The Skeptics Guide #1039 - Jun 7 2025

Quickie with Bob: Galaxy Wave; News Items: Redrawing the Human Family Tree, Fig Wasps, ALS May Be Autoimmune, Complex Chemistry on Enceladus, Genius Act; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Kea Intelligence; Science or Fiction 

What's the Word: Autism; News Items: New NASA Mission Control, Element l120, Scalable Quantum Computer, Using AI Increases Lying, Scams and Fraud; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Hydrogen as a Propellent; Name That Logical Fallacy; Science or Fiction 

News Items: Conspiracy Physics, Cancer Misinformation, Improved Nuclear Thermal Propulsion, Oldest Mummies, Not The Screwworms; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Ethics in Research; Name That Logical Fallacy; Science or Fiction 

Saturn’s moon Enceladus reveals complex organic molecules that could hint at extraterrestrial life. Researchers also uncover fungi’s ancient reign over Earth and warn that second COVID infections may pose greater risks to young people. Plus, ants ferment yogurt, and flu detection ... Show More

Sponsor Details: Insta360 X5 Camera. To bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your purchase, head to store.insta360.com and use the promo code "spacenuts", available for the first 30 standard package purchases only.NordVPN: To get the special SpaceNuts discount de ... Show More

New simulations suggest the Milky Way’s long-predicted collision with Andromeda might be less of a cosmic certainty than we thought. A massive marine heat wave in 2023 sent North Atlantic temperatures soaring—equal to two decades’ worth of typical warming—with weak winds and clim ... Show More

Netflix has a big new show named after and inspired by a classic problem in astrophysics, 'The Three Body Problem', where predicting the course and orbits of three or more celestial bodies proves near impossible.But how faithful is the Netflix show - and original novel - to the a ... Show More

It’s been an exciting and hectic year in science discovery and innovation. We’ve reported on stories from across many fields of science—from city climate plans and panda conservation to AI energy consumption and the spread of bird flu.Earlier this month, Ira sat down in front of ... Show More

Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos-482 lands, though no one is certain where. Physicists turn lead into gold. Overdose deaths are down, in part thanks to the availability of naloxone. Flamingos make underwater food tornadoes. Chimps use leaves as a multi-tool. Recommended reading: A Ne ... Show More

Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary episode, we explore how ideas about nerve damage, sustainable materials and alien life have done a full 180. Recommended Reading Celebrating 180 Years of Scientific American 180 ... Show More

The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Debate Keeps Pecking Away Every so often, there’s a claim that the ivory-billed woodpecker is back from the dead. Pixelated videos go viral, blurry photos make the front page, and birders flock to the woods to get a glimpse of the ghost bird. Last week ... Show More

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team look at the latest science news. Including an enormous black hole defying our existing laws of physics, and what DNA analysis is revealing about the inhabitants of Pompeii.Plus, an in-depth look at whether smartphones can harm children' ... Show More

This week on Planetary Radio, we explore the decades-long journey of Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era Venus probe that spent 53 years orbiting Earth before its dramatic return on May 10, 2025. Ben Fernando, a postdoctoral researcher in seismology and planetary science at Johns Hopkins Un ... Show More