You're listening to the Skeptics Guide to the Universe.

Your escape to reality.

Hello and welcome to the Skeptics Guide to the Universe.

This is your host, Steven novella president of the New England Skeptical Society.

Today is Wednesday, June 28, 2006.

We're having a special episode this week.

The Skeptical Roads are on vacation.

Now don't worry, they'll be back next week.

The only reason why they are out this week is because I'm out of town and actually

vacationing in the wilds of Cumberland, Maryland, which means I do not have access to broadband.

Many of you may not realize this, but we record our show each week completely over the internet,

using voice over IP applications.

In fact, each of us, myself and all of the Skeptical Roads, the entire panel of Skeptics,

are in different cities at the time that we record.

Rebecca Watson is in Boston, and the rest of us are in different cities in Connecticut.

So without access to broadband, I have no way of conferencing with the other members of the show.

We decided rather than skipping a week that I would do a solo show just so that we have

something to hold over our loyal fans until next week.

Now the format of the show this week will be pretty similar to other shows.

We have no guest and obviously no group discussion.

I will still do a science or fiction at the end of the program, although of course the

panel of Skeptics will not be here to offer their thoughts, but this one will be just

...