Key Takeaways

  • The proposed acquisition of InfoWars by The Onion is facing a legal challenge from an Alex Jones affiliated company, potentially delaying the deal.
  • Researchers are exploring the components of a human sense of self to potentially replicate them in robots, aiming to advance AI and neuroscience understanding.
  • A new study suggests traditional paranormal beliefs, like superstition, are linked to feelings of external control and stress vulnerability, unlike New Age philosophies.
  • Traditional paranormal beliefs, such as superstition and belief in witchcraft, are associated with external locus of control and feelings of distress, while New Age paranormal beliefs show no such statistical link.
  • Paranormal belief can influence attitudes and behavior, leading to lower trust in science, anti-science sentiments, and endorsement of alternative medicine, anti-vaccination, and conspiracy theories.
  • The origin of the phrase ‘you’ve got your work cut out for you’ stems from tailoring, where the assistant cutting patterns for the tailor signified the start of the tailor’s demanding work, contrary to its modern interpretation of an easy task.
  • The first telephone directory, published in 1878 in New Haven, Connecticut, did not include phone numbers because calls were routed through operators who knew individuals by name.
  • Alaska possesses a coastline longer than all other 49 U.S. states combined, primarily due to its highly irregular shape and numerous islands.
  • Florida is the flattest state in the U.S. based on the difference between its highest and lowest points (345 feet), debunking the common perception of Kansas as the flattest.

Segments

Robots and Sense of Self (~04:24:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Researchers propose building robots with components of a human sense of self, such as embodiment and agency, to better understand both neuroscience and AI.
  • Summary: The discussion delves into a paper suggesting that by studying and replicating elements of human self-awareness in robots, scientists can gain insights into the brain and advance artificial intelligence, exploring concepts like embodiment, agency, and consciousness.
New Energy Secretary Nominee (~21:33:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Wright, CEO of a major fracking company and a climate change denier, is the presumptive nominee for U.S. Secretary of Energy, raising concerns about fossil fuel policy.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the nomination of Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, as the next Secretary of Energy. They highlight his denial of climate change impacts and his belief that fossil fuels have no negative effects on the climate, contrasting this with the need for energy transition and the potential for nuclear power growth.
Searching for Planet 9 (~38:34:58)
  • Key Takeaway: A new proposal suggests using an array of 200 small telescopes to detect Planet 9 through occultation events, offering a cost-effective method to confirm its existence or map outer solar system objects.
  • Summary: The segment covers a scientific proposal to use a network of small telescopes to detect Planet 9 by observing the occultation of distant stars by trans-Neptunian objects. This method aims to precisely map orbits and detect gravitational anomalies, potentially leading to the discovery of Planet 9 or other celestial bodies.
Stress and Paranormal Beliefs (~49:54:16)
  • Key Takeaway: A recent study using a refined paranormal belief scale indicates that traditional paranormal beliefs, unlike New Age philosophies, are associated with external locus of control and increased stress vulnerability.
  • Summary: The discussion introduces the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale and a new study that re-evaluates the link between paranormal beliefs and perceived stress. The findings suggest that beliefs in external supernatural forces correlate with distress and coping difficulties, while New Age beliefs do not show the same association.
Paranormal Beliefs and Stress (~00:53:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Traditional paranormal beliefs are linked to external control and distress, contrasting with New Age beliefs which show no such correlation.
  • Summary: The discussion delves into research findings on paranormal beliefs, differentiating between traditional (superstition, witchcraft) and New Age (psy, spiritualism) types, and their respective associations with stress, distress, and locus of control.
Skepticism and Information Validity (~00:55:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Paranormal belief can lead to lower trust in science and higher anti-science attitudes, often stemming from an over-reliance on emotion over evidence.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the importance of studying paranormal beliefs, highlighting their connection to anti-science attitudes, conspiracy theories, and the tendency to rely on emotional content rather than rigorous evaluation of information.
The “Noisy” Game (~00:59:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The earliest known recording of a human voice, made in 1860 by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, was of him singing ‘Clair de Lune’.
  • Summary: This segment features the ’noisy’ game where listeners guess the origin of a sound, which is revealed to be the first known recording of a human voice, with details about its creation and playback.
Plant Biology and GMOs (~01:12:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Gene editing technologies like CRISPR offer precise modifications to plants, potentially creating new traits without introducing foreign DNA, thus challenging traditional GMO regulations.
  • Summary: An interview with plant biologist Kevin Folta covers new techniques in plant breeding, the science and regulation of GMOs, the potential for creating novel flavors and traits, and the ongoing debate surrounding genetic modification.
US Trivia and Fact-Checking (~01:38:09)
  • Key Takeaway: The first telephone directory, published in 1878, did not include phone numbers because calls were routed through operators.
  • Summary: The hosts play ‘Science or Fiction’ with US trivia, debating the flatness of Kansas, the length of Alaska’s coastline, and the details of the first telephone directory.
Early Telephone Directories (~01:43:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The first telephone directory in 1878 lacked phone numbers, relying on operators to connect calls by name.
  • Summary: The conversation begins by discussing early forms of communication like smoke signals and telegraphs, then transitions to the first telephone directory published in New Haven, Connecticut. Participants discuss its lack of alphabetization and phone numbers, explaining that operators manually connected calls.
Alaska’s Extensive Coastline (~01:45:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Alaska’s coastline is longer than all other U.S. states combined due to its complex geography and numerous islands.
  • Summary: The discussion shifts to the coastline of Alaska, with participants confirming that it is indeed longer than the combined coastlines of the other 49 states. They explain this is due to Alaska’s numerous inlets, islands, and its panhandle, contrasting it with the straighter coastlines of other states like California and Florida.
Defining State Flatness (~01:46:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Florida is the flattest state by elevation difference (345 feet), while Kansas, despite its reputation, is not the flattest and is flatter than a pancake.
  • Summary: The final segment addresses the flatness of states, specifically debunking the idea that Kansas is the flattest. It’s revealed that Florida holds this title based on the minimal difference between its highest and lowest points. Kansas’s flatness score and its position relative to other states are discussed, along with the concept of flatness being measured by elevation difference versus area.
Physicist’s Quote and Legacy (~01:48:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Experimental physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, a pioneer in nuclear research, was overlooked for a Nobel Prize despite her significant contributions.
  • Summary: Evan shares a quote from experimental physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, highlighting her significant contributions to physics, including her role in the team that won the 1957 Nobel Prize. The discussion points out the injustice that she, despite her crucial work, did not receive the Nobel Prize, with the credit going to her male colleagues.