DeepSummary
The episode began with a discussion about the TV show 'The Boys' and the hosts' thoughts on how it portrays the realistic consequences of people with superpowers. They then talked about NASA's Artemis program, including updates on the new spacesuits, communication systems, and the potential delay of the moon landing to September 2026. The hosts discussed a scientific study suggesting that Earth may have passed through a dense interstellar cloud 2-3 million years ago, potentially impacting its climate and human evolution.
The hosts explored the concept of 'ultra-processed foods' and the lack of evidence for significant health risks associated with them. They also discussed a new study on deep brain stimulation techniques that can target specific areas of the brain without affecting surrounding tissue. Jay provided an update on his quest for glow-in-the-dark petunias and shared the latest 'Who's That Noisy?' segment.
The episode ended with a discussion of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, also known as frequency illusion, where something you recently learned about suddenly appears to crop up everywhere. The hosts explained the cognitive biases and selective attention that contribute to this phenomenon.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The TV show 'The Boys' provides a realistic portrayal of how ordinary people would likely abuse superpowers.
- NASA's Artemis program is making progress, but the moon landing may be delayed until September 2026 due to technical challenges.
- A scientific study suggests that Earth passing through a dense interstellar cloud millions of years ago could have impacted its climate and human evolution.
- There is a lack of evidence supporting the health benefits of prebiotic sodas for healthy individuals.
- A new computer modeling system can simulate living cells at an unprecedented speed, potentially revolutionizing biological research.
- Deep brain stimulation techniques can now target specific areas of the brain without affecting surrounding tissue.
- The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, or frequency illusion, is a cognitive bias that makes recently learned concepts seem to appear more frequently due to selective attention.
- Glow-in-the-dark petunias and airplane servo sounds were discussed in the 'Who's That Noisy?' segment.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Yeah, it's gonna be freaking awesome, guys.“ by Jay Novella
- “This is fascinating, guys. Researchers conclude that it was possible that two to 3 million years ago, our solar system spent at least multiple centuries passing through a dense interstellar cloud, exposing the earth to radiation and chemically influencing the atmosphere and climate, and perhaps even human evolution itself.“ by Bob Novella
- “Researchers unveiled a new computer modeling system of a living cell that is 1 million times faster than existing simulations.“ by Stephen Novella
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Episode Information
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
Dr. Steven Novella
6/15/24