{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Skeptics Guide #1082","description":"The Skeptic\u2019s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #1082 April 2nd 2026 Segment #1. Quickie with Bob Antiproton Trap https:\/\/www.techspot.com\/news\/111845-cern-scientists-successfully-turned-antiproton-trap-moving-appliance.html Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 \u2013 Artemis II Launches https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/liftoff-nasa-launches-astronauts-on-historic-artemis-moon-mission\/ News Item #2 \u2013 Can AI Predict Science Replication https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/04\/01\/science\/ai-experiments-replication.html News Item #3 \u2013 Smart Drugs https:\/\/sciencebasedmedicine.org\/smart-drugs-are-here\/ News Item #4 \u2013 Nuclear Electric Propulsion https:\/\/aviationweek.com\/space\/launch-vehicles-propulsion\/nasa-aims-demonstrate-nuclear-electric-propulsion-late-2028 News Item #5 \u2013 Underwater Fairy Circles https:\/\/www.ecoticias.com\/en\/they-are-called-donuts-and-look-like-fairy-circles-underwater-but-science-is-baffled-because-no-one-yet-knows-what-mechanism-draws-these-perfect-giant-rings-on-the-seabed-off-the-co\/30064\/ Segment 3. Who\u2019s That Noisy Segment #4. Name That Logical Fallacy An addicted listener since 2006 and Patreon supporter for many years. Your recent discussion about Lyme disease reminded that I\u2019ve often thought that I don\u2019t know a handy term to cover common cases that seem to have a lot in common with what in formal logic is called \u201cundistributed middle term\u201d\u2014namely the conclusion that shared properties argue for a strong link, even a shared identity. When there is sequence, we have \u201cpost hoc\u201d. Some cases are \u201cpareidolia\u201d. Some cases of \u201cTexas Sharpshooter Fallacy\u201d seem close. Is there a more general informal term, though, one that would help explain, for example, a lot of conspiracy theories? For example: The Elders of Zion hold secret meetings; these power figures are holding secret meetings, Therefore\u2026 etc. Theo Segment #5. Science or Fiction Each week our host will come up with three science news items or facts, two genuine, one fictitious. He will challenge our panel of skeptics to sniff out the fake \u2013 and you can play along. Theme: Corals Item 1: Corals are actually colonies of tiny animals known as polyps, each of which is similar to and closely related to jellies. Item 2: Some living corals today grow on reef structures that have persisted for over 400,000 years. Item 3: Corals get their nutrients from a combination of symbiotic algae (autotrophic) and feeding (heterotrophic), with different species varying from 100% autotrophic to 100% heterotrophic, and everything in between. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." - John Kennedy, Sept 12, 1962,","author_name":"The Skeptics Guide To The Universe","author_url":"https:\/\/www.theskepticsguide.org","html":"