Skeptics Guide #1103

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Skepticast #1103 August 27th 2026 Segment #1. What’s the Word Encephalopathy Segment #2. News Items News Item #1 – AI-Assisted Research Training https://theness.com/neurologicablog/ai-assisted-research-training/ News Item #2 – Robot Outruns Humans https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/robots-can-outrun-humans-can-they-plug-cable-2026-08-23/ News Item #3 – Latest CTE Study https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/us/nfl-cte-brain-disease.html News Item #4 – Bacteria Share Survival Genes https://phys.org/news/2026-08-antarctic-bacteria-lifesupport-genes-survive.html Segment 3. Who’s That Noisy Segment #4. Your Questions and E-mails Question #1: Peptides and Proteins Question #2: Stellarator I saw this and found it compelling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPUAKW1Dyek Science communicator 1/2 hour about Max Planck institute working decades on stellerator fusion design, and 2023 spinning off company to try to make viable reactor. Gaut Norway Segment #6. 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: Researchers have developed an AI model that can diagnose hypertension with more than 90% accuracy and diabetes with more than 80% accuracy from a 5-second facial video. Item 2: Material scientists have demonstrated a living textile – a fungus-based fabric that can be used to make clothing. Item 3: New research shows how simply leaving reviews at common sites like Yelp can lead directly to identity theft. Segment #7. Skeptical Quote of the Week REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT Obama “Lincoln refused to accept that our nation's sole purpose was mere survival. He created this academy, founded the land grant colleges, and began the work of the transcontinental railroad, believing that we must add -- and I quote -- ‘the fuel of interest to the fire of genius in the discovery... of new and useful things.’ At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science, that support for research is somehow a luxury at moments defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been before.” Barak Obama At the National Academy of Sciences annual meeting 2009