The Skeptics Guide #1111 - Oct 24 2026

Researchers have found that face specialists can accurately identify faces with over 90% accuracy using only one or two facial features. This study highlights the remarkable ability of trained professionals to recognize faces, even with minimal information.

In contrast, a new study reveals that preschoolers are not more creative than adults, as previously assumed. The research indicates that while children may exhibit imaginative play, adults generally outperform them on various creative tasks. This challenges the notion that creativity diminishes with age, emphasizing the importance of skill development over time.

Additionally, an extensive review of whole genome sequencing has determined that individuals possess, on average, about 5 million genetic variants, including 13,000 protein changes, with 229 of those leading to loss of function. This finding underscores the vast genetic diversity within the human population and its implications for health and disease.

Overall, the study results contribute to our understanding of human recognition, creativity across age groups, and genetic variation.

Guest Rogue: Alice Howarth; What's the Word: Centripetal-Centrifugal; News Items: Christina Applegate's MS Diagnosis, Ultraprocessed Food and Cancer Risk, Superworms Clean Skeletons, Goodbye Leap Second, Wellness and Hyperoptimization; Who's That Noisy; Science or Fiction