Skeptics Guide #1031

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #1031 April 9th 2025 Segment #1. From TikTok Flat Earthers Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – De-Extincting the Dire Wolf https://theness.com/neurologicablog/de-extincting-the-dire-wolf/ News Item #2 – What Experts Really Think About AI https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01123-x News Item #3 – Planned Obsolescence https://theness.com/neurologicablog/is-planned-obsolescence-real/ News Item #4 – Lifelike VR Touch Sensors https://newatlas.com/vr/wearable-lifelike-haptic-sense-touch-feedback/ Segment 3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: SNPs vs Sequencing I love the show, thanks for putting the effort to make such a great listening experience. I feel that when I found the podcast I finally found my clique! Just a correction to Caras segment on 23andme. 23andme does not sequence your DNA, they use microarrays that detect specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the sample. This is very different to actually sequencing your DNA. Im not familiar which array 23andme is using but typically they detect hundreds to thousands of SNPs. The validity of the SNPs genotyped, again not sequenced, can be dupious. A single SNP or even thousands of SNPs cannot be scientificly used to infer characteristics of a single person. They can only be used as aggregate data to determine risks or potential correlations to traits (phenotypes). Some SNPs are more common in certain populations which can be used to roughly estimate your ancestry. SNPs are not equal, some have been validated through rigorous research and can be said to be risk factors, such as some SNPs in the BRCA-gene. However, many SNPs used in arrays have no data to back them up, there is no validated correlation to any risk or phenotype. So, a good collection of alot of SNPs can tell something about a population where those SNPs are, but not really anything relevant about an individual. Actual sequencing a persons DNA is a complete different beast, but I wont go to that here. Please feel free to ask clarification or references on the subject. Best regards, Markus, a geneticist from the other side of the puddle, from a country that some deranged questionare has deemed the happiest in the world. 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 – and you can play along. Item 1: A recent study finds that, unlike modern rhinos which are mostly solitary, a North American species of rhinoceros from 12 million years ago (Teleoceras major) lived in vast herds. Item 2: Scientists have used AI to develop a complete digital twin of a mouse brain, which is able to predict responses to novel stimuli. Item 3: A study of over 1,700 people found a correlation between moderate, heavy, or former drinking, a type of brain damage called arteriolosclerosis, and impaired cognitive ability. Segment #6. Skeptical Quote of the Week "Science is not just a collection of techniques or strategies for producing knowledge, it is an ethical stance of commitment to the truth. The good scientist knows that honestly following the evidence is a form of respect for nature, and honestly communicating one’s findings is a form of respect for others." - Michael Anderson