rate 294 00:13:18,180 --> 00:13:15,160 of about one in a hundred thousand ALS 295 00:13:20,790 --> 00:13:18,190 is relatively rare and exposure to be ma 296 00:13:23,820 --> 00:13:20,800 obviously alone does not appear to be 297 00:13:26,190 --> 00:13:23,830 sufficient to cause disease like many 298 00:13:28,710 --> 00:13:26,200 illnesses it's likely that als is a 299 00:13:30,750 --> 00:13:28,720 multifactorial condition requiring 300 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:30,760 several factors to come together to 301 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:33,370 trigger the disease research now is 302 00:13:36,990 --> 00:13:34,810 beginning to point the finger at the 303 00:13:39,450 --> 00:13:37,000 role of poorly functioning recycling and 304 00:13:41,190 --> 00:13:39,460 refolding machinery in ourselves but 305 00:13:43,770 --> 00:13:41,200 obviously also there's likely a role for 306 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:43,780 genes and other forms of susceptibility 307 00:13:49,350 --> 00:13:47,710 as yet unidentified so in summary BMAA 308 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:49,360 might be just one factor in this 309 00:13:54,900 --> 00:13:51,730 devastating disease but at least we now 310 00:13:57,210 --> 00:13:54,910 know how it might be causing toxicity we 311 00:14:00,210 --> 00:13:57,220 know it's swapping out a human amino 312 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:00,220 acid for a plant and 10 acid and because 313 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:02,170 we have evidence for a role for BMA 314 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:04,930 replacing l-serine these findings might 315 00:14:09,420 --> 00:14:07,210 go some way to developing a therapy and 316 00:14:12,150 --> 00:14:09,430 that is something for patients many of 317 00:14:14,010 --> 00:14:12,160 whom have nothing if you'd like to read 318 00:14:15,329 --> 00:14:14,020 the full paper thats related to this 319 00:14:17,579 --> 00:14:15,339 study that was published on the 320 00:14:21,150 --> 00:14:17,589 twenty-fifth of September you can google 321 00:14:23,250 --> 00:14:21,160 plus 1 and Dunlop RA for Rachel Ann and 322 00:14:23,850 --> 00:14:23,260 you'll find it I'd also just like to 323 00:14:25,139 --> 00:14:23,860 mention that 324 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:25,149 this research received massive 325 00:14:30,210 --> 00:14:27,370 mainstream media coverage in Australia 326 00:14:32,579 --> 00:14:30,220 and internationally indeed it actually 327 00:14:35,579 --> 00:14:32,589 went viral eventually being posted on 328 00:14:38,730 --> 00:14:35,589 the ifl s facebook page which has over 329 00:14:40,139 --> 00:14:38,740 7.1 million likes I'd like to send a 330 00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:40,149 special thanks to everyone who took 331 00:14:44,490 --> 00:14:42,190 interest in this research and coveted on 332 00:14:47,460 --> 00:14:44,500 their radio stations TV blogs or 333 00:14:49,110 --> 00:14:47,470 wherever else as a result of that it 334 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:49,120 looks like we may be able to get some 335 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:51,490 funding to continue it next year two 336 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:53,410 weeks ago it seemed very unlikely that 337 00:14:58,740 --> 00:14:55,930 that would happen science for the win 338 00:15:04,629 --> 00:14:58,750 and until next time this has been dr. 339 00:15:09,829 --> 00:15:07,369 okay so i'm here in melbourne today at 340 00:15:11,210 --> 00:15:09,839 the launch of the explainer which is a 341 00:15:14,689 --> 00:15:11,220 book put together by the conversation 342 00:15:16,460 --> 00:15:14,699 and CSIRO publishing and I'm in the back 343 00:15:18,889 --> 00:15:16,470 corner of in biggin books here in 344 00:15:21,499 --> 00:15:18,899 Melbourne with the owner Warren bonnet 345 00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:21,509 hi Warren hello hello and thanks for 346 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:24,480 putting on this launch today tell us a 347 00:15:30,379 --> 00:15:26,970 little bit about what you focus on in 348 00:15:32,780 --> 00:15:30,389 the bookstore in biggin books well we've 349 00:15:36,710 --> 00:15:32,790 got a very big focus on science and 350 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:36,720 philosophy with the overall intention to 351 00:15:42,350 --> 00:15:38,910 get more science information out there 352 00:15:45,049 --> 00:15:42,360 and critical thinking and this book the 353 00:15:47,829 --> 00:15:45,059 explainer that has been put out by CSIRO 354 00:15:50,449 --> 00:15:47,839 publishing in the conversation is 355 00:15:52,790 --> 00:15:50,459 perfect for us it really fills the gap 356 00:15:55,129 --> 00:15:52,800 that we haven't been able to fill before 357 00:15:58,369 --> 00:15:55,139 so it's it's just perfect for us and I 358 00:16:00,920 --> 00:15:58,379 desperately wanted to do it so there's 359 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:00,930 probably others tons of authors in there 360 00:16:05,449 --> 00:16:02,910 I'm one of them Mick vac dr. macfag 361 00:16:08,509 --> 00:16:05,459 who's also here today is another one it 362 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:08,519 looks at things that explains simple 363 00:16:11,989 --> 00:16:10,170 things that people might not know like 364 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:11,999 why is the sky blue or how do vaccines 365 00:16:16,369 --> 00:16:14,370 work but it's all written in short 366 00:16:18,549 --> 00:16:16,379 chapters so people could even read it in 367 00:16:22,129 --> 00:16:18,559 the bathroom if they want couldn't they 368 00:16:24,889 --> 00:16:22,139 look for in short public transport trips 369 00:16:29,329 --> 00:16:24,899 and all it's just it's great and there's 370 00:16:30,889 --> 00:16:29,339 the short chapters enable people to not 371 00:16:33,110 --> 00:16:30,899 get bogged down and stuff and not the 372 00:16:35,269 --> 00:16:33,120 over faced by things and they can take 373 00:16:36,799 --> 00:16:35,279 it further from there with particular 374 00:16:40,489 --> 00:16:36,809 things that they get interested in and 375 00:16:42,559 --> 00:16:40,499 we do get asked for books specifically 376 00:16:45,110 --> 00:16:42,569 saying I want books it sort of you know 377 00:16:46,369 --> 00:16:45,120 how it explains stuff you know general 378 00:16:48,139 --> 00:16:46,379 you know general sort of science book 379 00:16:50,059 --> 00:16:48,149 old-fashioned sort of thing you know and 380 00:16:53,119 --> 00:16:50,069 so we get asked that if they're bitten 381 00:16:57,410 --> 00:16:53,129 and mostly the books that fill that are 382 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:57,420 either aimed at kids or very quirky you 383 00:17:00,260 --> 00:16:57,690 know 384 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:00,270 and that have that humorous kind of 385 00:17:05,179 --> 00:17:03,330 style to which is fine but it doesn't 386 00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:05,189 appeal to a lot of people out there so 387 00:17:10,309 --> 00:17:07,079 they it's it's good to have something 388 00:17:13,579 --> 00:17:10,319 that it just seems it does take itself a 389 00:17:15,380 --> 00:17:13,589 little bit more seriously yeah and the 390 00:17:16,610 --> 00:17:15,390 wealth of talent in there is some sort 391 00:17:19,340 --> 00:17:16,620 of something you wouldn't normally find 392 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:19,350 in one book because these people are all 393 00:17:23,270 --> 00:17:21,150 academics some with very high 394 00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:23,280 specialties writing for a lay audience 395 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:25,140 so it's quite unique in that sense too 396 00:17:31,190 --> 00:17:28,050 isn't it it is over 70 contributors i 397 00:17:34,310 --> 00:17:31,200 think it is amazing really at getting 398 00:17:37,580 --> 00:17:34,320 that into a coherent format is his hard 399 00:17:40,490 --> 00:17:37,590 work so they've done it they've done a 400 00:17:42,860 --> 00:17:40,500 great job with it and I hope it goes on 401 00:17:45,890 --> 00:17:42,870 I hope that that it's successful enough 402 00:17:47,420 --> 00:17:45,900 that there's another and another yeah 403 00:17:49,190 --> 00:17:47,430 well the format is such that you can 404 00:17:51,350 --> 00:17:49,200 easily continue doing this couldn't you 405 00:17:53,500 --> 00:17:51,360 and it's also convenient because it's a 406 00:17:57,380 --> 00:17:53,510 nice stocking stuffer for Christmas 407 00:18:00,530 --> 00:17:57,390 indeed it is hint hint and it's only 408 00:18:03,140 --> 00:18:00,540 twenty dollars that's right i mean it's 409 00:18:05,420 --> 00:18:03,150 just fabulous and CSIRO publishing who 410 00:18:07,310 --> 00:18:05,430 have who have published it have done a 411 00:18:09,410 --> 00:18:07,320 great job with it and it's a nice 412 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:09,420 production as well which is good it 413 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:11,850 shows respect for the subject yeah well 414 00:18:15,170 --> 00:18:13,530 thanks for organizing the launch today 415 00:18:17,180 --> 00:18:15,180 Warren and I hope that you sell out and 416 00:18:18,710 --> 00:18:17,190 that you have to get in more stock and I 417 00:18:21,770 --> 00:18:18,720 certainly plan to buy some copies even 418 00:18:26,810 --> 00:18:21,780 though I mean it very good I and me too 419 00:18:28,220 --> 00:18:26,820 in fact thanks Warren thank you a lot of 420 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:28,230 opportunities have come my way as a 421 00:18:34,310 --> 00:18:31,010 result of this i've i've been on abc-tv 422 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:34,320 i've been on lots of radio interviews 423 00:18:39,230 --> 00:18:37,410 even men is to get commissioned by the 424 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:39,240 Guardian to write a piece about fluoride 425 00:18:49,730 --> 00:18:47,130 conspiracy notice comments are 500 the I 426 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:49,740 haven't read many of them it's truly but 427 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:52,770 but i think you know in order to be able 428 00:18:57,710 --> 00:18:54,450 to give people like me a voice which is 429 00:18:58,760 --> 00:18:57,720 a nice voice but it's an incredible 430 00:19:00,500 --> 00:18:58,770 opportunity and 431 00:19:03,590 --> 00:19:00,510 no you know I'm just incredibly happy to 432 00:19:05,540 --> 00:19:03,600 need to be part of it part of being on 433 00:19:08,150 --> 00:19:05,550 the conversation nose is just the last 434 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:08,160 week I did have a bit of a look through 435 00:19:15,980 --> 00:19:10,410 at some of the best comments that people 436 00:19:18,140 --> 00:19:15,990 have posted and I think the the one 437 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:18,150 which I'm fairly happy with is to say 438 00:19:24,910 --> 00:19:20,370 the only worse thing that an evangelical 439 00:19:30,710 --> 00:19:28,160 somebody said nice to see a bit of 440 00:19:33,140 --> 00:19:30,720 passion presented on the other hand vags 441 00:19:35,510 --> 00:19:33,150 Western centric superior attitude is 442 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:35,520 distastefully marrow integrative 443 00:19:38,570 --> 00:19:37,050 medicine has its place because 444 00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:38,580 conventional medicine has its 445 00:19:43,220 --> 00:19:41,520 limitations indeed Chinese and Indian 446 00:19:46,130 --> 00:19:43,230 energy medicine has been practiced for 447 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:46,140 thousands of years to denigrated maybe 448 00:19:53,390 --> 00:19:51,510 both mistaken and racist oh and and of 449 00:19:57,110 --> 00:19:53,400 course the best ones are on the on the 450 00:20:00,110 --> 00:19:57,120 topic of fluoride always gets the 451 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:00,120 matters like nothing else one of the 452 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:02,850 posts that I did reference the website 453 00:20:06,290 --> 00:20:04,890 called conspiracy planet and if you 454 00:20:09,230 --> 00:20:06,300 haven't seen like I thoroughly recommend 455 00:20:11,270 --> 00:20:09,240 you check it out but one of the climates 456 00:20:13,250 --> 00:20:11,280 there was some dr. vaghn a sneer at 457 00:20:16,490 --> 00:20:13,260 conspiracy planet but he's unable to 458 00:20:18,260 --> 00:20:16,500 refute their basic point obedience to 459 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:18,270 authority has increased dramatically 460 00:20:24,140 --> 00:20:21,270 since world war two whole body scans and 461 00:20:26,180 --> 00:20:24,150 airports anyone and this seems to have 462 00:20:29,690 --> 00:20:26,190 mysteriously paralleled the growing 463 00:20:32,510 --> 00:20:29,700 practice of fluoridation no incidence 464 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:32,520 you may say well the link is every bit 465 00:20:39,590 --> 00:20:35,010 as solid as the link between co2 levels 466 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:39,600 and global warming and but my favorite 467 00:20:45,670 --> 00:20:42,090 one though is my favorite one was when 468 00:20:49,790 --> 00:20:45,680 one of the commenters was trying to 469 00:20:51,770 --> 00:20:49,800 point out that Townsville had recently 470 00:20:53,540 --> 00:20:51,780 become fluoridated whereas most of the 471 00:20:57,530 --> 00:20:53,550 area around in Queensland hadn't been 472 00:21:00,230 --> 00:20:57,540 and they were quoting from the local 473 00:21:01,940 --> 00:21:00,240 area health service reports up so fair 474 00:21:03,890 --> 00:21:01,950 play to them they would try to find 475 00:21:05,270 --> 00:21:03,900 sources to back up their argument which 476 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:05,280 is what we encourage in the comment 477 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:06,610 section 478 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:09,730 but I did point out that the further 479 00:21:14,100 --> 00:21:11,470 down the same document that they were 480 00:21:16,410 --> 00:21:14,110 trying to quote the Local Area Health 481 00:21:18,419 --> 00:21:16,420 Service had in fact given its opinions 482 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:18,429 as to why those people in in their 483 00:21:22,530 --> 00:21:20,530 catchment had terrible bad health and it 484 00:21:24,330 --> 00:21:22,540 was probably due to the higher than 485 00:21:26,490 --> 00:21:24,340 average rates of obesity higher than 486 00:21:29,010 --> 00:21:26,500 average rates and older people retiring 487 00:21:30,930 --> 00:21:29,020 in here and so forth and so forth so so 488 00:21:33,150 --> 00:21:30,940 the response to me pointing that out was 489 00:21:36,870 --> 00:21:33,160 this which is my all-time favorite 490 00:21:38,940 --> 00:21:36,880 coming oh I get it now the whole town of 491 00:21:42,180 --> 00:21:38,950 Townsville is a statistical error a 492 00:21:44,700 --> 00:21:42,190 placebo effect sorry guys Townsville is 493 00:21:48,539 --> 00:21:44,710 part of a statistical deviation not the 494 00:21:50,430 --> 00:21:48,549 publishable results dr. Varughese saying 495 00:21:57,380 --> 00:21:50,440 that people in Townsville are dying 496 00:22:03,150 --> 00:21:57,390 because they are bogans not because so 497 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:03,160 so is that only know I be our races I'm 498 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:06,370 not even sure what anything it's so 499 00:22:11,070 --> 00:22:09,730 wrong but but I don't pay Queensland so 500 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:11,080 I don't hate people who drink Florida 501 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:13,210 and I don't even hate the crazy comment 502 00:22:16,740 --> 00:22:15,130 is because in fact the the level of 503 00:22:18,950 --> 00:22:16,750 comment that we get on the conversation 504 00:22:21,930 --> 00:22:18,960 website is actually a lot above 505 00:22:23,700 --> 00:22:21,940 comparable websites that have sort of 506 00:22:26,330 --> 00:22:23,710 pinched some of the articles we've done 507 00:22:30,090 --> 00:22:26,340 particularly on thinking of Mamma Mia 508 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:30,100 but anyway 22 and I suppose that's the 509 00:22:32,940 --> 00:22:31,570 that's the most surreal thing when I 510 00:22:35,970 --> 00:22:32,950 started out this thing just to close 511 00:22:39,150 --> 00:22:35,980 that i really never did think when i 512 00:22:42,090 --> 00:22:39,160 began writing for the conversation and 513 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:42,100 begin working on those pieces that any 514 00:22:47,220 --> 00:22:45,250 of them would end up on mama mia and i 515 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:47,230 really didn't think that I'd actually be 516 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:49,090 happy to see them in a pond member me 517 00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:51,010 and that i would actually be commenting 518 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:53,710 to the commenters in one of them I never 519 00:22:57,830 --> 00:22:55,650 saw that in my life plan and 520 00:23:00,440 --> 00:22:57,840 it's come about as a result of of this 521 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:00,450 website and so I hope everyone enjoys 522 00:23:04,670 --> 00:23:02,730 the book and bias lots of them and puts 523 00:23:12,220 --> 00:23:04,680 them in all the libraries and Christmas 524 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:15,080 don't think I can really fly much on 525 00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:16,770 that week I think mixed covered most 526 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:17,910 things but i wanted to especially 527 00:23:22,430 --> 00:23:19,770 acknowledge that fraud is here today 528 00:23:24,590 --> 00:23:22,440 she's our editor and she has been very 529 00:23:27,410 --> 00:23:24,600 patient with the both of us I haven't 530 00:23:29,390 --> 00:23:27,420 written nearly as much as Nick but I was 531 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:29,400 fine you're very helpful and very open 532 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:32,010 to my ideas which I appreciate I think 533 00:23:36,530 --> 00:23:33,930 what's important about these from a 534 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:36,540 perspective as myself as a scientific 535 00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:39,930 researcher is it is it gives me the 536 00:23:44,630 --> 00:23:42,390 opportunity to get my work out to two 537 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:44,640 people that wouldn't normally read it so 538 00:23:48,230 --> 00:23:46,890 particularly in the case of publishing 539 00:23:52,790 --> 00:23:48,240 scientific papers that are written in 540 00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:52,800 jargon and behind paywalls mostly I now 541 00:23:58,370 --> 00:23:55,710 have an opportunity to explain that in 542 00:24:01,280 --> 00:23:58,380 layman's terms in a simple way there's a 543 00:24:03,950 --> 00:24:01,290 huge audience just waiting to read stuff 544 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:03,960 on the conversation and not only that it 545 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:05,850 helps me to refine my writing skills 546 00:24:09,350 --> 00:24:07,890 which i think is really important it 547 00:24:13,130 --> 00:24:09,360 does has actually helped me to improve 548 00:24:15,290 --> 00:24:13,140 my scientific writing skills plus you 549 00:24:17,060 --> 00:24:15,300 mentioned briefly make that there's an 550 00:24:19,790 --> 00:24:17,070 opportunity for articles to get 551 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:19,800 republished in other places and I've 552 00:24:26,690 --> 00:24:23,850 seen my stuff pop up on lifehacker SBS 553 00:24:29,570 --> 00:24:26,700 all kinds of places which is then 554 00:24:32,390 --> 00:24:29,580 perpetuating that audience in further so 555 00:24:35,150 --> 00:24:32,400 as scientists we often get accused of 556 00:24:38,660 --> 00:24:35,160 sitting in our labs and bothering away 557 00:24:40,910 --> 00:24:38,670 and not telling anybody what we do and I 558 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:40,920 think that's true to some extent I think 559 00:24:45,290 --> 00:24:43,410 we do we do argue attea ban and 560 00:24:48,830 --> 00:24:45,300 particularly in times like now when 561 00:24:51,350 --> 00:24:48,840 we're losing a lot of funding we don't 562 00:24:52,940 --> 00:24:51,360 really have a justification for 563 00:24:56,660 --> 00:24:52,950 complaining because we don't tell people 564 00:24:58,460 --> 00:24:56,670 what we're doing with this we do so we 565 00:25:00,380 --> 00:24:58,470 get an opportunity to say look we're not 566 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:00,390 just smelling taxpayers money on stuff 567 00:25:04,580 --> 00:25:02,370 that you don't understand here's how it 568 00:25:06,430 --> 00:25:04,590 works and here's what we're doing and I 569 00:25:09,470 --> 00:25:06,440 think that's really important for 570 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:09,480 publicizing science for improving 571 00:25:14,870 --> 00:25:12,210 the public understanding of science and 572 00:25:18,140 --> 00:25:14,880 also because outreach is becoming such 573 00:25:20,450 --> 00:25:18,150 an important part of what I do when I 574 00:25:22,070 --> 00:25:20,460 want to get money from people if I can 575 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:22,080 say well here's what I've done there's 576 00:25:28,909 --> 00:25:24,570 more likely to get funding but as you 577 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:28,919 say it can it can be it can be very 578 00:25:32,210 --> 00:25:30,570 interesting that a lot of the stuff that 579 00:25:34,190 --> 00:25:32,220 I right which are similar to what Mike 580 00:25:37,310 --> 00:25:34,200 rights it doesn't track the conspiracy 581 00:25:39,049 --> 00:25:37,320 theorists in my case I write a lot about 582 00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:39,059 vaccination or at least I have up until 583 00:25:43,990 --> 00:25:41,910 this point and so if those comment 584 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:44,000 threads tend to get very convoluted and 585 00:25:49,070 --> 00:25:47,610 eventually result in people just calling 586 00:25:51,950 --> 00:25:49,080 each other names and say do you want a 587 00:25:54,490 --> 00:25:51,960 biscuit which actually got one commenter 588 00:25:57,020 --> 00:25:54,500 badge Jason Brown who's a friend of mine 589 00:25:59,289 --> 00:25:57,030 was teaching an anti Baxter and just 590 00:26:01,970 --> 00:25:59,299 kept saying do you want a biscuit 591 00:26:03,919 --> 00:26:01,980 apparently thats against the community 592 00:26:06,530 --> 00:26:03,929 guidelines from for comments on the 593 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:06,540 conversation so it was maybe bother for 594 00:26:16,490 --> 00:26:12,710 your thong so those comments not removed 595 00:26:17,870 --> 00:26:16,500 but yeah I think I'm really I'm really 596 00:26:19,310 --> 00:26:17,880 impressed to be in this book also 597 00:26:22,700 --> 00:26:19,320 because there are so many people in here 598 00:26:24,020 --> 00:26:22,710 who I respect and who have written some 599 00:26:25,580 --> 00:26:24,030 really really great stuff which I'm 600 00:26:28,010 --> 00:26:25,590 proud to give to my debt for Christmas 601 00:26:30,140 --> 00:26:28,020 or you know other people without them 602 00:26:33,020 --> 00:26:30,150 having to say what is that jag and stuff 603 00:26:35,049 --> 00:26:33,030 that you do so um yeah thanks to 604 00:26:37,549 --> 00:26:35,059 everyone who came thanks to Warren for 605 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:37,559 organizing today and take stuff on for 606 00:26:52,450 --> 00:26:50,649 a little sign books if you want dr. 607 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:52,460 Rachel Dunlop is one of Australia's 608 00:26:56,639 --> 00:26:55,250 foremost media commentators in matters 609 00:26:59,200 --> 00:26:56,649 concerning so-called alternative 610 00:27:02,980 --> 00:26:59,210 medicine she is appeared on national 611 00:27:05,289 --> 00:27:02,990 radio and national television dr. H E is 612 00:27:09,249 --> 00:27:05,299 available for interviews and you can 613 00:27:16,110 --> 00:27:09,259 contact her at Rachel at skeptic zone 614 00:27:19,930 --> 00:27:18,789 hello skeptics on listeners this is 615 00:27:22,090 --> 00:27:19,940 susan goreck from the guerrilla 616 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:22,100 skepticism on wikipedia and skeptic 617 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:24,410 action projects thought I'd drop in and 618 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:25,850 give you a few updates concerning 619 00:27:30,669 --> 00:27:27,650 Wikipedia editors that have come from 620 00:27:32,890 --> 00:27:30,679 this podcast we've seen for skeptic zone 621 00:27:35,350 --> 00:27:32,900 listeners join the team to English 622 00:27:37,510 --> 00:27:35,360 editors Luke Freeman and Caitlin who 623 00:27:40,210 --> 00:27:37,520 just joined last week you'll rich in 624 00:27:42,130 --> 00:27:40,220 German editor incest Lana a Russian one 625 00:27:44,289 --> 00:27:42,140 because of these people we have greatly 626 00:27:46,870 --> 00:27:44,299 improved or created the young Australian 627 00:27:49,570 --> 00:27:46,880 skeptics Australian vaccination network 628 00:27:52,870 --> 00:27:49,580 robert Llewellyn Christopher Lord 629 00:27:55,409 --> 00:27:52,880 Monckton the budget NASA Leo egg way 630 00:27:57,820 --> 00:27:55,419 Paul Kurtz and cold reading pages 631 00:27:59,380 --> 00:27:57,830 because of all this work these editors 632 00:28:01,870 --> 00:27:59,390 have also been adding to or correcting 633 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:01,880 lots more smaller edits including 634 00:28:05,830 --> 00:28:03,410 proofreading and supporting other team 635 00:28:08,169 --> 00:28:05,840 members not bad for a handful of editors 636 00:28:10,870 --> 00:28:08,179 I've been very impressed with a skeptic 637 00:28:12,940 --> 00:28:10,880 zone podcast the quality of activism in 638 00:28:14,470 --> 00:28:12,950 support of science education stands out 639 00:28:16,060 --> 00:28:14,480 from most other podcasts that mainly 640 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:16,070 just talk about what is happening in the 641 00:28:19,690 --> 00:28:18,290 news so it follows that the listeners 642 00:28:21,370 --> 00:28:19,700 the skeptic zone would be more 643 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:21,380 interested in activism in science 644 00:28:25,870 --> 00:28:23,450 education as well so I really hope to 645 00:28:27,580 --> 00:28:25,880 hear from more of you I want to mention 646 00:28:29,919 --> 00:28:27,590 just a couple more updates from the team 647 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:29,929 in the last month we release the Spanish 648 00:28:35,049 --> 00:28:32,330 page for dr. Eugenie Scott and the Dutch 649 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:35,059 team with several new pages 14 Lawrence 650 00:28:40,180 --> 00:28:37,730 Krauss Pascal's wager Neil deGrasse 651 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:40,190 Tyson and the Scotsman Archie Cochrane 652 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:42,650 our intention is not only to improve 653 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:44,690 scientific skepticism on Wikipedia in 654 00:28:49,630 --> 00:28:46,970 all languages but to have the backs of 655 00:28:51,580 --> 00:28:49,640 our spokespeople in all languages Krauss 656 00:28:54,370 --> 00:28:51,590 will soon be in a movie with Dawkins 657 00:28:56,620 --> 00:28:54,380 called the unbelievers in tysons cosmos 658 00:28:58,450 --> 00:28:56,630 series will be released in 2014 I'm 659 00:29:00,549 --> 00:28:58,460 hoping that the public will become 660 00:29:02,289 --> 00:29:00,559 enthusiastic for science and want to 661 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:02,299 know more about these people they will 662 00:29:05,470 --> 00:29:04,250 turn to Wikipedia and we want to be 663 00:29:07,210 --> 00:29:05,480 waiting for them with well written 664 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:07,220 articles that show their involvement in 665 00:29:11,710 --> 00:29:09,410 our community these are our people and 666 00:29:14,110 --> 00:29:11,720 we need to have their backs please join 667 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:14,120 us we trained a mentor write to us at 668 00:29:21,110 --> 00:29:18,770 gso w team @ gmail.com and thank you for 669 00:29:23,060 --> 00:29:21,120 all your support skeptic zone 670 00:29:24,549 --> 00:29:23,070 you've argued against the same woo so 671 00:29:27,049 --> 00:29:24,559 many times you can do it in your sleep 672 00:29:29,180 --> 00:29:27,059 we're trying to stop the nonsense one 673 00:29:31,940 --> 00:29:29,190 person at a time join guerrilla 674 00:29:33,740 --> 00:29:31,950 skepticism on Wikipedia help us make 675 00:29:36,110 --> 00:29:33,750 sure the best skeptical information is 676 00:29:39,380 --> 00:29:36,120 always at everyone's fingertips we need 677 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:39,390 writers editors translators we need you 678 00:29:44,810 --> 00:29:41,730 and take as much or as little time as 679 00:29:46,970 --> 00:29:44,820 you can give us help us make Wikipedia 680 00:29:48,380 --> 00:29:46,980 as accurate as it can be and you'll 681 00:29:51,830 --> 00:29:48,390 literally be helping people while you 682 00:29:53,990 --> 00:29:51,840 sleep to join us or find out more send a 683 00:29:57,700 --> 00:29:54,000 facebook friend request to susan Berbick 684 00:30:15,210 --> 00:29:57,710 that's ger be IC guerrilla skepticism 685 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:17,530 alright it's George and Paul until you 686 00:30:21,490 --> 00:30:20,090 Eon 13 13 32 you're welcome to give us a 687 00:30:23,530 --> 00:30:21,500 call anytime you like anything at all 688 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:23,540 you like to talk about we're kicking off 689 00:30:27,970 --> 00:30:25,610 the program with a truly Sol defining 690 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:27,980 defining story today mind body and 691 00:30:31,810 --> 00:30:29,570 spirit festival is on down at darling 692 00:30:33,790 --> 00:30:31,820 harbour there was actually was quite a 693 00:30:35,410 --> 00:30:33,800 good photo very good photo in the Sydney 694 00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:35,420 Morning Herald this week of all these 695 00:30:38,770 --> 00:30:37,190 people sitting at the tables down there 696 00:30:41,380 --> 00:30:38,780 having their fortunes read at 697 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:41,390 thirty-five dollars a pop and apparently 698 00:30:45,730 --> 00:30:43,610 one woman I say in the story did the 699 00:30:46,900 --> 00:30:45,740 full hour consultation and it was 70 700 00:30:50,380 --> 00:30:46,910 bucks so apparently sit there for about 701 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:50,390 30 minutes for about $35 I can be 702 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:51,290 cheaper to throw out in the gutter 703 00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:53,090 because I don't see the trailer for the 704 00:30:56,350 --> 00:30:54,830 hour wouldn't even give you 60 or 705 00:30:57,940 --> 00:30:56,360 something Omega be cheaper just to throw 706 00:30:59,530 --> 00:30:57,950 your money away like walking would be 707 00:31:01,000 --> 00:30:59,540 anyway we're going to talk to Richard 708 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:01,010 Saunders from the Australian skeptics 709 00:31:05,290 --> 00:31:03,770 about about this fortune telling and why 710 00:31:07,030 --> 00:31:05,300 people believe in it and how these 711 00:31:09,490 --> 00:31:07,040 people do it you're there Richard hello 712 00:31:11,190 --> 00:31:09,500 the day after day Richard I know first 713 00:31:13,030 --> 00:31:11,200 of all we must ask you how your big 714 00:31:14,590 --> 00:31:13,040 skeptics thing went the other week when 715 00:31:16,420 --> 00:31:14,600 you were trying that was at mass suicide 716 00:31:18,790 --> 00:31:16,430 with thermal remedies but with 717 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:18,800 homeopathic medicine whatever year where 718 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:21,170 we scoffed boxes and boxes of sleeping 719 00:31:25,570 --> 00:31:23,450 pills which we bought from a pharmacy 720 00:31:27,430 --> 00:31:25,580 and for some reason we didn't fall 721 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:27,440 asleep or feel ill we had a bit of a 722 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:29,570 sugar rush I guess mm-hmm so I don't 723 00:31:32,980 --> 00:31:31,370 know what to say it was it a success or 724 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:32,990 a failure we are all still alive so in 725 00:31:37,420 --> 00:31:34,610 that respect it's a successful failure 726 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:37,430 all right it's you so what they're 727 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:39,650 really doing is selling sugar sugar 728 00:31:43,570 --> 00:31:42,170 people for about a thousand times the 729 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:43,580 price of what it should be a good 730 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:45,650 estimation i also bought a pack of the 731 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:47,090 jelly beans while they're at the same 732 00:31:50,020 --> 00:31:48,770 time and you get a lot more bang for 733 00:31:52,150 --> 00:31:50,030 your buck from paoli jellybeans 734 00:31:55,330 --> 00:31:52,160 jellybeans yeah yeah they taste better 735 00:31:56,860 --> 00:31:55,340 now these are people down at this mind 736 00:31:59,320 --> 00:31:56,870 body and spirit thing wrong and doing 737 00:32:01,480 --> 00:31:59,330 the fortune-telling the the people who 738 00:32:03,070 --> 00:32:01,490 had their photos taken and paid their 35 739 00:32:04,570 --> 00:32:03,080 bucks they were all nodding their head 740 00:32:06,940 --> 00:32:04,580 and saying yes well they knew all about 741 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:06,950 me and I was amazed that some of these 742 00:32:10,570 --> 00:32:08,690 people seem to know everything about me 743 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:10,580 how do they do that well it's it's 744 00:32:13,810 --> 00:32:12,050 strange you could fish with you should 745 00:32:15,370 --> 00:32:13,820 talk to me about this because I'm 746 00:32:17,470 --> 00:32:15,380 getting something over the telephone at 747 00:32:20,110 --> 00:32:17,480 the moment from you right and I sensed 748 00:32:22,030 --> 00:32:20,120 it you know there's someone I know is it 749 00:32:24,670 --> 00:32:22,040 a colleague maybe who doesn't really 750 00:32:26,350 --> 00:32:24,680 appreciate you better be right now you 751 00:32:28,570 --> 00:32:26,360 just said better be right 752 00:32:30,670 --> 00:32:28,580 out of your head yeah and I also sense 753 00:32:32,470 --> 00:32:30,680 that there's a you know there's a family 754 00:32:34,750 --> 00:32:32,480 secret down there but I won't pry but I 755 00:32:36,610 --> 00:32:34,760 don't owe them out together again you're 756 00:32:39,610 --> 00:32:36,620 nodding you can see where I'm going with 757 00:32:41,140 --> 00:32:39,620 it yeah they're called the statements 758 00:32:43,540 --> 00:32:41,150 it's a broad definition of what they are 759 00:32:46,630 --> 00:32:43,550 there are a lot of statements aimed at 760 00:32:48,340 --> 00:32:46,640 getting you to agree with me now if a 761 00:32:50,710 --> 00:32:48,350 lady comes along for a psychic reading 762 00:32:52,810 --> 00:32:50,720 one of the classic ones would be 763 00:32:54,010 --> 00:32:52,820 something you know you look at the cards 764 00:32:55,570 --> 00:32:54,020 we look at the crystal ball you look 765 00:32:57,370 --> 00:32:55,580 into their eyes and you're a nice 766 00:32:59,470 --> 00:32:57,380 sympathetic person and the person who's 767 00:33:01,060 --> 00:32:59,480 paid their money haven't paid their 768 00:33:03,010 --> 00:33:01,070 money because they're a skeptic they've 769 00:33:04,780 --> 00:33:03,020 paid their money because they believe 770 00:33:06,340 --> 00:33:04,790 fully believe they're in for psychic 771 00:33:08,470 --> 00:33:06,350 reading right so that's exactly what 772 00:33:10,690 --> 00:33:08,480 they expect and if they if the psychic 773 00:33:12,550 --> 00:33:10,700 says to them something like you know you 774 00:33:15,370 --> 00:33:12,560 are worried about something and then 775 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:15,380 pauses that gives the person that chance 776 00:33:18,250 --> 00:33:16,970 to say well yes I'm you're right i'm 777 00:33:20,830 --> 00:33:18,260 worried about this or I'm worried about 778 00:33:22,630 --> 00:33:20,840 that and if there's no response from 779 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:22,640 what the psychic might say yes I think 780 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:24,650 it's something about health a little 781 00:33:28,570 --> 00:33:26,690 pause the first thing can jump in oh oh 782 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:28,580 yes my foots gonna drop off I'm worried 783 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:31,130 about the coming and then they could say 784 00:33:36,340 --> 00:33:32,930 but you haven't even told your husband 785 00:33:37,750 --> 00:33:36,350 yet now can you see the sky but what 786 00:33:41,020 --> 00:33:37,760 about what about Richard when I say 787 00:33:44,530 --> 00:33:41,030 something like and your uncle Bob who 788 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:44,540 had one leg and guides three months ago 789 00:33:48,460 --> 00:33:47,090 did I go they deck specific know what 790 00:33:50,230 --> 00:33:48,470 happens when you talk to the people 791 00:33:52,030 --> 00:33:50,240 afterwards they say how did you psychic 792 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:52,040 reading go they'll say it was incredible 793 00:33:56,980 --> 00:33:53,570 they knew all about Uncle Bob and his 794 00:33:58,540 --> 00:33:56,990 one leg yeah we're in in fact when these 795 00:33:59,590 --> 00:33:58,550 have been recorded and played back and 796 00:34:01,660 --> 00:33:59,600 you actually listened to what was said 797 00:34:03,910 --> 00:34:01,670 it was something like I'm sensing an 798 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:03,920 older relative here on your father's 799 00:34:08,830 --> 00:34:05,570 side and I go oh yeah Uncle Bob yeah 800 00:34:11,140 --> 00:34:08,840 they say Uncle Bob and and and they had 801 00:34:13,870 --> 00:34:11,150 some problem walking my god he had one 802 00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:13,880 like now what happens is people's 803 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:15,650 memories of shocking memory is not a 804 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:16,850 good thing and they will remember 805 00:34:21,580 --> 00:34:19,490 clearly the psychic thing I can see 806 00:34:23,620 --> 00:34:21,590 uncle bottle here with one leg now my 807 00:34:26,110 --> 00:34:23,630 mother always tells me this story and 808 00:34:27,580 --> 00:34:26,120 and she's now in her mid 80s but she's 809 00:34:29,260 --> 00:34:27,590 always told this story about i think was 810 00:34:32,140 --> 00:34:29,270 during world war two and she was I think 811 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:32,150 she was just married my dad and they 812 00:34:36,610 --> 00:34:34,310 went to one of those fortune tellers at 813 00:34:38,620 --> 00:34:36,620 some show and dad was standing outside 814 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:38,630 just outside the tent and the woman's 815 00:34:42,010 --> 00:34:40,130 reading mums fortune and she looked 816 00:34:43,930 --> 00:34:42,020 all of a sudden said who's that man out 817 00:34:46,210 --> 00:34:43,940 there and she said that's my husband he 818 00:34:48,010 --> 00:34:46,220 the woman said that I can't go anymore I 819 00:34:49,300 --> 00:34:48,020 can't tell you anymore and mothers 820 00:34:51,490 --> 00:34:49,310 always remember that as though there 821 00:34:53,380 --> 00:34:51,500 must have been some evil presence or 822 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:53,390 sorrow is that is that a common sort of 823 00:34:58,450 --> 00:34:55,970 thing they did I'm I haven't heard that 824 00:35:00,820 --> 00:34:58,460 one happening too much because last 825 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:00,830 thing a lot of these people want to do 826 00:35:04,150 --> 00:35:02,450 is actually give somebody an unpleasant 827 00:35:06,190 --> 00:35:04,160 experience while giving them a reading 828 00:35:08,710 --> 00:35:06,200 they want to make it interesting and 829 00:35:09,970 --> 00:35:08,720 sincere and happy and and a lot of 830 00:35:11,590 --> 00:35:09,980 people make the mistake that these 831 00:35:14,410 --> 00:35:11,600 psychics down at the mind-body-spirit 832 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:14,420 festival all a bunch of con artists it's 833 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:16,370 my firm opinion that there would be 834 00:35:20,110 --> 00:35:18,770 you'd be hard to find a con artist down 835 00:35:22,180 --> 00:35:20,120 there you what you find us since 836 00:35:23,890 --> 00:35:22,190 fearlessness and steer people who 837 00:35:26,350 --> 00:35:23,900 genuinely believe what they're doing 838 00:35:28,330 --> 00:35:26,360 that was my next question Richard did I 839 00:35:32,620 --> 00:35:28,340 really can reduce my limit yeah me 840 00:35:34,210 --> 00:35:32,630 please oh my i might have powers I'm 841 00:35:38,110 --> 00:35:34,220 real by the way I should have made that 842 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:38,120 that I really honestly believe that what 843 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:40,570 they're doing is I possess something 844 00:35:45,730 --> 00:35:43,370 different sure and it's very easy to 845 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:45,740 understand why why because then what 846 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:48,890 simple minded so not not at all aspects 847 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:51,170 what happens is somebody will come along 848 00:35:55,780 --> 00:35:53,330 to them for a psychic reading and I sit 849 00:35:58,120 --> 00:35:55,790 down and the person again as I said 850 00:35:59,980 --> 00:35:58,130 they're expecting a psychic experience 851 00:36:01,120 --> 00:35:59,990 so they react as if they have a dislike 852 00:36:03,610 --> 00:36:01,130 experience and the person giving 853 00:36:05,050 --> 00:36:03,620 yridians the reading gets only positive 854 00:36:06,550 --> 00:36:05,060 feedback from them and they walk away 855 00:36:09,010 --> 00:36:06,560 saying you're wonderful you've helped me 856 00:36:11,530 --> 00:36:09,020 you saw these things and the person can 857 00:36:13,450 --> 00:36:11,540 really fall for their own routine came 858 00:36:15,190 --> 00:36:13,460 really believe in that said there's no I 859 00:36:16,420 --> 00:36:15,200 I heard the other day listening to a 860 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:16,430 radio interview and I think it was dr. 861 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:18,970 Carlos Lee hmm and he was saying that 862 00:36:23,710 --> 00:36:21,770 people who say they can see auras you 863 00:36:25,390 --> 00:36:23,720 know the colored or and learn people and 864 00:36:26,890 --> 00:36:25,400 they actually have some sort of visual 865 00:36:28,870 --> 00:36:26,900 impairment well there's some sort of 866 00:36:30,340 --> 00:36:28,880 brain can do here yeah that's true I 867 00:36:33,430 --> 00:36:30,350 mean I actually didn't see it but it's 868 00:36:36,030 --> 00:36:33,440 not there well some people see sounds or 869 00:36:40,590 --> 00:36:36,040 hear taste or all you know century 870 00:36:43,750 --> 00:36:40,600 confusion like that yeah it's a very odd 871 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:43,760 situation a lot of the people in these 872 00:36:47,230 --> 00:36:45,410 sort of the in the New Age movement to 873 00:36:48,820 --> 00:36:47,240 say they can see auras around people I 874 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:48,830 you know I really have to seriously 875 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:51,410 question that every time it's been 876 00:36:55,380 --> 00:36:53,410 tested by having people stand behind 877 00:36:57,060 --> 00:36:55,390 partitions and they say can you see the 878 00:36:58,410 --> 00:36:57,070 order over the top of the petition and 879 00:37:02,160 --> 00:36:58,420 they oh yes there it is and there's 880 00:37:03,690 --> 00:37:02,170 nobody there something so yes I i think 881 00:37:05,580 --> 00:37:03,700 really medically there are some people 882 00:37:06,990 --> 00:37:05,590 who sees some pretty pretty strange 883 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:07,000 thing or what do you seem to be saying 884 00:37:10,260 --> 00:37:08,770 is that the people who say they can sit 885 00:37:13,230 --> 00:37:10,270 you know the genuine people who say they 886 00:37:14,910 --> 00:37:13,240 can see the aura can actually see it but 887 00:37:16,650 --> 00:37:14,920 it's not actually there that's nothing 888 00:37:18,300 --> 00:37:16,660 to do with the brain waves and their 889 00:37:20,310 --> 00:37:18,310 vision that's exactly right there is no 890 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:20,320 as far as we've known from all 891 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:21,970 investigation there's actually no such 892 00:37:27,210 --> 00:37:25,330 thing as as an aura hanging around 893 00:37:28,740 --> 00:37:27,220 people in multi colors in an energy 894 00:37:33,210 --> 00:37:28,750 field only told me how smile looked a 895 00:37:36,180 --> 00:37:33,220 bit purple so well Richard so on a very 896 00:37:38,730 --> 00:37:36,190 serious minute so someone who was a 897 00:37:41,100 --> 00:37:38,740 schizophrenic or mildly schizophrenic 898 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:41,110 who did actually see things could they 899 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:43,450 without medical help could buy interpret 900 00:37:49,110 --> 00:37:46,570 themselves as being a psychic a psychic 901 00:37:50,910 --> 00:37:49,120 I possibly i don't know of any any 902 00:37:52,770 --> 00:37:50,920 specific examples but it would be 903 00:37:54,780 --> 00:37:52,780 something that and then how could you 904 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:54,790 blame them if they did all right totally 905 00:37:58,530 --> 00:37:56,530 understandable yeah now what about these 906 00:37:59,940 --> 00:37:58,540 people and we've got you know fair 907 00:38:02,580 --> 00:37:59,950 trading and all sorts of things they're 908 00:38:04,170 --> 00:38:02,590 taking 35 barks yeah to read somebody's 909 00:38:05,850 --> 00:38:04,180 fortune how can they prove that they're 910 00:38:07,950 --> 00:38:05,860 doing it isn't that isn't that some sort 911 00:38:09,780 --> 00:38:07,960 of fraud well that's a very good 912 00:38:11,970 --> 00:38:09,790 question is it some sort of fraud happy 913 00:38:14,850 --> 00:38:11,980 if if they're claiming if they're 914 00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:14,860 claiming they can have special knowledge 915 00:38:20,310 --> 00:38:17,520 of somebody from beyond the grave or 916 00:38:22,850 --> 00:38:20,320 magical insights from another dimension 917 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:22,860 which I guess that's what psychics do 918 00:38:27,750 --> 00:38:25,330 then yes they haven't been able to prove 919 00:38:29,250 --> 00:38:27,760 that yet but i think the consumer 920 00:38:31,770 --> 00:38:29,260 affairs take the opinion now they've 921 00:38:33,390 --> 00:38:31,780 just got better things to do and i would 922 00:38:35,610 --> 00:38:33,400 assume that if the person walked away 923 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:35,620 happy you know that's it then one way 924 00:38:39,570 --> 00:38:37,930 delighted what why how come there's a 925 00:38:41,430 --> 00:38:39,580 con that seems as you said the other 926 00:38:44,790 --> 00:38:41,440 they haven't had the fortune to skeptics 927 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:44,800 happy and they're okay so everyone happy 928 00:38:48,990 --> 00:38:47,170 well quite honestly when i go i was 929 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:49,000 there yesterday and i always go to mind 930 00:38:53,010 --> 00:38:50,890 body spirit I had a great time I love 931 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:53,020 her because I learned so much I don't 932 00:38:57,840 --> 00:38:55,090 around her hanging people I asked them 933 00:38:59,490 --> 00:38:57,850 how does this work what do you think did 934 00:39:00,870 --> 00:38:59,500 you have your fortune told I've had my 935 00:39:02,109 --> 00:39:00,880 fortune told more times than I've had 936 00:39:05,289 --> 00:39:02,119 off in and automate every 937 00:39:06,940 --> 00:39:05,299 I was different and I bet it will do it 938 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:06,950 every time I look wonderful every time 939 00:39:10,779 --> 00:39:08,690 but when it's over I actually sit down 940 00:39:12,609 --> 00:39:10,789 with the psychic or whatever and and go 941 00:39:15,279 --> 00:39:12,619 over everything they said and point out 942 00:39:16,989 --> 00:39:15,289 to them what in the in fact was 943 00:39:18,609 --> 00:39:16,999 happening psychologically yeah and a lot 944 00:39:20,950 --> 00:39:18,619 of times they're quite I bet you give 945 00:39:23,019 --> 00:39:20,960 them a day yeah Richard I'm prepared to 946 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:23,029 pay you double if you can tell me now 947 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:25,730 the more family secret because I as you 948 00:39:29,589 --> 00:39:27,410 mentioned earlier i'm quite intrigued 949 00:39:31,690 --> 00:39:29,599 about this well i mean on what is it I 950 00:39:33,999 --> 00:39:31,700 mean I I can't imagine any amount of 951 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:34,009 money would coax at Harley I'm far to 952 00:39:38,559 --> 00:39:36,410 this great you are accrue epsilon to 953 00:39:40,299 --> 00:39:38,569 answer a Richard the I've read some 954 00:39:41,559 --> 00:39:40,309 figures and you would you study this far 955 00:39:43,450 --> 00:39:41,569 more than i would of course but I've 956 00:39:45,849 --> 00:39:43,460 written figures where it's over half the 957 00:39:47,529 --> 00:39:45,859 population believe in this yeah that 958 00:39:49,390 --> 00:39:47,539 wouldn't surprise me at all I mean 959 00:39:51,730 --> 00:39:49,400 people don't have the wherewithal to 960 00:39:53,170 --> 00:39:51,740 know I mean I hear about psychics and 961 00:39:55,690 --> 00:39:53,180 they don't have no terribly much about 962 00:39:57,970 --> 00:39:55,700 it but unless you're someone like sort 963 00:40:00,220 --> 00:39:57,980 of involved in the research side of it 964 00:40:01,930 --> 00:40:00,230 like I am then you learn about the 965 00:40:04,059 --> 00:40:01,940 psychology I but then you learn about 966 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:04,069 the thousands of thousands of tests have 967 00:40:08,799 --> 00:40:07,130 been done with negative results and you 968 00:40:10,989 --> 00:40:08,809 learn about you know sometimes yes 969 00:40:12,549 --> 00:40:10,999 there's trickery involved like people 970 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:12,559 pretending to bend spoons and whatnot 971 00:40:17,170 --> 00:40:14,410 now an important thing is to actually 972 00:40:19,479 --> 00:40:17,180 show people how things work and there's 973 00:40:22,450 --> 00:40:19,489 a group called mystery investigators mr. 974 00:40:24,579 --> 00:40:22,460 investec mystery investigators calm and 975 00:40:26,319 --> 00:40:24,589 they actually teach people how divining 976 00:40:29,499 --> 00:40:26,329 really works one the physics behind 977 00:40:31,420 --> 00:40:29,509 walking over hot coals is so you need to 978 00:40:34,089 --> 00:40:31,430 learn a little bit before you can make 979 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:34,099 the comment i was in Bangkok recently 980 00:40:39,579 --> 00:40:36,650 and at the feet of the the Vickery 981 00:40:42,130 --> 00:40:39,589 reclining buddha which is just huge they 982 00:40:44,349 --> 00:40:42,140 have people who tell your fortune all 983 00:40:46,089 --> 00:40:44,359 books the whole lot the whole outfit and 984 00:40:48,190 --> 00:40:46,099 these people honestly believe what they 985 00:40:49,809 --> 00:40:48,200 do do a living and this blog told me 986 00:40:51,819 --> 00:40:49,819 everything that I wanted to hear oh 987 00:40:53,380 --> 00:40:51,829 there you go my love I'm like well 988 00:40:55,329 --> 00:40:53,390 everything that was true or everything 989 00:40:57,339 --> 00:40:55,339 you want to do I don't know yeah it's 990 00:41:00,130 --> 00:40:57,349 pretty because the life line was long or 991 00:41:01,989 --> 00:41:00,140 money line was long by only my only run 992 00:41:04,870 --> 00:41:01,999 in with a palm reader you'll love this 993 00:41:05,090 --> 00:41:04,880 one Richard here live on radio para and 994 00:41:11,900 --> 00:41:05,100 he 995 00:41:13,730 --> 00:41:11,910 people don't don't appreciate his 996 00:41:15,470 --> 00:41:13,740 happiness ahead in your life then he 997 00:41:18,860 --> 00:41:15,480 looked at my hand and he said you are 998 00:41:21,530 --> 00:41:18,870 about to go on a very very long journey 999 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:21,540 oh my god I said I've just booked to go 1000 00:41:25,310 --> 00:41:23,850 to America well there you go when he 1001 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:25,320 left the studio I realized yes it was 1002 00:41:33,290 --> 00:41:27,570 about two weeks before Christmas a lot 1003 00:41:35,180 --> 00:41:33,300 of people that's the classic example of 1004 00:41:37,460 --> 00:41:35,190 remembering the hits and forgetting them 1005 00:41:39,110 --> 00:41:37,470 is good to talk to your engineer always 1006 00:41:41,060 --> 00:41:39,120 good to talk no trouble guys thanks 1007 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:41,070 right thanks Ryan Richard Saunders from 1008 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:43,290 the Australian skeptics and if you're if 1009 00:41:46,250 --> 00:41:44,610 you're up for the mind body and spirit 1010 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:46,260 festival is on that darling harbour 1011 00:41:49,660 --> 00:41:47,970 today is the last day if you want happy 1012 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:49,670 fortune told but you'd better be quick 1013 00:41:58,220 --> 00:41:52,410 26 pass one with George and Paul until 1014 00:42:02,820 --> 00:42:01,020 virtual skeptics is a weekly web show in 1015 00:42:05,130 --> 00:42:02,830 which we discuss the latest news in 1016 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:05,140 skepticism whether it's a new case of 1017 00:42:08,820 --> 00:42:06,610 spontaneous human combustion a 1018 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:08,830 conspiracy theory the latest update on 1019 00:42:12,690 --> 00:42:11,050 the upcoming robot apocalypse tech news 1020 00:42:15,180 --> 00:42:12,700 for skeptics are the latest wacky 1021 00:42:17,550 --> 00:42:15,190 religious claim we cover it all we 1022 00:42:20,220 --> 00:42:17,560 record the show live as a Google+ on-air 1023 00:42:22,050 --> 00:42:20,230 hang out so join us in our host Brian 1024 00:42:24,150 --> 00:42:22,060 Gregory for an hour of mostly 1025 00:42:27,060 --> 00:42:24,160 intelligent talk every wednesday at 1026 00:42:30,060 --> 00:42:27,070 eight pm eastern US time watch us at 1027 00:42:32,730 --> 00:42:30,070 virtual skeptics calm and participate in 1028 00:42:35,670 --> 00:42:32,740 the show on our hashtag virtual skeptics 1029 00:42:40,670 --> 00:42:35,680 the virtual skeptics it's like meet the 1030 00:42:46,109 --> 00:42:43,500 this week in science we saw lab-grown 1031 00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:46,119 glands a centipedes pain relieving 1032 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:48,400 potential and the link between stress 1033 00:43:02,250 --> 00:42:51,970 and dementia plus why is this volcano so 1034 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:02,260 special it appears that early Mars may 1035 00:43:06,990 --> 00:43:03,970 have been home to giant exploding 1036 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:07,000 volcanoes huge irregular shaped craters 1037 00:43:10,530 --> 00:43:08,650 in the northern highlands of Mars may 1038 00:43:12,060 --> 00:43:10,540 have formed a supervolcano similar to 1039 00:43:14,339 --> 00:43:12,070 the one at Yellowstone in the United 1040 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:14,349 States the rare but highly explosive 1041 00:43:18,540 --> 00:43:16,690 eruptions of a volcano like this may 1042 00:43:19,830 --> 00:43:18,550 have released volatile chemicals that 1043 00:43:22,620 --> 00:43:19,840 would have changed the Martian climate 1044 00:43:25,109 --> 00:43:22,630 and deposited volcanic materials in the 1045 00:43:27,540 --> 00:43:25,119 region this is also a possible source of 1046 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:27,550 previously unexplained fine-grained 1047 00:43:33,930 --> 00:43:29,290 layered deposits found throughout the 1048 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:33,940 equatorial region of Mars Japanese 1049 00:43:38,310 --> 00:43:36,010 researchers have bioengineered to 1050 00:43:40,530 --> 00:43:38,320 replacement organs and claim this is the 1051 00:43:43,050 --> 00:43:40,540 next step for regenerative therapy the 1052 00:43:44,490 --> 00:43:43,060 team built a lacrimal gland the tea 1053 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:44,500 producing gland in the corner of the eye 1054 00:43:49,079 --> 00:43:46,810 and implanted it into an adult mouse 1055 00:43:51,109 --> 00:43:49,089 with a defective gland the replacement 1056 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:51,119 gland was functional after implantation 1057 00:43:55,710 --> 00:43:53,650 including the production of tears they 1058 00:43:57,450 --> 00:43:55,720 also developed a saliva gland which was 1059 00:43:59,640 --> 00:43:57,460 functional when implanted into a mouse 1060 00:44:01,770 --> 00:43:59,650 this technique could be applied to other 1061 00:44:03,810 --> 00:44:01,780 glands and represents a breakthrough in 1062 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:03,820 the ability to grow new healthy glands 1063 00:44:09,630 --> 00:44:07,930 in the lab a patent has been approved 1064 00:44:12,060 --> 00:44:09,640 for a method of creating so-called 1065 00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:12,070 designer babies however scientists are 1066 00:44:15,900 --> 00:44:13,930 wary of unintended implications of this 1067 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:15,910 patent women dealing with a lot of 1068 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:17,890 stress in middle age may increase their 1069 00:44:22,020 --> 00:44:19,510 risk of developing dementia in later 1070 00:44:24,060 --> 00:44:22,030 life pollution from diesel exhaust fumes 1071 00:44:26,370 --> 00:44:24,070 effects the smells released by a flower 1072 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:26,380 which confuses honeybees ability to 1073 00:44:29,910 --> 00:44:28,210 recognize them and researchers have 1074 00:44:31,349 --> 00:44:29,920 identified a component of centipede 1075 00:44:35,099 --> 00:44:31,359 venom that could be developed into a 1076 00:44:37,359 --> 00:44:35,109 painkiller as effective as morphine 1077 00:44:40,510 --> 00:44:37,369 this week we've got a question for you 1078 00:44:43,210 --> 00:44:40,520 NASA announced that Mars soil contains a 1079 00:44:45,670 --> 00:44:43,220 surprising amount of water approximately 1080 00:44:49,539 --> 00:44:45,680 how much water can be extracted from 30 1081 00:44:53,589 --> 00:44:49,549 kilograms of martian soil is it 250 1082 00:44:56,859 --> 00:44:53,599 milliliters 500 milliliters 750 1083 00:44:59,529 --> 00:44:56,869 milliliters or 1 liter don't cheat by 1084 00:45:03,370 --> 00:44:59,539 googling tweet us your answer at our i 1085 00:45:05,260 --> 00:45:03,380 underscore a us hashtag weekend sigh and 1086 00:45:07,510 --> 00:45:05,270 we'll tell you the correct answer next 1087 00:45:22,650 --> 00:45:07,520 week that's it for this week in science 1088 00:45:27,850 --> 00:45:25,720 hi I'm Finn and I'm Rebecca and we're 1089 00:45:29,620 --> 00:45:27,860 thus capricorns skipper Collins is an 1090 00:45:31,300 --> 00:45:29,630 Irish podcast by the Dublin skeptics 1091 00:45:32,860 --> 00:45:31,310 society it takes a conversational 1092 00:45:34,120 --> 00:45:32,870 reverent look at science news and 1093 00:45:37,630 --> 00:45:34,130 skeptical topics from an Irish 1094 00:45:41,100 --> 00:45:37,640 perspective you can find us at WWDC 1095 00:45:41,110 --> 00:45:53,120 spirit is strong 1096 00:46:00,120 --> 00:45:55,770 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1097 00:46:01,950 --> 00:46:00,130 zone now I'd like to play something I I 1098 00:46:06,359 --> 00:46:01,960 put in the introduction to the skeptic 1099 00:46:07,830 --> 00:46:06,369 zone about six or seven weeks ago well 1100 00:46:09,690 --> 00:46:07,840 that's all from me at the moment I'm 1101 00:46:12,630 --> 00:46:09,700 just gonna stand up here walk over the 1102 00:46:18,060 --> 00:46:12,640 other side of my office where hello 1103 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:18,070 sweetie this is Adele hello she keeps me 1104 00:46:21,930 --> 00:46:19,690 company up here in my office sometimes 1105 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:21,940 and she's rolling on her back looking 1106 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:25,410 too cute for words yes hello sweetheart 1107 00:46:30,120 --> 00:46:28,330 there we go there I thought I'd just 1108 00:46:32,270 --> 00:46:30,130 give you a little bit of cuteness into 1109 00:46:36,510 --> 00:46:32,280 your life folks what do you say Adele 1110 00:46:38,700 --> 00:46:36,520 there we go well you gonna stay there 1111 00:46:43,550 --> 00:46:38,710 right you stay there Adele lie in the 1112 00:46:45,570 --> 00:46:43,560 Sun on top of my wife my little wardrobe 1113 00:46:47,100 --> 00:46:45,580 well Adele made it onto that 1114 00:46:51,150 --> 00:46:47,110 introduction because it was only just 1115 00:46:54,859 --> 00:46:51,160 discovered that she had dumb I cancer at 1116 00:46:58,109 --> 00:46:54,869 jaw in her jaw and the lump was growing 1117 00:47:00,690 --> 00:46:58,119 and over the following weeks it got 1118 00:47:02,730 --> 00:47:00,700 worse poor little mite she ended up on 1119 00:47:08,910 --> 00:47:02,740 painkillers and she did wonderfully well 1120 00:47:11,700 --> 00:47:08,920 she was still happy and active and more 1121 00:47:15,530 --> 00:47:11,710 or less a normal self until the time 1122 00:47:18,900 --> 00:47:15,540 came which is was a few days ago for her 1123 00:47:22,830 --> 00:47:18,910 so it's been very very sad here I must 1124 00:47:25,620 --> 00:47:22,840 admit and so what I'd like you to do if 1125 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:25,630 you own a little cat you please just 1126 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:29,170 give it that extra scratch under the 1127 00:47:37,020 --> 00:47:32,890 chin that would be really nice if you 1128 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:37,030 could do that and if you own a little 1129 00:47:43,280 --> 00:47:40,210 dog or any animal an extra treat an 1130 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:43,290 extra pad an extra tickle on the belly 1131 00:47:48,900 --> 00:47:45,850 so if thousands of animals around the 1132 00:47:51,300 --> 00:47:48,910 world each had a little pad or a little 1133 00:47:53,550 --> 00:47:51,310 tickle a little extra treat I think that 1134 00:47:55,109 --> 00:47:53,560 would be something and it really doesn't 1135 00:47:58,890 --> 00:47:55,119 matter when you're listening to this if 1136 00:48:02,580 --> 00:47:58,900 it's 2013 or in years and years to come 1137 00:48:04,990 --> 00:48:02,590 if this podcast survive why not give 1138 00:48:08,110 --> 00:48:05,000 that pet an extra treat an extra pad 1139 00:48:11,770 --> 00:48:08,120 and I'd like to thank some people who 1140 00:48:15,250 --> 00:48:11,780 have been very helpful Travis Roy for 1141 00:48:17,770 --> 00:48:15,260 being there on the text chat for me to 1142 00:48:19,870 --> 00:48:17,780 pour my heart out to Julie ladder who 1143 00:48:21,910 --> 00:48:19,880 gave wonderful advice from a vets point 1144 00:48:25,750 --> 00:48:21,920 of view and it was very much appreciated 1145 00:48:27,550 --> 00:48:25,760 thank you julie and george shrub who has 1146 00:48:30,370 --> 00:48:27,560 kindly given me permission to play the 1147 00:48:34,300 --> 00:48:30,380 following song to end off the skeptic 1148 00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:34,310 zone until next week this is Richard 1149 00:48:49,160 --> 00:48:36,290 Saunders signing off from Sydney 1150 00:48:49,170 --> 00:48:51,350 you 1151 00:49:02,870 --> 00:48:57,860 I don't believe in heaven and I know 1152 00:49:07,580 --> 00:49:02,880 that there's no hell I don't think 1153 00:49:10,690 --> 00:49:07,590 you've gone anywhere and I guess that's 1154 00:49:10,700 --> 00:49:15,150 cuz I want to remember 1155 00:49:15,160 --> 00:49:19,990 the last look in your eyes 1156 00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:25,970 it was the best and worst thing to get 1157 00:49:38,939 --> 00:49:27,810 to say goodbye 1158 00:49:49,020 --> 00:49:42,669 they say we're not supposed to come pre 1159 00:49:53,109 --> 00:49:49,030 him but I want to know more 1160 00:50:01,440 --> 00:49:53,119 with you at the end 1161 00:50:01,450 --> 00:50:05,290 did you know where you were going 1162 00:50:15,359 --> 00:50:11,359 did you like the time you spend I wish 1163 00:50:15,369 --> 00:50:19,930 that's not how it went 1164 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:25,060 now I know there's no forever but of all 1165 00:50:33,950 --> 00:50:27,010 the hard side 1166 00:50:33,960 --> 00:50:47,950 was as close as one could get to she 1167 00:50:47,960 --> 00:51:01,550 they say were not supposed to understand 1168 00:51:07,710 --> 00:51:06,720 the cars the hotel some would blame the 1169 00:51:15,210 --> 00:51:07,720 deal 1170 00:51:18,210 --> 00:51:15,220 make up stories that never could be real 1171 00:51:24,059 --> 00:51:18,220 open your left we're glad to be back 1172 00:51:31,170 --> 00:51:27,749 I've no need for heaven a shaman shoulda 1173 00:51:42,640 --> 00:51:31,180 loved I prefer what's real and what we 1174 00:51:54,070 --> 00:51:46,390 i'm glad i get to miss you but that you 1175 00:52:00,190 --> 00:51:54,080 can never miss me thinking you wake up 1176 00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:00,200 and see us is your eternity small