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Post by Mink - The Original on Sept 29, 2011 8:49:42 GMT -5
In honor of a part of what made Lost so awesome, the part that made us think about science again and to stretch our minds, I'm starting this thread for new science stuff.
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Post by Mink - The Original on Sept 29, 2011 8:51:08 GMT -5
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Post by sentinalnode on Sept 29, 2011 15:07:05 GMT -5
Awesome. Also reading that faster-than-light-nutreno story, www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/22/faster-than-light-particles-neutrinosit seems to say it doesn't necessarily wreak havoc with Einsteins theory, maybe a different constant, where light is a high fractional of this new constant? Dunno, it's over my head. Funny, I remember reading something about the attitude toward physics in the 1920's, and one camp (with Bohr?) maintaining all that was known about physics was was already discovered. The job of physicist was to prove what was already 'known."
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Smaug
My breath, death!
Posts: 19,004
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Post by Smaug on Sept 30, 2011 8:07:44 GMT -5
lol. My first glimpse of that forbes article I saw "redshirt" instead of "redshift."
Sentinalnode, I also remember reading that and wondering why some scientists feel that way when that is precisely the wrong attitude to have if you are a scientist.
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Post by FullFrontalBuddha on Sept 30, 2011 9:15:07 GMT -5
Redshirts have been proven to be expendable with repeated experimentation. "Crewman Yul B. Dedsoon, join me on the away mission."
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Post by Mink - The Original on Sept 30, 2011 9:19:57 GMT -5
lol. My first glimpse of that forbes article I saw "redshirt" instead of "redshift." Sentinalnode, I also remember reading that and wondering why some scientists feel that way when that is precisely the wrong attitude to have if you are a scientist. I disagree that it's the wrong attitude to have as a scientist. I think those scientists who seek further proof and evidence of already held beliefs/theories is just as important as theoretical scientists who are trying to find/prove completely new things. Like the proof of Einstein's theory, that's an already held belief.
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Post by sentinalnode on Sept 30, 2011 10:55:17 GMT -5
lol. My first glimpse of that forbes article I saw "redshirt" instead of "redshift." Sentinalnode, I also remember reading that and wondering why some scientists feel that way when that is precisely the wrong attitude to have if you are a scientist. Hey Smaug. I think a big part was Einstein had come up with his theory, and so much had proven to fit in that there was a question of why seek further. Many scientists had their work validated by it. Also, the disruption of WW1 and it's costs (esp. in Germany)forced universities to tighten their belts. A lot of the scientists were academicians, and were also staking out their livelihood. On the other side were theoretical mathematicians and scientists who were seeing a not quite proven theory. I wish I could find a remembered article where a Brit or US scientist, as sort of an aside said something like "Y'know, all of the laws of the universe were created in the first few seconds of it's creation. If it happens again, there may be an entirely new set of laws that govern that universe" I am in awe of the mathematicians that chip away at this, at some of the problems that may take centuries to be solved.
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Smaug
My breath, death!
Posts: 19,004
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Post by Smaug on Sept 30, 2011 13:07:07 GMT -5
My point was that saying that everything has already been discovered, and not just about physics, but about anything, is not a healthy attitude. Going about proving what you already know/believe is great, but if you let that hold you back from trying new things or to cloud your judgment then it's not a good thing, in my book.
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Post by FullFrontalBuddha on Sept 30, 2011 14:29:25 GMT -5
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Post by sentinalnode on Sept 30, 2011 14:36:52 GMT -5
Yes, of course....thought you were asking why. Just saying, in academia there was a lot of inertia to change, as odd as it would seem. Not just pre-war Europe either. With only so much research dollars to go around, sometimes ego trumps judgement. Look at how the idea of an asteroid hit starting the end of the dinosaurs was met. With scorn, even after they found the iridium and micro diamond layers.
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