Topic: Mercury Thermometers

The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) is accused of manipulating historical temperature data to make modern heat waves appear more frequent. Critics point out that the institute lowered temperature readings from 100 years ago by two degrees Celsius, effectively changing the baseline for what constitutes a heat wave. The hosts discuss the historical accuracy of mercury thermometers compared to modern electronic sensors.

The hosts discuss the pitfalls of smart home technology and "algorithms" taking over daily life. One host describes his preference for an old-school mercury thermometer over a Nest thermostat, coining the term "Hu-Mel-Go" (Human-Manual-Algorithm). The segment ends with a clip of Neil deGrasse Tyson.