1 00:00:06,650 --> 00:00:04,330 it 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:06,660 me 3 00:00:10,930 --> 00:00:15,290 Oh 4 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:19,750 you 5 00:00:26,350 --> 00:00:22,630 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 6 00:00:29,260 --> 00:00:26,360 show number 55 for the sixth of November 7 00:00:32,260 --> 00:00:29,270 2009 Richard Saunders here with you once 8 00:00:34,390 --> 00:00:32,270 again from Sydney Australia we're going 9 00:00:37,900 --> 00:00:34,400 to kick off today's show with part two 10 00:00:40,860 --> 00:00:37,910 of dr. Reggie reports her interview with 11 00:00:44,740 --> 00:00:40,870 John Rennie the recent editor of 12 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:44,750 Scientific American magazine after that 13 00:00:50,260 --> 00:00:46,970 we have a short report I am made at 14 00:00:52,299 --> 00:00:50,270 Sydney skeptics in the pub where I chat 15 00:00:54,939 --> 00:00:52,309 to an old friend of mine William broom 16 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:54,949 now some of you may know William room he 17 00:01:01,270 --> 00:00:56,930 does reports for the bad psychics 18 00:01:03,790 --> 00:01:01,280 website in the UK following that we have 19 00:01:06,550 --> 00:01:03,800 our voiceover man Jim wilshire telling 20 00:01:08,890 --> 00:01:06,560 us about the min min man lovely little 21 00:01:11,170 --> 00:01:08,900 poem I think you'll like it and then 22 00:01:13,830 --> 00:01:11,180 we've got a real blast from the past a 23 00:01:16,390 --> 00:01:13,840 lecture given a short make sure given in 24 00:01:21,010 --> 00:01:16,400 1988 at the Australian skeptics 25 00:01:24,670 --> 00:01:21,020 convention all about the new age yes 21 26 00:01:26,740 --> 00:01:24,680 years ago have a listen and you'll hear 27 00:01:30,220 --> 00:01:26,750 what the skeptics back then were 28 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:30,230 thinking about the new age to round off 29 00:01:34,900 --> 00:01:32,570 the show we have a short report on the 30 00:01:37,180 --> 00:01:34,910 Melbourne Cup the biggest horse race in 31 00:01:39,940 --> 00:01:37,190 Australia where skeptic zone member 32 00:01:43,330 --> 00:01:39,950 amanda rose and i have a lovely day and 33 00:01:45,370 --> 00:01:43,340 bet on some horses do we win do we win 34 00:01:47,620 --> 00:01:45,380 listen to the end of the show and find 35 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:47,630 out all right that's enough from me 36 00:02:04,880 --> 00:01:50,210 let's get on with this week's episode of 37 00:02:14,130 --> 00:02:08,249 now it's time for dr. Rachel reports 38 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:14,140 with dr. Rachel Dunlop follow listeners 39 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:16,930 and welcome to dr. 80 reports this week 40 00:02:20,910 --> 00:02:18,970 I continued my interview with John 41 00:02:24,330 --> 00:02:20,920 Rennie the most recent editor-in-chief 42 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:24,340 of Scientific American magazine today we 43 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:26,410 continue our discussions and delve into 44 00:02:31,050 --> 00:02:28,330 the role of the media in the public 45 00:02:33,150 --> 00:02:31,060 understanding of science I started off 46 00:02:35,339 --> 00:02:33,160 by asking John about the general science 47 00:02:37,110 --> 00:02:35,349 education level in America and how 48 00:02:39,900 --> 00:02:37,120 scientific american played a role in 49 00:02:41,220 --> 00:02:39,910 educating the public so can we talk 50 00:02:43,020 --> 00:02:41,230 about that then can we talk about the 51 00:02:45,750 --> 00:02:43,030 public perception of science and also 52 00:02:47,670 --> 00:02:45,760 the public sort of you know literacy and 53 00:02:49,140 --> 00:02:47,680 I know in particular in the United 54 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:49,150 States it's a very big problem in terms 55 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:51,970 of scientific literacy I think there 56 00:02:54,780 --> 00:02:53,290 were some surveys done about you know 57 00:02:56,789 --> 00:02:54,790 does the Sun go round there for the 58 00:02:58,319 --> 00:02:56,799 other way in yeah I have to say you know 59 00:03:00,300 --> 00:02:58,329 that in the answers of course does 60 00:03:02,970 --> 00:03:00,310 everybody knows you know the resulting 61 00:03:05,370 --> 00:03:02,980 those are absolutely appalling they're 62 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:05,380 so appalling that I have to admit I'm 63 00:03:10,590 --> 00:03:06,970 always a little bit skeptical of what 64 00:03:13,590 --> 00:03:10,600 they actually are I mean I life granted 65 00:03:16,170 --> 00:03:13,600 I should probably to settle the question 66 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:16,180 my own mind really look at the surveys 67 00:03:19,140 --> 00:03:17,530 more closely but I always have this 68 00:03:21,569 --> 00:03:19,150 nagging feeling that something is going 69 00:03:23,580 --> 00:03:21,579 on that that people like don't 70 00:03:25,830 --> 00:03:23,590 understand the question the way that it 71 00:03:27,210 --> 00:03:25,840 was phrased to be good and I just say it 72 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:27,220 basically saying a paper copy that's 73 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:28,930 cheap of John right I guess I think 74 00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:31,450 that's actually it I think I don't want 75 00:03:35,849 --> 00:03:33,790 to think that that at least so many 76 00:03:38,069 --> 00:03:35,859 Americans are so stupid they live in 77 00:03:40,379 --> 00:03:38,079 today that they don't get the idea that 78 00:03:42,030 --> 00:03:40,389 the earth goes around the Sun I mean I 79 00:03:43,830 --> 00:03:42,040 that it that that is the kind of thing 80 00:03:47,490 --> 00:03:43,840 that if that actually represents 81 00:03:51,089 --> 00:03:47,500 something that people don't know or 82 00:03:53,309 --> 00:03:51,099 don't don't accept then I mean honestly 83 00:03:54,930 --> 00:03:53,319 a lot of other issues about scientific 84 00:03:56,430 --> 00:03:54,940 illiteracy you just sort of should throw 85 00:04:00,030 --> 00:03:56,440 in the towel because this you know that 86 00:04:03,330 --> 00:04:00,040 it's like where if you can't get that 87 00:04:05,849 --> 00:04:03,340 through to them quantum theory what you 88 00:04:07,199 --> 00:04:05,859 know evolution come on it's you're just 89 00:04:08,970 --> 00:04:07,209 at that point you almost have to just 90 00:04:12,260 --> 00:04:08,980 accept that you're just going to ask 91 00:04:14,610 --> 00:04:12,270 people to please don't get in the way 92 00:04:16,530 --> 00:04:14,620 education for some of the other people 93 00:04:18,930 --> 00:04:16,540 just sort of on that on that similar 94 00:04:21,030 --> 00:04:18,940 theme you and I were on a panel a couple 95 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:21,040 of days ago at the northeast and science 96 00:04:25,890 --> 00:04:23,050 and skepticism conference in new york 97 00:04:28,830 --> 00:04:25,900 city and our panel was about science and 98 00:04:30,659 --> 00:04:28,840 me and the media obviously you've played 99 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:30,669 a major role in conveying scientific 100 00:04:34,740 --> 00:04:33,370 information to the public but who do you 101 00:04:36,420 --> 00:04:34,750 think is at fault here i mean do you 102 00:04:38,250 --> 00:04:36,430 think that that the media needs to take 103 00:04:40,409 --> 00:04:38,260 more responsibility for educating the 104 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:40,419 public about science yeah it's joy media 105 00:04:43,470 --> 00:04:42,130 it's I mean this is this is and I think 106 00:04:45,330 --> 00:04:43,480 this was something that could come out 107 00:04:47,340 --> 00:04:45,340 of our panel discussions the other day 108 00:04:50,670 --> 00:04:47,350 is that that I think there there's 109 00:04:52,650 --> 00:04:50,680 probably no shortage of blame that can 110 00:04:55,469 --> 00:04:52,660 be thrown around to virtually everyone 111 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:55,479 connected with it that is it's very easy 112 00:04:59,070 --> 00:04:57,250 to point fingers obviously at the 113 00:05:00,719 --> 00:04:59,080 schools we should be turning out people 114 00:05:03,300 --> 00:05:00,729 who are better educated about science 115 00:05:05,129 --> 00:05:03,310 it's easy to point it at the scientists 116 00:05:07,350 --> 00:05:05,139 that sometimes they themselves should be 117 00:05:09,090 --> 00:05:07,360 you know commuting either being more 118 00:05:12,540 --> 00:05:09,100 willing to communicate or communicate 119 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:12,550 better you know you you but I think 120 00:05:16,650 --> 00:05:14,410 certainly obviously a portion of this 121 00:05:21,180 --> 00:05:16,660 definitely goes the way of the media and 122 00:05:25,020 --> 00:05:21,190 and I think that that there are there 123 00:05:28,740 --> 00:05:25,030 are real kinds of of fault the dual I 124 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:28,750 with the media that have even if root 125 00:05:34,409 --> 00:05:31,570 causes us a scientific misunderstanding 126 00:05:36,719 --> 00:05:34,419 or ignorance are rooted elsewhere that 127 00:05:39,180 --> 00:05:36,729 they're very badly compounded from time 128 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:39,190 to time no and I think what also he's 129 00:05:44,790 --> 00:05:41,530 very frustrating you know I this was a 130 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:44,800 point that Howard Schneider from Stony 131 00:05:49,590 --> 00:05:47,800 Brook University who's a well-decorated 132 00:05:51,630 --> 00:05:49,600 journals that he was making sort of 133 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:51,640 standing up in defense of the profession 134 00:05:57,900 --> 00:05:54,370 is that he made the point that actually 135 00:06:00,000 --> 00:05:57,910 notwithstanding sort of that it's it's 136 00:06:01,830 --> 00:06:00,010 very easy for a lot of us say oh the 137 00:06:04,110 --> 00:06:01,840 stupid media look they managed to botch 138 00:06:05,340 --> 00:06:04,120 these things again even on things like 139 00:06:07,620 --> 00:06:05,350 where they talk about the sort of be the 140 00:06:10,980 --> 00:06:07,630 false balance issues of look every time 141 00:06:12,690 --> 00:06:10,990 they run an article about evolution or 142 00:06:14,790 --> 00:06:12,700 controversy surrounding evolution they 143 00:06:16,710 --> 00:06:14,800 always manage to get that dopey 144 00:06:20,490 --> 00:06:16,720 creationist viewpoint tucked in at the 145 00:06:22,409 --> 00:06:20,500 end too you know I think he makes a 146 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:22,419 point that really almost if you look 147 00:06:26,100 --> 00:06:23,050 through 148 00:06:28,439 --> 00:06:26,110 piece by piece article by article a lot 149 00:06:30,330 --> 00:06:28,449 of them really actually hold up quite 150 00:06:33,779 --> 00:06:30,340 well at least when you're talking about 151 00:06:35,700 --> 00:06:33,789 sort of the the cream of the media the 152 00:06:38,670 --> 00:06:35,710 the New York Times and sort of other 153 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:38,680 other better newspapers or some the rest 154 00:06:43,830 --> 00:06:41,289 of those I think what's what makes it 155 00:06:45,689 --> 00:06:43,840 sort of a confounding Lee difficult 156 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:45,699 problem to address is that sometimes 157 00:06:51,450 --> 00:06:48,610 item-by-item things are perfectly good 158 00:06:54,809 --> 00:06:51,460 or perfectly reasonable and yet it seems 159 00:06:56,490 --> 00:06:54,819 as though the body of work consisting of 160 00:07:00,330 --> 00:06:56,500 all those different individual items 161 00:07:03,020 --> 00:07:00,340 somehow has some larger problem maybe 162 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:03,030 it's just the fact that even if say 163 00:07:08,369 --> 00:07:05,289 bringing in statements from global 164 00:07:10,950 --> 00:07:08,379 warming deniers deep down and 165 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:10,960 appropriately contextualized inside an 166 00:07:15,930 --> 00:07:13,930 article about climate change even though 167 00:07:17,700 --> 00:07:15,940 that's happened and it seems by rights 168 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:17,710 that that's a journalistic Lee 169 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:20,710 appropriate thing to do maybe in just 170 00:07:25,020 --> 00:07:22,810 that happening again and again and again 171 00:07:27,719 --> 00:07:25,030 helps to keep alive that point of view 172 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:27,729 in certain people's minds it is tricky 173 00:07:32,459 --> 00:07:30,610 though because because and I and I say 174 00:07:36,110 --> 00:07:32,469 this as somebody who has certainly made 175 00:07:38,850 --> 00:07:36,120 the argument that I think that a lot of 176 00:07:41,219 --> 00:07:38,860 science journalists on certain issues 177 00:07:43,980 --> 00:07:41,229 should not worry too much about being 178 00:07:46,980 --> 00:07:43,990 perceived as as advocates you know I 179 00:07:48,450 --> 00:07:46,990 think that that you know my maybe overly 180 00:07:50,700 --> 00:07:48,460 simplistic view of these things is my 181 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:50,710 job as a science journalist is to try to 182 00:07:56,879 --> 00:07:53,770 educate people about what I understand 183 00:07:58,769 --> 00:07:56,889 to be true and meaningful about things 184 00:08:02,610 --> 00:07:58,779 happening in science which means that at 185 00:08:04,950 --> 00:08:02,620 times I if I know that creationism is is 186 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:04,960 not a real scientific point of view I 187 00:08:09,540 --> 00:08:07,210 feel no particular responsibility in the 188 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:09,550 name of fairness to try to bring that in 189 00:08:15,659 --> 00:08:13,810 I think that there are you know but but 190 00:08:16,769 --> 00:08:15,669 but this can get very very tricky and 191 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:16,779 one of the things that came up in our 192 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:22,110 discussion is that a lot of articles or 193 00:08:27,149 --> 00:08:25,330 stories that appear in the news me know 194 00:08:29,820 --> 00:08:27,159 television in the radio or whatever else 195 00:08:32,819 --> 00:08:29,830 they don't always sit squarely within 196 00:08:35,730 --> 00:08:32,829 the camp of this is an article about the 197 00:08:36,260 --> 00:08:35,740 science or this is an article about save 198 00:08:40,580 --> 00:08:36,270 the 199 00:08:42,620 --> 00:08:40,590 sometimes have a foot in both and 200 00:08:44,870 --> 00:08:42,630 they're Blair that distinction to that 201 00:08:46,850 --> 00:08:44,880 night right well and like a yeah well 202 00:08:47,990 --> 00:08:46,860 and ultimate and the justifications for 203 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:48,000 what you would do in each of those cases 204 00:08:53,660 --> 00:08:50,370 so if I'm writing an article that is 205 00:08:57,170 --> 00:08:53,670 very straightforwardly about the science 206 00:08:59,300 --> 00:08:57,180 of evolution there is no reasonable 207 00:09:02,090 --> 00:08:59,310 point in there for me to be writing 208 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:02,100 about creationist points of view on the 209 00:09:06,680 --> 00:09:03,450 other hand if I'm writing an article 210 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:06,690 that is sort of about the the social 211 00:09:12,410 --> 00:09:10,050 context of evolution even if I want to 212 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:12,420 make the point in their analysis 213 00:09:14,870 --> 00:09:13,410 shouldn't make the point in there that 214 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:14,880 obviously evolution is the only 215 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:17,370 scientifically validated of perspective 216 00:09:22,370 --> 00:09:19,650 on this still it would be kind of 217 00:09:24,770 --> 00:09:22,380 disingenuous of me to not acknowledge 218 00:09:26,270 --> 00:09:24,780 the fact that certainly here in the 219 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:26,280 United States you've got a lot of people 220 00:09:30,620 --> 00:09:28,560 who are not on board with that yeah and 221 00:09:33,140 --> 00:09:30,630 that and that it becomes a real issue in 222 00:09:35,420 --> 00:09:33,150 things like you know textbook standards 223 00:09:38,330 --> 00:09:35,430 in fact would be really remove me as a 224 00:09:41,030 --> 00:09:38,340 journalist not to mention that so if I'm 225 00:09:42,770 --> 00:09:41,040 writing an article that is trying to do 226 00:09:45,830 --> 00:09:42,780 a bit of both and explain some of the 227 00:09:48,170 --> 00:09:45,840 science and talk about some of this you 228 00:09:51,170 --> 00:09:48,180 know people who are looking at that 229 00:09:53,300 --> 00:09:51,180 story would say a very scientific lens 230 00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:53,310 may really feel like oh you're mucking 231 00:09:57,740 --> 00:09:55,710 up the the story of the science on this 232 00:10:01,280 --> 00:09:57,750 by dragging in those lunatics who 233 00:10:05,710 --> 00:10:01,290 believe in creation it's not easy and 234 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:05,720 you and you do want to be careful about 235 00:10:10,220 --> 00:10:08,370 telling telling journalists or 236 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:10,230 journalism in general given what their 237 00:10:14,300 --> 00:10:11,970 general mandate is supposed to be that 238 00:10:15,470 --> 00:10:14,310 there are certain perspectives that you 239 00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:15,480 should just decide for yourselves you're 240 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:18,420 just not going to bother to include you 241 00:10:22,780 --> 00:10:20,370 know I hate it it's tricky I don't think 242 00:10:25,190 --> 00:10:22,790 and especially for people who are 243 00:10:27,290 --> 00:10:25,200 operating under deadlines and lots of 244 00:10:30,020 --> 00:10:27,300 other things sometimes the wrong calls 245 00:10:31,430 --> 00:10:30,030 get get made so it's tricky I think you 246 00:10:34,130 --> 00:10:31,440 make a really good point though there by 247 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:34,140 saying that if it's a social analysis of 248 00:10:38,270 --> 00:10:36,810 the sort of the moon you know the 249 00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:38,280 situation of hand for example 250 00:10:42,590 --> 00:10:40,710 creationism or you know my pet interest 251 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:42,600 which is the anti boxes right then I see 252 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:44,250 no reason why you shouldn't include that 253 00:10:49,330 --> 00:10:46,530 but where the line gets blurred is when 254 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:49,340 the science is presented yes as is kind 255 00:10:54,370 --> 00:10:52,250 no one and then there's a throw away a 256 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:54,380 couple of paragraphs from you know the 257 00:10:58,900 --> 00:10:55,730 ante backs movement who don't base 258 00:11:01,270 --> 00:10:58,910 anything on science and so as a member 259 00:11:03,490 --> 00:11:01,280 of the public I'm probably going to 260 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:03,500 confuse those two and there's no reason 261 00:11:07,180 --> 00:11:05,210 why I wouldn't think that the anti 262 00:11:08,710 --> 00:11:07,190 baxter phys science as well you know one 263 00:11:10,630 --> 00:11:08,720 of the things that I mean we talked 264 00:11:12,900 --> 00:11:10,640 about some of the other kind of the the 265 00:11:15,940 --> 00:11:12,910 really deeply unfortunate 266 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:15,950 misunderstandings within the public and 267 00:11:21,910 --> 00:11:18,110 maybe in a sense among within the sort 268 00:11:23,590 --> 00:11:21,920 of the the semi educated public about 269 00:11:28,690 --> 00:11:23,600 the science and in some ways they're the 270 00:11:30,220 --> 00:11:28,700 people who are who are most most 271 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:30,230 troublesome for all of this because the 272 00:11:34,060 --> 00:11:32,090 people who are genuinely naive about 273 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:34,070 science and not interested in science 274 00:11:39,100 --> 00:11:36,890 stay out of it the problems are the ones 275 00:11:42,730 --> 00:11:39,110 who they know just enough science to be 276 00:11:44,890 --> 00:11:42,740 dangerous it is is the problem and comes 277 00:11:48,610 --> 00:11:44,900 up and I really think this is at the 278 00:11:51,910 --> 00:11:48,620 root of other endless sorts of you know 279 00:11:55,630 --> 00:11:51,920 pseudo scientific controversies is the 280 00:11:58,210 --> 00:11:55,640 the the Galileo myth which is that album 281 00:12:00,930 --> 00:11:58,220 of you know that yes the whole 282 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:00,940 scientific scientific establishment says 283 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:04,730 that the drama but Galileo was Galileo 284 00:12:10,390 --> 00:12:08,450 was right and and that notion that that 285 00:12:14,620 --> 00:12:10,400 is genuinely wrong that it only takes 286 00:12:17,770 --> 00:12:14,630 one experimental result to completely 287 00:12:20,020 --> 00:12:17,780 knock down some huge edifice of a theory 288 00:12:22,030 --> 00:12:20,030 like it's just not true I mean 289 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:22,040 especially not true in practice is all 290 00:12:26,290 --> 00:12:24,050 real working scientists know for told 291 00:12:28,630 --> 00:12:26,300 even in principle it would have to be 292 00:12:30,970 --> 00:12:28,640 one hell of a scientific result to 293 00:12:33,610 --> 00:12:30,980 suddenly actually take down everything 294 00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:33,620 that was there was believed about a well 295 00:12:39,130 --> 00:12:36,110 substantiated theory what would be a 296 00:12:41,110 --> 00:12:39,140 result that would take down our you know 297 00:12:43,210 --> 00:12:41,120 the the theory of universal gravitation 298 00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:43,220 what would be the result that we would 299 00:12:48,550 --> 00:12:44,870 have to have them do that you would need 300 00:12:49,870 --> 00:12:48,560 to have an instance of anti-gravity and 301 00:12:52,510 --> 00:12:49,880 it would have to be an instance of 302 00:12:56,140 --> 00:12:52,520 anti-gravity that didn't just leave you 303 00:12:59,140 --> 00:12:56,150 to amend everything else that you had in 304 00:13:00,680 --> 00:12:59,150 science it actually caused you to have 305 00:13:01,850 --> 00:13:00,690 to tear the whole thing down 306 00:13:03,770 --> 00:13:01,860 it would be the kind of thing and said 307 00:13:05,090 --> 00:13:03,780 look we've been fooling ourselves there 308 00:13:06,860 --> 00:13:05,100 aren't atoms at all what were we 309 00:13:10,220 --> 00:13:06,870 thinking there are actually you know 310 00:13:11,810 --> 00:13:10,230 tiny little microscopic frogs I thought 311 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:11,820 they were out of its well this changes 312 00:13:15,980 --> 00:13:14,010 everything yeah but that's that's I 313 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:15,990 think what happens in people that's 314 00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:20,010 what's so loopy about some of the kind 315 00:13:28,850 --> 00:13:24,380 of the would be scientific critics of 316 00:13:30,860 --> 00:13:28,860 evolution or global worming evidence or 317 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:30,870 some of this is that they will point to 318 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:34,650 their pet experiment or their pet body 319 00:13:41,180 --> 00:13:38,610 of work and say well if this is true all 320 00:13:42,710 --> 00:13:41,190 the rest of this must be false but it's 321 00:13:45,170 --> 00:13:42,720 just not the case I mean in physics 322 00:13:48,350 --> 00:13:45,180 which is I mean physics it which is as 323 00:13:50,540 --> 00:13:48,360 as solid and mathematical and rigorous 324 00:13:52,130 --> 00:13:50,550 and substantiated a science really as 325 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:52,140 you as you can find I mean you can 326 00:13:58,310 --> 00:13:55,890 literally the predictions come out of 327 00:14:00,740 --> 00:13:58,320 different models that can be tested to 328 00:14:05,690 --> 00:14:00,750 umpteen different decimal points of 329 00:14:07,970 --> 00:14:05,700 accuracy leaving within those people 330 00:14:10,340 --> 00:14:07,980 come up with with sort of anomalous 331 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:10,350 results all the cut all the time people 332 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:11,910 come up with things like that's weird 333 00:14:14,780 --> 00:14:13,650 that doesn't seem like right we would 334 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:14,790 have figured that should have been a 335 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:17,250 little bit different but it doesn't mean 336 00:14:22,340 --> 00:14:19,710 that everybody says well tear up your 337 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:22,350 relativity papers a throw up quantum 338 00:14:26,810 --> 00:14:25,170 theory because it's much more likely in 339 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:26,820 a lot of those cases that your anomalous 340 00:14:32,060 --> 00:14:30,330 result is wrong or 50 first of all or if 341 00:14:34,670 --> 00:14:32,070 it's packaged actually turns out to be 342 00:14:36,590 --> 00:14:34,680 true it is probably validated by 343 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:36,600 something that is you know a minor 344 00:14:41,390 --> 00:14:38,730 codicil that you make to the rest of it 345 00:14:42,770 --> 00:14:41,400 I mean a good example is and this is 346 00:14:47,030 --> 00:14:42,780 like perfect example of an anomalous 347 00:14:49,790 --> 00:14:47,040 thing as the it's been noticed that some 348 00:14:51,380 --> 00:14:49,800 of the deep-space probes that we've been 349 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:51,390 sending out you know far other the 350 00:14:56,980 --> 00:14:53,130 they're on a trajectory out of the solar 351 00:15:00,920 --> 00:14:56,990 system it's been noticed that they are 352 00:15:03,350 --> 00:15:00,930 moving I think a little bit slower than 353 00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:03,360 they're supposed to be it's strange it's 354 00:15:07,530 --> 00:15:06,510 like you know all all of what we know 355 00:15:08,370 --> 00:15:07,540 about 356 00:15:10,050 --> 00:15:08,380 you know sort of the standard 357 00:15:11,430 --> 00:15:10,060 gravitational calculations and our 358 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:11,440 understanding of the bodies that are out 359 00:15:15,509 --> 00:15:13,930 there would suggest these things should 360 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:15,519 be moving a little bit faster at this 361 00:15:18,269 --> 00:15:16,690 point than they are and it keeps 362 00:15:21,540 --> 00:15:18,279 happening over and over again with these 363 00:15:24,540 --> 00:15:21,550 different probes so on the face of it 364 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:24,550 that's something that's a result that 365 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:27,910 can seriously knock down some of what 366 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:30,250 you would understand about about gravity 367 00:15:36,569 --> 00:15:33,970 gravity going back to Newton but you 368 00:15:38,430 --> 00:15:36,579 know whatever the result of that is okay 369 00:15:40,499 --> 00:15:38,440 it's probably the fact that it's been 370 00:15:41,970 --> 00:15:40,509 observed independently enough over and 371 00:15:44,069 --> 00:15:41,980 over against Joseph's probably it's not 372 00:15:45,540 --> 00:15:44,079 just a mistake it's not just a 373 00:15:46,829 --> 00:15:45,550 measurement error although I think there 374 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:46,839 are some people who argue even that 375 00:15:51,509 --> 00:15:48,850 can't necessarily be ruled out 376 00:15:53,430 --> 00:15:51,519 completely but it's also very likely 377 00:15:55,949 --> 00:15:53,440 that okay there are other gravitational 378 00:15:58,920 --> 00:15:55,959 masses that maybe in the solar system 379 00:16:01,019 --> 00:15:58,930 that people aren't accounting for likely 380 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:01,029 and that might be something but you know 381 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:03,130 the most far-out answer is that well 382 00:16:06,090 --> 00:16:04,569 you're actually looking at something 383 00:16:08,249 --> 00:16:06,100 that says that when you're talking about 384 00:16:11,189 --> 00:16:08,259 you know that's that sort of 385 00:16:14,519 --> 00:16:11,199 astronomical kind of distance that maybe 386 00:16:16,620 --> 00:16:14,529 some they know there are extra terms 387 00:16:18,509 --> 00:16:16,630 that need to be added to the relatively 388 00:16:21,689 --> 00:16:18,519 straightforward gravitational 389 00:16:24,439 --> 00:16:21,699 calculations but even that doesn't knock 390 00:16:27,689 --> 00:16:24,449 down Newton's theory of gravity yeah 391 00:16:30,449 --> 00:16:27,699 general relativity did not dot knock 392 00:16:32,460 --> 00:16:30,459 down Newton's there is a gravity it just 393 00:16:34,050 --> 00:16:32,470 amended them and showed that under 394 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:34,060 certain circumstances you yuge you 395 00:16:38,519 --> 00:16:36,850 needed to calculate them differently in 396 00:16:40,650 --> 00:16:38,529 quantum theory you know that's the 397 00:16:43,470 --> 00:16:40,660 fascinating is that too hasn't managed 398 00:16:45,990 --> 00:16:43,480 to negate relativity theory the 399 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:46,000 fascinating thing is that both of those 400 00:16:52,639 --> 00:16:49,810 are clearly robustly very very true even 401 00:16:56,460 --> 00:16:52,649 though they operate on what are 402 00:16:58,019 --> 00:16:56,470 fundamentally irreconcilable sets of 403 00:17:00,629 --> 00:16:58,029 fundamental principles about kind of how 404 00:17:02,639 --> 00:17:00,639 the universe is put together and so the 405 00:17:03,929 --> 00:17:02,649 great search is to try to figure out how 406 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:03,939 do you make those two things come 407 00:17:07,049 --> 00:17:05,530 together in some way but that's just 408 00:17:09,329 --> 00:17:07,059 fascinating as part of what's exciting 409 00:17:11,399 --> 00:17:09,339 about Sciences is not having answers 410 00:17:13,110 --> 00:17:11,409 like that yeah but that's your opinion 411 00:17:14,699 --> 00:17:13,120 John I mean they're the public might say 412 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:14,709 to you will but scientists keep changing 413 00:17:18,010 --> 00:17:16,250 their mind all the time right now 414 00:17:19,870 --> 00:17:18,020 and this is one of the big problems that 415 00:17:22,569 --> 00:17:19,880 I think the media contributes to you as 416 00:17:24,420 --> 00:17:22,579 well where as you mentioned before you 417 00:17:26,829 --> 00:17:24,430 know journalists have deadlines they 418 00:17:29,050 --> 00:17:26,839 some of them are not necessarily trained 419 00:17:30,580 --> 00:17:29,060 a science journalist either right and so 420 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:30,590 they might pick up an abstract from a 421 00:17:35,380 --> 00:17:33,770 paper and and as you would well no 422 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:35,390 abstracts often not very representative 423 00:17:39,430 --> 00:17:37,250 of what is in the rest of the paper 424 00:17:41,260 --> 00:17:39,440 right right and so one we can't you know 425 00:17:43,660 --> 00:17:41,270 cancers caused by coffee in the next 426 00:17:46,540 --> 00:17:43,670 week you know coffee cures cancer right 427 00:17:48,460 --> 00:17:46,550 well I mean some of that and forgive me 428 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:48,470 if I if I jump up on what's a lot of 429 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:50,330 like a little a little hobby horse of my 430 00:17:53,890 --> 00:17:52,250 own about some of this is that this is 431 00:17:55,570 --> 00:17:53,900 something that that when I speak to 432 00:17:59,710 --> 00:17:55,580 groups of science journalists in general 433 00:18:01,750 --> 00:17:59,720 i've been i've been pleading with all of 434 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:01,760 us as a profession to try to do some 435 00:18:08,620 --> 00:18:03,770 level of rethink about what constitutes 436 00:18:12,490 --> 00:18:08,630 science news because most of what shows 437 00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:12,500 up as science news at the moment is it 438 00:18:17,590 --> 00:18:15,110 very commonly defaults to a kind of 439 00:18:20,260 --> 00:18:17,600 exciting paper in a very reputable 440 00:18:22,570 --> 00:18:20,270 journal this week and that's what we're 441 00:18:24,730 --> 00:18:22,580 going to make that and that that lends 442 00:18:26,470 --> 00:18:24,740 itself very well to kind of what are in 443 00:18:28,780 --> 00:18:26,480 effect sort of little data points in 444 00:18:31,690 --> 00:18:28,790 science the thing that says you know 445 00:18:34,810 --> 00:18:31,700 broccoli will help prevent prostate 446 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:34,820 cancer and then a few weeks later 447 00:18:41,220 --> 00:18:38,210 another paper comes out and it may some 448 00:18:44,140 --> 00:18:41,230 you know maybe it doesn't say broccoli 449 00:18:45,730 --> 00:18:44,150 will you know will cause prostate cancer 450 00:18:48,130 --> 00:18:45,740 but it may think something like oh 451 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:48,140 broccoli will increase your chances of 452 00:18:51,550 --> 00:18:50,090 heart disease or whatever else and so 453 00:18:53,260 --> 00:18:51,560 you do get a lot of the public that says 454 00:18:55,570 --> 00:18:53,270 am I supposed to eat broccoli or am I 455 00:18:57,490 --> 00:18:55,580 not supposed to put that's right and and 456 00:18:59,770 --> 00:18:57,500 i think india or not to mention the fact 457 00:19:01,540 --> 00:18:59,780 as as you well know signs papers are 458 00:19:05,410 --> 00:19:01,550 published and then they often you know 459 00:19:07,210 --> 00:19:05,420 the results just don't hold up or they 460 00:19:10,780 --> 00:19:07,220 just don't have the full significance or 461 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:10,790 meaning that they sometimes did I mean I 462 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:11,930 think you can sort of do it would be 463 00:19:15,370 --> 00:19:14,030 sort of an interesting exercise and no 464 00:19:22,180 --> 00:19:15,380 one's going to do this but I mean 465 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:22,190 imagine if the all journalism outlets in 466 00:19:25,180 --> 00:19:23,930 the world decided that they were just 467 00:19:27,130 --> 00:19:25,190 going to 468 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:27,140 declare a certain moratorium that 469 00:19:30,370 --> 00:19:28,730 instead of when a paper comes out it has 470 00:19:32,610 --> 00:19:30,380 to be published and be in the news right 471 00:19:35,590 --> 00:19:32,620 that week if everybody was going to say 472 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:35,600 we're not going to publish it for at 473 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:38,930 least three months or six months because 474 00:19:41,710 --> 00:19:40,490 if you did that it would be very very 475 00:19:44,070 --> 00:19:41,720 different because there are a lot of 476 00:19:46,300 --> 00:19:44,080 papers that would come up but suddenly 477 00:19:48,850 --> 00:19:46,310 nobody would actually care about three 478 00:19:50,860 --> 00:19:48,860 months later anymore and there are a lot 479 00:19:53,650 --> 00:19:50,870 of things that you know other results 480 00:19:56,340 --> 00:19:53,660 would be processed and brought in now I 481 00:19:58,660 --> 00:19:56,350 think it's really unfortunate that the 482 00:20:01,960 --> 00:19:58,670 this sort of goes to the problem of the 483 00:20:05,290 --> 00:20:01,970 nature of the business of journalism is 484 00:20:06,790 --> 00:20:05,300 that it pushes very very hard for the 485 00:20:10,090 --> 00:20:06,800 importance of things obviously like 486 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:10,100 journalistic scoops and for being very 487 00:20:15,820 --> 00:20:13,450 very competitive and attracting as many 488 00:20:19,450 --> 00:20:15,830 readers or viewers or whatever as 489 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:19,460 possible and you know there are lots of 490 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:20,930 things that are perfectly defensible 491 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:24,170 about that on lots of terms but but if 492 00:20:31,050 --> 00:20:26,950 if what you're looking to optimize is 493 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:31,060 the public's understanding of science 494 00:20:36,550 --> 00:20:34,610 very broadly there's nothing in that 495 00:20:38,020 --> 00:20:36,560 model for journalism that says that's 496 00:20:40,690 --> 00:20:38,030 what's going to happen yeah you're going 497 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:40,700 to instead get a lot of sort of heard 498 00:20:44,260 --> 00:20:42,770 journalism everybody jumps on certain 499 00:20:45,940 --> 00:20:44,270 kinds of stories because they don't want 500 00:20:48,010 --> 00:20:45,950 to be the one place that didn't do that 501 00:20:51,130 --> 00:20:48,020 story you're going to get a certain 502 00:20:53,590 --> 00:20:51,140 amount of in some cases jumping on some 503 00:20:55,510 --> 00:20:53,600 things a little prematurely and you're 504 00:20:57,070 --> 00:20:55,520 going to get a kind of a focus on 505 00:20:59,170 --> 00:20:57,080 certain kinds of stories that are very 506 00:21:01,090 --> 00:20:59,180 very easy to sell and you're going to 507 00:21:05,020 --> 00:21:01,100 lose a lot of attention whether so 508 00:21:08,350 --> 00:21:05,030 astronomy stories get lots of play in in 509 00:21:12,460 --> 00:21:08,360 the general press stories about animals 510 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:12,470 get a lot of play stories about a lot of 511 00:21:17,170 --> 00:21:15,050 ways our own psychology often get a lot 512 00:21:20,620 --> 00:21:17,180 of attention certain kinds of medical 513 00:21:22,110 --> 00:21:20,630 stories get a lot of attention but come 514 00:21:25,290 --> 00:21:22,120 on the sort of the bread and butter 515 00:21:28,210 --> 00:21:25,300 material science or chemistry stories 516 00:21:30,990 --> 00:21:28,220 the kinds of physics stories that don't 517 00:21:34,470 --> 00:21:31,000 involve things like dark matter or 518 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:34,480 you know or or the Large Hadron Collider 519 00:21:39,060 --> 00:21:36,490 you know things that don't have a 520 00:21:43,170 --> 00:21:39,070 certain kind of glamour to them it's 521 00:21:46,830 --> 00:21:43,180 very very tough to get those a lot of 522 00:21:48,030 --> 00:21:46,840 space routinely in a lot of the general 523 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:48,040 press when you get into the more 524 00:21:53,100 --> 00:21:50,410 specialized press sure then you can then 525 00:21:56,460 --> 00:21:53,110 you can get it but that's that's sort of 526 00:21:59,550 --> 00:21:56,470 not what the problem is the roblem is 527 00:22:04,080 --> 00:21:59,560 the most people think most science 528 00:22:06,060 --> 00:22:04,090 involves a lot of astronomy well on that 529 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:06,070 sort of issue of jumping on a paper as 530 00:22:09,420 --> 00:22:07,810 soon as it's published that sort of is 531 00:22:11,070 --> 00:22:09,430 partly responsible for what happened 532 00:22:13,050 --> 00:22:11,080 with the engine Wakefield study would 533 00:22:15,990 --> 00:22:13,060 the autism connection with date with 534 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:16,000 vaccinations in 1998 and I think if 535 00:22:18,510 --> 00:22:17,290 journalists that maybe waited a bit 536 00:22:20,490 --> 00:22:18,520 longer done a little bit more research 537 00:22:22,910 --> 00:22:20,500 they may have found out that you know 538 00:22:25,110 --> 00:22:22,920 his previous two papers were actually 539 00:22:27,270 --> 00:22:25,120 demonstrated to be wrong and of course 540 00:22:29,510 --> 00:22:27,280 the health the impact on the public 541 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:29,520 health has been huge in that and 542 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:32,770 particularly in that example but when we 543 00:22:36,690 --> 00:22:33,910 were talking to Howard Schneider on 544 00:22:38,940 --> 00:22:36,700 Saturday at the conference his opinion 545 00:22:41,340 --> 00:22:38,950 was well we're just reporting the 546 00:22:42,990 --> 00:22:41,350 stories it's up to the public really to 547 00:22:45,300 --> 00:22:43,000 sort of work out whether that's right oh 548 00:22:47,430 --> 00:22:45,310 that's wrong and what's your opinion of 549 00:22:51,540 --> 00:22:47,440 that yeah i think it's i think it's it's 550 00:22:53,310 --> 00:22:51,550 it's tough that's that is a admitted 551 00:22:56,190 --> 00:22:53,320 that there are aspects of that point 552 00:22:59,250 --> 00:22:56,200 that i can argue to myself both ways I 553 00:23:03,990 --> 00:22:59,260 mean I I always feel that it is it is a 554 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:04,000 little disingenuous for us journalists 555 00:23:08,610 --> 00:23:05,650 to be in a position to sometimes say 556 00:23:10,650 --> 00:23:08,620 well we are we're not we don't want to 557 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:10,660 be the gatekeepers we we are just 558 00:23:14,310 --> 00:23:12,850 presenting what is going on out there 559 00:23:17,250 --> 00:23:14,320 we're talking about what other people 560 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:17,260 are saying we you know other people are 561 00:23:20,790 --> 00:23:19,090 the news we are simply the vehicle of 562 00:23:23,250 --> 00:23:20,800 that and if other people are saying this 563 00:23:25,290 --> 00:23:23,260 we have a responsibility to be passing 564 00:23:29,550 --> 00:23:25,300 that along I think it's disingenuous 565 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:29,560 because the reality is that all writers 566 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:32,650 and reporters and editors when they are 567 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:34,570 putting together stories of any kind 568 00:23:37,690 --> 00:23:37,090 inevitably you make choices about what 569 00:23:38,980 --> 00:23:37,700 you're going to 570 00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:38,990 load and what you're not going to 571 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:42,529 include even stories that have you know 572 00:23:47,379 --> 00:23:44,450 that represent a number of points of 573 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:47,389 view do not represent every point of 574 00:23:54,360 --> 00:23:49,490 view they represent what they think are 575 00:23:59,980 --> 00:23:57,519 representative major points of view on 576 00:24:01,570 --> 00:23:59,990 this it's impossible to get all the 577 00:24:03,820 --> 00:24:01,580 points of view in any story and in fact 578 00:24:05,710 --> 00:24:03,830 one of the the things that sort of most 579 00:24:09,850 --> 00:24:05,720 misleading is how many controversies are 580 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:09,860 are set up as as just two sided it's a 581 00:24:15,129 --> 00:24:13,130 or its be well he asked with a B and an 582 00:24:18,370 --> 00:24:15,139 entire alphabet of other perspectives on 583 00:24:21,580 --> 00:24:18,380 this that actually may have more or 584 00:24:24,730 --> 00:24:21,590 fewer things in common with those first 585 00:24:26,620 --> 00:24:24,740 two that you set up so it's not the case 586 00:24:28,990 --> 00:24:26,630 that when we're journalists that we're 587 00:24:30,820 --> 00:24:29,000 always you know that weird that we're 588 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:30,830 not that the problem on that we are 589 00:24:34,450 --> 00:24:32,570 making those choices well on the other 590 00:24:36,899 --> 00:24:34,460 hand it is also the case that with some 591 00:24:39,850 --> 00:24:36,909 of these things kind of frustratingly 592 00:24:41,139 --> 00:24:39,860 particularly when this when the you know 593 00:24:43,870 --> 00:24:41,149 I think those of us who have a lot of 594 00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:43,880 interests in science we sometimes just 595 00:24:47,649 --> 00:24:46,190 expected that the newspapers but that 596 00:24:49,330 --> 00:24:47,659 most of their interest in most of their 597 00:24:51,039 --> 00:24:49,340 stories is going to be that kind of 598 00:24:54,340 --> 00:24:51,049 scientific one but I think a lot of 599 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:54,350 times the editors and reporters and 600 00:24:58,180 --> 00:24:56,570 writers would point out that the 601 00:25:00,580 --> 00:24:58,190 responsibility they actually have been 602 00:25:03,820 --> 00:25:00,590 publishing this goes considerably beyond 603 00:25:05,259 --> 00:25:03,830 all of that and that there are you know 604 00:25:06,909 --> 00:25:05,269 some of those kinds of things that they 605 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:06,919 do have to acknowledge and that the 606 00:25:10,180 --> 00:25:08,690 stories are not as we talked about 607 00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:10,190 earlier they're not clearly sort of 608 00:25:13,659 --> 00:25:11,750 partitioned down to here's the science 609 00:25:15,159 --> 00:25:13,669 component to this here's the social 610 00:25:19,450 --> 00:25:15,169 compulsion component this here's the 611 00:25:22,029 --> 00:25:19,460 political component of this you know you 612 00:25:24,580 --> 00:25:22,039 you do need sometimes you do need a 613 00:25:26,649 --> 00:25:24,590 smarter public because because there's 614 00:25:29,649 --> 00:25:26,659 something fun as your your public just 615 00:25:32,230 --> 00:25:29,659 doesn't they just don't understand what 616 00:25:34,870 --> 00:25:32,240 they're being told I mean Ben Goldacre 617 00:25:36,879 --> 00:25:34,880 for example he criticizes science 618 00:25:38,889 --> 00:25:36,889 journalists for sir for the fact that 619 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:38,899 they dumbed down things too much and he 620 00:25:43,210 --> 00:25:40,250 says you know you watch the news every 621 00:25:45,279 --> 00:25:43,220 night and there's detail reports on the 622 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:45,289 economy in the financial situation and 623 00:25:48,789 --> 00:25:47,330 not many of us are trained in finance or 624 00:25:50,150 --> 00:25:48,799 economy so they're talking about things 625 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:50,160 that we don't understand but they don't 626 00:25:55,730 --> 00:25:52,890 down whereas he thinks that science is 627 00:25:57,650 --> 00:25:55,740 to dump down but if the public is that 628 00:25:59,600 --> 00:25:57,660 challenged in terms of their scientific 629 00:26:01,340 --> 00:25:59,610 knowledge then maybe we have to do that 630 00:26:04,220 --> 00:26:01,350 it's a good point I mean I do sometimes 631 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:04,230 wonder you know that's a reasonable 632 00:26:08,150 --> 00:26:06,570 argument that men is raising about 633 00:26:09,770 --> 00:26:08,160 something that I do sometimes wonder 634 00:26:11,330 --> 00:26:09,780 whether if you talked to people who are 635 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:11,340 say professional economists at what they 636 00:26:14,810 --> 00:26:12,570 would make Erica I don't know that's 637 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:14,820 that's a very dumbed-down presentation 638 00:26:20,330 --> 00:26:17,130 of what's going on in my field so maybe 639 00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:20,340 maybe some AAA maybe but but i mean i'd 640 00:26:23,690 --> 00:26:21,990 be willing to concede that that you know 641 00:26:26,780 --> 00:26:23,700 that may not be the case that the fact 642 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:26,790 is it is it is i mean there are a lot of 643 00:26:32,950 --> 00:26:29,970 attitudes that are very deeply ingrained 644 00:26:36,770 --> 00:26:32,960 may be wrongly within a lot of 645 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:36,780 journalism that do cut into some of 646 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:38,250 those questions about about what you're 647 00:26:42,740 --> 00:26:39,570 going to present there is a very strong 648 00:26:44,990 --> 00:26:42,750 sense that a lot of your public is going 649 00:26:47,270 --> 00:26:45,000 to run screaming off into the night if 650 00:26:49,220 --> 00:26:47,280 you do start to get a little too 651 00:26:50,630 --> 00:26:49,230 technical little too detailed and this 652 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:50,640 is where it's tricky because i think you 653 00:26:54,770 --> 00:26:52,290 almost do want to look or talk about 654 00:26:56,780 --> 00:26:54,780 talking about media or the press or 655 00:26:59,210 --> 00:26:56,790 newspapers or whatever else they're such 656 00:27:00,260 --> 00:26:59,220 broad categories that you almost want to 657 00:27:04,310 --> 00:27:00,270 take these things on a cave of 658 00:27:07,070 --> 00:27:04,320 case-by-case basis the kind of things 659 00:27:09,590 --> 00:27:07,080 that you know public television 660 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:09,600 audiences might be willing to watch on a 661 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:11,130 Sunday evening may be very very 662 00:27:17,390 --> 00:27:13,130 different from the kinds of things that 663 00:27:19,370 --> 00:27:17,400 you know aa8 it a different swath of the 664 00:27:22,850 --> 00:27:19,380 public wants to watch on like it's 665 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:22,860 morning television news program who was 666 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:24,810 it the PT Barnum or who is so someone is 667 00:27:30,410 --> 00:27:27,810 credited with saying the note no one 668 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:30,420 ever went broke by under estimating the 669 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:31,890 intelligence of the amount of the 670 00:27:37,970 --> 00:27:35,090 American public it's a patronizing 671 00:27:39,860 --> 00:27:37,980 perspective to take on it and yet a lot 672 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:39,870 of people have managed to make a lot of 673 00:27:45,350 --> 00:27:42,930 money that way and you know people I 674 00:27:47,060 --> 00:27:45,360 think they love times of people who are 675 00:27:49,070 --> 00:27:47,070 in these perspective positions to make 676 00:27:50,390 --> 00:27:49,080 these decisions they default to what 677 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:50,400 seems like well the safer more 678 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:52,770 conservative assumption is that people 679 00:27:59,720 --> 00:27:54,690 won't actually be very interested in 680 00:28:01,370 --> 00:27:59,730 this so when in doubt heads toward the 681 00:28:04,370 --> 00:28:01,380 realization that there 682 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:04,380 were to get out of here I do think I 683 00:28:06,650 --> 00:28:05,370 mean I say this is something you know 684 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:06,660 somebody associated with scientific 685 00:28:13,490 --> 00:28:10,410 american which is certainly the 686 00:28:15,950 --> 00:28:13,500 antithesis of that in many many ways i 687 00:28:18,410 --> 00:28:15,960 have to say scientists are really I've 688 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:18,420 in my in my judgment is somebody who 689 00:28:23,810 --> 00:28:20,130 sits there kind of intermediary between 690 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:23,820 the Scientific American audience and the 691 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:26,730 the scientists authors who write for us 692 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:29,250 I think a lot of scientists do sometimes 693 00:28:37,970 --> 00:28:32,610 get a distorted perspective about just 694 00:28:40,550 --> 00:28:37,980 how fascinated a lot of the public might 695 00:28:42,620 --> 00:28:40,560 be with their work or how equipped they 696 00:28:44,830 --> 00:28:42,630 are to be able to do it what do you mean 697 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:44,840 I know it's hard to imagine isn't it 698 00:28:52,580 --> 00:28:49,970 yeah well not your work of course not my 699 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:52,590 that's but that's right i mean i think 700 00:28:58,190 --> 00:28:54,570 people that you know think they do i 701 00:29:00,290 --> 00:28:58,200 mean i recall in days of you know of 702 00:29:01,910 --> 00:29:00,300 editing articles with with various 703 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:01,920 scientists of really having to convince 704 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:05,730 them that most people did not know what 705 00:29:10,460 --> 00:29:08,730 messenger RNA is it's like you know and 706 00:29:12,590 --> 00:29:10,470 i would say i would say we have to stop 707 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:12,600 and we have to at least explain what 708 00:29:19,310 --> 00:29:16,010 messenger RNA is and you know they 709 00:29:20,990 --> 00:29:19,320 already bristling against some of the 710 00:29:22,550 --> 00:29:21,000 kind of the word constraints that we 711 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:22,560 were already faced with so everybody 712 00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:24,810 knows that I'm I swear to you they don't 713 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:27,510 I swear to you they have no they don't 714 00:29:31,820 --> 00:29:29,490 really necessarily know what genes are 715 00:29:34,310 --> 00:29:31,830 you know they're familiar in a very 716 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:34,320 general general way but the notion that 717 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:37,410 genes make proteins it's probably worth 718 00:29:42,050 --> 00:29:39,090 reminding them of that sort of thing so 719 00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:42,060 I mean I think even if we embrace the 720 00:29:47,510 --> 00:29:45,510 idea that the public's actual tolerance 721 00:29:49,250 --> 00:29:47,520 for a lot of this and their interest in 722 00:29:53,330 --> 00:29:49,260 a lot of the science is significantly 723 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:53,340 higher than then maybe in practice we in 724 00:29:59,300 --> 00:29:56,850 the media given credit for the i would 725 00:30:00,520 --> 00:29:59,310 say you still want to be kind of careful 726 00:30:02,740 --> 00:30:00,530 about that 727 00:30:04,810 --> 00:30:02,750 and and and be aware of the fact that 728 00:30:07,330 --> 00:30:04,820 you know people do have a lot of other 729 00:30:09,460 --> 00:30:07,340 interests it's very very easy especially 730 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:09,470 these days for them to get distracted 731 00:30:13,930 --> 00:30:12,530 off by something else so I think a 732 00:30:16,810 --> 00:30:13,940 fascinating thing with with scientific 733 00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:16,820 American's readership is seeing that a 734 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:20,510 lot a great many of scientific 735 00:30:25,210 --> 00:30:22,730 American's Raiders deeply deeply love 736 00:30:27,450 --> 00:30:25,220 articles about very hard two kinds of 737 00:30:29,710 --> 00:30:27,460 physics maybe that's not too surprising 738 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:29,720 what I think is interesting is that is 739 00:30:33,010 --> 00:30:31,370 that we would do our own kind of surveys 740 00:30:35,020 --> 00:30:33,020 about about the responses to various 741 00:30:36,550 --> 00:30:35,030 articles and it I thought it was 742 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:36,560 interesting to see that sometimes you 743 00:30:40,990 --> 00:30:38,690 would get results that said that that 744 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:41,000 some of the hardest articles about 745 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:43,370 physics were the ones that not just that 746 00:30:47,260 --> 00:30:45,890 readers were most interested in but that 747 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:47,270 sometimes that they were the ones that 748 00:30:53,470 --> 00:30:49,850 they that they thought were were a 749 00:30:55,540 --> 00:30:53,480 clearest and most compelling which is 750 00:30:57,760 --> 00:30:55,550 fascinating because as somebody who's in 751 00:31:00,210 --> 00:30:57,770 cases spent weeks on those articles I'm 752 00:31:02,740 --> 00:31:00,220 pretty sure they can't possibly actually 753 00:31:05,830 --> 00:31:02,750 understand those articles in detail as 754 00:31:08,140 --> 00:31:05,840 well as they as well as they think they 755 00:31:09,790 --> 00:31:08,150 do and I say that not just sort of on 756 00:31:12,250 --> 00:31:09,800 you know my own reflection of that but 757 00:31:14,740 --> 00:31:12,260 basically because of editors and even 758 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:14,750 the author's themselves wrestling with 759 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:16,490 what they were getting into print it was 760 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:18,770 like this is really still not always 761 00:31:22,570 --> 00:31:20,990 quite as lucid as we would like and yet 762 00:31:25,230 --> 00:31:22,580 people would drink that sort of thing up 763 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:25,240 so sometimes people really really do 764 00:31:30,610 --> 00:31:27,770 love that and want that in-depth 765 00:31:33,970 --> 00:31:30,620 information and to a at least some of 766 00:31:35,590 --> 00:31:33,980 them to a far greater extent than a lot 767 00:31:37,870 --> 00:31:35,600 of the public would or a lot of the 768 00:31:39,730 --> 00:31:37,880 journalism profession would accept that 769 00:31:42,460 --> 00:31:39,740 they're willing to tolerate not 770 00:31:43,900 --> 00:31:42,470 completely understanding things as long 771 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:43,910 as they feel like they're getting closer 772 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:45,890 to that big answer so how can I release 773 00:31:49,270 --> 00:31:47,090 those find out more about what you're 774 00:31:51,490 --> 00:31:49,280 doing now is it oh well at the moment 775 00:31:53,740 --> 00:31:51,500 that's a good question i have i will 776 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:53,750 probably get some sort of website or 777 00:31:57,580 --> 00:31:55,250 whatever set up for myself at the moment 778 00:31:59,470 --> 00:31:57,590 but i think just to looking around for 779 00:32:02,800 --> 00:31:59,480 my name popping up on things have nose 780 00:32:04,510 --> 00:32:02,810 google manages to turn things like hey 781 00:32:06,220 --> 00:32:04,520 you mentioned earlier that if you google 782 00:32:07,690 --> 00:32:06,230 to you that you get some interesting 783 00:32:09,049 --> 00:32:07,700 things turning up yes well it's 784 00:32:10,730 --> 00:32:09,059 interesting the third 785 00:32:12,739 --> 00:32:10,740 you google for John running and 786 00:32:14,239 --> 00:32:12,749 scientific america and you know the the 787 00:32:18,110 --> 00:32:14,249 obvious things would would turn out but 788 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:18,120 you also rapidly you see many many 789 00:32:23,810 --> 00:32:21,690 online screeds from various people in 790 00:32:26,029 --> 00:32:23,820 the creationist community the cold 791 00:32:27,889 --> 00:32:26,039 fusion community the nanotech community 792 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:27,899 and of course a lot of people who were 793 00:32:33,940 --> 00:32:30,210 great fans of a Bjorn Lomborg The 794 00:32:39,580 --> 00:32:33,950 Skeptical environmentalist also had a 795 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:39,590 well noted a set of exchanges over time 796 00:32:43,159 --> 00:32:41,850 all right jumble thank you so much for 797 00:32:45,919 --> 00:32:43,169 joining us today on the skeptics I'm 798 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:45,929 always my pleasure thank you and a big 799 00:32:50,060 --> 00:32:47,610 thank you to John ready for taking his 800 00:32:52,009 --> 00:32:50,070 time to talk to us if you want to find 801 00:32:54,289 --> 00:32:52,019 out more about some of John's previous 802 00:32:57,139 --> 00:32:54,299 work at Scientific American head to 803 00:33:10,120 --> 00:32:57,149 scientificamerican.com and until next 804 00:33:14,570 --> 00:33:13,010 hi I'm Jason and I'm Andrew from the 805 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:14,580 nonsense podcast bringing you a 806 00:33:19,159 --> 00:33:17,370 skeptical overview of news religion and 807 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:19,169 all forms of pseudoscience we're 808 00:33:22,519 --> 00:33:20,970 defending science and reason against the 809 00:33:24,350 --> 00:33:22,529 onslaught of medical and spiritual 810 00:33:26,389 --> 00:33:24,360 nonsense all week we are busy 811 00:33:29,090 --> 00:33:26,399 researching and debunking pseudoscience 812 00:33:30,950 --> 00:33:29,100 but on the seventh day we listened to 813 00:33:34,159 --> 00:33:30,960 the skeptic zone check us out at 814 00:33:44,129 --> 00:33:34,169 Monson's podcast libsyn com or search 815 00:33:48,940 --> 00:33:46,659 it's the first thursday of the month 816 00:33:51,999 --> 00:33:48,950 here in sydney first thursday remember 817 00:33:58,770 --> 00:33:52,009 and i'm at central train station making 818 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:00,660 the pub for skeptics in the pub is 819 00:34:05,310 --> 00:34:03,610 located downtown Sydney not too far from 820 00:34:08,130 --> 00:34:05,320 central train station which is 821 00:34:11,909 --> 00:34:08,140 convenient and very close to museum 822 00:34:15,210 --> 00:34:11,919 train station a crown hotel the corner 823 00:34:16,950 --> 00:34:15,220 of Elizabeth and Goldman streets now 824 00:34:20,419 --> 00:34:16,960 skeptics in the pub starts at six 825 00:34:23,130 --> 00:34:20,429 o'clock and it's coming up to 5 30 now 826 00:34:24,890 --> 00:34:23,140 lots of office workers walking the other 827 00:34:28,649 --> 00:34:24,900 way towards central stations I walk 828 00:34:31,649 --> 00:34:28,659 towards the pub train one of the city's 829 00:34:35,970 --> 00:34:31,659 trains going by me he comes a tram it's 830 00:34:39,830 --> 00:34:35,980 all happening I think it's quite a good 831 00:34:42,750 --> 00:34:39,840 coincidence that the venue for the 2010 832 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:42,760 skeptics convention which will be held 833 00:34:47,850 --> 00:34:45,490 from November the 26 to the 28 2010 834 00:34:50,310 --> 00:34:47,860 there's only one block away from the 835 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:50,320 skeptics in the pub I think some of us 836 00:34:57,960 --> 00:34:54,610 may end up there well you know it I'm 837 00:35:00,120 --> 00:34:57,970 the first one here upstairs in the crown 838 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:00,130 hotel is a lovely big room it says a 839 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:03,970 restaurant normally and they the Crown 840 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:06,370 Hotel basically given it to the skeptics 841 00:35:10,380 --> 00:35:08,770 for our use on the first thursday of the 842 00:35:14,250 --> 00:35:10,390 month because they know we bring in lots 843 00:35:15,630 --> 00:35:14,260 of people very wise and there are 844 00:35:17,700 --> 00:35:15,640 skeptics in the pub I'm here with 845 00:35:19,410 --> 00:35:17,710 William brew hi William hello how are 846 00:35:21,990 --> 00:35:19,420 you going I'm really well now you've 847 00:35:24,150 --> 00:35:22,000 interviewed me in the past time to get 848 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:24,160 your revenge on me now big revenge time 849 00:35:27,870 --> 00:35:26,050 so you you've been having long 850 00:35:28,770 --> 00:35:27,880 description of now for two years or 851 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:28,780 something like there would be at least 852 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:31,090 around to you know we met originally on 853 00:35:38,070 --> 00:35:36,250 a in a extras waiting area for Telstra 854 00:35:40,110 --> 00:35:38,080 to Telstra and then we met again on home 855 00:35:42,390 --> 00:35:40,120 and away of all place yeah it's the only 856 00:35:44,250 --> 00:35:42,400 way you meet people is yes it is great 857 00:35:45,390 --> 00:35:44,260 but I remember when I met you and we 858 00:35:47,350 --> 00:35:45,400 were sitting around talking about 859 00:35:49,630 --> 00:35:47,360 astrology we were in a caravan 860 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:49,640 caravan mouse astrology yeah and you 861 00:35:52,780 --> 00:35:51,050 were saying to these people as they were 862 00:35:55,750 --> 00:35:52,790 at their style signs do you actually 863 00:35:58,120 --> 00:35:55,760 think it's true that's when I suddenly 864 00:35:59,740 --> 00:35:58,130 woke up in a bit who is this guy yeah 865 00:36:01,930 --> 00:35:59,750 you explain where you were from yeah 866 00:36:04,990 --> 00:36:01,940 yeah that'll took off from there yeah um 867 00:36:06,010 --> 00:36:05,000 and you've been guessed as we say you've 868 00:36:08,230 --> 00:36:06,020 been coming here for two years now you 869 00:36:10,330 --> 00:36:08,240 are a bit of a known person you've been 870 00:36:12,190 --> 00:36:10,340 a roving reporter haven't you I have yes 871 00:36:14,890 --> 00:36:12,200 I did some work for cycle bad side kicks 872 00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:14,900 with uk-based site I'm based out here so 873 00:36:18,610 --> 00:36:16,250 I do a bit of stuff in Australia for 874 00:36:20,260 --> 00:36:18,620 them and it was through you that I 875 00:36:22,180 --> 00:36:20,270 actually want I discovered them first I 876 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:22,190 discovered year I know that that the guy 877 00:36:25,780 --> 00:36:24,050 who runs the site you both know each 878 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:25,790 other professionally yeah yeah yeah 879 00:36:29,470 --> 00:36:27,710 we're all linked in that way gone yes 880 00:36:31,330 --> 00:36:29,480 sir john donne is so we're all linked 881 00:36:32,890 --> 00:36:31,340 we're like three degrees of separation 882 00:36:35,230 --> 00:36:32,900 and we did something for you you 883 00:36:37,570 --> 00:36:35,240 supplied us with a reading unit yes a 884 00:36:39,820 --> 00:36:37,580 well-known so-called medium psychic from 885 00:36:42,310 --> 00:36:39,830 the UK can I mention her oh yeah sally 886 00:36:43,630 --> 00:36:42,320 morgan okay people over there will know 887 00:36:45,940 --> 00:36:43,640 immediately who she is she's got her own 888 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:45,950 TV show I had a reading from her before 889 00:36:50,350 --> 00:36:48,770 she was well known and it's the only 890 00:36:52,930 --> 00:36:50,360 time I've seen a psychic that's in about 891 00:36:55,870 --> 00:36:52,940 12 13 and iPhone many more up lost a lot 892 00:36:58,420 --> 00:36:55,880 of money who made me question said she 893 00:36:59,650 --> 00:36:58,430 said certain things which rung true but 894 00:37:01,960 --> 00:36:59,660 you actually showed me the tricks of the 895 00:37:04,510 --> 00:37:01,970 trade it was reading bit of hot reading 896 00:37:07,420 --> 00:37:04,520 here in there and although I still have 897 00:37:08,590 --> 00:37:07,430 a couple of questions I still have not 898 00:37:10,210 --> 00:37:08,600 seen the evidence but there's only 899 00:37:11,980 --> 00:37:10,220 mediumship all psychics who actually 900 00:37:14,590 --> 00:37:11,990 have genuine skills it's interesting 901 00:37:18,180 --> 00:37:14,600 though you it really is a case of taking 902 00:37:21,010 --> 00:37:18,190 a reading and it's a long process but 903 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:21,020 typing it out transcribing it and then 904 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:23,210 going through it line by line to follow 905 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:25,370 the logic and the threads and the 906 00:37:30,220 --> 00:37:28,130 answers and where it leads all the tell 907 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:30,230 of a long press a big process but it's 908 00:37:34,030 --> 00:37:32,210 worthwhile in the end and assuming you 909 00:37:36,190 --> 00:37:34,040 can't do in two minutes after hearing a 910 00:37:37,690 --> 00:37:36,200 really can't you've actually got to 911 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:37,700 listen to what the person's got to say 912 00:37:43,420 --> 00:37:39,710 got to us and say transcribe it you've 913 00:37:44,740 --> 00:37:43,430 got to then examine it analyzes and not 914 00:37:47,020 --> 00:37:44,750 going with the attitude that it's going 915 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:47,030 to be fake sort of going objectively and 916 00:37:50,410 --> 00:37:48,890 then sieve does it make sense or does it 917 00:37:51,109 --> 00:37:50,420 not make sense and of course you showed 918 00:37:52,670 --> 00:37:51,119 me if it 919 00:37:54,650 --> 00:37:52,680 but definitely for most part anyway it 920 00:37:56,690 --> 00:37:54,660 didn't make sense yeah yeah and it also 921 00:37:59,599 --> 00:37:56,700 helps you realize how many questions 922 00:38:01,190 --> 00:37:59,609 were asked of you and not and all the 923 00:38:02,690 --> 00:38:01,200 rest of it and the other thing is I'm 924 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:02,700 listening back to it because actually 925 00:38:06,710 --> 00:38:04,410 isn't battery most of what she said was 926 00:38:09,049 --> 00:38:06,720 totally wrong and even bits which could 927 00:38:11,420 --> 00:38:09,059 have been generalized somehow I linked 928 00:38:12,859 --> 00:38:11,430 it to being true yes closer for me it 929 00:38:15,289 --> 00:38:12,869 was true at the time but listening back 930 00:38:18,170 --> 00:38:15,299 you know I listened in back it also 931 00:38:19,759 --> 00:38:18,180 gives the opportunity to to remember 932 00:38:21,499 --> 00:38:19,769 things that you would naturally forget 933 00:38:23,989 --> 00:38:21,509 in a reading like things that didn't hit 934 00:38:25,789 --> 00:38:23,999 home so after a half hour reading you 935 00:38:27,410 --> 00:38:25,799 can remember I don't know a tenth of 936 00:38:29,509 --> 00:38:27,420 what was said because most of what was 937 00:38:30,799 --> 00:38:29,519 said was didn't and you've said it 938 00:38:32,779 --> 00:38:30,809 yourself and have a remainder of the 939 00:38:34,220 --> 00:38:32,789 hits but not the missus that's right and 940 00:38:35,599 --> 00:38:34,230 he said that many times yeah yeah that's 941 00:38:37,819 --> 00:38:35,609 something I always tell people and i'm 942 00:38:40,700 --> 00:38:37,829 amazed i've got a good circle of friends 943 00:38:42,499 --> 00:38:40,710 and most of them are believers one of 944 00:38:44,569 --> 00:38:42,509 them his mother's a so-called faith 945 00:38:47,299 --> 00:38:44,579 healer and so we're really good friends 946 00:38:48,620 --> 00:38:47,309 but we do clash yeah but even him I 947 00:38:50,390 --> 00:38:48,630 think it's getting through to him and I 948 00:38:51,980 --> 00:38:50,400 say things when I questioned him why do 949 00:38:53,329 --> 00:38:51,990 you think echinacea works what's it 950 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:53,339 actually doing for you you know all 951 00:38:58,190 --> 00:38:56,130 these things and it's not about forcing 952 00:38:59,509 --> 00:38:58,200 your views on people it's about making 953 00:39:01,519 --> 00:38:59,519 them see that perhaps as another 954 00:39:03,710 --> 00:39:01,529 argument perhaps making them question 955 00:39:06,109 --> 00:39:03,720 their own beliefs yes it's never an easy 956 00:39:08,539 --> 00:39:06,119 thing to do you have to be very tactful 957 00:39:10,849 --> 00:39:08,549 sometimes and sometimes you can't I want 958 00:39:12,529 --> 00:39:10,859 to know you you temper gets the better 959 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:12,539 here sometimes and you say look it's 960 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:14,730 rubbish all right wait you can get very 961 00:39:18,499 --> 00:39:16,410 antagonistic I no longer bother telling 962 00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:18,509 people it's rubbish because yeah what 963 00:39:23,089 --> 00:39:20,910 they do is decide oh me I alienate them 964 00:39:24,170 --> 00:39:23,099 I get nowhere I Satan if you want to 965 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:24,180 talk about it i'll talk about it with 966 00:39:27,140 --> 00:39:25,890 you but that's my view if you want to 967 00:39:28,819 --> 00:39:27,150 know my view i'll tell you in my view 968 00:39:30,739 --> 00:39:28,829 but if that's your view then that's 969 00:39:31,819 --> 00:39:30,749 great i do have the rest live every now 970 00:39:33,079 --> 00:39:31,829 and then suddenly there's a part of me 971 00:39:34,849 --> 00:39:33,089 just wants to say it and get it over 972 00:39:36,470 --> 00:39:34,859 with especially it's something like the 973 00:39:38,749 --> 00:39:36,480 mind-body-spirit festival where people 974 00:39:40,370 --> 00:39:38,759 are peddling utter rubbish you know i 975 00:39:42,380 --> 00:39:40,380 went to one Ainger asst that i went to 976 00:39:44,059 --> 00:39:42,390 one of them last year and you see these 977 00:39:45,620 --> 00:39:44,069 people who come across as all sweet and 978 00:39:47,690 --> 00:39:45,630 light in SE and I light and Ronnie 979 00:39:50,690 --> 00:39:47,700 really friendly as soon as you start 980 00:39:52,700 --> 00:39:50,700 questioning them their face changes that 981 00:39:55,079 --> 00:39:52,710 whole yellowing look yeah become really 982 00:39:56,999 --> 00:39:55,089 serious because they deviated from there 983 00:39:59,009 --> 00:39:57,009 and they're back in the defense has come 984 00:40:00,329 --> 00:39:59,019 up they did and they don't know how to 985 00:40:01,979 --> 00:40:00,339 answer and they want to get rid of and I 986 00:40:03,029 --> 00:40:01,989 notice when you gave them the hundred 987 00:40:04,469 --> 00:40:03,039 it's a hundred thousand dollars yeah 988 00:40:08,130 --> 00:40:04,479 hundred thousand dollars here rather 989 00:40:09,930 --> 00:40:08,140 than embrace it they walk away yeah that 990 00:40:11,579 --> 00:40:09,940 is found if I had something but I 991 00:40:13,140 --> 00:40:11,589 thought I could prove if you offered me 992 00:40:15,150 --> 00:40:13,150 a hundred thousand dollars hey I'll take 993 00:40:17,039 --> 00:40:15,160 it yeah say there's something which 994 00:40:19,259 --> 00:40:17,049 doesn't add up there it's all brats it 995 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:19,269 does that up edge rapid optics played a 996 00:40:23,099 --> 00:40:21,130 real reason well the numerology it all 997 00:40:24,479 --> 00:40:23,109 adds up there is that when i first met 998 00:40:26,190 --> 00:40:24,489 you there also not not just talking 999 00:40:28,799 --> 00:40:26,200 about astrology but numerology as well 1000 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:28,809 were they yeah doesn't add up to me but 1001 00:40:33,420 --> 00:40:30,249 you know that's one of the things about 1002 00:40:34,979 --> 00:40:33,430 it how can our listeners cease more of 1003 00:40:38,370 --> 00:40:34,989 your work or hear more of your reports 1004 00:40:40,650 --> 00:40:38,380 well they can see my work on ww bad 1005 00:40:45,749 --> 00:40:40,660 psychics calm on my own youtube channel 1006 00:40:47,729 --> 00:40:45,759 which is ww youtube com / kensington 25 1007 00:40:49,859 --> 00:40:47,739 kensington 25 that's right you do a lot 1008 00:40:51,180 --> 00:40:49,869 of video reports i do you from all 1009 00:40:52,979 --> 00:40:51,190 around the world more round of the world 1010 00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:52,989 interviews most of them here in 1011 00:40:57,390 --> 00:40:54,910 australia yes stuff from America from 1012 00:40:58,769 --> 00:40:57,400 the UK from Europe Asia jus do check it 1013 00:41:01,109 --> 00:40:58,779 out and also check that psychics out 1014 00:41:03,359 --> 00:41:01,119 that was the site which introduced me to 1015 00:41:05,609 --> 00:41:03,369 skepticism and through them I found out 1016 00:41:17,069 --> 00:41:05,619 about you excellent so good to see 1017 00:41:23,829 --> 00:41:20,949 the sky was velvet black with diamond 1018 00:41:26,140 --> 00:41:23,839 stars in the night and the sparkled 1019 00:41:28,539 --> 00:41:26,150 starlight fell like a gentle rain of 1020 00:41:31,479 --> 00:41:28,549 light be sprinkling the earth in a 1021 00:41:34,380 --> 00:41:31,489 shimmering silver cloak falling on the 1022 00:41:37,630 --> 00:41:34,390 campsite and be dazzling the city folk 1023 00:41:40,269 --> 00:41:37,640 dry desert air died the campfire in 1024 00:41:42,849 --> 00:41:40,279 glowing embers and the storyteller told 1025 00:41:44,739 --> 00:41:42,859 a tale which only he remembers of a 1026 00:41:47,650 --> 00:41:44,749 night he saw the minmin light deep 1027 00:41:51,059 --> 00:41:47,660 within the dark on a distant desert clay 1028 00:41:53,620 --> 00:41:51,069 pan in an earth scape cold and stark 1029 00:41:56,529 --> 00:41:53,630 smiling twinkle lights laughing in the 1030 00:41:58,959 --> 00:41:56,539 cool crisp air and moving like men where 1031 00:42:01,390 --> 00:41:58,969 he knew none were there just blinking in 1032 00:42:04,029 --> 00:42:01,400 the distance moving closer as he stared 1033 00:42:07,209 --> 00:42:04,039 but he didn't move a muscle and was 1034 00:42:09,729 --> 00:42:07,219 quite unprepared the minmin took on 1035 00:42:12,339 --> 00:42:09,739 human form and entered his domain he 1036 00:42:14,559 --> 00:42:12,349 thought his mind was playing tricks deep 1037 00:42:18,159 --> 00:42:14,569 inside his brain and he rubbed his eyes 1038 00:42:20,259 --> 00:42:18,169 and tried in vain to clear his mind but 1039 00:42:23,499 --> 00:42:20,269 men men were around him and his fear was 1040 00:42:25,959 --> 00:42:23,509 left behind they took him starlight 1041 00:42:28,659 --> 00:42:25,969 strolling across their astral plane and 1042 00:42:31,419 --> 00:42:28,669 showed him in minn secrets of secret min 1043 00:42:34,779 --> 00:42:31,429 min pain unknown trials of tribal 1044 00:42:37,479 --> 00:42:34,789 nations for thousands of years and then 1045 00:42:39,849 --> 00:42:37,489 the storyteller stopped and had to dry 1046 00:42:42,219 --> 00:42:39,859 his tears memories of the light and the 1047 00:42:44,380 --> 00:42:42,229 night he learnt their tail came back to 1048 00:42:47,169 --> 00:42:44,390 flood emotion as a motion would prevail 1049 00:42:49,899 --> 00:42:47,179 when he told this lost tale from a long 1050 00:42:53,250 --> 00:42:49,909 time in history and he filled all the 1051 00:42:55,290 --> 00:42:53,260 city folk with question and mystery 1052 00:42:58,080 --> 00:42:55,300 then the merest missed appeared at the 1053 00:43:00,240 --> 00:42:58,090 city campus site would this be a sacred 1054 00:43:03,300 --> 00:43:00,250 visit from the gods min min light and 1055 00:43:06,270 --> 00:43:03,310 the storyteller slowly stood and pointed 1056 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:06,280 for he knew the min min men were coming 1057 00:43:12,150 --> 00:43:09,610 as the light came into view like the 1058 00:43:14,070 --> 00:43:12,160 softer stars on horseback riding across 1059 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:14,080 the flat they were getting ever closer 1060 00:43:19,170 --> 00:43:16,450 to where the campers SAT and the city 1061 00:43:22,590 --> 00:43:19,180 slickers paled blood drained from their 1062 00:43:26,190 --> 00:43:22,600 faces as the min min lights arrived and 1063 00:43:28,590 --> 00:43:26,200 absorbed all their traces all the city 1064 00:43:31,230 --> 00:43:28,600 people vanished but not the mid moon man 1065 00:43:33,750 --> 00:43:31,240 he was left to tell the min min tale the 1066 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:33,760 best way that he can by taking city 1067 00:43:38,820 --> 00:43:36,010 visitors to those Outback points he 1068 00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:38,830 knows to turn them into min min lights 1069 00:44:02,260 --> 00:44:00,340 and now come back with this 21 years to 1070 00:44:06,300 --> 00:44:02,270 the Australian skeptics national 1071 00:44:17,690 --> 00:44:06,310 convention in 1988 his Peter Bealls 1072 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:19,340 I won't give you very long but the first 1073 00:44:23,750 --> 00:44:21,450 speaker for this session is Peter Bealls 1074 00:44:32,150 --> 00:44:23,760 to the computer programmer and he'll be 1075 00:44:34,700 --> 00:44:32,160 giving you an overview of the new age in 1076 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:34,710 the next 20 minutes or so probably more 1077 00:44:41,750 --> 00:44:37,890 like 15 I'll attempt to outline some of 1078 00:44:45,620 --> 00:44:41,760 the phenomena of the new age what is the 1079 00:44:51,340 --> 00:44:45,630 new age good question it's not an easy 1080 00:44:56,450 --> 00:44:51,350 one to answer when did the new age begin 1081 00:44:58,220 --> 00:44:56,460 did it begin with the Age of Aquarius or 1082 00:45:01,010 --> 00:44:58,230 did it begin with the harmonic 1083 00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:01,020 convergence of August 16 and 17 last 1084 00:45:11,330 --> 00:45:06,170 year well in the magazine Maggie's Farm 1085 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:11,340 issue number 36 on page 27 it says that 1086 00:45:18,970 --> 00:45:13,650 the New Age began with the splitting of 1087 00:45:24,130 --> 00:45:18,980 the atom it all depends on who you ask 1088 00:45:29,420 --> 00:45:24,140 the new age is a collective conscious 1089 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:29,430 hoping for a rosy future a change from 1090 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:32,010 the modern world of war mongering and 1091 00:45:40,820 --> 00:45:36,410 planet-destroying science new age new 1092 00:45:45,830 --> 00:45:40,830 ages believe in a human link up to 1093 00:45:50,780 --> 00:45:45,840 change the world for the better common 1094 00:45:54,110 --> 00:45:50,790 themes in New Age magazines are a great 1095 00:45:58,720 --> 00:45:54,120 concern for wellbeing of the earth and 1096 00:46:04,150 --> 00:45:58,730 all life meditation crystal power 1097 00:46:07,450 --> 00:46:04,160 crystal healing natural healing 1098 00:46:11,980 --> 00:46:07,460 channeling or spiritualism if you like 1099 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:11,990 world peace communal lifestyles 1100 00:46:22,030 --> 00:46:16,010 alternative energy alternative medicine 1101 00:46:24,860 --> 00:46:22,040 Human Rights UFOs pyramid ology 1102 00:46:27,650 --> 00:46:24,870 radionics all sorts of stuff obviously 1103 00:46:29,390 --> 00:46:27,660 in the time allowed I can't possibly 1104 00:46:31,140 --> 00:46:29,400 speak on all these topics so I've 1105 00:46:34,530 --> 00:46:31,150 selected just a few 1106 00:46:37,110 --> 00:46:34,540 believers in the New Age philosophy also 1107 00:46:40,980 --> 00:46:37,120 attempt to look into the future in a 1108 00:46:45,420 --> 00:46:40,990 variety of ways some of the methods used 1109 00:46:47,690 --> 00:46:45,430 are thousands of years old which makes 1110 00:46:52,110 --> 00:46:47,700 me wonder just how new the new age 1111 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:52,120 really is this question will be explored 1112 00:46:57,380 --> 00:46:54,610 further in a debate this afternoon 1113 00:47:01,020 --> 00:46:57,390 between the skeptics and the Mystics 1114 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:01,030 topic being that the new age is old 1115 00:47:12,720 --> 00:47:10,050 take astrology for example astrology 1116 00:47:15,930 --> 00:47:12,730 according to my dictionary is the study 1117 00:47:19,830 --> 00:47:15,940 of motions and relative positions of the 1118 00:47:22,310 --> 00:47:19,840 planets Sun and Moon interpreted in 1119 00:47:27,030 --> 00:47:22,320 terms of human characteristics and 1120 00:47:28,980 --> 00:47:27,040 activities in other words astrologists 1121 00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:28,990 believe there's some sort of 1122 00:47:35,820 --> 00:47:31,570 relationship between where the planets 1123 00:47:40,890 --> 00:47:35,830 Sun and Moon are and human personalities 1124 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:40,900 and behavior astrologers claim that 1125 00:47:46,380 --> 00:47:44,170 specific geometric angles and points of 1126 00:47:49,620 --> 00:47:46,390 mutual contact formed by the planets as 1127 00:47:53,100 --> 00:47:49,630 they orbit the Sun present continually 1128 00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:53,110 changing patterns which correspond to 1129 00:47:59,910 --> 00:47:55,570 unique patterns of potential behavior in 1130 00:48:03,720 --> 00:47:59,920 human beings some astrologers believe 1131 00:48:07,110 --> 00:48:03,730 that this correlation is not causal but 1132 00:48:10,130 --> 00:48:07,120 coincidental and others believe the 1133 00:48:12,690 --> 00:48:10,140 opposite it all depends on who you ask 1134 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:12,700 whether you happen to be a paying client 1135 00:48:20,370 --> 00:48:17,650 or not astrology is based on a 1136 00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:20,380 geocentric universe that is with the 1137 00:48:25,980 --> 00:48:24,010 earth in the middle now since the 16th 1138 00:48:28,230 --> 00:48:25,990 century most of us have come to accept 1139 00:48:31,860 --> 00:48:28,240 the idea that the earth in fact orbits 1140 00:48:34,350 --> 00:48:31,870 the Sun not the other way around until 1141 00:48:39,060 --> 00:48:34,360 this was discovered astrology and 1142 00:48:41,310 --> 00:48:39,070 astronomy were inseparable sometimes I 1143 00:48:42,420 --> 00:48:41,320 think many people still don't know the 1144 00:48:44,579 --> 00:48:42,430 difference 1145 00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:44,589 next time you walk into a large news 1146 00:48:50,730 --> 00:48:47,770 agency see whether the scientific 1147 00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:50,740 astronomy magazines are alongside the 1148 00:48:58,020 --> 00:48:56,050 mystical astrological ones the success 1149 00:49:00,420 --> 00:48:58,030 of astrological character analysis 1150 00:49:04,710 --> 00:49:00,430 claimed by believers is universal 1151 00:49:08,910 --> 00:49:04,720 validation you hear them say I don't 1152 00:49:12,450 --> 00:49:08,920 know how it works it just works the 1153 00:49:15,599 --> 00:49:12,460 terms used by astrologers a vague and of 1154 00:49:20,910 --> 00:49:15,609 a general nature so as to fit anyone who 1155 00:49:25,309 --> 00:49:20,920 wishes them to do so if your 1156 00:49:28,319 --> 00:49:25,319 astrological chart forecasts sickness 1157 00:49:32,099 --> 00:49:28,329 perhaps you could enlist the help of 1158 00:49:35,549 --> 00:49:32,109 crystal power like the sale of most New 1159 00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:35,559 Age paraphernalia crystals are big 1160 00:49:43,890 --> 00:49:39,130 business many people believe that quartz 1161 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:43,900 crystals possess special powers quartz 1162 00:49:51,319 --> 00:49:46,210 crystals are the latest trend in the 1163 00:49:54,359 --> 00:49:51,329 fashionable new-age world new ages claim 1164 00:49:58,260 --> 00:49:54,369 that quartz crystals have the ability to 1165 00:50:03,289 --> 00:49:58,270 heal for example clear quartz is 1166 00:50:06,180 --> 00:50:03,299 supposedly the overall body energizer 1167 00:50:08,130 --> 00:50:06,190 smoky quartz is very good for grounding 1168 00:50:12,450 --> 00:50:08,140 you into your body whatever the hell 1169 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:12,460 that means i don't own green quartz 1170 00:50:19,410 --> 00:50:16,690 interacts with the endocrine glands pink 1171 00:50:23,940 --> 00:50:19,420 rose quartz and citron quartz work on 1172 00:50:26,940 --> 00:50:23,950 the emotional body it's claimed that 1173 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:26,950 crystals interact with a series of 1174 00:50:34,530 --> 00:50:30,130 energy systems connecting the mind the 1175 00:50:37,710 --> 00:50:34,540 emotions and the body the energy 1176 00:50:43,710 --> 00:50:37,720 supposedly flows into the left hand and 1177 00:50:48,180 --> 00:50:43,720 out of the right so to cure a pain 1178 00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:48,190 you hold your crystal in your left hand 1179 00:50:57,990 --> 00:50:51,530 and place your right hand on the painful 1180 00:51:05,460 --> 00:51:01,870 the energy flowing in your left hand is 1181 00:51:13,380 --> 00:51:05,470 focused and amplified by the crystal 1182 00:51:22,260 --> 00:51:16,470 ha 1183 00:51:25,980 --> 00:51:22,270 blocks the flow of energy to the body 1184 00:51:28,980 --> 00:51:25,990 cells the organs begin to die and you 1185 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:28,990 become sick and when energy is brought 1186 00:51:34,890 --> 00:51:32,010 back to the area new cells will form 1187 00:51:39,720 --> 00:51:34,900 rebuild the organs and you will become 1188 00:51:43,980 --> 00:51:39,730 well now this method doesn't work for 1189 00:51:48,900 --> 00:51:43,990 headaches Barry because the problem with 1190 00:51:52,830 --> 00:51:48,910 headaches is that is there's too much 1191 00:51:56,820 --> 00:51:52,840 energy in your head or in Tim's head not 1192 00:52:00,330 --> 00:51:56,830 not the according to the crystal 1193 00:52:03,570 --> 00:52:00,340 believers there's energy flowing in and 1194 00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:03,580 out of your head all the time and if 1195 00:52:11,160 --> 00:52:07,450 there's something usually emotional the 1196 00:52:16,070 --> 00:52:11,170 cut yeah usually emotional blogging that 1197 00:52:18,630 --> 00:52:16,080 exit then the pressure builds up and 1198 00:52:24,030 --> 00:52:18,640 this causes the cells to signal the 1199 00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:24,040 brain with pain so this time you place a 1200 00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:27,490 crystal in your right hand remember the 1201 00:52:40,440 --> 00:52:36,720 place your left hand on your head in the 1202 00:52:45,330 --> 00:52:40,450 right hand holding the crystal solar 1203 00:52:48,930 --> 00:52:45,340 plexus and then using the drawing 1204 00:52:52,250 --> 00:52:48,940 ability of the left hand you suck the 1205 00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:52,260 energy out of your headache and 1206 00:52:58,349 --> 00:52:56,530 magically and mystically it comes out of 1207 00:53:00,900 --> 00:52:58,359 my right hand and is focused by the 1208 00:53:02,760 --> 00:53:00,910 crystal into the solar plexus where the 1209 00:53:07,830 --> 00:53:02,770 energy can be redistributed throughout 1210 00:53:09,560 --> 00:53:07,840 the body end of headache wireless if you 1211 00:53:12,049 --> 00:53:09,570 believe that you'll buy my watch 1212 00:53:15,170 --> 00:53:12,059 actually 1213 00:53:18,079 --> 00:53:15,180 the only property that a crystal has 1214 00:53:22,329 --> 00:53:18,089 that is of any use to civilization is 1215 00:53:26,660 --> 00:53:22,339 the piezoelectric effect which is a bid 1216 00:53:29,329 --> 00:53:26,670 which my dictionary defines as the 1217 00:53:32,179 --> 00:53:29,339 production of electricity or electric 1218 00:53:34,849 --> 00:53:32,189 polarity applied sorry by applying a 1219 00:53:38,059 --> 00:53:34,859 mechanical stress to certain crystals or 1220 00:53:41,150 --> 00:53:38,069 the converse effect in which stress is 1221 00:53:44,410 --> 00:53:41,160 produced in a crystal as a result of an 1222 00:53:47,449 --> 00:53:44,420 applied potential difference or voltage 1223 00:53:49,789 --> 00:53:47,459 perhaps the new ages attribute the 1224 00:53:52,999 --> 00:53:49,799 so-called mystical properties of quartz 1225 00:53:56,299 --> 00:53:53,009 to this effect but other than the 1226 00:53:58,640 --> 00:53:56,309 piezoelectric effect there are no other 1227 00:54:02,630 --> 00:53:58,650 energies known to science that can be 1228 00:54:04,849 --> 00:54:02,640 directly associated with quartz in a 1229 00:54:06,469 --> 00:54:04,859 talk later on this morning dr. David 1230 00:54:08,929 --> 00:54:06,479 wheeler a physicist who has studied 1231 00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:08,939 quartz crystals will explore this topic 1232 00:54:16,189 --> 00:54:13,650 further any experiments carried out 1233 00:54:17,989 --> 00:54:16,199 under controlled conditions have shown 1234 00:54:24,160 --> 00:54:17,999 the healing powers attributed to 1235 00:54:31,370 --> 00:54:27,400 another of the latest New Age feds is 1236 00:54:33,739 --> 00:54:31,380 spiritualism or channeling now I'll only 1237 00:54:35,870 --> 00:54:33,749 touch on this subject briefly as it will 1238 00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:35,880 be dealt with in some detail by a 1239 00:54:43,329 --> 00:54:38,249 subsequent speaker the Australian 1240 00:54:50,380 --> 00:54:46,549 spiritualism or channeling is the belief 1241 00:54:53,599 --> 00:54:50,390 that the disembodied spirits of the Dead 1242 00:54:55,819 --> 00:54:53,609 surviving in another world can 1243 00:54:59,630 --> 00:54:55,829 communicate with the living in this 1244 00:55:04,189 --> 00:54:59,640 world especially through mediums or as 1245 00:55:07,249 --> 00:55:04,199 they're also now known channels the 1246 00:55:12,079 --> 00:55:07,259 mediums or channels supposedly go into a 1247 00:55:14,719 --> 00:55:12,089 trance speak in an altered voice what 1248 00:55:17,449 --> 00:55:14,729 they say varies from world-shattering 1249 00:55:20,269 --> 00:55:17,459 predictions too simplistic philosophies 1250 00:55:22,969 --> 00:55:20,279 which are made to sound profound by the 1251 00:55:24,470 --> 00:55:22,979 use of jargon a claim that the 1252 00:55:28,730 --> 00:55:24,480 revelations come from the spear 1253 00:55:31,660 --> 00:55:28,740 world or super intelligences despite the 1254 00:55:34,190 --> 00:55:31,670 fact that if there is any information 1255 00:55:37,490 --> 00:55:34,200 it's either always available from a 1256 00:55:39,440 --> 00:55:37,500 variety of earthly sources or the 1257 00:55:42,950 --> 00:55:39,450 revelations are purely subjective or 1258 00:55:49,150 --> 00:55:42,960 religion like let me give you an example 1259 00:55:55,490 --> 00:55:52,310 the earth is in the throes of great 1260 00:55:58,970 --> 00:55:55,500 change the power will be more some than 1261 00:56:02,300 --> 00:55:58,980 we have ever known where there is dense 1262 00:56:06,020 --> 00:56:02,310 population nature will become very 1263 00:56:09,140 --> 00:56:06,030 active there will be a radical increase 1264 00:56:12,530 --> 00:56:09,150 in activity strong and wondrous things 1265 00:56:16,990 --> 00:56:12,540 will awaken us there will be a warming 1266 00:56:21,190 --> 00:56:17,000 up of the whole earth crops will fail 1267 00:56:24,349 --> 00:56:21,200 deserts will be inundated with rainfall 1268 00:56:29,510 --> 00:56:24,359 in the next four years everything will 1269 00:56:31,160 --> 00:56:29,520 happen much quicker there'll be this is 1270 00:56:34,700 --> 00:56:31,170 good there will be a melting of the ice 1271 00:56:38,450 --> 00:56:34,710 caps in the next four years the scene 1272 00:56:41,630 --> 00:56:38,460 will rise 200 feet in four years crops 1273 00:56:46,390 --> 00:56:41,640 on an international scale will fail it 1274 00:56:51,800 --> 00:56:46,400 will be perilous indeed blah blah blah 1275 00:56:54,980 --> 00:56:51,810 now to hear these pearls of wisdom from 1276 00:56:58,990 --> 00:56:54,990 jay-z nidal from Rampur if you like you 1277 00:57:02,359 --> 00:56:59,000 would have had to fork out 395 dollars 1278 00:57:06,290 --> 00:57:02,369 registration fee for a recent rampur 1279 00:57:08,120 --> 00:57:06,300 visit to Sydney for the same amount of 1280 00:57:10,970 --> 00:57:08,130 money you could get the facts in the 1281 00:57:14,599 --> 00:57:10,980 truth by subscribing to the skeptic for 1282 00:57:15,740 --> 00:57:14,609 over a quarter of a century you can read 1283 00:57:17,930 --> 00:57:15,750 more about ran through in the latest 1284 00:57:24,270 --> 00:57:17,940 issue of the skeptic it's on sale of the 1285 00:57:35,380 --> 00:57:30,160 okay pyramid power pyramids aren't all 1286 00:57:37,930 --> 00:57:35,390 that fashionable now but it's claimed 1287 00:57:41,350 --> 00:57:37,940 that pyramid our energy or pyramid power 1288 00:57:45,940 --> 00:57:41,360 can charge water sharpen your razor 1289 00:57:50,770 --> 00:57:45,950 blades and stimulate plant growth we 1290 00:57:53,260 --> 00:57:50,780 just quote from Carl Sagan pyramid ology 1291 00:57:56,470 --> 00:57:53,270 is the contention that we and our razor 1292 00:57:59,020 --> 00:57:56,480 blades feel better and last longer 1293 00:58:03,910 --> 00:57:59,030 inside pyramids than we and they do 1294 00:58:06,220 --> 00:58:03,920 inside cubes the contentions of pyramid 1295 00:58:09,490 --> 00:58:06,230 og under appropriately controlled 1296 00:58:14,200 --> 00:58:09,500 conditions have never been verified the 1297 00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:14,210 burden of proof has not been met like 1298 00:58:20,860 --> 00:58:16,970 crystal power and the claims of all New 1299 00:58:25,420 --> 00:58:20,870 Age belief systems pyramid power is yet 1300 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:25,430 to be proven in fact I've heard from a 1301 00:58:33,700 --> 00:58:29,290 very reliable source that pyramid power 1302 00:58:37,780 --> 00:58:33,710 was invented by Martin Gardner under a 1303 00:58:41,680 --> 00:58:37,790 pseudonym in the 60s as a hoax and has 1304 00:58:49,420 --> 00:58:41,690 since gotten way out of hand reliable 1305 00:58:51,609 --> 00:58:49,430 source on the inside cover 1306 00:58:55,089 --> 00:58:51,619 of a New Age magazine and I have just 1307 00:59:03,280 --> 00:58:55,099 over here I discovered a flat pyramid 1308 00:59:08,230 --> 00:59:03,290 grid this is a grid it's hard to see I 1309 00:59:10,120 --> 00:59:08,240 know but it's for pyramids for flat 1310 00:59:13,480 --> 00:59:10,130 pyramids down here and five across the 1311 00:59:16,510 --> 00:59:13,490 top making a block of 20 and it says 1312 00:59:19,839 --> 00:59:16,520 here here is another little Marvel from 1313 00:59:22,690 --> 00:59:19,849 borderland science in California it's a 1314 00:59:25,530 --> 00:59:22,700 flat pyramid grid the history of this 1315 00:59:30,280 --> 00:59:25,540 strange diagram is shrouded in mystery 1316 00:59:35,109 --> 00:59:30,290 I'll bet it's not known exactly when or 1317 00:59:38,230 --> 00:59:35,119 who first discovered that use Great 1318 00:59:41,530 --> 00:59:38,240 Pyramid ratios in this concentric 1319 00:59:46,839 --> 00:59:41,540 squares diagram focus the same natural 1320 00:59:48,609 --> 00:59:46,849 energy as a pyramid ie none the grid can 1321 00:59:51,280 --> 00:59:48,619 be used like any other pyramid to charge 1322 00:59:54,099 --> 00:59:51,290 water stimulate plants sharp and razor 1323 00:59:59,530 --> 00:59:54,109 blades and all the uses of pyramid 1324 01:00:02,230 --> 00:59:59,540 energy there's a claim here that some of 1325 01:00:05,289 --> 01:00:02,240 the crew on a magazine have shaved with 1326 01:00:10,420 --> 01:00:05,299 the same razor blade for six weeks I've 1327 01:00:12,880 --> 01:00:10,430 got an electric razor too okay in 1328 01:00:16,900 --> 01:00:12,890 conclusion I've touched on a few 1329 01:00:19,660 --> 01:00:16,910 specific areas of the new age as I said 1330 01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:19,670 in the beginning it's very hard to 1331 01:00:26,109 --> 01:00:23,410 answer the question what is the new age 1332 01:00:30,250 --> 01:00:26,119 maybe at some time in the future there 1333 01:00:34,539 --> 01:00:30,260 will be a new new age perhaps its motto 1334 01:00:38,829 --> 01:00:34,549 will be if a man wishes to educate 1335 01:00:58,549 --> 01:00:38,839 himself he must first doubt foreign 1336 01:01:03,719 --> 01:01:01,620 this is desiree shell hosted skeptically 1337 01:01:06,209 --> 01:01:03,729 speaking check out our website at 1338 01:01:10,109 --> 01:01:06,219 skeptically speaking calm and listen to 1339 01:01:13,859 --> 01:01:10,119 us live on CJ sr 88.5 FM in Edmonton 1340 01:01:25,480 --> 01:01:13,869 Alberta Canada I now return you to the 1341 01:01:30,560 --> 01:01:28,730 melbourne cup day amanda it's all 1342 01:01:31,880 --> 01:01:30,570 happening here we're at our favorite 1343 01:01:33,710 --> 01:01:31,890 club down the street where we normally 1344 01:01:36,350 --> 01:01:33,720 do the the think tank from and it's 1345 01:01:39,440 --> 01:01:36,360 absolutely jam-packed today with people 1346 01:01:42,500 --> 01:01:39,450 here to bet on a horse race you say you 1347 01:01:44,900 --> 01:01:42,510 say it like it's something weird it is a 1348 01:01:46,640 --> 01:01:44,910 bit strange now I've put a couple of 1349 01:01:48,080 --> 01:01:46,650 dollars on the two favorites probably a 1350 01:01:50,690 --> 01:01:48,090 silly thing to do who have you gone for 1351 01:01:53,900 --> 01:01:50,700 I have put a neat way on Ella's wonder 1352 01:01:56,840 --> 01:01:53,910 after my first choice was scratched oh 1353 01:01:59,300 --> 01:01:56,850 yeah all right well this is an 1354 01:02:01,010 --> 01:01:59,310 interesting situation because people 1355 01:02:04,670 --> 01:02:01,020 have normally done bet on horses and 1356 01:02:08,570 --> 01:02:04,680 things like myself and me and you do so 1357 01:02:10,850 --> 01:02:08,580 on a Melbourne company that's just 1358 01:02:13,700 --> 01:02:10,860 tradition I guess yeah well i always bet 1359 01:02:16,070 --> 01:02:13,710 based on the name basically and in you 1360 01:02:19,220 --> 01:02:16,080 know whatever ten years of bed in most 1361 01:02:21,470 --> 01:02:19,230 years I've come out very far ahead which 1362 01:02:25,310 --> 01:02:21,480 is that strategy really because you only 1363 01:02:28,430 --> 01:02:25,320 need you know one or two bits that come 1364 01:02:31,340 --> 01:02:28,440 off to put you ahead over a few years so 1365 01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:31,350 that's my foolproof strategy it's a much 1366 01:02:33,780 --> 01:02:32,970 better strategy I think then using 1367 01:02:37,410 --> 01:02:33,790 remote viewing 1368 01:02:38,850 --> 01:02:37,420 yes as we saw last night Simon Turnbull 1369 01:02:41,940 --> 01:02:38,860 the president of the Australian psychic 1370 01:02:43,710 --> 01:02:41,950 psyche of the year 24 2004 was on the TV 1371 01:02:45,240 --> 01:02:43,720 the other night at the racetrack using 1372 01:02:46,740 --> 01:02:45,250 remote viewing to pick the winners in 1373 01:02:48,540 --> 01:02:46,750 what do you lose 500 thousand two 1374 01:02:52,110 --> 01:02:48,550 hundred and fifty are too close yeah 1375 01:02:54,870 --> 01:02:52,120 once again you know there are there too 1376 01:02:57,780 --> 01:02:54,880 serious about their craft to take 1377 01:03:01,890 --> 01:02:57,790 Randy's million dollars yeah offer them 1378 01:03:03,900 --> 01:03:01,900 some gimmick TV show and they'll add it 1379 01:03:06,450 --> 01:03:03,910 like a shot cause he had an excuse me 1380 01:03:08,420 --> 01:03:06,460 that he didn't concentrate a novel I who 1381 01:03:11,610 --> 01:03:08,430 knows right but and in the end of day 1382 01:03:14,460 --> 01:03:11,620 the professional handicapper the 1383 01:03:16,980 --> 01:03:14,470 professional vector didn't actually come 1384 01:03:18,900 --> 01:03:16,990 out much better I'd the one who did he 1385 01:03:20,940 --> 01:03:18,910 came up streets and was like you just 1386 01:03:25,410 --> 01:03:20,950 meeting old names I don't think she's 1387 01:03:26,970 --> 01:03:25,420 very likely actually not oh well we've 1388 01:03:27,900 --> 01:03:26,980 got half an hour until race time so 1389 01:03:33,590 --> 01:03:27,910 we'll have a couple of glasses of 1390 01:03:38,460 --> 01:03:36,540 horses up getting into the barriers now 1391 01:03:40,890 --> 01:03:38,470 what's the big race two people are 1392 01:03:41,850 --> 01:03:40,900 gathered around up many monitors acum 1393 01:03:44,610 --> 01:03:41,860 the people who are in the next room 1394 01:03:46,470 --> 01:03:44,620 playing poker machines 1395 01:03:48,780 --> 01:03:46,480 I didn't think they'd care yeah we're 1396 01:03:51,030 --> 01:03:48,790 both losing our money but I've months in 1397 01:03:53,460 --> 01:03:51,040 a more interesting way I bet on the 1398 01:03:56,840 --> 01:03:53,470 favorites that's why I mean me and the 1399 01:03:59,880 --> 01:03:56,850 people in the pokey all the focus yes 1400 01:04:02,640 --> 01:03:59,890 horses are being led in now can't be too 1401 01:04:04,860 --> 01:04:02,650 long it was very exciting I can't 1402 01:04:08,820 --> 01:04:04,870 believe how exciting is it there are 1403 01:04:13,809 --> 01:04:08,830 balloons and little cutout horses and 1404 01:04:18,309 --> 01:04:15,880 lost horses being led into the barrier 1405 01:04:18,319 --> 01:04:22,499 the jockeys a little on each other off 1406 01:04:29,140 --> 01:04:26,650 crowd the anticipations growing balloons 1407 01:04:54,089 --> 01:04:29,150 are flying we get an aerial view of the 1408 01:04:54,099 --> 01:04:57,920 shocking shocking 1409 01:05:05,870 --> 01:05:02,780 when my horses came nowhere anything 1410 01:05:16,380 --> 01:05:10,690 the message is clear that long 1411 01:05:16,390 --> 01:05:29,600 $20 1412 01:05:34,290 --> 01:05:32,250 thank you very much for listening to the 1413 01:05:36,360 --> 01:05:34,300 skeptic zone and continuing to listen to 1414 01:05:38,580 --> 01:05:36,370 the skeptic zone and thank you to those 1415 01:05:41,910 --> 01:05:38,590 people who are now subscribing to the 1416 01:05:44,550 --> 01:05:41,920 skeptic zone every little bit helps well 1417 01:05:46,860 --> 01:05:44,560 wish me luck everybody tomorrow Saturday 1418 01:05:48,900 --> 01:05:46,870 in Sydney I'm going to visit the 1419 01:05:50,910 --> 01:05:48,910 mind-body wallet festival down at 1420 01:05:52,800 --> 01:05:50,920 darling harbour will I lose my temper 1421 01:05:56,070 --> 01:05:52,810 will I tell people what to do with 1422 01:05:58,710 --> 01:05:56,080 themselves will I be polite stand by 1423 01:06:01,170 --> 01:05:58,720 next week for the report on mind-body 1424 01:06:03,180 --> 01:06:01,180 wallet until then this is Richard 1425 01:06:08,460 --> 01:06:03,190 Saunders signing off from Sydney 1426 01:06:12,150 --> 01:06:08,470 Australia you've been listening to the 1427 01:06:15,990 --> 01:06:12,160 skeptic zone visit our website at www 1428 01:06:19,450 --> 01:06:16,000 skeptics on TV the comments contacts and 1429 01:06:22,410 --> 01:06:19,460 extra video reports