1 00:00:09,090 --> 00:00:06,000 [Music] 2 00:00:11,830 --> 00:00:09,100 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 3 00:00:13,890 --> 00:00:11,840 from Australia for science and reason 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:13,900 [Music] 5 00:00:23,010 --> 00:00:16,890 [Applause] 6 00:00:25,660 --> 00:00:23,020 [Music] 7 00:00:29,590 --> 00:00:25,670 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 8 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:29,600 podcast episode number 479 for the 24th 9 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:34,730 of December 2017 where is where's that 10 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:36,650 man in the sleigh he should be up in the 11 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:38,690 sky somewhere over California that's 12 00:00:42,790 --> 00:00:40,970 where I am at the moment deserving 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:42,800 family and friends for this time of the 14 00:00:46,930 --> 00:00:43,450 year 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:46,940 hohoho coming up on this week's show 16 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:49,610 another shortened show because it's this 17 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:51,410 time of the year and lots of things are 18 00:00:57,310 --> 00:00:53,900 happening and 12 hours ago I was flying 19 00:00:58,509 --> 00:00:57,320 over the Pacific and more excuses anyway 20 00:01:03,509 --> 00:00:58,519 coming up on this week's show we're 21 00:01:05,590 --> 00:01:03,519 gonna look at the recent UFO disclosure 22 00:01:07,899 --> 00:01:05,600 which seems to have vanished from the 23 00:01:11,050 --> 00:01:07,909 news to be quite frank where there's 24 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:11,060 footage of apparent UFO and people are 25 00:01:15,250 --> 00:01:12,770 saying that Pentagon spend lots of money 26 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:15,260 wasted lots of money on UFO research 27 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:17,770 we'll have a brief look into this story 28 00:01:22,570 --> 00:01:20,450 what they call flash-in-the-pan flash in 29 00:01:24,130 --> 00:01:22,580 the sky I don't think much will cover 30 00:01:27,219 --> 00:01:24,140 this but it's worth I mentioned because 31 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:27,229 it's Wellman skeptical following that 32 00:01:30,429 --> 00:01:28,969 it's may nod spooky action more 33 00:01:33,010 --> 00:01:30,439 interviews from the recent Australian 34 00:01:34,899 --> 00:01:33,020 skeptics National Convention may nod 35 00:01:37,090 --> 00:01:34,909 talks to Michelle Vernon from the 36 00:01:41,349 --> 00:01:37,100 Newcastle University atheists and 37 00:01:42,670 --> 00:01:41,359 skeptics society Newcastle is where part 38 00:01:46,020 --> 00:01:42,680 of my family come from 39 00:01:48,279 --> 00:01:46,030 in fact my dad's side of the family are 40 00:01:51,190 --> 00:01:48,289 Newcastle people on Newcastle for those 41 00:01:54,789 --> 00:01:51,200 international folks is just north of 42 00:01:57,490 --> 00:01:54,799 Sydney it's the it's the the city just 43 00:01:59,590 --> 00:01:57,500 to the north of Sydney it was famous for 44 00:02:01,660 --> 00:01:59,600 many years for a coal mining area really 45 00:02:03,940 --> 00:02:01,670 sort of industrial but what a beautiful 46 00:02:08,830 --> 00:02:03,950 place it is wonderful picturesque 47 00:02:11,860 --> 00:02:08,840 beaches and a really nice restaurant 48 00:02:15,370 --> 00:02:11,870 scene in fact that's where may not comes 49 00:02:17,710 --> 00:02:15,380 from - also on may not spooky action is 50 00:02:20,410 --> 00:02:17,720 an interview a lengthy interview with 51 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:20,420 Adam Spencer from well many people in 52 00:02:24,790 --> 00:02:22,310 Australia know him from the ABC the 53 00:02:27,190 --> 00:02:24,800 Australian broadcaster he's a 54 00:02:29,620 --> 00:02:27,200 mathematician radio presenter and 55 00:02:30,670 --> 00:02:29,630 entertainer and a skeptic of course and 56 00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:30,680 I think you'll find this interesting 57 00:02:35,369 --> 00:02:33,760 this interview with Adam Spencer 58 00:02:40,170 --> 00:02:35,379 then to ran off the show we catch up 59 00:02:42,330 --> 00:02:40,180 with a few friends we have an update 60 00:02:44,850 --> 00:02:42,340 from susan gerbic from guerrilla 61 00:02:47,339 --> 00:02:44,860 skepticism on wikipedia Celestia Ward 62 00:02:49,350 --> 00:02:47,349 from squaring the strange podcast and 63 00:02:51,899 --> 00:02:49,360 evan bernstein from the skeptics guide 64 00:02:54,750 --> 00:02:51,909 to the universe give us each a brief 65 00:02:57,479 --> 00:02:54,760 overview of the year that's been for 66 00:02:59,160 --> 00:02:57,489 their respective endeavors now before we 67 00:03:01,530 --> 00:02:59,170 start a few comments from me about jet 68 00:03:04,380 --> 00:03:01,540 lag oh boy 69 00:03:07,979 --> 00:03:04,390 well you know it's not so bad I said I 70 00:03:11,039 --> 00:03:07,989 was coming coming from Sydney to the 71 00:03:13,589 --> 00:03:11,049 United States is a bit tricky it's a bit 72 00:03:17,670 --> 00:03:13,599 tricky as I speak to you now it's more 73 00:03:20,729 --> 00:03:17,680 local time is presses the button here 74 00:03:23,490 --> 00:03:20,739 6:30 in the evening on December the 23rd 75 00:03:26,309 --> 00:03:23,500 in fact and back home in Australia its 76 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:26,319 woven mid-morning or morning or mid day 77 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:28,090 or something like that on the 24th of 78 00:03:31,770 --> 00:03:30,010 December so you can imagine what that 79 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:31,780 does to your body o'clock when you fly 80 00:03:35,940 --> 00:03:33,970 across those people who have flown from 81 00:03:39,330 --> 00:03:35,950 Sydney to the United States know what I 82 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:39,340 mean and when it's time to go back from 83 00:03:45,869 --> 00:03:42,010 the United States to Sydney your body 84 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:45,879 clocks all out of whack again and you 85 00:03:52,740 --> 00:03:48,010 tend to wake up at 3 or 4 o'clock in the 86 00:03:54,750 --> 00:03:52,750 morning absolutely wide awake which is a 87 00:03:56,159 --> 00:03:54,760 good time to get some work done but come 88 00:03:57,599 --> 00:03:56,169 three or four or five six in the 89 00:04:01,259 --> 00:03:57,609 afternoon you can barely keep your eyes 90 00:04:02,580 --> 00:04:01,269 open as my friend dr. Steven novella 91 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:02,590 from the skeptics guide to the universe 92 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:04,810 said to me once we simply weren't 93 00:04:09,569 --> 00:04:07,930 evolved to cook with jet lag but I'm 94 00:04:11,550 --> 00:04:09,579 happy to be here I'll be catching up 95 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:11,560 with a Eugenie Scott in a few days of 96 00:04:16,469 --> 00:04:14,530 course what a wonderful person Eugenie 97 00:04:17,339 --> 00:04:16,479 is one of my favorite scientists in all 98 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:17,349 the world 99 00:04:26,189 --> 00:04:21,849 and she never ceases to amaze me with 100 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:26,199 her insights in her her charm it's so 101 00:04:30,029 --> 00:04:28,090 good to catch up with people like like 102 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:30,039 her I don't know if I'll be seeing too 103 00:04:34,230 --> 00:04:32,289 many other people while I'm here it's a 104 00:04:36,060 --> 00:04:34,240 bit of a low-key event but never fear 105 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:36,070 we'll keep bringing you episodes of the 106 00:04:42,870 --> 00:04:38,590 skeptic zone but now it's time for me to 107 00:04:46,110 --> 00:04:42,880 run upstairs upstairs dive into the 108 00:04:47,580 --> 00:04:46,120 fridge the inlaws fridge 109 00:04:51,930 --> 00:04:47,590 and have one of those little ice-cream 110 00:04:53,370 --> 00:04:51,940 squares when they call them Eskimo ice 111 00:04:56,129 --> 00:04:53,380 creams or something like that that's 112 00:04:59,700 --> 00:04:56,139 it's like a lovely creamy ice cream with 113 00:05:01,530 --> 00:04:59,710 a solid chocolate outer coating yeah and 114 00:05:02,879 --> 00:05:01,540 it's winter here too I don't care that 115 00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:02,889 sounds pretty good to me 116 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:06,400 well I do that I hope you enjoy the 117 00:05:22,890 --> 00:05:07,530 skeptic zone 118 00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:30,760 [Music] 119 00:05:35,950 --> 00:05:33,490 over the last year I've been doing more 120 00:05:38,020 --> 00:05:35,960 than the normal number of radio segments 121 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:38,030 and spots and interviews which is a lot 122 00:05:42,580 --> 00:05:38,810 of fun of course 123 00:05:45,249 --> 00:05:42,590 and yes invariably well at least from 124 00:05:48,070 --> 00:05:45,259 time to time whenever I'm asked to come 125 00:05:52,270 --> 00:05:48,080 on to a radio program and there are 126 00:06:00,010 --> 00:05:52,280 they're introducing me I often hear this 127 00:06:01,499 --> 00:06:00,020 [Music] 128 00:06:05,510 --> 00:06:01,509 [Applause] 129 00:06:09,210 --> 00:06:07,870 [Music] 130 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:09,220 [Applause] 131 00:06:17,770 --> 00:06:13,490 in the last week we had the reports 132 00:06:20,110 --> 00:06:17,780 widely reported evidence suggests UFOs 133 00:06:23,110 --> 00:06:20,120 may have reached earth says former 134 00:06:24,730 --> 00:06:23,120 Pentagon official now this is the story 135 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:24,740 you've probably heard something about it 136 00:06:28,660 --> 00:06:26,930 where the US government apparently spent 137 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:28,670 millions of dollars over about a seven 138 00:06:34,690 --> 00:06:31,010 year period to investigate 139 00:06:39,310 --> 00:06:34,700 well UFOs or strange anomalistic 140 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:39,320 items in the sky one of the reports here 141 00:06:44,020 --> 00:06:41,450 from the ABC and Australia says a former 142 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:44,030 US military intelligence official has 143 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:45,710 claimed there is evidence that could 144 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:48,410 suggest aliens visited earth Lois Liz 145 00:06:52,900 --> 00:06:50,690 Ando a former Pentagon official who 146 00:06:56,110 --> 00:06:52,910 recently led a government program to 147 00:06:59,260 --> 00:06:56,120 research potential UFOs believes there 148 00:07:02,200 --> 00:06:59,270 is secrecy surrounding the program and 149 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:02,210 told CNN quote there is very compelling 150 00:07:09,730 --> 00:07:05,810 evidence that we may not be alone in 151 00:07:12,340 --> 00:07:09,740 quote mr. Lassonde led the advanced 152 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:12,350 aviation threat identification program 153 00:07:19,630 --> 00:07:16,670 from 2007 to 2012 which investigated 154 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:19,640 UFOs part of the program's finding still 155 00:07:25,570 --> 00:07:21,310 remain classified ooh 156 00:07:27,790 --> 00:07:25,580 now the startling bit of footage may 157 00:07:32,170 --> 00:07:27,800 only be the footage released in 158 00:07:35,860 --> 00:07:32,180 conjunction with this story is of some 159 00:07:37,810 --> 00:07:35,870 sort of blacked-out object possibly 160 00:07:40,900 --> 00:07:37,820 because of the heat because it's an 161 00:07:44,350 --> 00:07:40,910 infrared image and it's too hot being 162 00:07:48,250 --> 00:07:44,360 tracked by a military aircraft off the 163 00:07:54,399 --> 00:07:48,260 coast of San Diego in 2004 here's some 164 00:07:54,409 --> 00:08:14,210 what 165 00:08:17,370 --> 00:08:16,379 now it's it's an interesting bit of 166 00:08:19,379 --> 00:08:17,380 footage I'll link to it in the show 167 00:08:21,330 --> 00:08:19,389 notes so I was curious to know what 168 00:08:24,150 --> 00:08:21,340 other people would think just upon 169 00:08:26,730 --> 00:08:24,160 viewing this footage what would they 170 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:26,740 think of it and some of the replies came 171 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:30,130 back pointing me to various other blogs 172 00:08:35,610 --> 00:08:33,130 which have looked at this i stalked a 173 00:08:37,680 --> 00:08:35,620 Steve novella basically summed it up 174 00:08:40,110 --> 00:08:37,690 summed up saying it's not very 175 00:08:41,700 --> 00:08:40,120 compelling it's interesting but it 176 00:08:44,190 --> 00:08:41,710 doesn't actually point to anything 177 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:44,200 specifically other people are suggesting 178 00:08:48,780 --> 00:08:47,050 it's a fake or a joke we've had some 179 00:08:51,150 --> 00:08:48,790 arguments online about the tracking the 180 00:08:53,210 --> 00:08:51,160 item in the video is dead center of the 181 00:08:56,130 --> 00:08:53,220 screen and appears to be tracked 182 00:08:58,500 --> 00:08:56,140 perfectly even though the camera or the 183 00:09:00,210 --> 00:08:58,510 aircraft seems to be on a tilt and at 184 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:00,220 some stage the object does rotate a 185 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:01,930 little bit still being tracked perfectly 186 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:03,220 some people say that's perfectly 187 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:04,690 understandable if an item is being 188 00:09:09,380 --> 00:09:06,970 tracked some people are saying no that's 189 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:09,390 obviously fake it doesn't work that way 190 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:11,770 another point and I think Steve novella 191 00:09:16,949 --> 00:09:14,770 raised this is we don't have a good 192 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:16,959 understanding of how far the object is 193 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:19,810 away from the aircraft which could ever 194 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:22,330 bearing on what it is we have other 195 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:24,130 things saying that's a smudge on the 196 00:09:29,340 --> 00:09:27,250 window I don't buy that one but it's 197 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:29,350 interesting anyway more comments 198 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:31,330 unidentified it's perfectly okay to say 199 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:33,850 we don't know which is true another 200 00:09:39,030 --> 00:09:35,410 observation somebody saying I'm thinking 201 00:09:42,780 --> 00:09:39,040 of an internal reflection via the Sun on 202 00:09:45,510 --> 00:09:42,790 the inner lens possibly another comment 203 00:09:47,850 --> 00:09:45,520 in the uncut version the pilot says it's 204 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:47,860 a drone I haven't seen the uncut version 205 00:09:54,990 --> 00:09:51,250 so I'd be interested to see that here's 206 00:09:57,390 --> 00:09:55,000 another one saying that more 207 00:09:59,519 --> 00:09:57,400 investigation and analysis is needed 208 00:10:01,620 --> 00:09:59,529 which I would agree with I think even by 209 00:10:04,230 --> 00:10:01,630 the time this podcast comes out because 210 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:04,240 it's this I'm recording this a few days 211 00:10:10,890 --> 00:10:06,910 before we might know more or in the 212 00:10:12,870 --> 00:10:10,900 weeks to come it might be analyzed to an 213 00:10:16,050 --> 00:10:12,880 extent that a very good explanation is 214 00:10:18,990 --> 00:10:16,060 forthcoming at this stage despite the 215 00:10:20,730 --> 00:10:19,000 headlines and the interest in the UFO 216 00:10:23,130 --> 00:10:20,740 angle the alien spaceship angle we've 217 00:10:25,639 --> 00:10:23,140 got no reason to suspect or believe it 218 00:10:27,650 --> 00:10:25,649 could possibly be an alien spaceship 219 00:10:29,179 --> 00:10:27,660 there are many many many many other 220 00:10:32,269 --> 00:10:29,189 things to get through before we come to 221 00:10:33,949 --> 00:10:32,279 that conclusion but in what they call 222 00:10:36,590 --> 00:10:33,959 the silly season in Australia which is 223 00:10:39,949 --> 00:10:36,600 winding down the year usually late 224 00:10:43,730 --> 00:10:39,959 December January when politics are quiet 225 00:10:45,109 --> 00:10:43,740 and these stories seem to get a run well 226 00:10:46,669 --> 00:10:45,119 at least it's an interesting one and 227 00:10:49,690 --> 00:10:46,679 from a skeptical point of view it's 228 00:10:51,340 --> 00:10:49,700 quite fascinating is the truth out there 229 00:10:53,670 --> 00:10:51,350 [Music] 230 00:11:02,700 --> 00:10:53,680 [Applause] 231 00:11:05,620 --> 00:11:02,710 [Music] 232 00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:05,630 like watch your guide to quackery health 233 00:11:09,550 --> 00:11:08,390 fraud and intelligent decisions operated 234 00:11:12,370 --> 00:11:09,560 by Stephan Barratt 235 00:11:14,470 --> 00:11:12,380 MD quite watch is now an international 236 00:11:16,690 --> 00:11:14,480 network of people who concerned about 237 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:16,700 health-related frauds myths fads 238 00:11:22,060 --> 00:11:19,250 fallacies and misconducted its primary 239 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:22,070 focus is on quackery related information 240 00:11:27,340 --> 00:11:24,530 that is difficult or impossible to get 241 00:11:30,730 --> 00:11:27,350 elsewhere articles on quackery include 242 00:11:34,570 --> 00:11:30,740 quackery how should it be defined how it 243 00:11:37,450 --> 00:11:34,580 sells 26 ways to spotted how it comes 244 00:11:40,060 --> 00:11:37,460 cancer patients 7 warning signs for 245 00:11:43,510 --> 00:11:40,070 bogus science why health professionals 246 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:43,520 become quacks and many more including 247 00:11:48,670 --> 00:11:45,530 in-depth looks at thank you puncture of 248 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:48,680 chiropractic homeopathy naturopathy and 249 00:12:14,010 --> 00:11:54,110 much more visit www.gfi.com/webmonitor 250 00:12:14,020 --> 00:12:19,380 [Music] 251 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:21,240 I'm just waiting to go on here waiting 252 00:12:24,090 --> 00:12:22,420 for the room to fill with the 253 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:24,100 hilariously funny skeptics drinking 254 00:12:29,009 --> 00:12:25,450 heavily who we got here 255 00:12:31,980 --> 00:12:29,019 I'm Michelle Vernon a new cat look you 256 00:12:33,750 --> 00:12:31,990 are the New Castle skeptic I am I'm 257 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:33,760 actually the president of the University 258 00:12:38,069 --> 00:12:35,970 of Newcastle atheist and skeptic Society 259 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:38,079 yes I've been to a few of the meetings 260 00:12:41,780 --> 00:12:39,610 with your previous president how's it 261 00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:41,790 going there and how many members you got 262 00:12:45,889 --> 00:12:44,500 yeah at the moment our Facebook page is 263 00:12:48,650 --> 00:12:45,899 about six or seven hundred people 264 00:12:51,420 --> 00:12:48,660 officially we only have about 120 265 00:12:54,090 --> 00:12:51,430 financial members but that's actually 266 00:12:55,199 --> 00:12:54,100 pretty good that the club died down for 267 00:12:57,030 --> 00:12:55,209 a couple of years and we've just been 268 00:12:58,470 --> 00:12:57,040 slowly getting it back up and running so 269 00:13:00,090 --> 00:12:58,480 sort of events have you been having have 270 00:13:01,949 --> 00:13:00,100 you sort of been protesting at the front 271 00:13:03,810 --> 00:13:01,959 churches or anything like that you know 272 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:03,820 not exactly we've been trying to create 273 00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:05,410 a constructive dialogue with some of 274 00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:07,390 their religious groups on campus so this 275 00:13:09,780 --> 00:13:08,649 is something that was going on before 276 00:13:13,380 --> 00:13:09,790 where you all get together to have a bit 277 00:13:15,780 --> 00:13:13,390 of a chat so the evangelical groups on 278 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:15,790 campus they sent a few representatives 279 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:18,370 to our events quite frequently the 280 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:19,690 Newcastle Christian students in 281 00:13:22,670 --> 00:13:21,250 particular we have a few contacts with 282 00:13:25,110 --> 00:13:22,680 them that have been very good to us 283 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:25,120 usually good sports they come on to our 284 00:13:29,220 --> 00:13:27,610 events and debate with us and sometimes 285 00:13:30,509 --> 00:13:29,230 they got bombarded with criticism 286 00:13:32,130 --> 00:13:30,519 because they're in the minority but 287 00:13:33,930 --> 00:13:32,140 they're they're really good sports about 288 00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:33,940 it surprisingly if you ever have any 289 00:13:37,319 --> 00:13:35,560 Bible readings together because that can 290 00:13:39,620 --> 00:13:37,329 sometimes be pretty interesting fight it 291 00:13:41,389 --> 00:13:39,630 but so far I haven't attended any 292 00:13:46,850 --> 00:13:41,399 look if you get there and they're doing 293 00:13:48,110 --> 00:13:46,860 Genesis how boring I'm a bit of a nosy 294 00:13:52,699 --> 00:13:48,120 cool thing because it's like one big 295 00:13:54,259 --> 00:13:52,709 trip this is funny how atheist kind of 296 00:13:55,970 --> 00:13:54,269 know the Bible a bit better than most 297 00:13:58,550 --> 00:13:55,980 people there are actually Christians and 298 00:14:00,139 --> 00:13:58,560 go along true usually I find it they're 299 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:00,149 very surprised when they discover that 300 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:02,490 we have read the Bible 301 00:14:05,540 --> 00:14:04,290 if you have a good night tonight what 302 00:14:12,020 --> 00:14:05,550 are you hoping to get from this evening 303 00:14:16,350 --> 00:14:14,880 look Adam Spencer's here he's working on 304 00:14:18,390 --> 00:14:16,360 the Fibonacci sequence how's it coming 305 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:18,400 along yeah um I get an impression 306 00:14:22,890 --> 00:14:20,890 someone's already done it no mystery 307 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:22,900 Bonacci that's all right okay 308 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:24,250 I thought something has to be solved 309 00:14:27,330 --> 00:14:26,290 about it no no we know the people 310 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:27,340 touching is you're thinking Fermat's 311 00:14:32,100 --> 00:14:29,050 Last Theorem which are a guy called a 312 00:14:33,510 --> 00:14:32,110 dream Wiles solved back in the 1990's 313 00:14:36,270 --> 00:14:33,520 there's a book by a guy called Simon 314 00:14:37,530 --> 00:14:36,280 Singh called Fermat's Last Theorem which 315 00:14:40,260 --> 00:14:37,540 is the greatest piece of popular 316 00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:40,270 mathematics writing ever read that and 317 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:42,190 it's a wonderful story now as a man who 318 00:14:45,330 --> 00:14:44,350 has a brain for numbers does that mean 319 00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:45,340 you don't have a brain for other things 320 00:14:49,170 --> 00:14:47,440 like look because you can write quite 321 00:14:50,580 --> 00:14:49,180 well is there something the the numbers 322 00:14:52,290 --> 00:14:50,590 bits taken up the bit of your brain that 323 00:14:53,550 --> 00:14:52,300 should be something else have you missed 324 00:14:55,590 --> 00:14:53,560 out on something by getting the numbers 325 00:14:57,300 --> 00:14:55,600 it's an interesting question on my one 326 00:14:59,430 --> 00:14:57,310 skill that I've got that I'm lucky is 327 00:15:03,120 --> 00:14:59,440 that I can hop between the numeric on 328 00:15:05,670 --> 00:15:03,130 verbal world reasonably well I've 329 00:15:07,950 --> 00:15:05,680 certainly missed the according to my 330 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:07,960 girlfriend I've missed the male posture 331 00:15:11,370 --> 00:15:09,250 gene Oh 332 00:15:12,570 --> 00:15:11,380 I slouch standing around tend to slump I 333 00:15:14,370 --> 00:15:12,580 tend to slide she doesn't like that 334 00:15:17,010 --> 00:15:14,380 she's pretty kind of tall so maybe that 335 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:17,020 she's Russian born and the UM the harsh 336 00:15:20,790 --> 00:15:19,330 what yeah and after a while of me say to 337 00:15:21,900 --> 00:15:20,800 her look you really when I'm talking to 338 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:21,910 people at events and all that you can't 339 00:15:25,650 --> 00:15:23,710 just come up and go posture posture 340 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:25,660 turns out the Russian word for posture 341 00:15:29,340 --> 00:15:27,910 is the previous and so she'll just walk 342 00:15:31,260 --> 00:15:29,350 up and Stroke my arm ago of the 343 00:15:32,370 --> 00:15:31,270 premier's and I got all the room is so 344 00:15:33,870 --> 00:15:32,380 sounds like I'm saying I love you I love 345 00:15:36,510 --> 00:15:33,880 you too and she's actually saying stand 346 00:15:37,710 --> 00:15:36,520 up straight you lazy bastard and how do 347 00:15:38,550 --> 00:15:37,720 you get on around the house they do up 348 00:15:40,140 --> 00:15:38,560 bits of paper that you're writing 349 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:40,150 numbers on all the time just doing some 350 00:15:43,020 --> 00:15:41,410 squiggles and things like that it's 351 00:15:45,270 --> 00:15:43,030 funny when I was putting this current 352 00:15:46,890 --> 00:15:45,280 book together which is please tell us 353 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:46,900 the number gains go to Adam Spencer 354 00:15:51,090 --> 00:15:48,490 combo to you that website again Adam 355 00:15:52,770 --> 00:15:51,100 Spencer calm that I for a signed copy I 356 00:15:55,079 --> 00:15:52,780 was putting the book together and I had 357 00:15:57,900 --> 00:15:55,089 a little unfound online this little 358 00:16:00,180 --> 00:15:57,910 problem and I was going to pose it as a 359 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:00,190 puzzle in the book and I wanted to work 360 00:16:03,930 --> 00:16:02,650 out was it too hard or was it reasonable 361 00:16:06,420 --> 00:16:03,940 so I was doing some of the calculations 362 00:16:07,410 --> 00:16:06,430 myself I just woken up early morning 363 00:16:09,540 --> 00:16:07,420 [\h__\h] so Jana 364 00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:09,550 woke up about 7:00 and I've been there 365 00:16:11,820 --> 00:16:10,480 since about quarter past it's just 366 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:11,830 scribbling on these bits of have a 367 00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:13,210 scribbling swimming now don't even 368 00:16:17,790 --> 00:16:14,320 realize she was watching over my 369 00:16:19,890 --> 00:16:17,800 shoulder and she said she thought yeah 370 00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:19,900 she thought she'd stumbled on me having 371 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:21,790 some sort of Einstein moment which by my 372 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:23,310 standards I was but you still 373 00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:25,650 why short of the big album you got a 374 00:16:28,970 --> 00:16:26,910 whiteboard anywhere in the house so you 375 00:16:31,430 --> 00:16:28,980 can do the big equations night up pen 376 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:31,440 and paper a lot better I love nothing 377 00:16:36,110 --> 00:16:34,529 more than cracking out a few lines of 378 00:16:38,330 --> 00:16:36,120 stuff on pen and paper there's a written 379 00:16:39,650 --> 00:16:38,340 it's a fast dying art so you'd be one of 380 00:16:41,060 --> 00:16:39,660 these people that when they're doing a 381 00:16:42,260 --> 00:16:41,070 story on a physicists or something and 382 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:42,270 they've got some formula in the 383 00:16:45,140 --> 00:16:43,890 background you can go oh hang on that's 384 00:16:49,220 --> 00:16:45,150 just a prop formula 385 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:49,230 I had a great chat with um Matt Damon 386 00:16:55,850 --> 00:16:51,210 years ago anything about one of the 387 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:55,860 Bourne Identity films but he was talking 388 00:16:59,930 --> 00:16:57,690 about when he was doing um Good Will 389 00:17:01,100 --> 00:16:59,940 Hunting he said what was really hard 390 00:17:03,019 --> 00:17:01,110 about that is that famous Sumer is 391 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:03,029 drawing the theorem and the triangles in 392 00:17:07,790 --> 00:17:04,770 the in the corridor on the blackboard 393 00:17:09,559 --> 00:17:07,800 and he said so he obviously had no idea 394 00:17:10,550 --> 00:17:09,569 about the mats had a guy from the 395 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:10,560 University of Toronto who was there 396 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:11,610 advising on the stuff and he said what 397 00:17:17,689 --> 00:17:14,970 was really hard was it was talking words 398 00:17:19,309 --> 00:17:17,699 that he didn't really understand he was 399 00:17:21,590 --> 00:17:19,319 doing gestures with his hand that he 400 00:17:24,439 --> 00:17:21,600 didn't really understand but they the 401 00:17:26,990 --> 00:17:24,449 thing was they had to be in sync if he 402 00:17:28,100 --> 00:17:27,000 was talking and didn't realize that the 403 00:17:30,380 --> 00:17:28,110 vide was talking about he'd already 404 00:17:31,490 --> 00:17:30,390 drawn five seconds earlier or talking 405 00:17:33,169 --> 00:17:31,500 about what he hadn't seen your drawing 406 00:17:35,060 --> 00:17:33,179 what he hadn't spoken about yet the 407 00:17:38,390 --> 00:17:35,070 hardcore math nerds go what's he doing 408 00:17:40,460 --> 00:17:38,400 so he said combining those two skills 409 00:17:42,169 --> 00:17:40,470 that he had no idea about so I'd be like 410 00:17:43,580 --> 00:17:42,179 pretending to play the piano with one 411 00:17:44,750 --> 00:17:43,590 hand while pretending to juggle with the 412 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:44,760 other when you can't do either 413 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:47,010 he found that mind-bendingly art but he 414 00:17:50,690 --> 00:17:48,510 didn't great job no I believe that 415 00:17:53,270 --> 00:17:50,700 equals mc-squared is a result of a hob 416 00:17:54,919 --> 00:17:53,280 the chalkboard AB theorem have you have 417 00:17:58,910 --> 00:17:54,929 you ever looked at that area there yeah 418 00:18:00,290 --> 00:17:58,920 I've got a um a copy of Einstein's 419 00:18:01,730 --> 00:18:00,300 original manuscript that comes up with 420 00:18:03,740 --> 00:18:01,740 all that stuff which is just yeah yeah 421 00:18:05,750 --> 00:18:03,750 gorgeous gorgeous in polished I'll be 422 00:18:07,460 --> 00:18:05,760 hard to open so who's the guy who go man 423 00:18:09,380 --> 00:18:07,470 I wish I had these brain these days is 424 00:18:11,980 --> 00:18:09,390 it Hawking or someone else that we don't 425 00:18:17,780 --> 00:18:11,990 know there's an Aussie mathematician 426 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:17,790 called Terry tau T a Oh who's in the 427 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:19,410 band of the best mathematician in the 428 00:18:22,430 --> 00:18:20,490 world it's really yeah but I think you 429 00:18:24,010 --> 00:18:22,440 never say one person is the but could he 430 00:18:26,300 --> 00:18:24,020 be as 431 00:18:27,890 --> 00:18:26,310 popularly voted as anyone as the best 432 00:18:30,620 --> 00:18:27,900 mathematician will drop in a tide now 433 00:18:32,330 --> 00:18:30,630 works in the States and what's amazing 434 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:32,340 about his mind is mathematics while we 435 00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:34,170 think of it from high school is just one 436 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:36,240 big block of a subject mathematics at 437 00:18:40,130 --> 00:18:37,530 the higher levels breaks into branches 438 00:18:41,270 --> 00:18:40,140 and they are as distinct as if if you're 439 00:18:43,190 --> 00:18:41,280 studying French and I was studying 440 00:18:44,390 --> 00:18:43,200 Hebrew and someone said are you guys do 441 00:18:45,980 --> 00:18:44,400 languages why don't you sit down and 442 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:45,990 chat they are that's new 443 00:18:50,060 --> 00:18:47,850 Terry's genius is that he can jump 444 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:50,070 across various branches of mathematics 445 00:18:53,390 --> 00:18:51,690 or if you're doing something in number 446 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:53,400 theory and he talks to someone who's 447 00:18:58,910 --> 00:18:56,730 working in out of real say you should 448 00:19:00,590 --> 00:18:58,920 talk to I think you're working on the 449 00:19:01,850 --> 00:19:00,600 Sun you guys should talk I think what 450 00:19:03,530 --> 00:19:01,860 you're doing is actually the same 451 00:19:05,180 --> 00:19:03,540 problem just seeing through a different 452 00:19:07,370 --> 00:19:05,190 lens I if I could live in Terry towel 453 00:19:07,820 --> 00:19:07,380 said for a few minutes that would be 454 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:07,830 great 455 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:11,610 or if I could be inside Magnus Carlson's 456 00:19:14,870 --> 00:19:13,170 brain as he played a game of chess that 457 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:14,880 would blow my mind so where does the 458 00:19:18,020 --> 00:19:16,650 skepticism come in to what you do where 459 00:19:20,150 --> 00:19:18,030 where is that intersect with with your 460 00:19:22,420 --> 00:19:20,160 maths I think the essence of being human 461 00:19:25,670 --> 00:19:22,430 is to look at the universe and think 462 00:19:26,990 --> 00:19:25,680 what's going on that's what all humans 463 00:19:29,270 --> 00:19:27,000 do it's what separates us from dogs and 464 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:29,280 animals why is this how does that work 465 00:19:35,650 --> 00:19:31,710 what's gonna happen next have all the 466 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:35,660 different tools that we have to try and 467 00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:39,650 describe the world understand the world 468 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:43,910 predict the world influence the world 469 00:19:48,950 --> 00:19:47,010 you've got poetry partridge great for 470 00:19:50,900 --> 00:19:48,960 describing the world not very good at 471 00:19:52,970 --> 00:19:50,910 predicting the modern I think you've got 472 00:19:54,789 --> 00:19:52,980 religious faith 473 00:19:59,330 --> 00:19:54,799 you don't really see the point of it 474 00:20:01,730 --> 00:19:59,340 numbers of a greatest tool we have to 475 00:20:04,490 --> 00:20:01,740 understand and conceptualize and and 476 00:20:06,470 --> 00:20:04,500 live the process of being human do you 477 00:20:08,150 --> 00:20:06,480 think there'll be a simple solution like 478 00:20:09,500 --> 00:20:08,160 equals mc-squared I think it's Anthony 479 00:20:10,850 --> 00:20:09,510 green is thought that you know one day 480 00:20:13,010 --> 00:20:10,860 we'll just be able to write on a window 481 00:20:14,570 --> 00:20:13,020 as simple and that will be what is 482 00:20:15,830 --> 00:20:14,580 reality do you think that's possible 483 00:20:17,570 --> 00:20:15,840 yeah that's it's called the unifying 484 00:20:19,789 --> 00:20:17,580 theory or the grand theory of everything 485 00:20:22,039 --> 00:20:19,799 like the paranormal people have their to 486 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:22,049 the grand paranormal theory of 487 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:23,490 everything is that the Earth's lat 488 00:20:27,380 --> 00:20:25,770 yeah because if you work back from that 489 00:20:30,169 --> 00:20:27,390 that explains all the other confusion 490 00:20:33,020 --> 00:20:30,179 yes so I'm I as easy I'm a long way from 491 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:33,030 being an expert in the area but I would 492 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:39,330 be surprised if there was both a single 493 00:20:46,549 --> 00:20:44,370 unifying theory and the human brain was 494 00:20:47,780 --> 00:20:46,559 smart enough to comprehend it it's one 495 00:20:49,130 --> 00:20:47,790 thing people have to understand it's 496 00:20:51,470 --> 00:20:49,140 just because universe is governed by 497 00:20:54,110 --> 00:20:51,480 physical rules and they may well coexist 498 00:20:55,580 --> 00:20:54,120 in some beautiful unified whole doesn't 499 00:20:58,520 --> 00:20:55,590 mean we'll ever be smart enough to work 500 00:21:01,460 --> 00:20:58,530 it out yeah so people sometimes look at 501 00:21:03,890 --> 00:21:01,470 the limits of human thinking and what we 502 00:21:05,510 --> 00:21:03,900 can understand and go therefore there 503 00:21:08,150 --> 00:21:05,520 has to be a god to be beyond there that 504 00:21:11,150 --> 00:21:08,160 just doesn't make sense I mean if life 505 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:11,160 had only got as far on earth as dogs 506 00:21:15,110 --> 00:21:13,890 just like dogs were the most amazing 507 00:21:16,420 --> 00:21:15,120 thing on earth and humans had never 508 00:21:18,670 --> 00:21:16,430 evolved 509 00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:18,680 just because dogs don't understand the 510 00:21:22,180 --> 00:21:21,110 Big Bang doesn't mean it didn't happen 511 00:21:24,010 --> 00:21:22,190 hmm 512 00:21:26,260 --> 00:21:24,020 it's a really simplistic analogy but 513 00:21:28,690 --> 00:21:26,270 just because we can't formulate so 514 00:21:30,850 --> 00:21:28,700 there's quite possibly a grand unifying 515 00:21:32,530 --> 00:21:30,860 theory of everything but it exists at a 516 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:32,540 level beyond our ability to ever 517 00:21:37,780 --> 00:21:35,330 comprehend it or it's possible that the 518 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:37,790 things you need to observe for that 519 00:21:41,410 --> 00:21:39,170 grant through that happen 520 00:21:44,110 --> 00:21:41,420 exist elsewhere in a multiverse that 521 00:21:46,870 --> 00:21:44,120 we'll never be able to expand explore or 522 00:21:48,340 --> 00:21:46,880 observe so we might you might not be 523 00:21:51,010 --> 00:21:48,350 able to get far enough down the path 524 00:21:53,710 --> 00:21:51,020 just because it's not possible to for us 525 00:21:56,890 --> 00:21:53,720 to see stuff that is there in some sense 526 00:21:59,740 --> 00:21:56,900 but not within our temporal realm and 527 00:22:01,510 --> 00:21:59,750 where can we see your hear your podcast 528 00:22:03,610 --> 00:22:01,520 videos and things where can we get that 529 00:22:04,750 --> 00:22:03,620 I'm doing a podcast on the podcast one 530 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:04,760 network and I don't called the big 531 00:22:08,770 --> 00:22:06,410 questions where I ask interesting people 532 00:22:10,930 --> 00:22:08,780 big questions and my books are available 533 00:22:11,710 --> 00:22:10,940 at Adam Spencer com dot are you that 534 00:22:14,980 --> 00:22:11,720 website again 535 00:22:17,260 --> 00:22:14,990 I'm Adam Spencer comma dot are you one 536 00:22:18,970 --> 00:22:17,270 last question if you're having a 537 00:22:20,590 --> 00:22:18,980 relaxing time and maybe having some 538 00:22:22,510 --> 00:22:20,600 drinks or something is there anything 539 00:22:25,390 --> 00:22:22,520 that enhances mathematics or does 540 00:22:27,730 --> 00:22:25,400 everything take away from it I've always 541 00:22:29,650 --> 00:22:27,740 engaged with mathematics most enjoyably 542 00:22:31,630 --> 00:22:29,660 when I'm really clear-headed like actual 543 00:22:34,090 --> 00:22:31,640 mathematical thoughts solving problems 544 00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:34,100 and the like telling beautiful stories 545 00:22:37,930 --> 00:22:36,110 about science and mathematicians and the 546 00:22:38,980 --> 00:22:37,940 journeys and all that can be enhanced 547 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:38,990 when everyone's had a couple of drinks 548 00:22:42,700 --> 00:22:41,090 and their inhibitions are dropped but if 549 00:22:44,410 --> 00:22:42,710 someone's had it though there is from 550 00:22:45,970 --> 00:22:44,420 what I understand I only saw a tweet 551 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:45,980 from dr. Karl on this monster and didn't 552 00:22:50,860 --> 00:22:48,050 follow up the story this seems to be 553 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:50,870 bizarre evidence that if you study for 554 00:22:56,890 --> 00:22:53,410 an exam drunk 555 00:22:59,350 --> 00:22:56,900 you'll go slightly better if you sit the 556 00:23:00,730 --> 00:22:59,360 exam drunk than if you sit it's overplay 557 00:23:02,590 --> 00:23:00,740 so if you sit down and study if you've 558 00:23:04,630 --> 00:23:02,600 not not obliterator but if you've had a 559 00:23:07,060 --> 00:23:04,640 few wines while you're smashing through 560 00:23:08,350 --> 00:23:07,070 an all-nighter to do something you 561 00:23:09,610 --> 00:23:08,360 better to have long do it might leave 562 00:23:11,020 --> 00:23:09,620 out slightly but it's better to have one 563 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:11,030 quick one to top it up just as you're 564 00:23:15,970 --> 00:23:13,850 walking it's a it's got that one thing 565 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:15,980 like like the whole micro dosing of LSD 566 00:23:19,780 --> 00:23:17,510 like a very very very very very small 567 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:19,790 dose and like every devil realm up yeah 568 00:23:25,090 --> 00:23:22,010 yeah yeah and it's um you know it's 569 00:23:26,590 --> 00:23:25,100 conceivable for people at the cutting 570 00:23:28,730 --> 00:23:26,600 edge of research that that might 571 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:28,740 liberate some way of thinking 572 00:23:32,750 --> 00:23:31,050 my limited experience when I never 573 00:23:33,950 --> 00:23:32,760 finished but doing my PhD the people I 574 00:23:36,140 --> 00:23:33,960 was studying with I don't think many of 575 00:23:39,950 --> 00:23:36,150 them were dropping much acid to try and 576 00:23:41,390 --> 00:23:39,960 crack Fermat's Last Theorem look thank 577 00:23:43,310 --> 00:23:41,400 you look are you often out what are you 578 00:23:45,830 --> 00:23:43,320 gonna do it here okay my wings are gonna 579 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:45,840 lie oh thank you twice as many books as 580 00:23:48,950 --> 00:23:47,370 dr. Cardy dish that I saw I'm walking 581 00:23:50,810 --> 00:23:48,960 with a spring of my stick I'm just the 582 00:23:53,120 --> 00:23:50,820 who's salt twice as many books as Earth 583 00:23:55,070 --> 00:23:53,130 dr. cup this guy here this guy now I'll 584 00:24:05,500 --> 00:23:55,080 be hearing about it don't you worry I'll 585 00:24:05,510 --> 00:24:18,800 [Music] 586 00:24:23,850 --> 00:24:21,270 hello this is Sharon Hill creator of 587 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:23,860 doubtful news.com and the 15 credibility 588 00:24:28,650 --> 00:24:26,410 street podcast I have a new book for 589 00:24:30,780 --> 00:24:28,660 McFarland publishing called scientifical 590 00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:30,790 Americans the culture of amateur 591 00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:33,550 paranormal researchers scientifical 592 00:24:38,790 --> 00:24:36,190 means attempting to be scientific and do 593 00:24:41,310 --> 00:24:38,800 science but falling short this book is 594 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:41,320 the first full examination of the rise 595 00:24:45,630 --> 00:24:43,330 of amateur research and investigation 596 00:24:47,820 --> 00:24:45,640 groups in America and how they do or 597 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:47,830 don't use science to investigate ghosts 598 00:24:53,100 --> 00:24:50,530 UFOs and cryptids like Bigfoot and Lake 599 00:24:55,230 --> 00:24:53,110 Monsters I place these thousands of 600 00:24:57,840 --> 00:24:55,240 paranormal explorers into the historical 601 00:24:59,970 --> 00:24:57,850 context of their subject areas chart the 602 00:25:01,920 --> 00:24:59,980 influence of paranormal themed media and 603 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:01,930 the Internet and examine what it means 604 00:25:06,930 --> 00:25:04,330 to do science and how amateurs can 605 00:25:08,820 --> 00:25:06,940 contribute paranormal believers skeptics 606 00:25:11,580 --> 00:25:08,830 and persons of all opinions in between 607 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:11,590 will find scientifical Americans to be a 608 00:25:16,140 --> 00:25:13,810 unique view of the modern relationship 609 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:16,150 between science and society as well as 610 00:25:20,610 --> 00:25:18,010 our engagement with paranormal themes 611 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:20,620 and popular culture purchase the book 612 00:25:24,930 --> 00:25:22,570 through your favorite bookseller or an 613 00:25:31,810 --> 00:25:24,940 Amazon Kindle version for more info 614 00:25:50,810 --> 00:25:47,530 [Music] 615 00:25:53,030 --> 00:25:50,820 from around the world well from around 616 00:25:57,290 --> 00:25:53,040 the United States three of my skeptical 617 00:25:59,720 --> 00:25:57,300 colleagues give their review of 2017 618 00:26:02,030 --> 00:25:59,730 from their point of view from their 619 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:02,040 projects and what they're doing first up 620 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:04,290 from guerrilla skepticism on Wikipedia 621 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:11,010 it's Susan going 2017 has been an 622 00:26:15,950 --> 00:26:14,250 amazing year for gso w I've spoken at 623 00:26:20,300 --> 00:26:15,960 skeptic groups in Syracuse New York 624 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:20,310 Washington DC Salem Oregon Scandinavia 625 00:26:27,290 --> 00:26:23,730 Poland Germany Switzerland Italy Spain 626 00:26:30,380 --> 00:26:27,300 Hungary Bulgaria in Las Vegas we're up 627 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:30,390 to 132 GS o w editors in the secret 628 00:26:36,260 --> 00:26:32,610 cabal and have finished our five hundred 629 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:36,270 and twenty second Wikipedia page those 630 00:26:40,670 --> 00:26:38,130 five hundred and twenty-two pages have 631 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:40,680 given us 21 million two hundred and 632 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:42,690 fifty four five hundred and ninety two 633 00:26:48,620 --> 00:26:45,690 total page views over eight hundred 634 00:26:50,780 --> 00:26:48,630 thousand views a month we are growing 635 00:26:53,510 --> 00:26:50,790 and we saw room for more people who went 636 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:53,520 to train our most viewed Wikipedia page 637 00:26:57,800 --> 00:26:55,530 is the blue well game with over two 638 00:27:00,500 --> 00:26:57,810 million views since we rewrote the page 639 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:00,510 in September other very viewed Wikipedia 640 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:03,210 pages are cryotherapy spontaneous human 641 00:27:07,940 --> 00:27:05,850 combustion and the documentary what the 642 00:27:09,350 --> 00:27:07,950 health if you've never heard of these 643 00:27:12,020 --> 00:27:09,360 topics you might want to check them out 644 00:27:14,990 --> 00:27:12,030 on Wikipedia and other news we are now a 645 00:27:16,850 --> 00:27:15,000 501 C non-profit and are about to branch 646 00:27:18,590 --> 00:27:16,860 out into more activities we are 647 00:27:21,170 --> 00:27:18,600 currently working on a psychic sting 648 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:21,180 that will finish in mid-january and as 649 00:27:25,850 --> 00:27:23,490 we were becoming a nonprofit even more 650 00:27:27,710 --> 00:27:25,860 things will be happening in 2018 that 651 00:27:30,470 --> 00:27:27,720 will affect the community so stay tuned 652 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:30,480 find us on youtube facebook twitter and 653 00:27:46,730 --> 00:27:39,170 and now from the squaring the strange 654 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:46,740 podcast it's Celestia Ward hey Richard 655 00:27:51,650 --> 00:27:49,410 and hey strangers Celestia Ward here 656 00:27:53,750 --> 00:27:51,660 from squaring the strange the weekly 657 00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:53,760 podcast that examines the mysterious and 658 00:27:58,430 --> 00:27:56,370 the mundane through a critical lens with 659 00:28:01,760 --> 00:27:58,440 Ben Radford and Pasquale Romero and 660 00:28:03,650 --> 00:28:01,770 sometimes me 2017 has really been a 661 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:03,660 banner year for us certainly because we 662 00:28:08,270 --> 00:28:06,510 started existing this year our debut is 663 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:08,280 back in April and since then we've put 664 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:11,130 out 37 episodes each of them takes a 665 00:28:14,510 --> 00:28:13,170 deep dive into a main topic along with a 666 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:14,520 quick look at whatever hits our 667 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:17,130 skeptical radar that week and of course 668 00:28:21,110 --> 00:28:18,810 a few skeptical fortune cookies from 669 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:21,120 yours truly some of our favorite 670 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:23,250 episodes so far from this year have been 671 00:28:28,310 --> 00:28:25,770 on GMO foods the value of logical 672 00:28:30,650 --> 00:28:28,320 fallacies and of course the episodes on 673 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:30,660 cryptids we try to look into a 674 00:28:35,390 --> 00:28:32,730 mysterious critter at least once a month 675 00:28:37,610 --> 00:28:35,400 and so far we've covered the chupacabra 676 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:37,620 which Ben is the reigning world expert 677 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:40,530 on and also the popobawa the lizard man 678 00:28:45,770 --> 00:28:42,930 and just a couple weeks ago we covered 679 00:28:47,990 --> 00:28:45,780 champ the lake monster we're lucky to 680 00:28:49,670 --> 00:28:48,000 have a really great mix of voices as Ben 681 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:49,680 brings his first-hand experience from 682 00:28:54,260 --> 00:28:52,050 investigations and his expertise on 683 00:28:56,390 --> 00:28:54,270 research and communication as an author 684 00:28:58,700 --> 00:28:56,400 and deputy editor of skeptical inquirer 685 00:29:01,970 --> 00:28:58,710 and then Pasquale is a hard rock 686 00:29:04,550 --> 00:29:01,980 musician slash producer and I'm a 687 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:04,560 cartoonist living in Las Vegas so while 688 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:06,570 neither of us is a professional skeptic 689 00:29:10,850 --> 00:29:08,490 we've seen our share of strange things 690 00:29:13,910 --> 00:29:10,860 and most importantly we love arguing 691 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:13,920 with Ben we had a wonderful guest join 692 00:29:18,620 --> 00:29:16,410 us back in August and drew Torres of 693 00:29:20,750 --> 00:29:18,630 opening arguments talk to us about legal 694 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:20,760 skepticism and we just wrapped up an 695 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:22,770 episode with the Facebook famous 696 00:29:27,980 --> 00:29:25,770 credible Hulk who is able to sit in with 697 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:27,990 the guys at the strange studios and talk 698 00:29:32,900 --> 00:29:30,090 about bro science and the myths and 699 00:29:34,430 --> 00:29:32,910 misconceptions of working out just in 700 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:34,440 time for people making their new year's 701 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:38,130 resolutions for 2018 so while we're 702 00:29:42,110 --> 00:29:40,410 still a baby podcast we're working on 703 00:29:43,550 --> 00:29:42,120 our production values each week and have 704 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:43,560 already made some significant 705 00:29:48,140 --> 00:29:45,810 improvements in terms of equipment and 706 00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:48,150 our whole editing process and as I talk 707 00:29:52,940 --> 00:29:50,190 to you now Richard we are hitting 40 708 00:29:55,009 --> 00:29:52,950 thousand downloads which is incredibly 709 00:29:56,570 --> 00:29:55,019 wonderful we're thrilled with that we 710 00:29:57,950 --> 00:29:56,580 also got the good news a few months ago 711 00:30:02,180 --> 00:29:57,960 that we were picked up by a radio 712 00:30:04,460 --> 00:30:02,190 station in Wisconsin 99.1 FM wide LP in 713 00:30:06,169 --> 00:30:04,470 Madison which means we have to bleep our 714 00:30:09,350 --> 00:30:06,179 bad words now and keep it relatively 715 00:30:11,509 --> 00:30:09,360 pg-13 which we do even though we did 716 00:30:13,850 --> 00:30:11,519 have a pretty racy episode around 717 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:13,860 Halloween talking about the phenomenon 718 00:30:19,850 --> 00:30:17,970 of supernatural sex that is getting busy 719 00:30:23,619 --> 00:30:19,860 with ghosts which it turns out is a 720 00:30:26,119 --> 00:30:23,629 thing people report experiencing so 721 00:30:28,999 --> 00:30:26,129 wonderful tuning in with you and I hope 722 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:29,009 your year was fantastic and we look 723 00:30:47,690 --> 00:30:37,519 finally from the skeptics guide to the 724 00:30:49,190 --> 00:30:47,700 universe is Evan Bernstein well 2017 has 725 00:30:52,100 --> 00:30:49,200 come and gone and just the other night 726 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:52,110 we had our review show for 2017 at the 727 00:30:55,220 --> 00:30:53,610 skeptics guide to the universe and we 728 00:30:56,930 --> 00:30:55,230 talked about pretty typical things that 729 00:30:59,509 --> 00:30:56,940 we usually review over the course of a 730 00:31:01,009 --> 00:30:59,519 year such as a top science news stories 731 00:31:02,919 --> 00:31:01,019 of the year a lot of them having to do 732 00:31:05,210 --> 00:31:02,929 with outer space neutron stars colliding 733 00:31:07,490 --> 00:31:05,220 cassini plunging into Saturn and other 734 00:31:08,749 --> 00:31:07,500 things having also to do with things 735 00:31:11,779 --> 00:31:08,759 happening right here on earth including 736 00:31:14,139 --> 00:31:11,789 new archeological discoveries more 737 00:31:16,610 --> 00:31:14,149 hominid bones being discovered and 738 00:31:19,159 --> 00:31:16,620 CRISPR technology we delved into that a 739 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:19,169 little bit and science marches on as 740 00:31:22,430 --> 00:31:20,970 usual of course we also have to talk 741 00:31:25,009 --> 00:31:22,440 about the people who are trying to bring 742 00:31:28,249 --> 00:31:25,019 down science the anti rational the anti 743 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:28,259 science the pseudoscience and people who 744 00:31:32,509 --> 00:31:30,090 would be cheating and lying and stealing 745 00:31:35,210 --> 00:31:32,519 the real scam artists out there they all 746 00:31:35,659 --> 00:31:35,220 got a piece in the review certainly for 747 00:31:38,299 --> 00:31:35,669 the year 748 00:31:40,490 --> 00:31:38,309 I think 2017 compared to other years had 749 00:31:42,830 --> 00:31:40,500 certainly a unique touch to it because 750 00:31:45,019 --> 00:31:42,840 of the passing of the novellas father 751 00:31:47,090 --> 00:31:45,029 Joe novella and that sort of did have an 752 00:31:48,980 --> 00:31:47,100 impact I think on how things were 753 00:31:50,450 --> 00:31:48,990 discussed on the skeptics guide to the 754 00:31:53,269 --> 00:31:50,460 universe and sort of the tones it took 755 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:53,279 for example for our two private shows 756 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:55,110 that we did during the course of the 757 00:31:58,159 --> 00:31:56,970 year we got into some very personal 758 00:32:00,230 --> 00:31:58,169 discussions about things that we've 759 00:32:03,529 --> 00:32:00,240 really never talked about before either 760 00:32:06,859 --> 00:32:03,539 in private settings or private recording 761 00:32:09,830 --> 00:32:06,869 or certainly on the show so that 762 00:32:12,769 --> 00:32:09,840 experience sort of led us to sort of 763 00:32:15,469 --> 00:32:12,779 talking on these more personal topics I 764 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:15,479 think than we've gone into in prior 765 00:32:20,149 --> 00:32:18,330 years which we received a lot of nice 766 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:20,159 feedback for certainly over the course 767 00:32:23,359 --> 00:32:21,210 of the year and I think that was 768 00:32:26,539 --> 00:32:23,369 probably the most different thing for 769 00:32:28,039 --> 00:32:26,549 2017 but we move on for 2018 certainly 770 00:32:29,419 --> 00:32:28,049 doing more of the same of what we love 771 00:32:31,820 --> 00:32:29,429 and I know you Richard and everyone in 772 00:32:34,770 --> 00:32:31,830 the skeptic zone will be doing the exact 773 00:32:59,299 --> 00:32:34,780 same so we will see you next year 774 00:33:04,019 --> 00:33:01,769 thank you for listening to the skeptic 775 00:33:06,869 --> 00:33:04,029 zone the second-last skeptic zone for 776 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:06,879 2017 as I look at the calendar I see 777 00:33:11,430 --> 00:33:08,710 there's one more coming up on New Year's 778 00:33:15,810 --> 00:33:11,440 Eve the 31st of December there will be 779 00:33:17,879 --> 00:33:15,820 one last skeptic zone for 2017 little 780 00:33:20,190 --> 00:33:17,889 did I know when I started this podcast 781 00:33:24,299 --> 00:33:20,200 with stefan way back in 7 psycho way 782 00:33:27,269 --> 00:33:24,309 back in 2008 it i'd be looking at coming 783 00:33:30,389 --> 00:33:27,279 up to a ten year mark which will be next 784 00:33:32,789 --> 00:33:30,399 year my goodness me and my friends from 785 00:33:34,349 --> 00:33:32,799 other podcasts like skeptoid or the 786 00:33:37,649 --> 00:33:34,359 skeptics guide to the universe or 787 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:37,659 skepticality ask me or wonder if I'm 788 00:33:45,899 --> 00:33:40,690 still gonna carry on after 10 years and 789 00:33:48,570 --> 00:33:45,909 the answer is I don't know who knows I 790 00:33:50,909 --> 00:33:48,580 hope so I hope so I get lovely feedback 791 00:33:53,669 --> 00:33:50,919 from listeners apart from the listener 792 00:33:54,269 --> 00:33:53,679 who wrote a an interesting comment to me 793 00:33:56,249 --> 00:33:54,279 lately 794 00:34:00,149 --> 00:33:56,259 saying that they really liked the show 795 00:34:01,979 --> 00:34:00,159 apart from me hmm Merry Christmas I 796 00:34:04,859 --> 00:34:01,989 guess you can tell the jet lag is 797 00:34:07,859 --> 00:34:04,869 kicking in I better get to bed I better 798 00:34:09,839 --> 00:34:07,869 do that but until next week this is 799 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:09,849 Richard Saunders signing off from the 800 00:34:18,750 --> 00:34:16,690 Bay Area San Francisco you've been 801 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:18,760 listening to the skeptic zone podcast 802 00:34:28,139 --> 00:34:25,690 please visit our website at wwlp.com tax 803 00:34:32,190 --> 00:34:28,149 and to access the bat catalog of 804 00:34:33,899 --> 00:34:32,200 episodes going back to 2008 you can 805 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:33,909 follow the skeptic zone podcast on 806 00:34:39,240 --> 00:34:36,970 twitter at skeptic zone visit our 807 00:34:40,129 --> 00:34:39,250 facebook page or leave a review on 808 00:34:42,809 --> 00:34:40,139 itunes 809 00:34:46,710 --> 00:34:42,819 you can also support the skeptic zone 810 00:34:49,289 --> 00:34:46,720 via patreon or PayPal you can be part of 811 00:34:53,700 --> 00:34:49,299 the show by downloading the voice byte 812 00:34:57,059 --> 00:34:53,710 app at Voice bite comm and using the 813 00:35:00,480 --> 00:34:57,069 hashtag skeptic zone the skeptic zone 814 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:00,490 podcast is an independent production the 815 00:35:04,319 --> 00:35:02,170 views and opinions expressed on the 816 00:35:06,630 --> 00:35:04,329 skeptic zone are not necessarily those 817 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:06,640 of Australian skeptics or any other