Lab Out Loud®

This weekend Brian and I are happy to be in Las Vegas attending The Amaz!ng Meeting7 (TAM7). TAM7 is a conference sponsored by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) that showcases speakers and guests that focus on critical thinking and skepticism.

You might remember our discussion with Phil Plait (a.k.a. The Bad Astronomer) in episode 12 when we talked about the importance of skepticism in science education. Plait is now the president of the JREF and we were excited to finally meet him in person.

Phil Plait, President of JREF

The conference opened with a keynote by Bill Prady, Executive Producer of our favorite sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Prady’s show has some wonderful examples that can be used in the science class. (We hope to get a chance to talk to him more about this in our third season.)

Bill Prady, Executive Producer of 'The Big Bang Theory'

‘The Big Bang Theory’ is a show I started watching after our conversation with Jennifer Ouellette in episode 28. Ouellette also spoke at TAM7 this afternoon.

Jennifer Ouellette, Science and Entertainment Exchange

If you’re here at the conference, please stop us to say hello (we’re wearing our Lab Out Loud t-shirts today). Can’t attend the conference? See what’s happening by following our Twitter feeds (@basler and @bbartel); the entire conference is also available via live stream.

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The Bad Astonomer

We welcome Phil Plait (aka The Bad Astronomer) back to the show.  Phil talks to us about the International Year of Astronomy and highlights a few events planned for the IYA.  As President of the James Randi Educational Foundation, Phil also discusses the role of skepticism in education.

Links:

• The Bad Astronomer at Discover Magazine
• Original BA site
• Phil’s new book: Death from the Skies
• Follow the BA on Twitter
• Phil Plait’s Wikipedia entry

• International Year of Astronomy
• United Nations declares 2009 as the Year of Astronomy
• 100 Hours of Astronomy
• 400 Years of the Telescope
• NASA Astrobiology

• Year of Science
• Darwin Day Celebration
• James Randi Educational Foundation
• About James Randi
• JREF Swift Blog

• Skeptic
• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
• PZ Myers Pharyngula
• Stop Jenny McCarthy – post from the BA
• Stop Jenny
• Amanda Peet supports the science with vaccinateyourbaby.org
• Dale uses viral videos to promote skepticism in the classroom

Direct download: LOL24.mp3

First a Lab Out Loud guest, then president of James Randi Educational Foundation and now he joins the MythBusters! It’s a great time to be the Bad Astronomer. (sorry PZ, but this round goes to Phil)

Catch skeptic Phil Plait help the MythBusters battle those pesky moon landing “hoaxes” on Wednesday August 27th.