November 25, 2013

Skeptic Check: Science Blunders

Listen Later

54 minutes

We’ve all had an “oops” moment. Scientists are no exception. Sometimes science stumbles in the steady march of progress. Find out why cold fusion is a premier example why you shouldn’t hold a press conference before publishing your results. Also, how to separate fumbles from faux-science from fraud.

Plus, why ignorance is what really drives the scientific method.

And our Hollywood skeptic poses as a psychic for Dr. Phil, while our Dr. Phil (Plait) investigates the authenticity of a life-bearing meteorite.

Guests:

Phil Plait – Skeptic and author of Slate Magazine’s blog Bad Astronomy

Michael Gordin – Historian of science at Princeton University, author of The Pseudoscience Wars: Immanuel Velikovsky and the Birth of the Modern Fringe

David Goodstein – Physicist, California Institute of Technology

Stuart Firestein – Neuroscientist, chair of the biology department, Columbia University, and author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science

Jim Underdown – Executive Director, Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles

Descripción en español

First released January 28, 2013.

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Big Picture Science

By Big Picture Science

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912912 ratings

November 25, 2013

Skeptic Check: Science Blunders

Listen Later

54 minutes

We’ve all had an “oops” moment. Scientists are no exception. Sometimes science stumbles in the steady march of progress. Find out why cold fusion is a premier example why you shouldn’t hold a press conference before publishing your results. Also, how to separate fumbles from faux-science from fraud.

Plus, why ignorance is what really drives the scientific method.

And our Hollywood skeptic poses as a psychic for Dr. Phil, while our Dr. Phil (Plait) investigates the authenticity of a life-bearing meteorite.

Guests:

Phil Plait – Skeptic and author of Slate Magazine’s blog Bad Astronomy

Michael Gordin – Historian of science at Princeton University, author of The Pseudoscience Wars: Immanuel Velikovsky and the Birth of the Modern Fringe

David Goodstein – Physicist, California Institute of Technology

Stuart Firestein – Neuroscientist, chair of the biology department, Columbia University, and author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science

Jim Underdown – Executive Director, Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles

Descripción en español

First released January 28, 2013.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more

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