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by hikingsimulator 1024 days ago
Since it's on topic, I'd like to share a small youtuber who does science communication. She covered Loeb and the topics of crackpots in science [1]. Her other video on string theory and how it damaged science communication is really good too.

[1] https://youtu.be/aY985qzn7oI
5 comments
apatil 1024 days ago
I heard about this video from an astronomer friend a few months ago. It was mostly about how Loeb's social and professional behavior matches with that of past crackpots. He does seem to leave himself open to that.

There wasn't really a material argument against his controversial hypotheses about interstellar objects. I counted an ad hominem (45 minutes of analysis of his awkward public persona), an argument from ignorance ('Omuamua is out of view so it's not possible to collect evidence for the lightsail hypothesis) and an appeal to the authority of the broader astronomical community.

He is going out and looking for evidence about IM1, and is seeking cross-validation from other labs, in a very transparent way. He's making lots of possibly inappropriately optimistic public speculations in the meantime, but I haven't seen him make any actual claims that aren't justified, which seems like the defining feature of a crackpot.

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DrDroop 1024 days ago
Today in the news, people still looking for the Loch Ness Monster using underwater microphones. They made all the recordings and are now looking to process the data, all in good faith and with an open mind. At some point you have to call a spade a spade for your own and everyone else's sanity.

[1] https://www.facebook.com/groups/470765477828717/

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DrDroop 1024 days ago
I thought about her video as well. People like Avi are motherfuckers, you know they are BS artists but you are powerless to stop them because they feed of the all the other gullible idiots. The public debate is filled with clowns like this, people that sort of ought to know better but can't help being the crowd pleasers they are.
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mihaitodor 1024 days ago
Her entire channel is amazing!
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fanatic2pope 1024 days ago
Is the comment about 2fa a joke? Hard to tell with her dry delivery.
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adamc 1024 days ago
She's great. She also has a fabulous recent video on LOTR.
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