1 00:00:09,190 --> 00:00:06,550 [Music] 2 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:09,200 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 3 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:13,940 from australia for science and reason 4 00:00:23,429 --> 00:00:16,850 [Applause] 5 00:00:25,189 --> 00:00:23,439 [Music] 6 00:00:27,670 --> 00:00:25,199 yes it's the skeptic zone podcast 7 00:00:31,589 --> 00:00:27,680 episode number 720 8 00:00:33,830 --> 00:00:31,599 for the 24th of july 2022 9 00:00:35,830 --> 00:00:33,840 lots of twos in there richard saunders 10 00:00:37,830 --> 00:00:35,840 coming to you from wet soggy soggy wet 11 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:37,840 wet soggy and soggy 12 00:00:41,270 --> 00:00:39,680 sydney australia coming up on this 13 00:00:43,990 --> 00:00:41,280 week's show we're going to kick off with 14 00:00:47,990 --> 00:00:44,000 an interview i did a few days ago with 15 00:00:50,069 --> 00:00:48,000 melanie theresa king in massachusetts 16 00:00:52,950 --> 00:00:50,079 and she's a woman after my own heart 17 00:00:54,790 --> 00:00:52,960 because she's a science educator who 18 00:00:57,029 --> 00:00:54,800 uses 19 00:00:59,110 --> 00:00:57,039 interesting notions like cold reading 20 00:01:01,189 --> 00:00:59,120 and so forth to help educate her 21 00:01:02,869 --> 00:01:01,199 students about science she wrote an 22 00:01:04,469 --> 00:01:02,879 article for the australian skeptics 23 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:04,479 magazine or published in the australian 24 00:01:08,789 --> 00:01:06,640 skeptics magazine about science and 25 00:01:10,870 --> 00:01:08,799 pseudoscience and science denialism we 26 00:01:13,910 --> 00:01:10,880 talk about that but really i was quite 27 00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:13,920 amazed how much we have in common 28 00:01:18,870 --> 00:01:16,560 when it comes to science education and 29 00:01:20,710 --> 00:01:18,880 science outreach i'm sure you'll enjoy 30 00:01:22,950 --> 00:01:20,720 this interview coming up at the top of 31 00:01:25,910 --> 00:01:22,960 the show following that it's the return 32 00:01:28,950 --> 00:01:25,920 of the book of tim with tim mendom and 33 00:01:31,109 --> 00:01:28,960 this week tim will start the first part 34 00:01:32,789 --> 00:01:31,119 of a two-part series about 35 00:01:35,749 --> 00:01:32,799 perpetual motion 36 00:01:39,910 --> 00:01:35,759 and it's called never-ending story 37 00:01:41,429 --> 00:01:39,920 written by dr anthony garrett but it is 38 00:01:43,830 --> 00:01:41,439 originally 39 00:01:45,749 --> 00:01:43,840 from the skeptic magazine 40 00:01:47,590 --> 00:01:45,759 volume seven number four way back in 41 00:01:49,749 --> 00:01:47,600 1987 42 00:01:51,429 --> 00:01:49,759 but needless to say when it comes to 43 00:01:52,230 --> 00:01:51,439 perpetual motion 44 00:01:54,870 --> 00:01:52,240 well 45 00:01:57,830 --> 00:01:54,880 not much has changed but one this week 46 00:01:59,749 --> 00:01:57,840 part two next week or the week after 47 00:02:01,670 --> 00:01:59,759 then to round off the show it's back to 48 00:02:03,270 --> 00:02:01,680 the trove archives 49 00:02:05,190 --> 00:02:03,280 and this week we're going to be looking 50 00:02:08,550 --> 00:02:05,200 into alien abductions 51 00:02:11,990 --> 00:02:08,560 included is a song yes there's a song 52 00:02:20,390 --> 00:02:12,000 about alien abductions i discovered 53 00:02:23,510 --> 00:02:21,830 thank you to those people have written 54 00:02:25,110 --> 00:02:23,520 to me expressing their sadness at the 55 00:02:28,070 --> 00:02:25,120 passing of our voiceover man jim 56 00:02:29,750 --> 00:02:28,080 wilshere just last week 57 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:29,760 there's been a week for me of lots of 58 00:02:34,550 --> 00:02:32,000 memories going through the archives and 59 00:02:37,030 --> 00:02:34,560 finding lots of work jim and i did 60 00:02:39,030 --> 00:02:37,040 together a great loss here at the 61 00:02:41,270 --> 00:02:39,040 skeptic zone and of course as i said 62 00:02:43,750 --> 00:02:41,280 last week a great loss to his family 63 00:02:46,790 --> 00:02:43,760 goes without saying his friends and his 64 00:02:47,910 --> 00:02:46,800 many many fans in radio land over the 65 00:02:50,550 --> 00:02:47,920 decades 66 00:02:53,430 --> 00:02:50,560 next week i hope to bring you a a bit of 67 00:02:57,110 --> 00:02:53,440 a better a better tribute to jim 68 00:02:58,869 --> 00:02:57,120 including some of his skeptical poetry 69 00:03:00,949 --> 00:02:58,879 so no matter where you're listening to 70 00:03:02,470 --> 00:03:00,959 this even if you're busy are you very 71 00:03:04,309 --> 00:03:02,480 busy at the moment do you listen to 72 00:03:06,710 --> 00:03:04,319 podcasts when you're rushing around 73 00:03:08,470 --> 00:03:06,720 trying to do one thing after another 74 00:03:10,550 --> 00:03:08,480 after another maybe you're in the car 75 00:03:13,509 --> 00:03:10,560 driving somewhere 76 00:03:15,910 --> 00:03:13,519 busily being busy and 77 00:03:19,190 --> 00:03:15,920 sparing a bit of time to be entertained 78 00:03:22,070 --> 00:03:19,200 i hope i hope by the skeptic zone 79 00:03:23,910 --> 00:03:22,080 but no matter where you are i'm glad 80 00:03:25,430 --> 00:03:23,920 you are listening 81 00:03:26,869 --> 00:03:25,440 now it's time for me to run downstairs 82 00:03:31,110 --> 00:03:26,879 where are those cats 83 00:03:35,430 --> 00:03:32,949 i think they're downstairs by the heater 84 00:03:38,390 --> 00:03:35,440 i'm going to run downstairs 85 00:03:39,910 --> 00:03:38,400 and why don't i have a nice cheese 86 00:03:40,949 --> 00:03:39,920 toasty 87 00:03:43,910 --> 00:03:40,959 mmm 88 00:03:46,229 --> 00:03:43,920 with a little bit of horseradish oh boy 89 00:03:57,090 --> 00:03:46,239 while i do that i hope you enjoy the 90 00:04:07,030 --> 00:04:05,190 [Music] 91 00:04:09,190 --> 00:04:07,040 now folks right in front of me i've got 92 00:04:10,789 --> 00:04:09,200 a copy of the very latest skeptic 93 00:04:13,910 --> 00:04:10,799 magazine the journal from australian 94 00:04:16,469 --> 00:04:13,920 skeptics i recommend you subscribe and i 95 00:04:18,150 --> 00:04:16,479 was flipping through and on 96 00:04:20,390 --> 00:04:18,160 early on in 97 00:04:21,590 --> 00:04:20,400 on page 14 in fact there's a very 98 00:04:22,629 --> 00:04:21,600 fascinating 99 00:04:25,030 --> 00:04:22,639 report 100 00:04:28,070 --> 00:04:25,040 science and its pretenders and this is 101 00:04:30,469 --> 00:04:28,080 an article by melanie trisik king and 102 00:04:33,749 --> 00:04:30,479 joining me on the line from just outside 103 00:04:34,790 --> 00:04:33,759 of boston massachusetts is melanie hello 104 00:04:36,550 --> 00:04:34,800 hello 105 00:04:38,070 --> 00:04:36,560 lovely to see you thank you for having 106 00:04:40,390 --> 00:04:38,080 me on thank you 107 00:04:42,790 --> 00:04:40,400 not a problem yes of course it's the 108 00:04:45,350 --> 00:04:42,800 days of video conferencing and we can 109 00:04:47,670 --> 00:04:45,360 see each other as we're having a chat i 110 00:04:49,350 --> 00:04:47,680 found this item very interesting but 111 00:04:51,590 --> 00:04:49,360 before we get to the item it's about 112 00:04:53,430 --> 00:04:51,600 science and pseudoscience can you tell 113 00:04:55,030 --> 00:04:53,440 us a little bit about you yourself your 114 00:04:57,590 --> 00:04:55,040 background 115 00:05:00,469 --> 00:04:57,600 yeah so um i'm actually a plant 116 00:05:02,710 --> 00:05:00,479 ecologist by training um and 117 00:05:04,950 --> 00:05:02,720 uh teach at a community college 118 00:05:06,230 --> 00:05:04,960 in massachusetts and our community 119 00:05:08,310 --> 00:05:06,240 college system i don't know if you're 120 00:05:10,310 --> 00:05:08,320 familiar with but um they're two-year 121 00:05:12,230 --> 00:05:10,320 colleges and so we have a lot of 122 00:05:13,909 --> 00:05:12,240 students who get their 123 00:05:15,270 --> 00:05:13,919 their credits and then transfer on to a 124 00:05:17,990 --> 00:05:15,280 four-year 125 00:05:20,870 --> 00:05:18,000 and i have for a long time taught the 126 00:05:24,070 --> 00:05:20,880 general biology course that most people 127 00:05:27,749 --> 00:05:24,080 take when they need to get a degree and 128 00:05:29,350 --> 00:05:27,759 uh it's intro bio for non-majors and um 129 00:05:30,870 --> 00:05:29,360 i grew really tired of teaching that 130 00:05:32,390 --> 00:05:30,880 course because i kind of felt like i was 131 00:05:33,909 --> 00:05:32,400 just getting them to memorize a bunch of 132 00:05:35,110 --> 00:05:33,919 stuff and then they were gonna forget it 133 00:05:37,110 --> 00:05:35,120 after the exam and they were really 134 00:05:39,670 --> 00:05:37,120 gonna hate science even more than they 135 00:05:41,270 --> 00:05:39,680 started when they took the course uh so 136 00:05:43,270 --> 00:05:41,280 um i actually 137 00:05:45,749 --> 00:05:43,280 completely came the course and started 138 00:05:47,350 --> 00:05:45,759 all over again from scratch with my idea 139 00:05:49,110 --> 00:05:47,360 of what i thought people needed to know 140 00:05:50,950 --> 00:05:49,120 about how science worked for the rest of 141 00:05:52,390 --> 00:05:50,960 their life like if i have four months 142 00:05:53,590 --> 00:05:52,400 for the average person what would that 143 00:05:55,110 --> 00:05:53,600 look like 144 00:05:57,909 --> 00:05:55,120 and the article you have in front of you 145 00:06:00,790 --> 00:05:57,919 is is part of that i use pseudoscience 146 00:06:02,390 --> 00:06:00,800 and science denial in the class to teach 147 00:06:04,550 --> 00:06:02,400 what science looks like well this is 148 00:06:06,629 --> 00:06:04,560 very interesting and i read this article 149 00:06:08,390 --> 00:06:06,639 with great interest because 150 00:06:10,550 --> 00:06:08,400 it does cover a lot of issues that we 151 00:06:11,510 --> 00:06:10,560 face in skepticism that is a lot of 152 00:06:13,430 --> 00:06:11,520 people 153 00:06:15,830 --> 00:06:13,440 well to be blunt and for lack of a 154 00:06:17,590 --> 00:06:15,840 better word maybe are ignorant as to the 155 00:06:20,070 --> 00:06:17,600 method of science and what 156 00:06:21,909 --> 00:06:20,080 science means and how it works exactly 157 00:06:24,070 --> 00:06:21,919 there's a handy little chart 158 00:06:25,990 --> 00:06:24,080 actually i think it was on as i crash 159 00:06:28,309 --> 00:06:26,000 about here i think it was on page 15. 160 00:06:29,830 --> 00:06:28,319 yes there it is 161 00:06:32,230 --> 00:06:29,840 contrasting 162 00:06:35,590 --> 00:06:32,240 science follows the evidence for example 163 00:06:38,070 --> 00:06:35,600 the conclusion against pseudoscience and 164 00:06:39,590 --> 00:06:38,080 science denial now what 165 00:06:41,270 --> 00:06:39,600 what is the difference there what you 166 00:06:43,510 --> 00:06:41,280 know we've heard of people 167 00:06:45,029 --> 00:06:43,520 practicing pseudoscience like homeopathy 168 00:06:47,029 --> 00:06:45,039 and whatever and then there's science 169 00:06:49,350 --> 00:06:47,039 denial but there is a big crossover 170 00:06:52,469 --> 00:06:49,360 there isn't there yeah i mean this was 171 00:06:54,629 --> 00:06:52,479 sort of my attempt to simplify 172 00:06:57,029 --> 00:06:54,639 um what i viewed as the two different 173 00:06:59,350 --> 00:06:57,039 ways of viewing the things that aren't 174 00:07:02,870 --> 00:06:59,360 science and for me they really come down 175 00:07:05,670 --> 00:07:02,880 to so if science is a system of uh 176 00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:05,680 objectively gathering and evaluating 177 00:07:10,230 --> 00:07:08,080 evidence as a community to try to come 178 00:07:13,430 --> 00:07:10,240 to the best 179 00:07:16,230 --> 00:07:13,440 representation of what reality is 180 00:07:18,070 --> 00:07:16,240 science is pretenders the pseudo-science 181 00:07:21,110 --> 00:07:18,080 and science denial 182 00:07:23,670 --> 00:07:21,120 are the misuse of science because of 183 00:07:26,309 --> 00:07:23,680 different motivated reasoning either a 184 00:07:28,790 --> 00:07:26,319 wanting to believe something or not 185 00:07:30,390 --> 00:07:28,800 wanting to believe it so i mean nobody's 186 00:07:31,990 --> 00:07:30,400 anti-science until it conflicts with 187 00:07:35,670 --> 00:07:32,000 their beliefs right the the old saying 188 00:07:38,629 --> 00:07:35,680 goes so when something is um what we 189 00:07:39,670 --> 00:07:38,639 want to believe then our standard of 190 00:07:41,670 --> 00:07:39,680 evidence 191 00:07:43,990 --> 00:07:41,680 drops 192 00:07:46,790 --> 00:07:44,000 and when we don't want to believe 193 00:07:48,629 --> 00:07:46,800 because of vested interests or identity 194 00:07:50,230 --> 00:07:48,639 issues whatever it is our standard of 195 00:07:51,830 --> 00:07:50,240 evidence shoots the roof and it gets 196 00:07:54,309 --> 00:07:51,840 impossibly high 197 00:07:55,350 --> 00:07:54,319 but all of that stems from the same 198 00:07:57,749 --> 00:07:55,360 basic 199 00:08:00,950 --> 00:07:57,759 psychological underpinning which is 200 00:08:03,350 --> 00:08:00,960 the motivation to 201 00:08:05,350 --> 00:08:03,360 not want to accept science in some way 202 00:08:07,189 --> 00:08:05,360 that's very interesting now 203 00:08:09,110 --> 00:08:07,199 one of the points that i've marked here 204 00:08:11,029 --> 00:08:09,120 in my notes when reading your article 205 00:08:13,350 --> 00:08:11,039 and i find it a fascinating thing when 206 00:08:15,350 --> 00:08:13,360 it comes to science denialism is what 207 00:08:17,670 --> 00:08:15,360 you just sort of said then 208 00:08:22,550 --> 00:08:17,680 in possibly high standards 209 00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:22,560 people who demand of 210 00:08:27,510 --> 00:08:25,440 a skeptical approach 211 00:08:29,189 --> 00:08:27,520 things that we can't possibly meet you 212 00:08:30,950 --> 00:08:29,199 know their expectations i'm just trying 213 00:08:33,829 --> 00:08:30,960 to find a good example of impossibly 214 00:08:35,509 --> 00:08:33,839 high standards yeah i mean so these days 215 00:08:39,029 --> 00:08:35,519 i spend an awful lot of time on social 216 00:08:41,509 --> 00:08:39,039 media where i kind of get to view um 217 00:08:43,269 --> 00:08:41,519 people's representation how people want 218 00:08:45,350 --> 00:08:43,279 to have discussions about these concepts 219 00:08:46,550 --> 00:08:45,360 and you can see it in practice and when 220 00:08:47,590 --> 00:08:46,560 somebody doesn't want to believe 221 00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:47,600 something they'll say something like 222 00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:49,200 well science hasn't proven it to be true 223 00:08:53,030 --> 00:08:50,720 right 224 00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:53,040 it's not a fact when science has proven 225 00:08:59,590 --> 00:08:56,240 this i'll accept it right um see it a 226 00:09:01,590 --> 00:08:59,600 lot around things like climate change um 227 00:09:04,949 --> 00:09:01,600 evolution vaccines 228 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:04,959 so for me this comes back to um this old 229 00:09:08,630 --> 00:09:07,360 way of how we teach science 230 00:09:10,630 --> 00:09:08,640 it 231 00:09:13,269 --> 00:09:10,640 drives me bonkers at this point whenever 232 00:09:15,350 --> 00:09:13,279 you see a science textbook you open it 233 00:09:17,190 --> 00:09:15,360 up and the very first chapter is the 234 00:09:19,030 --> 00:09:17,200 scientific method right and the 235 00:09:20,870 --> 00:09:19,040 scientific method is right make an 236 00:09:23,350 --> 00:09:20,880 observation and then you develop a 237 00:09:25,670 --> 00:09:23,360 hypothesis and then you design an 238 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:25,680 experiment and then you know at the end 239 00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:28,560 of this linear process you did a science 240 00:09:34,230 --> 00:09:30,880 and then you have your answer and 241 00:09:36,550 --> 00:09:34,240 science does not work that way right and 242 00:09:38,070 --> 00:09:36,560 the worst is for most of these textbooks 243 00:09:41,350 --> 00:09:38,080 they never come back to what that 244 00:09:43,829 --> 00:09:41,360 process looks like in all of the facts 245 00:09:46,870 --> 00:09:43,839 that are presented in the textbook so 246 00:09:49,829 --> 00:09:46,880 it's my idea that what happens is 247 00:09:51,829 --> 00:09:49,839 people learn that science is these 248 00:09:54,389 --> 00:09:51,839 things that we know these facts that 249 00:09:56,230 --> 00:09:54,399 science has found out when they don't 250 00:09:58,870 --> 00:09:56,240 understand that scientific explanations 251 00:10:00,870 --> 00:09:58,880 are always tentative yeah we don't prove 252 00:10:02,870 --> 00:10:00,880 these things so when you start to talk 253 00:10:05,910 --> 00:10:02,880 about uncertainties 254 00:10:07,430 --> 00:10:05,920 which is how scientists talk the public 255 00:10:09,509 --> 00:10:07,440 hears especially if they don't want to 256 00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:09,519 accept it well they don't know 257 00:10:12,389 --> 00:10:11,120 right they don't know they're always 258 00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:12,399 changing their mind right when they 259 00:10:16,310 --> 00:10:14,160 figure it out then i'll believe them but 260 00:10:19,030 --> 00:10:16,320 until then it's just a theory but you're 261 00:10:20,550 --> 00:10:19,040 absolutely right that you're and this 262 00:10:23,350 --> 00:10:20,560 the 263 00:10:26,310 --> 00:10:23,360 topic that crossed my mind is homeopathy 264 00:10:29,269 --> 00:10:26,320 where i've heard people say to me 265 00:10:31,430 --> 00:10:29,279 well we know homeopathy works 266 00:10:34,069 --> 00:10:31,440 we don't know how it works but science 267 00:10:35,750 --> 00:10:34,079 has yet to catch up with us 268 00:10:37,829 --> 00:10:35,760 which i think is a fascinating point of 269 00:10:40,230 --> 00:10:37,839 view yeah 270 00:10:42,710 --> 00:10:40,240 yeah homeopathy is its own special can 271 00:10:44,150 --> 00:10:42,720 of worms 272 00:10:45,590 --> 00:10:44,160 and it certainly qualifies as the 273 00:10:46,949 --> 00:10:45,600 pseudoscience what i think is 274 00:10:48,870 --> 00:10:46,959 interesting um 275 00:10:51,430 --> 00:10:48,880 is that pseudoscience and science denial 276 00:10:52,790 --> 00:10:51,440 often dovetail so like um 277 00:10:54,630 --> 00:10:52,800 the example i give in the article is 278 00:10:56,389 --> 00:10:54,640 evolution just because it's so perfect 279 00:10:58,550 --> 00:10:56,399 um if you don't want to accept the 280 00:11:00,710 --> 00:10:58,560 science of evolution 281 00:11:02,949 --> 00:11:00,720 then you get this whole field of science 282 00:11:05,350 --> 00:11:02,959 denial and it looks like you know with 283 00:11:07,509 --> 00:11:05,360 the fake experts uh john cook's um 284 00:11:09,670 --> 00:11:07,519 flicked taxonomy with uh mark hoofnickel 285 00:11:11,750 --> 00:11:09,680 the flick so fake experts logical 286 00:11:13,750 --> 00:11:11,760 fallacies and possible expectations 287 00:11:16,230 --> 00:11:13,760 cherry picking and uh conspiracy 288 00:11:17,829 --> 00:11:16,240 theories and you get all of that but you 289 00:11:20,389 --> 00:11:17,839 have to have a belief to replace it the 290 00:11:22,710 --> 00:11:20,399 science is wrong about this so the 291 00:11:25,110 --> 00:11:22,720 pseudo science of creationism pops up 292 00:11:27,990 --> 00:11:25,120 right and now instead of having possibly 293 00:11:30,710 --> 00:11:28,000 high expectat uh standards of evidence 294 00:11:32,389 --> 00:11:30,720 any thing that we can find that fits 295 00:11:36,630 --> 00:11:32,399 with this of what we want to believe is 296 00:11:38,710 --> 00:11:36,640 considered proof yes of creationism yes 297 00:11:40,389 --> 00:11:38,720 you're absolutely right i mean 298 00:11:41,750 --> 00:11:40,399 what can we say we're all human we're 299 00:11:43,670 --> 00:11:41,760 all going to look for the things that 300 00:11:45,430 --> 00:11:43,680 confirm our point of view 301 00:11:46,230 --> 00:11:45,440 to begin with and i guess when it comes 302 00:11:48,550 --> 00:11:46,240 to 303 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:48,560 the points you make in your article 304 00:11:51,269 --> 00:11:49,600 it's it's 305 00:11:52,710 --> 00:11:51,279 and i get back to my original point 306 00:11:54,389 --> 00:11:52,720 there is a certain 307 00:11:56,150 --> 00:11:54,399 especially in the general population and 308 00:11:58,389 --> 00:11:56,160 maybe understandably so a certain 309 00:12:00,470 --> 00:11:58,399 ignorance about exactly what science is 310 00:12:01,350 --> 00:12:00,480 and how it works and again the point you 311 00:12:02,870 --> 00:12:01,360 make 312 00:12:03,829 --> 00:12:02,880 when science 313 00:12:07,190 --> 00:12:03,839 says 314 00:12:09,990 --> 00:12:07,200 no we can't prove this to the nth degree 315 00:12:11,910 --> 00:12:10,000 or this is our tentative conclusion the 316 00:12:13,910 --> 00:12:11,920 opponents of science 317 00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:13,920 will look at that as as oh well you 318 00:12:17,110 --> 00:12:15,120 don't know what you're talking about 319 00:12:18,870 --> 00:12:17,120 science is wrong it's always changing 320 00:12:20,389 --> 00:12:18,880 therefore 321 00:12:22,470 --> 00:12:20,399 my point of view 322 00:12:24,949 --> 00:12:22,480 is correct when we get back to 323 00:12:26,550 --> 00:12:24,959 creationism or homeopathy again 324 00:12:28,710 --> 00:12:26,560 yeah and homeopathy you said something 325 00:12:30,470 --> 00:12:28,720 really interesting in there so 326 00:12:33,670 --> 00:12:30,480 with pseudosciences again the standard 327 00:12:36,230 --> 00:12:33,680 of evidence is very low um and one of 328 00:12:38,949 --> 00:12:36,240 the especially in alternative medicine 329 00:12:42,310 --> 00:12:38,959 the anecdote or the personal experience 330 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:42,320 is considered just uh airtight evidence 331 00:12:47,110 --> 00:12:45,120 so i tried it and it worked how do i 332 00:12:48,150 --> 00:12:47,120 know homeopathy worked well it worked 333 00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:48,160 for me 334 00:12:55,110 --> 00:12:51,680 um yes and so this understanding the of 335 00:12:57,030 --> 00:12:55,120 the limits of our perceptions to 336 00:13:00,470 --> 00:12:57,040 accurately inform us like how biased we 337 00:13:02,790 --> 00:13:00,480 are and then therefore why 338 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:02,800 um if we want to figure out if homo 339 00:13:08,310 --> 00:13:06,480 homeopathy works well we have to not use 340 00:13:10,150 --> 00:13:08,320 personal experiences we designed 341 00:13:12,470 --> 00:13:10,160 randomized control trials with double 342 00:13:14,069 --> 00:13:12,480 blinding to reduce all those biases they 343 00:13:17,430 --> 00:13:14,079 can interfere 344 00:13:18,949 --> 00:13:17,440 with our conclusions but um it's very 345 00:13:21,110 --> 00:13:18,959 hard i've noticed to get people to 346 00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:21,120 understand that their experiences aren't 347 00:13:27,110 --> 00:13:23,920 necessarily airtight ways of knowing 348 00:13:28,710 --> 00:13:27,120 um with my class like um i 349 00:13:31,829 --> 00:13:28,720 i hope my students aren't listening but 350 00:13:34,550 --> 00:13:31,839 um i on day one of my class i fooled my 351 00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:34,560 students so are you familiar with the uh 352 00:13:39,910 --> 00:13:37,600 bertrand four's experiment um so he's 353 00:13:42,470 --> 00:13:39,920 the forward effect or the farmer 354 00:13:44,310 --> 00:13:42,480 i'm very famous yeah so 355 00:13:46,389 --> 00:13:44,320 he has this great experiment with the 356 00:13:48,550 --> 00:13:46,399 psychology students he um gave them all 357 00:13:51,590 --> 00:13:48,560 personality assessments and 358 00:13:53,030 --> 00:13:51,600 um you know he asked them how accurate 359 00:13:55,670 --> 00:13:53,040 they were you know on a scale of one to 360 00:13:57,269 --> 00:13:55,680 five and most of them were about 4.3 to 361 00:13:59,590 --> 00:13:57,279 4.5 out of five 362 00:14:01,269 --> 00:13:59,600 and they all got the same one yes so i 363 00:14:03,350 --> 00:14:01,279 do that with my students i go through 364 00:14:05,350 --> 00:14:03,360 this whole ruse of like i have this 365 00:14:06,550 --> 00:14:05,360 friend who's an astrologer and she's 366 00:14:08,150 --> 00:14:06,560 very famous i'm not going to tell you 367 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:08,160 who she is yet but she knows i'm 368 00:14:11,189 --> 00:14:09,360 skeptical 369 00:14:13,269 --> 00:14:11,199 like the whole thing it turns out i'm a 370 00:14:15,110 --> 00:14:13,279 really good liar when i want to so i 371 00:14:17,110 --> 00:14:15,120 then give my students this and then they 372 00:14:18,870 --> 00:14:17,120 oh this is so accurate how did she know 373 00:14:21,189 --> 00:14:18,880 me and then they realized they all got 374 00:14:23,430 --> 00:14:21,199 the same one and my point is like i 375 00:14:25,590 --> 00:14:23,440 could tell you i could fool you 376 00:14:27,189 --> 00:14:25,600 but you wouldn't necessarily believe me 377 00:14:28,949 --> 00:14:27,199 you wouldn't take that lesson to heart 378 00:14:30,790 --> 00:14:28,959 so i'm gonna fool you to show you that 379 00:14:31,829 --> 00:14:30,800 you can be fooled 380 00:14:33,750 --> 00:14:31,839 now 381 00:14:35,509 --> 00:14:33,760 you can't necessarily trust yourself or 382 00:14:37,670 --> 00:14:35,519 me apparently so 383 00:14:40,790 --> 00:14:37,680 how can we find a better way i'm glad 384 00:14:42,949 --> 00:14:40,800 you do that because just as a matter of 385 00:14:44,710 --> 00:14:42,959 maybe coincidence or well hardly a 386 00:14:46,790 --> 00:14:44,720 coincidence that i've been doing a 387 00:14:49,189 --> 00:14:46,800 science show for um for school groups 388 00:14:51,750 --> 00:14:49,199 now for or 16 years or something like 389 00:14:54,710 --> 00:14:51,760 that and one of the 390 00:14:56,870 --> 00:14:54,720 the items we do is the astrology test we 391 00:14:59,590 --> 00:14:56,880 hand out their astrology it's all the 392 00:15:01,829 --> 00:14:59,600 same and this was given to me by james 393 00:15:03,990 --> 00:15:01,839 randy this test because he did it on a 394 00:15:05,430 --> 00:15:04,000 tv show many many many years ago so i 395 00:15:06,790 --> 00:15:05,440 know exactly what you mean and it's a 396 00:15:10,870 --> 00:15:06,800 great lesson 397 00:15:13,189 --> 00:15:10,880 these sort of topics folks are covered 398 00:15:14,790 --> 00:15:13,199 in the article i i sincerely suggest you 399 00:15:16,829 --> 00:15:14,800 subscribe to the skeptic magazine you 400 00:15:19,030 --> 00:15:16,839 can read this article for yourself at 401 00:15:21,430 --> 00:15:19,040 skeptics.com there's a handy table there 402 00:15:23,509 --> 00:15:21,440 there's much more in it now melanie i i 403 00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:23,519 know i i happen to know you know from 404 00:15:26,629 --> 00:15:25,040 inside information that your great 405 00:15:29,110 --> 00:15:26,639 passion is not only science 406 00:15:30,550 --> 00:15:29,120 communication but education 407 00:15:33,189 --> 00:15:30,560 now can you 408 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:33,199 flesh that out a bit more for me 409 00:15:37,990 --> 00:15:35,920 yeah so um like i said earlier one of 410 00:15:38,949 --> 00:15:38,000 the big things that i think is effective 411 00:15:40,949 --> 00:15:38,959 is 412 00:15:41,990 --> 00:15:40,959 using pseudoscience and science denial 413 00:15:44,470 --> 00:15:42,000 in class 414 00:15:46,310 --> 00:15:44,480 so um carl sagan has this great quote 415 00:15:48,629 --> 00:15:46,320 and i'm going to paraphrase but um if we 416 00:15:52,710 --> 00:15:48,639 teach people only the findings of 417 00:15:53,990 --> 00:15:52,720 science without the method of science 418 00:15:55,350 --> 00:15:54,000 then how are they going to know the 419 00:15:56,550 --> 00:15:55,360 difference between science and 420 00:15:57,509 --> 00:15:56,560 pseudoscience 421 00:16:00,389 --> 00:15:57,519 and so 422 00:16:01,910 --> 00:16:00,399 i literally took him literally and 423 00:16:05,430 --> 00:16:01,920 thought well what if i just use 424 00:16:07,509 --> 00:16:05,440 pseudoscience so we cover homeopathy and 425 00:16:08,389 --> 00:16:07,519 astrology and bigfoot and the loch ness 426 00:16:09,829 --> 00:16:08,399 monster 427 00:16:12,310 --> 00:16:09,839 and 428 00:16:13,910 --> 00:16:12,320 so many wonderful 429 00:16:15,430 --> 00:16:13,920 different forms of pseudoscience and 430 00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:15,440 science denial 431 00:16:19,670 --> 00:16:17,440 i think too many students leave the 432 00:16:22,470 --> 00:16:19,680 science class again with this idea that 433 00:16:24,790 --> 00:16:22,480 science is a bunch of facts but in the 434 00:16:26,949 --> 00:16:24,800 real world you know there's so many 435 00:16:28,870 --> 00:16:26,959 claims that they come face to face with 436 00:16:30,069 --> 00:16:28,880 and what i'm trying to do is get them to 437 00:16:31,269 --> 00:16:30,079 understand the world around them and the 438 00:16:33,430 --> 00:16:31,279 kinds of things that they're going to 439 00:16:34,550 --> 00:16:33,440 see and people believe in pseudoscience 440 00:16:36,389 --> 00:16:34,560 right people 441 00:16:38,949 --> 00:16:36,399 don't trust science sometimes 442 00:16:41,189 --> 00:16:38,959 and so i use that in class 443 00:16:43,509 --> 00:16:41,199 um and i think it's very effective you 444 00:16:45,269 --> 00:16:43,519 know what again this is quite remarkable 445 00:16:46,790 --> 00:16:45,279 because this is exactly the philosophy 446 00:16:48,870 --> 00:16:46,800 i've had with this show it's called it's 447 00:16:53,749 --> 00:16:48,880 called the mystery investigators and we 448 00:16:55,829 --> 00:16:53,759 use these wonderfully interesting claims 449 00:16:57,430 --> 00:16:55,839 for students we say here's the claim 450 00:16:59,990 --> 00:16:57,440 this is what it looks like let's see if 451 00:17:01,430 --> 00:17:00,000 we can investigate it and the classic 452 00:17:04,630 --> 00:17:01,440 experiment we've been doing for many 453 00:17:08,069 --> 00:17:04,640 years is water divining or water dowsing 454 00:17:10,390 --> 00:17:08,079 where we have a line of 10 tubs 455 00:17:12,390 --> 00:17:10,400 upside down plastic tubs at the front of 456 00:17:14,390 --> 00:17:12,400 the the lecture theatre or the classroom 457 00:17:16,230 --> 00:17:14,400 and one tub will have a little bottle of 458 00:17:18,069 --> 00:17:16,240 water hidden underneath 459 00:17:19,510 --> 00:17:18,079 and we give the students divining rods 460 00:17:20,949 --> 00:17:19,520 and they all walk along and they see if 461 00:17:23,029 --> 00:17:20,959 they can find the water then we talk 462 00:17:23,990 --> 00:17:23,039 about double blind tests and statistics 463 00:17:25,750 --> 00:17:24,000 and stuff 464 00:17:27,829 --> 00:17:25,760 and i found that being 465 00:17:29,990 --> 00:17:27,839 really effective because they're having 466 00:17:33,270 --> 00:17:30,000 a lot of fun and they're doing something 467 00:17:35,029 --> 00:17:33,280 really strange and at the same time 468 00:17:36,230 --> 00:17:35,039 learning about the scientific method and 469 00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:36,240 yes i use 470 00:17:40,390 --> 00:17:37,600 one of the great 471 00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:40,400 gifts of all is a ten-sided die for 472 00:17:47,590 --> 00:17:44,240 randomization because the kids love it 473 00:17:49,750 --> 00:17:47,600 of course they do so i see you and i 474 00:17:52,470 --> 00:17:49,760 share quite a similar passion when it 475 00:17:54,150 --> 00:17:52,480 comes to uh science education oh gosh 476 00:17:55,430 --> 00:17:54,160 yeah i think so i mean 477 00:17:57,990 --> 00:17:55,440 i think about all the students i had 478 00:18:00,470 --> 00:17:58,000 over the years um that i was teaching 479 00:18:02,230 --> 00:18:00,480 the old way and i i honestly feel like i 480 00:18:04,549 --> 00:18:02,240 failed him a little bit part of me feels 481 00:18:07,830 --> 00:18:04,559 really bad um i'm 482 00:18:09,110 --> 00:18:07,840 hoping that it led me to a better place 483 00:18:12,310 --> 00:18:09,120 you know one of the other things that i 484 00:18:14,950 --> 00:18:12,320 think is um really helpful uh is i use 485 00:18:16,870 --> 00:18:14,960 um what's called inoculation theory 486 00:18:19,029 --> 00:18:16,880 which is so it's the idea of like 487 00:18:21,990 --> 00:18:19,039 vaccines but for the mind and 488 00:18:23,990 --> 00:18:22,000 misinformation so if we expose people to 489 00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:24,000 bits of misinformation in a controlled 490 00:18:28,870 --> 00:18:26,240 environment then they learn to spot it 491 00:18:30,230 --> 00:18:28,880 in the real world i teach my students 492 00:18:33,669 --> 00:18:30,240 how to cold read 493 00:18:36,070 --> 00:18:33,679 like a psychic wow right yes so that 494 00:18:37,990 --> 00:18:36,080 when they see a psychic you know john 495 00:18:41,190 --> 00:18:38,000 edward standing in front of an audience 496 00:18:43,350 --> 00:18:41,200 going i'm getting a g girl father uncle 497 00:18:45,669 --> 00:18:43,360 grandfather right they can see that 498 00:18:47,669 --> 00:18:45,679 because i've taught them how to cold 499 00:18:50,310 --> 00:18:47,679 read um i teach them how to make 500 00:18:51,029 --> 00:18:50,320 conspiracy theories 501 00:18:52,630 --> 00:18:51,039 i 502 00:18:54,789 --> 00:18:52,640 teach them um 503 00:18:57,350 --> 00:18:54,799 they make advertisements for health 504 00:18:59,510 --> 00:18:57,360 pseudoscience products wow because once 505 00:19:01,990 --> 00:18:59,520 you make those and you see well it's all 506 00:19:03,990 --> 00:19:02,000 natural ancient you know 507 00:19:04,950 --> 00:19:04,000 um 508 00:19:07,590 --> 00:19:04,960 healing 509 00:19:09,669 --> 00:19:07,600 from nature's wisdom 510 00:19:11,510 --> 00:19:09,679 that i tried it and i liked it look at 511 00:19:13,110 --> 00:19:11,520 this person in a lab coat and they say 512 00:19:15,510 --> 00:19:13,120 it works you know i mean then you can 513 00:19:17,029 --> 00:19:15,520 see it because they're all the same 514 00:19:18,950 --> 00:19:17,039 i think you know what i think i'm gonna 515 00:19:20,710 --> 00:19:18,960 have to make a special trip to visit one 516 00:19:23,029 --> 00:19:20,720 of your classes because it's just 517 00:19:24,789 --> 00:19:23,039 ringing so many bells with me but let me 518 00:19:26,870 --> 00:19:24,799 let me just 519 00:19:28,549 --> 00:19:26,880 reach over to my 520 00:19:30,710 --> 00:19:28,559 bookcase here i don't know if you're 521 00:19:33,029 --> 00:19:30,720 familiar with this book it's called the 522 00:19:36,310 --> 00:19:33,039 full facts book of cold reading 523 00:19:39,270 --> 00:19:36,320 okay and it's you quickly write it down 524 00:19:41,430 --> 00:19:39,280 because it is the the reference for cold 525 00:19:43,750 --> 00:19:41,440 reading it's by a friend of mine called 526 00:19:45,909 --> 00:19:43,760 ian roland it's been out for some years 527 00:19:48,870 --> 00:19:45,919 but i learned so much from that you have 528 00:19:51,190 --> 00:19:48,880 no idea it's a marvelous book 529 00:19:53,830 --> 00:19:51,200 oh amazing i don't get that in depth 530 00:19:55,270 --> 00:19:53,840 with it 531 00:19:56,150 --> 00:19:55,280 but i'm definitely checking out that 532 00:19:57,909 --> 00:19:56,160 book 533 00:20:00,310 --> 00:19:57,919 and i'm in massachusetts you're welcome 534 00:20:02,789 --> 00:20:00,320 to come by my classroom anytime 535 00:20:04,870 --> 00:20:02,799 it's a long way to go but that's okay i 536 00:20:06,390 --> 00:20:04,880 i would i would dearly love to see it 537 00:20:08,549 --> 00:20:06,400 because it does sound like you and i 538 00:20:10,710 --> 00:20:08,559 have been doing very similar things 539 00:20:12,950 --> 00:20:10,720 very similar things and 540 00:20:15,110 --> 00:20:12,960 while while you're there and i hope it's 541 00:20:17,590 --> 00:20:15,120 still online you can see my water 542 00:20:19,430 --> 00:20:17,600 divining test if you google my name plus 543 00:20:21,430 --> 00:20:19,440 water divining it should come up i did a 544 00:20:23,669 --> 00:20:21,440 demonstration of the amazing meeting in 545 00:20:26,549 --> 00:20:23,679 las vegas many years ago which was 546 00:20:27,750 --> 00:20:26,559 videoed and it's specifically made for 547 00:20:30,630 --> 00:20:27,760 teachers 548 00:20:32,710 --> 00:20:30,640 well melanie we we we'll have to catch 549 00:20:35,110 --> 00:20:32,720 up one day in person we can swap notes 550 00:20:36,789 --> 00:20:35,120 and have a lot of fun but it's been a 551 00:20:40,149 --> 00:20:36,799 pleasure to talk with you 552 00:20:41,590 --> 00:20:40,159 and again folks melanie's item is report 553 00:20:43,830 --> 00:20:41,600 is in the latest issue of the skeptic 554 00:20:47,750 --> 00:20:43,840 magazine from australian skeptics and 555 00:20:51,029 --> 00:20:49,669 and do you have a website people can 556 00:20:53,430 --> 00:20:51,039 visit 557 00:20:55,430 --> 00:20:53,440 oh yes please uh the website is thinking 558 00:20:57,590 --> 00:20:55,440 is power so 559 00:21:00,470 --> 00:20:57,600 not necessarily just knowledge is power 560 00:21:02,789 --> 00:21:00,480 but thinking is power.com 561 00:21:04,710 --> 00:21:02,799 i put a lot of curriculum ideas there 562 00:21:06,630 --> 00:21:04,720 actually the um 563 00:21:09,909 --> 00:21:06,640 foundations of my course are on the 564 00:21:12,789 --> 00:21:09,919 website um and i'm also on uh facebook 565 00:21:15,510 --> 00:21:12,799 and twitter all right i think powers 566 00:21:17,590 --> 00:21:15,520 folks i will link to that url in this 567 00:21:19,350 --> 00:21:17,600 week's show notes but for now 568 00:21:23,900 --> 00:21:19,360 melanie trisick king 569 00:21:36,310 --> 00:21:23,910 thank you very much thank you very much 570 00:21:38,230 --> 00:21:36,320 [Music] 571 00:21:41,029 --> 00:21:38,240 hey everyone this is brian dunning 572 00:21:43,350 --> 00:21:41,039 executive producer of science friction 573 00:21:45,029 --> 00:21:43,360 now on streaming services i wanted to 574 00:21:47,830 --> 00:21:45,039 let you know about my next feature 575 00:21:50,950 --> 00:21:47,840 documentary film it's called the ufo 576 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:50,960 movie they don't want you to see and 577 00:21:55,110 --> 00:21:52,960 it's a science-based look at this whole 578 00:21:57,990 --> 00:21:55,120 modern ufo phenomenon 579 00:21:59,990 --> 00:21:58,000 what don't we know what do we know and 580 00:22:02,950 --> 00:22:00,000 how do we know it we're going to speak 581 00:22:05,510 --> 00:22:02,960 with pilots physicists image analysts 582 00:22:07,669 --> 00:22:05,520 and uniquely experts in optical 583 00:22:09,750 --> 00:22:07,679 illusions and give the audience a good 584 00:22:12,549 --> 00:22:09,760 understanding of what's actually in all 585 00:22:14,870 --> 00:22:12,559 these ufo videos come and watch the 586 00:22:15,750 --> 00:22:14,880 trailer and if you like help produce the 587 00:22:17,149 --> 00:22:15,760 film 588 00:22:20,750 --> 00:22:17,159 visit the 589 00:22:22,470 --> 00:22:20,760 ufo.movie to see it that's the 590 00:22:24,390 --> 00:22:22,480 ufo.movie 591 00:22:26,470 --> 00:22:24,400 join me and let's make this film a real 592 00:22:27,750 --> 00:22:26,480 resource that does the world some good 593 00:22:30,310 --> 00:22:27,760 for a change 594 00:22:36,650 --> 00:22:30,320 the ufo.movie 595 00:22:41,270 --> 00:22:38,830 [Music] 596 00:22:43,450 --> 00:22:41,280 you and now 597 00:22:46,149 --> 00:22:43,460 a reading from the book of tim 598 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:46,159 [Music] 599 00:22:55,270 --> 00:22:48,970 with tim menden 600 00:22:57,510 --> 00:22:55,280 [Music] 601 00:22:59,510 --> 00:22:57,520 hi my name is tim menden i'm executive 602 00:23:02,470 --> 00:22:59,520 officer of australian skeptics inc and 603 00:23:04,710 --> 00:23:02,480 editor of our magazine the skeptic 604 00:23:08,149 --> 00:23:04,720 and today's article comes from the 605 00:23:10,230 --> 00:23:08,159 september 2016 issue of the magazine 606 00:23:12,789 --> 00:23:10,240 which is volume 36 607 00:23:15,510 --> 00:23:12,799 number three but more importantly it is 608 00:23:17,990 --> 00:23:15,520 a reprint of one that goes back to the 609 00:23:19,430 --> 00:23:18,000 dim dark distant age of the skeptic's 610 00:23:23,350 --> 00:23:19,440 first decade 611 00:23:25,510 --> 00:23:23,360 it was published in september 1987 612 00:23:27,510 --> 00:23:25,520 volume 7 number four 613 00:23:29,029 --> 00:23:27,520 this is an article called neverending 614 00:23:30,710 --> 00:23:29,039 story 615 00:23:32,630 --> 00:23:30,720 and it's written by anthony garrett who 616 00:23:34,870 --> 00:23:32,640 used to be a member of australian 617 00:23:36,310 --> 00:23:34,880 skeptics committee in sydney and he was 618 00:23:38,710 --> 00:23:36,320 a researcher 619 00:23:41,269 --> 00:23:38,720 in physics at sydney university and it's 620 00:23:42,950 --> 00:23:41,279 about perpetual mobility better known as 621 00:23:44,950 --> 00:23:42,960 perpetual motion 622 00:23:46,070 --> 00:23:44,960 and what i'm reading now is part one 623 00:23:47,669 --> 00:23:46,080 which will look at the nature of 624 00:23:49,269 --> 00:23:47,679 perpetual motion and what people claimed 625 00:23:51,190 --> 00:23:49,279 it to be etc 626 00:23:52,630 --> 00:23:51,200 and next week i'll be reading part two 627 00:23:54,789 --> 00:23:52,640 which is the history 628 00:23:57,269 --> 00:23:54,799 of perpetual motion 629 00:23:59,430 --> 00:23:57,279 now let's look in part one 630 00:24:02,230 --> 00:23:59,440 there is a considerable gray area 631 00:24:04,470 --> 00:24:02,240 between science and pseudoscience 632 00:24:06,789 --> 00:24:04,480 skeptical organizations exist to combat 633 00:24:09,750 --> 00:24:06,799 the latter and to encourage the critical 634 00:24:11,430 --> 00:24:09,760 mode of thought employed by the former 635 00:24:13,430 --> 00:24:11,440 often the distinction is clear-cut 636 00:24:15,269 --> 00:24:13,440 astronomy is clearly a science for 637 00:24:16,789 --> 00:24:15,279 example and astrology clearly a 638 00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:16,799 pseudoscience 639 00:24:20,549 --> 00:24:18,320 internal consistency is the most 640 00:24:21,990 --> 00:24:20,559 valuable criterion for distinguishing 641 00:24:24,710 --> 00:24:22,000 between the two 642 00:24:26,390 --> 00:24:24,720 a new idea in astronomy if it conflicts 643 00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:26,400 with the old ideas must either be 644 00:24:29,830 --> 00:24:27,760 rejected or 645 00:24:32,549 --> 00:24:29,840 less often must cause sufficient 646 00:24:35,590 --> 00:24:32,559 revision to the old ideas to permit its 647 00:24:37,669 --> 00:24:35,600 incorporation without contradiction 648 00:24:39,990 --> 00:24:37,679 astrology by contrast is a mess of 649 00:24:42,230 --> 00:24:40,000 ad-hoc ideas which are often in mutual 650 00:24:44,950 --> 00:24:42,240 contradiction predictions of tropical 651 00:24:47,110 --> 00:24:44,960 and sidereal astrology stand in open 652 00:24:48,950 --> 00:24:47,120 conflict and one system cannot even 653 00:24:51,190 --> 00:24:48,960 predict anything at all for those people 654 00:24:52,870 --> 00:24:51,200 born north of the arctic circle 655 00:24:55,430 --> 00:24:52,880 nobody thought to warn the eskimos of 656 00:24:56,789 --> 00:24:55,440 this peril and no harm has befallen them 657 00:24:58,149 --> 00:24:56,799 as a result 658 00:25:00,310 --> 00:24:58,159 astrology though was once in the 659 00:25:02,230 --> 00:25:00,320 mainstream of science even though 660 00:25:03,669 --> 00:25:02,240 scientists today would not use that word 661 00:25:04,950 --> 00:25:03,679 to describe the efforts of their 662 00:25:07,430 --> 00:25:04,960 forebears 663 00:25:09,430 --> 00:25:07,440 to paraphrase the poet william blake 664 00:25:11,590 --> 00:25:09,440 knowledge itself will not be the same 665 00:25:12,950 --> 00:25:11,600 when we know more 666 00:25:15,269 --> 00:25:12,960 perhaps the birth of what we call the 667 00:25:17,190 --> 00:25:15,279 scientific mode of thought was a one-off 668 00:25:18,950 --> 00:25:17,200 revolution for all time 669 00:25:21,430 --> 00:25:18,960 perhaps today's science will not merely 670 00:25:23,350 --> 00:25:21,440 be outdated but transcended 671 00:25:26,470 --> 00:25:23,360 there are no signs of this yet 672 00:25:29,430 --> 00:25:26,480 new age ideals notwithstanding 673 00:25:31,350 --> 00:25:29,440 in this article anthony shall examine 674 00:25:32,950 --> 00:25:31,360 another endeavor which was once 675 00:25:35,269 --> 00:25:32,960 mainstream science 676 00:25:36,470 --> 00:25:35,279 and moreover science in today's sense of 677 00:25:38,310 --> 00:25:36,480 the word 678 00:25:40,070 --> 00:25:38,320 perpetual motion 679 00:25:42,549 --> 00:25:40,080 the appeal is immediate to anyone who 680 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:42,559 has seen ash's marvelous visual pun 681 00:25:46,549 --> 00:25:44,320 arising from the projection of three 682 00:25:48,950 --> 00:25:46,559 dimensions onto two in which water 683 00:25:51,269 --> 00:25:48,960 cascades down over a water wheel and 684 00:25:52,230 --> 00:25:51,279 then returns by gravity to its starting 685 00:25:54,070 --> 00:25:52,240 point 686 00:25:56,230 --> 00:25:54,080 perpetual motion was a hot topic in the 687 00:25:57,190 --> 00:25:56,240 19th century both for theoretical 688 00:25:59,750 --> 00:25:57,200 reasons 689 00:26:01,830 --> 00:25:59,760 could energy be created from nowhere and 690 00:26:04,230 --> 00:26:01,840 for practical reasons because the age of 691 00:26:06,789 --> 00:26:04,240 the engineer was at its height 692 00:26:09,190 --> 00:26:06,799 since the idea is analyzable from the 693 00:26:10,789 --> 00:26:09,200 standpoint of modern science it is in 694 00:26:11,830 --> 00:26:10,799 this realm that the answers should be 695 00:26:14,789 --> 00:26:11,840 sought 696 00:26:16,549 --> 00:26:14,799 the criterion of internal consistency 697 00:26:18,630 --> 00:26:16,559 which serves as a weapon against more 698 00:26:21,350 --> 00:26:18,640 complicated schools of thought external 699 00:26:23,590 --> 00:26:21,360 to science is not needed 700 00:26:24,950 --> 00:26:23,600 yet perpetual motion still stands as a 701 00:26:26,710 --> 00:26:24,960 gray area 702 00:26:27,909 --> 00:26:26,720 some of its proponents are clear-cut 703 00:26:29,830 --> 00:26:27,919 cranks 704 00:26:31,350 --> 00:26:29,840 some simply lacking in scientific 705 00:26:33,110 --> 00:26:31,360 education 706 00:26:35,510 --> 00:26:33,120 i have personally encountered both types 707 00:26:37,750 --> 00:26:35,520 anthony says for the first type it is 708 00:26:39,909 --> 00:26:37,760 all a crazy hobby but for the second a 709 00:26:41,990 --> 00:26:39,919 good deal of time money and even lives 710 00:26:43,909 --> 00:26:42,000 are needlessly wasted 711 00:26:45,510 --> 00:26:43,919 let this serve as a warning 712 00:26:48,390 --> 00:26:45,520 to those who doubt that scientific 713 00:26:50,390 --> 00:26:48,400 literacy is the currency of our age 714 00:26:52,470 --> 00:26:50,400 even a hundred years ago the u.s navy 715 00:26:54,549 --> 00:26:52,480 came close to espousing the cause of one 716 00:26:56,149 --> 00:26:54,559 particular machine 717 00:26:58,149 --> 00:26:56,159 and the reason why perpetual motion 718 00:27:00,390 --> 00:26:58,159 still remains popular over a century 719 00:27:01,269 --> 00:27:00,400 after the idea was definitively laid to 720 00:27:03,029 --> 00:27:01,279 rest 721 00:27:05,750 --> 00:27:03,039 is of course the dream of conjuring 722 00:27:08,789 --> 00:27:05,760 energy out of nothing which is 723 00:27:12,390 --> 00:27:08,799 just as pertinent if more so today than 724 00:27:14,470 --> 00:27:12,400 it was in 1987. 725 00:27:16,149 --> 00:27:14,480 were this feasible all the coal-fired 726 00:27:18,470 --> 00:27:16,159 power stations with their sulfurous 727 00:27:20,710 --> 00:27:18,480 emissions could be closed 728 00:27:22,950 --> 00:27:20,720 likewise nuclear efficient power plants 729 00:27:25,190 --> 00:27:22,960 with their radioactive waste 730 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:25,200 natural power sources with a supposed 731 00:27:28,470 --> 00:27:26,720 threat of covering the world's deserts 732 00:27:30,710 --> 00:27:28,480 and mountains with solar cells and 733 00:27:32,830 --> 00:27:30,720 windmills could be dropped the huge 734 00:27:35,830 --> 00:27:32,840 funds expended on energy research 735 00:27:38,149 --> 00:27:35,840 redeployed and cheap energy made readily 736 00:27:40,230 --> 00:27:38,159 available to developing countries not a 737 00:27:42,389 --> 00:27:40,240 bad list of achievements for a humble 738 00:27:43,990 --> 00:27:42,399 machine 739 00:27:46,710 --> 00:27:44,000 now let's look at the types of perpetual 740 00:27:50,230 --> 00:27:46,720 motion perpetual motion proposals are of 741 00:27:52,230 --> 00:27:50,240 two types and the distinction is crucial 742 00:27:54,950 --> 00:27:52,240 a perpetual motion machine of the first 743 00:27:56,950 --> 00:27:54,960 kind actually creates energy 744 00:27:58,630 --> 00:27:56,960 some of this is inevitably rendered 745 00:28:01,190 --> 00:27:58,640 inaccessible through losses due to 746 00:28:03,190 --> 00:28:01,200 friction in the bearings of the machine 747 00:28:04,389 --> 00:28:03,200 or air drag against the moving parts or 748 00:28:06,230 --> 00:28:04,399 whatever 749 00:28:07,909 --> 00:28:06,240 the rest is available to the world as 750 00:28:09,750 --> 00:28:07,919 free energy 751 00:28:12,070 --> 00:28:09,760 a perpetual motion machine of the second 752 00:28:14,950 --> 00:28:12,080 kind by contrast does not create or 753 00:28:16,950 --> 00:28:14,960 destroy energy it runs forever by 754 00:28:20,389 --> 00:28:16,960 completely eliminating friction in the 755 00:28:22,789 --> 00:28:20,399 bearings air resistance and such however 756 00:28:25,510 --> 00:28:22,799 any attempt to extract energy from it 757 00:28:27,350 --> 00:28:25,520 causes it to slow down 758 00:28:28,630 --> 00:28:27,360 these two types of machine run counter 759 00:28:31,590 --> 00:28:28,640 to the first and second laws of 760 00:28:34,389 --> 00:28:31,600 thermodynamics respectively first law 761 00:28:36,149 --> 00:28:34,399 energy is conserved second law entropy 762 00:28:38,070 --> 00:28:36,159 increases 763 00:28:41,510 --> 00:28:38,080 most perpetual motion machines proposed 764 00:28:43,269 --> 00:28:41,520 nowadays are of the first glory kind 765 00:28:45,190 --> 00:28:43,279 their proponents invariably agree with 766 00:28:47,750 --> 00:28:45,200 scientists as to the laws of force and 767 00:28:49,510 --> 00:28:47,760 torque operating within their machines 768 00:28:52,070 --> 00:28:49,520 these laws were first elucidated by 769 00:28:54,230 --> 00:28:52,080 isaac newton three centuries ago 770 00:28:55,510 --> 00:28:54,240 and state that force equals mass times 771 00:28:58,230 --> 00:28:55,520 acceleration 772 00:29:00,549 --> 00:28:58,240 torque equals moment of inertia times 773 00:29:01,750 --> 00:29:00,559 angular acceleration 774 00:29:04,149 --> 00:29:01,760 the reason for the law is already 775 00:29:06,230 --> 00:29:04,159 acceptance is that one's intuition is 776 00:29:08,549 --> 00:29:06,240 schooled in them once it is accepted 777 00:29:10,149 --> 00:29:08,559 that undisturbed motion is a body's 778 00:29:12,470 --> 00:29:10,159 natural state 779 00:29:14,789 --> 00:29:12,480 that it alters its velocity only when a 780 00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:14,799 force is acting upon it and that slowing 781 00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:16,480 down is not the natural state but the 782 00:29:21,190 --> 00:29:18,480 result of frictional forces 783 00:29:22,710 --> 00:29:21,200 the path to newton's law is easy 784 00:29:24,950 --> 00:29:22,720 it nevertheless took a genius of 785 00:29:26,470 --> 00:29:24,960 newton's stature to comprehend this for 786 00:29:28,549 --> 00:29:26,480 the first time 787 00:29:30,789 --> 00:29:28,559 but crucially the same people do not 788 00:29:33,190 --> 00:29:30,799 accept that the force laws also imply 789 00:29:35,350 --> 00:29:33,200 conservation of energy this consequence 790 00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:35,360 is a fact scientists call it a first 791 00:29:39,669 --> 00:29:37,840 integral of newton's laws 792 00:29:41,830 --> 00:29:39,679 but it is one step further removed from 793 00:29:42,710 --> 00:29:41,840 the forces and talks which people can 794 00:29:44,789 --> 00:29:42,720 feel 795 00:29:45,990 --> 00:29:44,799 and so is often beyond untutored 796 00:29:48,549 --> 00:29:46,000 intuition 797 00:29:51,269 --> 00:29:48,559 i'm invariably told with a don't blind 798 00:29:54,470 --> 00:29:51,279 me with science look that's as may be 799 00:29:56,230 --> 00:29:54,480 but what is wrong with my machine as a 800 00:29:58,789 --> 00:29:56,240 working scientist with a responsibility 801 00:30:00,549 --> 00:29:58,799 to my employer i am placed in a quandary 802 00:30:02,950 --> 00:30:00,559 when asked by a well-meaning perpetual 803 00:30:05,190 --> 00:30:02,960 motion advocate to examine the design 804 00:30:06,870 --> 00:30:05,200 for a particular machine 805 00:30:08,470 --> 00:30:06,880 together with the inevitable discussion 806 00:30:10,389 --> 00:30:08,480 it can take many hours 807 00:30:12,389 --> 00:30:10,399 because it is an easy matter to produce 808 00:30:14,470 --> 00:30:12,399 a machine with an obvious acceleration 809 00:30:17,830 --> 00:30:14,480 mechanism but a subtle deceleration 810 00:30:19,590 --> 00:30:17,840 process the permutations are endless 811 00:30:21,510 --> 00:30:19,600 even more subtle are those machines 812 00:30:24,149 --> 00:30:21,520 which interchange energy between its 813 00:30:26,549 --> 00:30:24,159 various manifestations motion work 814 00:30:29,950 --> 00:30:26,559 against gravity hate latent energy of 815 00:30:32,149 --> 00:30:29,960 evaporation the drinking bird 816 00:30:33,669 --> 00:30:32,159 electromagnetism and so on 817 00:30:34,789 --> 00:30:33,679 some of the subtleties are quite 818 00:30:36,630 --> 00:30:34,799 ingenious 819 00:30:38,230 --> 00:30:36,640 but if newton's laws are operating as 820 00:30:40,789 --> 00:30:38,240 they have been understood for three 821 00:30:42,310 --> 00:30:40,799 centuries the catch is inevitably there 822 00:30:44,070 --> 00:30:42,320 somewhere 823 00:30:46,070 --> 00:30:44,080 one particular catch occurs so 824 00:30:47,590 --> 00:30:46,080 frequently that it is worth special 825 00:30:49,430 --> 00:30:47,600 mention 826 00:30:53,350 --> 00:30:49,440 perpetual motion machines in common with 827 00:30:55,269 --> 00:30:53,360 many others are almost invariably cyclic 828 00:30:57,669 --> 00:30:55,279 after sufficient operation referred to 829 00:30:59,750 --> 00:30:57,679 as a cycle the machine has returned to 830 00:31:02,310 --> 00:30:59,760 its initial configuration 831 00:31:04,870 --> 00:31:02,320 a wheel making one complete turn and an 832 00:31:06,950 --> 00:31:04,880 internal combustion engine are examples 833 00:31:09,269 --> 00:31:06,960 of cyclic machines 834 00:31:11,110 --> 00:31:09,279 cyclicity is a matter of convenience 835 00:31:13,269 --> 00:31:11,120 since a non-cyclic machine will be 836 00:31:15,750 --> 00:31:13,279 difficult to exploit 837 00:31:17,750 --> 00:31:15,760 often proposed perpetual motion machines 838 00:31:19,590 --> 00:31:17,760 have an obvious acceleration mechanism 839 00:31:21,430 --> 00:31:19,600 in one part of the cycle 840 00:31:22,710 --> 00:31:21,440 while the deceleration occurs in a 841 00:31:25,190 --> 00:31:22,720 separate part 842 00:31:28,230 --> 00:31:25,200 it is essential to consider the energy 843 00:31:29,909 --> 00:31:28,240 balance over a complete cycle 844 00:31:31,909 --> 00:31:29,919 perpetual motion machines are the second 845 00:31:33,990 --> 00:31:31,919 kind though less commercially attractive 846 00:31:35,110 --> 00:31:34,000 and no less interesting moreover they 847 00:31:36,870 --> 00:31:35,120 exist 848 00:31:39,190 --> 00:31:36,880 the circumstances for their observation 849 00:31:41,669 --> 00:31:39,200 are very special however and cannot be 850 00:31:44,149 --> 00:31:41,679 duplicated in the household as we shall 851 00:31:46,950 --> 00:31:44,159 see unless one has a very exceptional 852 00:31:49,509 --> 00:31:46,960 fridge indeed it will not have escaped 853 00:31:51,909 --> 00:31:49,519 the alert listeners notice that from 854 00:31:54,230 --> 00:31:51,919 newton's laws an isolated body with no 855 00:31:56,389 --> 00:31:54,240 forces or torque acting upon it exhibits 856 00:31:58,950 --> 00:31:56,399 precisely perpetual motion of the second 857 00:32:00,789 --> 00:31:58,960 type the problem is to reduce the force 858 00:32:03,110 --> 00:32:00,799 and torque to zero 859 00:32:06,230 --> 00:32:03,120 a top may spin for five minutes until 860 00:32:07,830 --> 00:32:06,240 friction at the point and air resistance 861 00:32:09,830 --> 00:32:07,840 cause it to fail 862 00:32:12,149 --> 00:32:09,840 place it in an evacuated container to 863 00:32:15,350 --> 00:32:12,159 eliminate air resistance and it will run 864 00:32:17,750 --> 00:32:15,360 for longer sharpen the point of contact 865 00:32:20,549 --> 00:32:17,760 and it will run for longer still 866 00:32:22,710 --> 00:32:20,559 but eventually it will still run down in 867 00:32:23,909 --> 00:32:22,720 the absence of any external energy 868 00:32:25,430 --> 00:32:23,919 source 869 00:32:27,750 --> 00:32:25,440 the starting energy has not been 870 00:32:29,990 --> 00:32:27,760 destroyed for the system is isolated but 871 00:32:32,470 --> 00:32:30,000 converted into heat in the surrounding 872 00:32:34,870 --> 00:32:32,480 area and the point of contact 873 00:32:37,190 --> 00:32:34,880 since heat is kinetic or motional energy 874 00:32:39,029 --> 00:32:37,200 of the air molecules we could still see 875 00:32:40,070 --> 00:32:39,039 motion if only our eyesight were good 876 00:32:42,149 --> 00:32:40,080 enough 877 00:32:44,230 --> 00:32:42,159 the motion is therefore perpetual 878 00:32:46,870 --> 00:32:44,240 although in a microscopic rather than an 879 00:32:47,909 --> 00:32:46,880 easily observable everyday macroscopic 880 00:32:49,909 --> 00:32:47,919 scale 881 00:32:52,470 --> 00:32:49,919 the energy of the top has been degraded 882 00:32:54,630 --> 00:32:52,480 into heat this degradation process 883 00:32:56,710 --> 00:32:54,640 translates into physics as the second 884 00:32:59,029 --> 00:32:56,720 law of thermodynamics 885 00:33:01,029 --> 00:32:59,039 it is a consequence of our inability to 886 00:33:02,710 --> 00:33:01,039 see on the atomic scale 887 00:33:04,870 --> 00:33:02,720 rather than a law relating to the 888 00:33:06,789 --> 00:33:04,880 fundamental dynamics of the system and 889 00:33:09,029 --> 00:33:06,799 is therefore a law of an altogether 890 00:33:11,509 --> 00:33:09,039 different kind from the first 891 00:33:13,509 --> 00:33:11,519 heat is inaccessible as an energy source 892 00:33:15,909 --> 00:33:13,519 although energy can be extracted from 893 00:33:17,669 --> 00:33:15,919 bodies of differing temperatures 894 00:33:19,909 --> 00:33:17,679 since one would have to know the 895 00:33:22,870 --> 00:33:19,919 differing directions of motion of all 896 00:33:25,110 --> 00:33:22,880 those million million million molecules 897 00:33:26,710 --> 00:33:25,120 in order to extract the energy 898 00:33:29,029 --> 00:33:26,720 it's not surprising that there is an 899 00:33:31,590 --> 00:33:29,039 intimate relation between information 900 00:33:34,230 --> 00:33:31,600 and entropy the quantity relating to the 901 00:33:35,830 --> 00:33:34,240 second law of thermodynamics 902 00:33:37,669 --> 00:33:35,840 now other perpetual motion machines are 903 00:33:39,029 --> 00:33:37,679 the second kind are their explanation to 904 00:33:41,190 --> 00:33:39,039 quantum theory 905 00:33:44,230 --> 00:33:41,200 the revolutionary post-newtonian picture 906 00:33:45,830 --> 00:33:44,240 of nature on the subatomic scale worked 907 00:33:47,509 --> 00:33:45,840 out in the first three decades of the 908 00:33:49,669 --> 00:33:47,519 20th century 909 00:33:52,630 --> 00:33:49,679 one example is the humble electron 910 00:33:54,789 --> 00:33:52,640 peacefully orbiting an atomic nucleus 911 00:33:56,630 --> 00:33:54,799 obviously there's no air resistance air 912 00:33:58,470 --> 00:33:56,640 itself consists of atoms and we are now 913 00:34:00,389 --> 00:33:58,480 looking within the atom 914 00:34:02,070 --> 00:34:00,399 because of the peculiarities of quantum 915 00:34:04,630 --> 00:34:02,080 theory one can no longer view the 916 00:34:07,350 --> 00:34:04,640 electron as a tiny cricket ball going 917 00:34:09,030 --> 00:34:07,360 around a larger one but the criterion 918 00:34:11,270 --> 00:34:09,040 for a perpetual motion machine of the 919 00:34:13,349 --> 00:34:11,280 second type is still satisfied 920 00:34:15,750 --> 00:34:13,359 namely the description of the system 921 00:34:17,669 --> 00:34:15,760 does not also with time unless it is 922 00:34:20,710 --> 00:34:17,679 perturbed from the outside 923 00:34:22,230 --> 00:34:20,720 the system does not run down 924 00:34:24,310 --> 00:34:22,240 it might be argued that this is cheating 925 00:34:26,869 --> 00:34:24,320 we can't see this electron and even if 926 00:34:28,790 --> 00:34:26,879 we could the act of seeing it involving 927 00:34:29,829 --> 00:34:28,800 bombarding it with photons would alter 928 00:34:31,589 --> 00:34:29,839 its state 929 00:34:34,470 --> 00:34:31,599 however we have now learned how to set 930 00:34:36,869 --> 00:34:34,480 up an easily determined quantum state of 931 00:34:38,310 --> 00:34:36,879 arbitrary extent 932 00:34:41,030 --> 00:34:38,320 the secret is to cool the system 933 00:34:43,829 --> 00:34:41,040 sufficiently close to absolute zero 934 00:34:45,669 --> 00:34:43,839 the phenomenon of superconductivity 935 00:34:48,869 --> 00:34:45,679 in which an electric current circulates 936 00:34:50,550 --> 00:34:48,879 in a chilled wire with zero resistance 937 00:34:53,430 --> 00:34:50,560 not just a very small resistance but 938 00:34:55,270 --> 00:34:53,440 truly zero is an example 939 00:34:57,430 --> 00:34:55,280 superconducting materials have been 940 00:34:59,670 --> 00:34:57,440 found which lose all their electrical 941 00:35:01,589 --> 00:34:59,680 resistance at far higher temperatures 942 00:35:03,430 --> 00:35:01,599 than any known before 943 00:35:04,470 --> 00:35:03,440 though still colder than the coldest 944 00:35:06,069 --> 00:35:04,480 fridge 945 00:35:08,069 --> 00:35:06,079 and indeed at higher temperatures than 946 00:35:09,670 --> 00:35:08,079 was thought possible 947 00:35:11,430 --> 00:35:09,680 admittedly you can't see an electric 948 00:35:13,589 --> 00:35:11,440 current but its associated magnetic 949 00:35:15,829 --> 00:35:13,599 field is directly observable 950 00:35:17,670 --> 00:35:15,839 then there is superfluidity in which a 951 00:35:19,990 --> 00:35:17,680 super cool liquid will flow up the 952 00:35:22,710 --> 00:35:20,000 inside of a tube immersed in it and back 953 00:35:24,790 --> 00:35:22,720 down the outside indefinitely 954 00:35:27,750 --> 00:35:24,800 these examples undeniably constitute 955 00:35:29,109 --> 00:35:27,760 perpetual motion of the second kind 956 00:35:31,510 --> 00:35:29,119 they violate the second law of 957 00:35:34,390 --> 00:35:31,520 thermodynamics because ultimately that 958 00:35:36,550 --> 00:35:34,400 is not a law at all but a heuristic 959 00:35:38,310 --> 00:35:36,560 as was stated one needs to possess 960 00:35:40,710 --> 00:35:38,320 complete information pertaining to a 961 00:35:42,470 --> 00:35:40,720 system in order to extract all the 962 00:35:44,710 --> 00:35:42,480 thermal energy 963 00:35:46,950 --> 00:35:44,720 the second law merely states in effect 964 00:35:49,109 --> 00:35:46,960 that it is impossible in practice to 965 00:35:50,950 --> 00:35:49,119 obtain information on those millions of 966 00:35:52,950 --> 00:35:50,960 millions of particles 967 00:35:55,510 --> 00:35:52,960 it's not impossible in principle and if 968 00:35:57,349 --> 00:35:55,520 the system consists of a single electron 969 00:36:00,390 --> 00:35:57,359 or a single superconducting quantum 970 00:36:02,470 --> 00:36:00,400 state if it is an easy matter 971 00:36:04,870 --> 00:36:02,480 and finally as far as the theory of 972 00:36:07,109 --> 00:36:04,880 perpetual motion is concerned energy 973 00:36:10,390 --> 00:36:07,119 conservation still holds in einstein's 974 00:36:13,109 --> 00:36:10,400 relativity theory provided that mass m 975 00:36:15,349 --> 00:36:13,119 is seen as a further form of energy e 976 00:36:17,270 --> 00:36:15,359 related in theory by the famous equation 977 00:36:20,550 --> 00:36:17,280 a equals m c squared 978 00:36:22,550 --> 00:36:20,560 and in practice in nuclear reactors 979 00:36:25,030 --> 00:36:22,560 that in spite of the statistical nature 980 00:36:27,109 --> 00:36:25,040 of quantum mechanics energy conservation 981 00:36:28,470 --> 00:36:27,119 still holds exactly in the quantum 982 00:36:30,470 --> 00:36:28,480 picture 983 00:36:32,470 --> 00:36:30,480 and that's the end of part one of this 984 00:36:33,750 --> 00:36:32,480 presentation and it's pretty heavy i 985 00:36:35,670 --> 00:36:33,760 know there's a lot of physics involved 986 00:36:38,790 --> 00:36:35,680 there but it's important background for 987 00:36:40,630 --> 00:36:38,800 part two which we'll look at next week 988 00:36:42,470 --> 00:36:40,640 in this article on perpetual emotion 989 00:36:46,710 --> 00:36:42,480 appeared in the skeptic magazine 990 00:36:48,310 --> 00:36:46,720 september 2016 which is volume 36 991 00:36:50,310 --> 00:36:48,320 number three and as i said it's a 992 00:36:53,190 --> 00:36:50,320 reprint of an article that originally 993 00:36:54,870 --> 00:36:53,200 appeared in the 1980s 994 00:36:56,470 --> 00:36:54,880 and you can download it you can download 995 00:36:58,950 --> 00:36:56,480 both versions if you like 996 00:37:02,230 --> 00:36:58,960 um and from for free from our website 997 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:03,750 and i look forward to talking to you and 998 00:37:26,150 --> 00:37:06,250 continuing the story next week 999 00:37:30,069 --> 00:37:27,990 so nice to be back at skeptics in the 1000 00:37:32,150 --> 00:37:30,079 pub yes richard it's great that covert 1001 00:37:34,150 --> 00:37:32,160 19 is a thing of the past and we can 1002 00:37:35,589 --> 00:37:34,160 gather together and not wear masks 1003 00:37:37,510 --> 00:37:35,599 although i will occasionally you know 1004 00:37:39,349 --> 00:37:37,520 like you know in special situations you 1005 00:37:41,349 --> 00:37:39,359 know what i mean 1006 00:37:42,390 --> 00:37:41,359 this this beer tastes better than i 1007 00:37:43,510 --> 00:37:42,400 remember 1008 00:37:45,670 --> 00:37:43,520 and 1009 00:37:47,430 --> 00:37:45,680 this beer glass is much bigger than i 1010 00:37:49,109 --> 00:37:47,440 remember hmm 1011 00:37:51,510 --> 00:37:49,119 oh thanks for this i'll get the next 1012 00:37:53,750 --> 00:37:51,520 round ah no need all the beer is free 1013 00:37:55,510 --> 00:37:53,760 tonight free 1014 00:37:57,109 --> 00:37:55,520 wow did you hear that all the 1015 00:37:59,349 --> 00:37:57,119 anti-vaxxers and flat earthers have 1016 00:38:01,990 --> 00:37:59,359 changed their minds what 1017 00:38:03,589 --> 00:38:02,000 really yeah yeah yeah they're now busy 1018 00:38:05,349 --> 00:38:03,599 writing apology letters to the whole 1019 00:38:06,630 --> 00:38:05,359 world they're really busy they're gonna 1020 00:38:09,829 --> 00:38:06,640 have to sharpen their pencil if you know 1021 00:38:13,190 --> 00:38:09,839 what i mean ah look it's lara coming 1022 00:38:15,270 --> 00:38:13,200 over here with a plate full of food hi 1023 00:38:17,670 --> 00:38:15,280 youtube did you know that the food at 1024 00:38:20,470 --> 00:38:17,680 the bar is free tonight anything you 1025 00:38:23,670 --> 00:38:20,480 want really you have to try the lobster 1026 00:38:26,150 --> 00:38:23,680 chips lobster and chips oh wow this is 1027 00:38:28,310 --> 00:38:26,160 like a dream and this pub now has 1028 00:38:30,829 --> 00:38:28,320 recliner chairs a free foot massage for 1029 00:38:32,790 --> 00:38:30,839 everyone and vouchers for uber rides 1030 00:38:34,790 --> 00:38:32,800 home wow 1031 00:38:36,150 --> 00:38:34,800 hang on this seems too good to be true 1032 00:38:39,190 --> 00:38:36,160 who's the guest speaker it's not bloody 1033 00:38:40,230 --> 00:38:39,200 brian dunning is it let me see 1034 00:38:43,190 --> 00:38:40,240 uh 1035 00:38:45,910 --> 00:38:43,200 this is odd it says here it's the 1036 00:38:49,750 --> 00:38:45,920 skeptical fairy godmother angel from the 1037 00:38:50,470 --> 00:38:49,760 internet the skeptical godmother fairy 1038 00:38:56,290 --> 00:38:50,480 in 1039 00:39:03,750 --> 00:39:01,190 [Laughter] 1040 00:39:06,150 --> 00:39:03,760 hello everyone who are you what you're 1041 00:39:08,630 --> 00:39:06,160 only 10 centimetres tall that's about 1042 00:39:11,270 --> 00:39:08,640 four inches for those of you using the 1043 00:39:13,910 --> 00:39:11,280 darth vader imperial system and floating 1044 00:39:14,710 --> 00:39:13,920 in the air that can't be right as lara 1045 00:39:18,069 --> 00:39:14,720 said 1046 00:39:21,190 --> 00:39:18,079 i'm the skeptical fairy godmother angel 1047 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:21,200 from the internet ask a silly question 1048 00:39:25,430 --> 00:39:23,920 and you're tonight's guest speaker well 1049 00:39:28,390 --> 00:39:25,440 not really 1050 00:39:32,310 --> 00:39:28,400 i have come to tell you that yes 1051 00:39:37,589 --> 00:39:34,710 i thought this was too good to be true i 1052 00:39:39,430 --> 00:39:37,599 know we can't meet in pubs at the moment 1053 00:39:42,630 --> 00:39:39,440 but that shouldn't stop you from 1054 00:39:45,670 --> 00:39:42,640 enjoying skeptical talks online 1055 00:39:47,109 --> 00:39:45,680 the fixed skeptics have skeptics cafe 1056 00:39:49,910 --> 00:39:47,119 each month 1057 00:39:52,470 --> 00:39:49,920 sydney has skeptics in the park 1058 00:39:54,790 --> 00:39:52,480 there are online events from the gold 1059 00:39:58,150 --> 00:39:54,800 coast and yes yes 1060 00:40:01,190 --> 00:39:58,160 this all sounds eerily familiar 1061 00:40:02,390 --> 00:40:01,200 have we met before somewhere maybe we 1062 00:40:03,430 --> 00:40:02,400 have 1063 00:40:05,670 --> 00:40:03,440 maybe 1064 00:40:08,150 --> 00:40:05,680 it was as we watched a live and 1065 00:40:10,309 --> 00:40:08,160 interactive skeptical talk 1066 00:40:11,430 --> 00:40:10,319 all you need do is search for them 1067 00:40:13,670 --> 00:40:11,440 online 1068 00:40:15,349 --> 00:40:13,680 no matter where you are in the world 1069 00:40:17,750 --> 00:40:15,359 she's right i've been watching skeptical 1070 00:40:19,589 --> 00:40:17,760 talks from the uk the us and even one 1071 00:40:21,109 --> 00:40:19,599 from my own living room although that 1072 00:40:22,950 --> 00:40:21,119 one wasn't very interesting i fell 1073 00:40:25,589 --> 00:40:22,960 asleep and i was the speaker hang on 1074 00:40:28,390 --> 00:40:25,599 hang on weren't you once 1075 00:40:31,270 --> 00:40:28,400 the tooth fairy 1076 00:40:34,630 --> 00:40:31,280 i'll never live that down 1077 00:40:46,870 --> 00:40:34,640 one last question yes 1078 00:40:50,829 --> 00:40:49,589 she disappeared but um we're still here 1079 00:40:52,630 --> 00:40:50,839 huh 1080 00:40:54,630 --> 00:40:52,640 right so 1081 00:40:56,710 --> 00:40:54,640 um 1082 00:40:58,630 --> 00:40:56,720 lobster and chips anyone 1083 00:41:07,690 --> 00:40:58,640 all right now it's a dream you want to 1084 00:41:07,700 --> 00:41:17,670 [Music] 1085 00:41:21,990 --> 00:41:19,430 now it's time once again to dive back 1086 00:41:24,230 --> 00:41:22,000 into those wonderful archives 1087 00:41:26,630 --> 00:41:24,240 those digital archives from around the 1088 00:41:28,150 --> 00:41:26,640 world in the segment we call 1089 00:41:38,309 --> 00:41:28,160 trove 1090 00:41:39,990 --> 00:41:38,319 digitized newspapers gazettes and so on 1091 00:41:42,790 --> 00:41:40,000 journals magazines from australian 1092 00:41:44,790 --> 00:41:42,800 history but quite frequently we look 1093 00:41:46,870 --> 00:41:44,800 further afield often to the united 1094 00:41:48,309 --> 00:41:46,880 states 1095 00:41:50,870 --> 00:41:48,319 and this week we're going to look at a 1096 00:41:52,230 --> 00:41:50,880 subject that i covered oh over a year 1097 00:41:54,630 --> 00:41:52,240 ago now 1098 00:41:57,910 --> 00:41:54,640 but it's certainly akin to ufos which i 1099 00:42:03,880 --> 00:41:57,920 cover frequently anyway this is 1100 00:42:07,990 --> 00:42:05,589 [Music] 1101 00:42:09,190 --> 00:42:08,000 have you ever been abducted by an alien 1102 00:42:12,870 --> 00:42:09,200 have you 1103 00:42:15,030 --> 00:42:12,880 abducted an alien i wonder 1104 00:42:17,190 --> 00:42:15,040 we'll hear a couple of stories 1105 00:42:18,630 --> 00:42:17,200 of people who claimed that they were 1106 00:42:20,870 --> 00:42:18,640 indeed 1107 00:42:23,349 --> 00:42:20,880 abducted by aliens and we're talking 1108 00:42:26,750 --> 00:42:23,359 about the aliens in flying sources 1109 00:42:29,030 --> 00:42:26,760 spaceships ufos 1110 00:42:30,710 --> 00:42:29,040 [Music] 1111 00:42:33,109 --> 00:42:30,720 and our first report comes from the 1112 00:42:34,870 --> 00:42:33,119 nashua telegraph dated the 1113 00:42:37,910 --> 00:42:34,880 18th of november 1114 00:42:42,069 --> 00:42:40,710 so almost 30 years ago 1115 00:42:44,470 --> 00:42:42,079 united 1116 00:42:46,870 --> 00:42:44,480 by the unusual 1117 00:42:49,430 --> 00:42:46,880 milford man leads network for people who 1118 00:42:52,950 --> 00:42:49,440 say they have seen ufos 1119 00:42:55,589 --> 00:42:52,960 or been abducted by aliens by paul 1120 00:42:57,670 --> 00:42:55,599 danuki telegraph staff to most 1121 00:43:00,390 --> 00:42:57,680 middle-aged folks the people who seek 1122 00:43:02,470 --> 00:43:00,400 out walter friesendorf's group might 1123 00:43:04,710 --> 00:43:02,480 seem pretty odd 1124 00:43:07,990 --> 00:43:04,720 like those who claim to have been 1125 00:43:10,550 --> 00:43:08,000 abducted by aliens and subjected to 1126 00:43:14,950 --> 00:43:10,560 strange experiments they turned to 1127 00:43:16,950 --> 00:43:14,960 friesendorf because he is one of the few 1128 00:43:20,230 --> 00:43:16,960 who will listen 1129 00:43:22,950 --> 00:43:20,240 friesendorff a milford resident is the 1130 00:43:24,390 --> 00:43:22,960 assistant state director of mutual ufo 1131 00:43:26,150 --> 00:43:24,400 network inc 1132 00:43:28,630 --> 00:43:26,160 a national group that investigates 1133 00:43:29,670 --> 00:43:28,640 alleged sightings of unidentified flying 1134 00:43:33,030 --> 00:43:29,680 objects 1135 00:43:36,550 --> 00:43:33,040 and purported cases of alien abductions 1136 00:43:38,630 --> 00:43:36,560 friesendorf 50 says he has investigated 1137 00:43:41,510 --> 00:43:38,640 about a dozen alleged abductions in the 1138 00:43:43,510 --> 00:43:41,520 state including some in nashua 1139 00:43:46,950 --> 00:43:43,520 londonderry and 1140 00:43:48,230 --> 00:43:46,960 petersburg most of them friesendorf says 1141 00:43:50,069 --> 00:43:48,240 are valid 1142 00:43:52,230 --> 00:43:50,079 there are some people who will tell you 1143 00:43:54,950 --> 00:43:52,240 about what happened to them and then 1144 00:43:57,589 --> 00:43:54,960 they don't want to talk to you anymore 1145 00:44:00,230 --> 00:43:57,599 friesendorf recalls they just want to 1146 00:44:02,550 --> 00:44:00,240 unburden themselves one nashua woman 1147 00:44:05,190 --> 00:44:02,560 kept a diary of her alleged alien 1148 00:44:07,349 --> 00:44:05,200 encounters friesendorf says she went 1149 00:44:10,230 --> 00:44:07,359 through this for years 1150 00:44:12,550 --> 00:44:10,240 even since he was a little girl he tries 1151 00:44:15,190 --> 00:44:12,560 to get the people help including 1152 00:44:17,670 --> 00:44:15,200 channeling them to support groups in 1153 00:44:18,470 --> 00:44:17,680 which there are others who claim to have 1154 00:44:20,870 --> 00:44:18,480 been 1155 00:44:22,710 --> 00:44:20,880 abducted by aliens 1156 00:44:24,710 --> 00:44:22,720 friesendorf acknowledges there are 1157 00:44:27,430 --> 00:44:24,720 plenty of skeptics out there 1158 00:44:29,510 --> 00:44:27,440 one such doubter is philip j class a 1159 00:44:32,390 --> 00:44:29,520 contributing editor of aviation week 1160 00:44:35,670 --> 00:44:32,400 magazine who also publishes a newsletter 1161 00:44:38,630 --> 00:44:35,680 discounting ufo phenomenon class goes 1162 00:44:41,109 --> 00:44:38,640 further than just debunking ufos saying 1163 00:44:42,390 --> 00:44:41,119 that belief in alien abductions has 1164 00:44:44,710 --> 00:44:42,400 become a 1165 00:44:45,910 --> 00:44:44,720 dangerous cult and suggests that 1166 00:44:49,270 --> 00:44:45,920 believers 1167 00:44:50,550 --> 00:44:49,280 seem to walk a line bordering on 1168 00:44:53,349 --> 00:44:50,560 obsession 1169 00:44:56,069 --> 00:44:53,359 class said that they have developed 1170 00:44:58,710 --> 00:44:56,079 their own dogma regarding abductions 1171 00:45:01,510 --> 00:44:58,720 if you believe it they have chosen you 1172 00:45:02,550 --> 00:45:01,520 for experiments and they will come back 1173 00:45:04,950 --> 00:45:02,560 for you 1174 00:45:05,910 --> 00:45:04,960 they will get you no matter where you 1175 00:45:08,390 --> 00:45:05,920 are 1176 00:45:11,829 --> 00:45:08,400 the dogma is that they have selected you 1177 00:45:13,670 --> 00:45:11,839 for genetic experiments they will even 1178 00:45:15,829 --> 00:45:13,680 abduct your children 1179 00:45:19,109 --> 00:45:15,839 if you have a daughter they will 1180 00:45:22,230 --> 00:45:19,119 impregnate her with alien sperm 1181 00:45:25,030 --> 00:45:22,240 class says he knows of mufon and has 1182 00:45:27,349 --> 00:45:25,040 attended its annual conferences people 1183 00:45:29,910 --> 00:45:27,359 who are members of mufon 1184 00:45:33,510 --> 00:45:29,920 are generally well intentioned they are 1185 00:45:36,710 --> 00:45:33,520 sincere in their hearts but there are 1186 00:45:40,790 --> 00:45:36,720 alien spacecraft out there class says 1187 00:45:43,750 --> 00:45:40,800 i have spent 26 years investigating ufos 1188 00:45:47,190 --> 00:45:43,760 and have yet to find one friesendorf 1189 00:45:50,790 --> 00:45:47,200 said he doesn't listen to the debunkers 1190 00:45:54,069 --> 00:45:50,800 he's a debunker and that's his job it's 1191 00:45:57,270 --> 00:45:54,079 not a cult and i don't understand how he 1192 00:46:00,309 --> 00:45:57,280 says it is dangerous friesendorf says 1193 00:46:02,950 --> 00:46:00,319 that class ought to talk to dr john mack 1194 00:46:05,190 --> 00:46:02,960 a harvard university psychiatrist who 1195 00:46:06,870 --> 00:46:05,200 has studied people who claim to have 1196 00:46:10,390 --> 00:46:06,880 been abducted 1197 00:46:11,510 --> 00:46:10,400 matt concluded that the abductees he 1198 00:46:14,069 --> 00:46:11,520 studied 1199 00:46:16,470 --> 00:46:14,079 are not mentally ill we are not saying 1200 00:46:18,790 --> 00:46:16,480 the experiments are real or not 1201 00:46:21,270 --> 00:46:18,800 we're just saying these people are not 1202 00:46:23,829 --> 00:46:21,280 crazy said pam casey a research 1203 00:46:25,990 --> 00:46:23,839 assistant for dr mack we have been 1204 00:46:28,790 --> 00:46:26,000 studying them for two and a half years 1205 00:46:31,349 --> 00:46:28,800 friesendorf says mentally unstable 1206 00:46:34,430 --> 00:46:31,359 people have phoned him and claimed to 1207 00:46:37,670 --> 00:46:34,440 have encountered ufos they are typically 1208 00:46:40,550 --> 00:46:37,680 schizophrenics and are obsessed that 1209 00:46:42,950 --> 00:46:40,560 they are being followed friesendorf says 1210 00:46:45,589 --> 00:46:42,960 adding that they can easily be detected 1211 00:46:47,349 --> 00:46:45,599 but those cases from mentally ill people 1212 00:46:49,910 --> 00:46:47,359 are rare compared to the ones that 1213 00:46:52,790 --> 00:46:49,920 appear legitimate he says 1214 00:46:55,750 --> 00:46:52,800 what particularly fascinates friesendorf 1215 00:46:58,550 --> 00:46:55,760 is the consistency in their stories 1216 00:47:01,109 --> 00:46:58,560 alleged abductees describe encountering 1217 00:47:03,030 --> 00:47:01,119 similar little grey people and 1218 00:47:06,470 --> 00:47:03,040 undergoing similar experiments that 1219 00:47:07,990 --> 00:47:06,480 leave the same types of physical scars 1220 00:47:10,790 --> 00:47:08,000 friesendorf says 1221 00:47:13,030 --> 00:47:10,800 friesendorf an unemployed photographer 1222 00:47:17,510 --> 00:47:13,040 has held a fascination for the topic of 1223 00:47:20,150 --> 00:47:17,520 ufos since he was a teenager he says he 1224 00:47:22,390 --> 00:47:20,160 even has encountered a few unidentified 1225 00:47:25,190 --> 00:47:22,400 flying objects himself one such 1226 00:47:29,190 --> 00:47:25,200 encounter occurred in hollis along route 1227 00:47:33,270 --> 00:47:29,200 122 in the early 1980s at the time 1228 00:47:35,829 --> 00:47:33,280 friesendorf and a friend were in a car 1229 00:47:39,190 --> 00:47:35,839 when they saw an object with strobe 1230 00:47:41,670 --> 00:47:39,200 lights floating noiselessly at treetop 1231 00:47:43,990 --> 00:47:41,680 level friesendorf recounts 1232 00:47:45,349 --> 00:47:44,000 they watched it for a brief time before 1233 00:47:47,829 --> 00:47:45,359 it disappeared 1234 00:47:50,950 --> 00:47:47,839 they never discovered the origin of the 1235 00:47:53,349 --> 00:47:50,960 strange lights in 1982 soon after that 1236 00:47:55,829 --> 00:47:53,359 sighting friezendorf attended a state 1237 00:47:57,990 --> 00:47:55,839 conference of mufon inc 1238 00:48:00,549 --> 00:47:58,000 and discovered there were others like 1239 00:48:03,270 --> 00:48:00,559 him who had similar experiences the 1240 00:48:05,430 --> 00:48:03,280 director offered him a position of 1241 00:48:08,069 --> 00:48:05,440 assistant director and friesendorf 1242 00:48:09,990 --> 00:48:08,079 gladly accepted since then he has 1243 00:48:12,630 --> 00:48:10,000 investigated countless cases of 1244 00:48:15,190 --> 00:48:12,640 sightings and alleged abductions 1245 00:48:18,150 --> 00:48:15,200 he is now investigating a wilton case 1246 00:48:19,910 --> 00:48:18,160 that allegedly occurred in august two 1247 00:48:23,190 --> 00:48:19,920 families claim that while in the 1248 00:48:25,270 --> 00:48:23,200 backyard they saw strange lights and one 1249 00:48:28,549 --> 00:48:25,280 young boy in the family even claims to 1250 00:48:30,470 --> 00:48:28,559 have seen an alien eyeing them 1251 00:48:33,510 --> 00:48:30,480 from the bushes 1252 00:48:36,150 --> 00:48:33,520 but even friesendorf says i have my 1253 00:48:37,430 --> 00:48:36,160 suspicions about the boy's alleged 1254 00:48:39,589 --> 00:48:37,440 observation 1255 00:48:40,950 --> 00:48:39,599 friesendorf declined to name the family 1256 00:48:44,309 --> 00:48:40,960 because he says 1257 00:48:46,870 --> 00:48:44,319 he wants to maintain confidentiality 1258 00:48:49,270 --> 00:48:46,880 on december the 1st at milford's wetley 1259 00:48:51,430 --> 00:48:49,280 library friesendorf plans to have a 1260 00:48:54,950 --> 00:48:51,440 slide presentation about ufos and 1261 00:48:56,470 --> 00:48:54,960 abductions from that he says he expects 1262 00:48:59,589 --> 00:48:56,480 others will come forward with 1263 00:49:01,190 --> 00:48:59,599 information about ufo sightings and even 1264 00:49:03,270 --> 00:49:01,200 abductions 1265 00:49:05,430 --> 00:49:03,280 and the accompanying photograph is of 1266 00:49:07,349 --> 00:49:05,440 walter friesendorf himself 1267 00:49:09,430 --> 00:49:07,359 gazing towards the heavens 1268 00:49:11,510 --> 00:49:09,440 and the caption reads walter friesendorf 1269 00:49:13,750 --> 00:49:11,520 keeps an eye on the sky for reports of 1270 00:49:16,549 --> 00:49:13,760 unidentified flying objects 1271 00:49:19,349 --> 00:49:16,559 now again this story comes from 1992 1272 00:49:21,030 --> 00:49:19,359 so walter fizendorf would be if he's 1273 00:49:23,670 --> 00:49:21,040 still with us he'd be 1274 00:49:25,750 --> 00:49:23,680 about 80 years old now 1275 00:49:26,630 --> 00:49:25,760 and it's interesting the accounts 1276 00:49:28,549 --> 00:49:26,640 of 1277 00:49:30,950 --> 00:49:28,559 people agreeing that they're little grey 1278 00:49:33,670 --> 00:49:30,960 aliens and having similar experiences 1279 00:49:35,829 --> 00:49:33,680 and of course we later found out 1280 00:49:36,950 --> 00:49:35,839 that was largely due to them talking to 1281 00:49:39,109 --> 00:49:36,960 each other and 1282 00:49:41,109 --> 00:49:39,119 feeding off each other's stories and 1283 00:49:43,589 --> 00:49:41,119 embellishing each other 1284 00:49:44,710 --> 00:49:43,599 and falling back on the stereotypical 1285 00:49:46,870 --> 00:49:44,720 little 1286 00:49:48,630 --> 00:49:46,880 green or gray alien with the large head 1287 00:49:53,030 --> 00:49:48,640 and the big eyes from 1288 00:49:54,390 --> 00:49:53,040 um fiction from movies and so on 1289 00:49:57,430 --> 00:49:54,400 and our next 1290 00:49:59,829 --> 00:49:57,440 item comes from the chronicle telegram 1291 00:50:02,230 --> 00:49:59,839 and this seems to be from the great 1292 00:50:06,390 --> 00:50:02,240 state of ohio 1293 00:50:07,670 --> 00:50:06,400 from the 27th of june 2019 so not so 1294 00:50:09,910 --> 00:50:07,680 long ago 1295 00:50:13,910 --> 00:50:09,920 and this is a story by 1296 00:50:16,230 --> 00:50:13,920 jillian brockwell the washington post so 1297 00:50:17,829 --> 00:50:16,240 it's a syndicated piece 1298 00:50:20,150 --> 00:50:17,839 and the headline is 1299 00:50:23,589 --> 00:50:20,160 site of ufo abduction 1300 00:50:27,589 --> 00:50:23,599 gets historical marker and the word 1301 00:50:29,430 --> 00:50:27,599 abduction is in inverted commas 1302 00:50:32,870 --> 00:50:29,440 what is certain about the night of 1303 00:50:35,430 --> 00:50:32,880 october 11 1973 is this 1304 00:50:37,670 --> 00:50:35,440 when charles hickson and calvin parker 1305 00:50:40,549 --> 00:50:37,680 jr arrived at the sheriff's department 1306 00:50:41,589 --> 00:50:40,559 in pascagoula mississippi they were 1307 00:50:44,390 --> 00:50:41,599 frantic 1308 00:50:46,390 --> 00:50:44,400 they told authorities they had just been 1309 00:50:50,150 --> 00:50:46,400 abducted by aliens 1310 00:50:53,430 --> 00:50:50,160 each and a puncture wound in one arm 1311 00:50:55,829 --> 00:50:53,440 police tried to catch them in a lie but 1312 00:50:59,030 --> 00:50:55,839 it didn't work both men later passed 1313 00:51:03,829 --> 00:51:01,270 well there you go 1314 00:51:06,790 --> 00:51:03,839 on saturday the riverbank where the men 1315 00:51:07,589 --> 00:51:06,800 said the close encounter happened 1316 00:51:08,390 --> 00:51:07,599 got 1317 00:51:43,829 --> 00:51:08,400 a 1318 00:51:47,670 --> 00:51:43,839 in 1975 1319 00:51:49,589 --> 00:51:47,680 when i heard a kind of zipping sound 1320 00:51:50,470 --> 00:51:49,599 i looked up and saw a blue flashing 1321 00:51:52,710 --> 00:51:50,480 light 1322 00:51:56,309 --> 00:51:52,720 calvin turned around too 1323 00:51:59,430 --> 00:51:56,319 we saw a 30 foot long object with a 1324 00:52:01,829 --> 00:51:59,440 little dome on top as it hovered just 1325 00:52:05,430 --> 00:52:01,839 above the ground three small creatures 1326 00:52:07,430 --> 00:52:05,440 emerged also hovering he said the men 1327 00:52:10,150 --> 00:52:07,440 were suddenly paralyzed 1328 00:52:12,710 --> 00:52:10,160 the creatures grabbed them with pincer 1329 00:52:14,309 --> 00:52:12,720 type claws and pulled them towards the 1330 00:52:17,349 --> 00:52:14,319 object he says 1331 00:52:19,589 --> 00:52:17,359 i floated inside parker told the bloxy 1332 00:52:21,990 --> 00:52:19,599 sun herald in 2018 1333 00:52:24,069 --> 00:52:22,000 hickson said they were subjected to a 1334 00:52:26,470 --> 00:52:24,079 physical examination by something that 1335 00:52:27,750 --> 00:52:26,480 looked like a quote 1336 00:52:30,230 --> 00:52:27,760 big eye 1337 00:52:33,030 --> 00:52:30,240 in quote a constant mechanical sound 1338 00:52:35,910 --> 00:52:33,040 buzzing the whole time and then they 1339 00:52:38,549 --> 00:52:35,920 were dropped off right back in the dark 1340 00:52:41,109 --> 00:52:38,559 delta where they started hixson found 1341 00:52:42,069 --> 00:52:41,119 parker standing up arms raised to the 1342 00:52:44,870 --> 00:52:42,079 sky 1343 00:52:47,109 --> 00:52:44,880 and screaming he told the post they ran 1344 00:52:50,470 --> 00:52:47,119 for help at first sheriff's 1345 00:52:51,829 --> 00:52:50,480 investigators thought the men had just 1346 00:52:53,109 --> 00:52:51,839 been drunk 1347 00:52:55,430 --> 00:52:53,119 more lying 1348 00:52:57,510 --> 00:52:55,440 after interviewing the men they left a 1349 00:52:59,750 --> 00:52:57,520 room with a recorder secretly taping 1350 00:53:02,230 --> 00:52:59,760 hoping to catch the pair 1351 00:53:04,309 --> 00:53:02,240 dropping the act once they left 1352 00:53:06,630 --> 00:53:04,319 but they didn't they kept on talking 1353 00:53:08,870 --> 00:53:06,640 about what they had seen 1354 00:53:10,870 --> 00:53:08,880 and how scared they were 1355 00:53:13,589 --> 00:53:10,880 we did everything we knew to try and 1356 00:53:15,270 --> 00:53:13,599 break their stories jackson county 1357 00:53:18,230 --> 00:53:15,280 sheriff's captain 1358 00:53:20,230 --> 00:53:18,240 glenn wright told the post in 1975 if 1359 00:53:22,630 --> 00:53:20,240 they were lying to me 1360 00:53:24,309 --> 00:53:22,640 they should be in hollywood overnight it 1361 00:53:26,309 --> 00:53:24,319 was national news 1362 00:53:29,990 --> 00:53:26,319 there were news conferences and cameras 1363 00:53:31,030 --> 00:53:30,000 thrust in their still stunned faces 1364 00:53:55,030 --> 00:53:31,040 a 1365 00:53:56,790 --> 00:53:55,040 quote highly suggestible then quote 1366 00:53:58,950 --> 00:53:56,800 now i'll stop here quickly to say some 1367 00:54:00,870 --> 00:53:58,960 of that makes sense 1368 00:54:02,870 --> 00:54:00,880 now the line here that says skeptics 1369 00:54:05,750 --> 00:54:02,880 called them liars will who who which 1370 00:54:07,190 --> 00:54:05,760 skeptics we'd like to know exactly who 1371 00:54:08,630 --> 00:54:07,200 just people in the street who didn't 1372 00:54:11,270 --> 00:54:08,640 think their story checked out or 1373 00:54:12,390 --> 00:54:11,280 official skeptics or 1374 00:54:13,589 --> 00:54:12,400 someone like 1375 00:54:15,510 --> 00:54:13,599 joe nickel 1376 00:54:17,670 --> 00:54:15,520 it's very easy to just say skeptics say 1377 00:54:19,510 --> 00:54:17,680 this or skeptics say that 1378 00:54:22,829 --> 00:54:19,520 we read on 1379 00:54:26,069 --> 00:54:22,839 believers flooded into pascagoula by the 1380 00:54:28,150 --> 00:54:26,079 thousands wrapped in aluminium foil and 1381 00:54:29,270 --> 00:54:28,160 sitting all night on the hoods of their 1382 00:54:31,750 --> 00:54:29,280 cars 1383 00:54:33,589 --> 00:54:31,760 waiting for visitors from 1384 00:54:36,309 --> 00:54:33,599 another world 1385 00:54:38,710 --> 00:54:36,319 hixon was 42 at the time and was well 1386 00:54:42,230 --> 00:54:38,720 known in the community so perhaps he 1387 00:54:44,549 --> 00:54:42,240 felt more able to handle the media crush 1388 00:54:45,750 --> 00:54:44,559 he recounted the experience to anyone 1389 00:54:48,630 --> 00:54:45,760 who would listen 1390 00:54:51,270 --> 00:54:48,640 he went on johnny carson and dick cavett 1391 00:54:53,990 --> 00:54:51,280 he published a book in 1983. 1392 00:54:56,630 --> 00:54:54,000 parker on the other hand was 18 or 19 1393 00:55:00,069 --> 00:54:56,640 when it happened he had just arrived in 1394 00:55:01,829 --> 00:55:00,079 pascagoula from an even smaller town and 1395 00:55:04,950 --> 00:55:01,839 had planned to earn some extra money 1396 00:55:07,190 --> 00:55:04,960 before returning home to get married 1397 00:55:10,069 --> 00:55:07,200 he told the media he had passed out at 1398 00:55:12,390 --> 00:55:10,079 the beginning of the whole affair and 1399 00:55:14,870 --> 00:55:12,400 couldn't remember what happened 1400 00:55:18,309 --> 00:55:14,880 that was the only lie he told he said to 1401 00:55:20,789 --> 00:55:18,319 the son herald in 2018 in fact he did 1402 00:55:22,470 --> 00:55:20,799 remember what happened and was so afraid 1403 00:55:25,270 --> 00:55:22,480 that aliens had infected him with 1404 00:55:27,750 --> 00:55:25,280 something that when he got home from the 1405 00:55:29,030 --> 00:55:27,760 sheriff's department he took a bath in 1406 00:55:31,510 --> 00:55:29,040 bleach 1407 00:55:33,990 --> 00:55:31,520 within a few weeks he skipped town he 1408 00:55:35,430 --> 00:55:34,000 got married and picked up some work in 1409 00:55:38,230 --> 00:55:35,440 oil fields 1410 00:55:40,630 --> 00:55:38,240 if someone at a job recognized him he 1411 00:55:44,150 --> 00:55:40,640 would quit if hixon was trying to get 1412 00:55:45,990 --> 00:55:44,160 rich from the story it didn't work 1413 00:55:48,710 --> 00:55:46,000 parker told the sun herald that before 1414 00:55:50,710 --> 00:55:48,720 hixon's death in 2011 he occasionally 1415 00:55:53,030 --> 00:55:50,720 paid the older man's electric bill 1416 00:55:55,829 --> 00:55:53,040 parker now in his 60s slowly came out of 1417 00:55:58,630 --> 00:55:55,839 hiding in recent years and in 2018 1418 00:56:00,309 --> 00:55:58,640 published a book of his own in march as 1419 00:56:01,349 --> 00:56:00,319 the city was discussing plans for the 1420 00:56:03,589 --> 00:56:01,359 marker 1421 00:56:06,710 --> 00:56:03,599 new witnesses emerged telling the 1422 00:56:08,710 --> 00:56:06,720 mississippi clarion ledger that on the 1423 00:56:11,030 --> 00:56:08,720 night in question they saw an 1424 00:56:13,190 --> 00:56:11,040 unidentified flying object with flashing 1425 00:56:15,510 --> 00:56:13,200 blue lights going up and down the 1426 00:56:17,750 --> 00:56:15,520 pascagoula river 1427 00:56:19,510 --> 00:56:17,760 they said they kept it a secret all 1428 00:56:21,190 --> 00:56:19,520 these years because they were afraid of 1429 00:56:24,069 --> 00:56:21,200 people's reactions 1430 00:56:27,510 --> 00:56:24,079 one of them maria blair told the clarion 1431 00:56:30,470 --> 00:56:27,520 ledger the story is very true that's 1432 00:56:34,390 --> 00:56:30,480 what has bothered me for 45 years 1433 00:56:36,309 --> 00:56:34,400 it's been on my mind for 45 years 1434 00:56:38,630 --> 00:56:36,319 and believe it or not a quick search 1435 00:56:40,309 --> 00:56:38,640 around the internet and i found quite a 1436 00:56:41,510 --> 00:56:40,319 lot to do with calvin parker and the 1437 00:56:43,670 --> 00:56:41,520 ufos 1438 00:56:46,870 --> 00:56:43,680 and mr hixson 1439 00:56:51,750 --> 00:56:46,880 and so we have a part of a news report 1440 00:56:59,750 --> 00:56:55,190 something happened october of 73 that 1441 00:57:07,510 --> 00:57:02,789 the spaceship came with many blue lights 1442 00:57:13,190 --> 00:57:09,589 three little men came out and took him 1443 00:57:13,200 --> 00:57:21,430 [Music] 1444 00:57:25,750 --> 00:57:23,270 last october in the quiet mississippi 1445 00:57:27,349 --> 00:57:25,760 town of pascagoula two local men 1446 00:57:30,069 --> 00:57:27,359 confronted authorities with a rather 1447 00:57:32,309 --> 00:57:30,079 bizarre story charles hickson and calvin 1448 00:57:34,470 --> 00:57:32,319 parker told of a strange craft landing 1449 00:57:36,549 --> 00:57:34,480 near their fishing site and of being 1450 00:57:38,870 --> 00:57:36,559 taken aboard by three unearthly 1451 00:57:40,789 --> 00:57:38,880 creatures the two men were questioned 1452 00:57:43,430 --> 00:57:40,799 under hypnosis and lie detectors but 1453 00:57:45,270 --> 00:57:43,440 their story remained intact one of the 1454 00:57:46,570 --> 00:57:45,280 men suffered a nervous breakdown and is 1455 00:57:48,069 --> 00:57:46,580 still under treatment 1456 00:57:49,990 --> 00:57:48,079 [Music] 1457 00:57:51,750 --> 00:57:50,000 i guess that's when i heard it was some 1458 00:57:54,549 --> 00:57:51,760 kind of zipping sound 1459 00:57:55,829 --> 00:57:54,559 and when i turned around in this area 1460 00:57:58,150 --> 00:57:55,839 out here about 1461 00:57:59,589 --> 00:57:58,160 40 or 50 feet out there 1462 00:58:01,430 --> 00:57:59,599 uh 1463 00:58:03,109 --> 00:58:01,440 there was some some kind of crap you 1464 00:58:04,950 --> 00:58:03,119 know it was looked like it's gonna come 1465 00:58:07,349 --> 00:58:04,960 out onto the ground 1466 00:58:09,510 --> 00:58:07,359 but it came on down and hovered about 1467 00:58:10,870 --> 00:58:09,520 about a foot and a half or two feet off 1468 00:58:13,109 --> 00:58:10,880 of the ground 1469 00:58:15,910 --> 00:58:13,119 we didn't know what to do you know 1470 00:58:18,230 --> 00:58:15,920 the river behind us and and uh that out 1471 00:58:18,950 --> 00:58:18,240 there not knowing what it was 1472 00:58:21,109 --> 00:58:18,960 so 1473 00:58:22,870 --> 00:58:21,119 and then before we had time to really do 1474 00:58:24,549 --> 00:58:22,880 anything and it seemed like an open 1475 00:58:26,630 --> 00:58:24,559 appearance and 1476 00:58:28,470 --> 00:58:26,640 toward the end it was you know 1477 00:58:30,549 --> 00:58:28,480 us 1478 00:58:32,390 --> 00:58:30,559 and 1479 00:58:33,990 --> 00:58:32,400 the blue light it had blue flashing 1480 00:58:35,910 --> 00:58:34,000 lights as it was you know approaching 1481 00:58:37,829 --> 00:58:35,920 the ground but then they went out and 1482 00:58:40,230 --> 00:58:37,839 when the opening appeared some source of 1483 00:58:41,750 --> 00:58:40,240 light came from the inside it was just 1484 00:58:43,430 --> 00:58:41,760 almost blinding 1485 00:58:46,470 --> 00:58:43,440 sheriff diamond can you tell me just 1486 00:58:47,990 --> 00:58:46,480 what happened that night no sir i came 1487 00:58:49,190 --> 00:58:48,000 all i can tell you there was two men 1488 00:58:51,430 --> 00:58:49,200 came in the sheriff's department 1489 00:58:54,230 --> 00:58:51,440 approximately 8 30 at nine o'clock 1490 00:58:56,150 --> 00:58:54,240 they were all excited and upset 1491 00:58:59,030 --> 00:58:56,160 i want to climb the walls 1492 00:59:00,549 --> 00:58:59,040 hysterical crying 1493 00:59:02,390 --> 00:59:00,559 that's actually all i know is what 1494 00:59:08,610 --> 00:59:02,400 happened as far as me seeing what 1495 00:59:08,620 --> 00:59:14,789 [Music] 1496 00:59:20,230 --> 00:59:16,870 well there you are stories from the past 1497 00:59:22,230 --> 00:59:20,240 about alien abductions you don't hear 1498 00:59:24,390 --> 00:59:22,240 about it much anymore i must say i think 1499 00:59:26,150 --> 00:59:24,400 the fat has come and gone 1500 00:59:27,910 --> 00:59:26,160 well maybe i don't move in the right 1501 00:59:30,710 --> 00:59:27,920 circles maybe there are still people who 1502 00:59:33,190 --> 00:59:30,720 meet regularly and discuss their um 1503 00:59:35,109 --> 00:59:33,200 experiences flying around in ufos or 1504 00:59:37,430 --> 00:59:35,119 being experimented upon or something 1505 00:59:40,950 --> 00:59:37,440 like that but it does seem to me 1506 00:59:46,870 --> 00:59:40,960 that it is a bit of a um artifact from 1507 00:59:51,910 --> 00:59:48,710 whatever the case it does make for 1508 00:59:54,150 --> 00:59:51,920 interesting reading and research 1509 00:59:56,069 --> 00:59:54,160 and you too can find lots of interesting 1510 01:00:00,069 --> 00:59:56,079 reading and research to your heart's 1511 01:00:02,870 --> 01:00:00,079 content by visiting trove trove.nla.gov 1512 01:00:04,470 --> 01:00:02,880 you or your local online resource for 1513 01:00:05,670 --> 01:00:04,480 newspapers in your part of the world 1514 01:00:10,230 --> 01:00:05,680 because 1515 01:00:13,270 --> 01:00:10,240 you never know 1516 01:00:13,280 --> 01:00:16,069 the find 1517 01:00:21,109 --> 01:00:18,150 three little men came out and took them 1518 01:00:32,150 --> 01:00:21,119 inside they locked him over with one big 1519 01:00:35,990 --> 01:00:33,750 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1520 01:00:37,750 --> 01:00:36,000 zone podcast and thank you as ever to 1521 01:00:40,470 --> 01:00:37,760 those wonderful people who contribute to 1522 01:00:42,390 --> 01:00:40,480 the skeptic zone via paypal or patreon 1523 01:00:44,870 --> 01:00:42,400 at skepticzone.tv 1524 01:00:45,829 --> 01:00:44,880 your contributions mean the show keeps 1525 01:00:48,630 --> 01:00:45,839 going 1526 01:00:50,390 --> 01:00:48,640 and as i think i mentioned last week or 1527 01:00:52,789 --> 01:00:50,400 the week before i'm using a new bit of 1528 01:00:55,510 --> 01:00:52,799 gear a new bit of kit which was 1529 01:00:57,510 --> 01:00:55,520 generously donated by one of my 1530 01:01:00,390 --> 01:00:57,520 listeners thank you very much 1531 01:01:02,549 --> 01:01:00,400 coming up on next week's show apart from 1532 01:01:04,549 --> 01:01:02,559 i think a tribute to my friend jim with 1533 01:01:06,470 --> 01:01:04,559 some skeptical poetry 1534 01:01:08,710 --> 01:01:06,480 the trove segment is going to be looking 1535 01:01:11,510 --> 01:01:08,720 at pyramid power 1536 01:01:14,150 --> 01:01:11,520 so if you have any uh dull razor blades 1537 01:01:15,190 --> 01:01:14,160 or you want your food dehydrated 1538 01:01:17,990 --> 01:01:15,200 tune in 1539 01:01:20,069 --> 01:01:18,000 to the show next week 1540 01:01:22,069 --> 01:01:20,079 also coming up on next week's episode we 1541 01:01:24,150 --> 01:01:22,079 have an interview with my old mate ben 1542 01:01:25,349 --> 01:01:24,160 radford he's going to be talking about 1543 01:01:27,260 --> 01:01:25,359 his new book 1544 01:01:28,390 --> 01:01:27,270 america the fearful 1545 01:01:32,230 --> 01:01:28,400 [Music] 1546 01:01:34,230 --> 01:01:32,240 and part two i think part two of the 1547 01:01:37,349 --> 01:01:34,240 book of tim segment about perpetual 1548 01:01:39,670 --> 01:01:37,359 motion but for this week this is richard 1549 01:01:44,870 --> 01:01:39,680 saunders signing off from sydney 1550 01:01:48,069 --> 01:01:46,630 you've been listening to the skeptic 1551 01:01:49,510 --> 01:01:48,079 zone podcast 1552 01:01:52,710 --> 01:01:49,520 please visit our website at 1553 01:01:58,309 --> 01:01:55,750 for show notes contacts and to access 1554 01:02:00,470 --> 01:01:58,319 the back catalog of episodes going back 1555 01:02:02,470 --> 01:02:00,480 to 2008. 1556 01:02:05,190 --> 01:02:02,480 you can follow the skeptic zone podcast 1557 01:02:07,349 --> 01:02:05,200 on twitter at skepticzone 1558 01:02:09,670 --> 01:02:07,359 visit our facebook page or leave a 1559 01:02:11,750 --> 01:02:09,680 review on itunes 1560 01:02:14,950 --> 01:02:11,760 you can also support the skeptic zone 1561 01:02:18,069 --> 01:02:14,960 via patreon or paypal the skeptic zone 1562 01:02:19,910 --> 01:02:18,079 podcast is an independent production 1563 01:02:22,230 --> 01:02:19,920 the views and opinions expressed on the 1564 01:02:24,710 --> 01:02:22,240 skeptic zone are not necessarily those 1565 01:02:26,350 --> 01:02:24,720 of australian skeptics or any other 1566 01:02:38,390 --> 01:02:26,360 skeptical organization 1567 01:02:41,990 --> 01:02:40,950 hi my name used to be team menden what 1568 01:02:45,190 --> 01:02:42,000 is it now 1569 01:02:49,670 --> 01:02:47,270 hi my name is tim menden 1570 01:02:51,820 --> 01:02:49,680 i'm william