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Just Chat! / Producing Gold Artificially.

« on: 28/09/2023 08:46:55 »

You know, they taught us in grade school that there are elements in nature that can never be broken down. But then we learned in high school, that isn't entirely true. Elements themselves are made up of electrons, neutrons and protons. Getting them apart and recombining them wouldn't be easy. But it could theoretically be done.

That's when I got this idea in HS. Why not just make gold, from scratch? It seems simple enough. Just take a nearby element, like Osmium or Iridium, and bombard it with alpha particles. (Just looking at the periodic table now, I realize Platinum is right next to Osmium and Iridium. But back then I wanted gold for some reason.) It would be impossible for some reason, wouldn't it? Or would it? Also, I realized even in HS, Osmium and Iridium are rare elements themselves. Plus, there is very little gold on earth. Is that an accident? I know you could make individual gold atoms by smashing particles into each other. But I realized even back then, the costs for that would far outweigh the return.

You know, they actually cover this topic on the Twilight Zone in "The Rip Van Winkle Caper" originally aired on April 21, 1961 on CBS. It's interesting, because gold has many industrial uses. It would be wonderful if we could just manufacture it in large quantities.

So is it possible? Would it be cost-effective? And will it ever be? 

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Physiology & Medicine / Songs That Give You Goosebumps...

« on: 15/09/2023 03:40:20 »

People often say that hearing their national anthem gives them goosebumps. Or a chill down their spine. Some people say religious songs do. Or even just some stirring classical tunes.

What is that? I know true goosebumps are your bodies reaction to cold. It used to make our proto-humans forbearers fur stand up, to hold in the heat. We don't have fur anymore. Also there's no reason those songs should make you feel cold. So what is it?

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Physiology & Medicine / Prebiotics.

« on: 07/09/2023 13:16:50 »

Prebiotics are foods that foster beneficial bacterial growth in the gut.

My question is, don't all foods do this anyways? And is there any benefit to buying prebiotic products? Or is it just a way for companies to make more money?

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New Theories / Two Types of Morality.

« on: 31/08/2023 08:50:21 »

This is a theory I've had for some time. And an observation. Did you ever notice with sexual morality and freedom, there seems to be two types. One that is androcentric. And one that is more egalitarian.

In the Middle Ages and early modern period, there was sexual freedom. But it all revolved around the man. He could almost anything he wanted. But women had a low status and few rights. Adultery, for example, could only be committed by the woman legally.

Then, and I think this may be more modern, there is a more egalitarian model. Everyone's rights matter.

I know this idea is a legal one. But is there a psychological reason for it? Maybe even something evolutionary? Especially for the first one.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Quantum Entanglement and Interstellar Communication.

« on: 25/08/2023 09:52:44 »

Einstein called quantum entanglement "spooky action at a distance". I certainly don't understand it. Maybe people like Einstein really didn't either.

Anyways, it basically says one particle can affect another particle no matter how far away. One particle twists to the left, so does the other one, and vice versa. Instantaneously. My question is, could it be used to things like interstellar communication? Using just one pair of particles, you could have something like Morse code going. Or if you have enough particles working at the same time, you could have thousands, maybe millions of messages sent. Maybe they could all form pixels on a computer screen, or something like that.

But is it possible?

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Physiology & Medicine / Can You Overdose On Fiber?

« on: 17/08/2023 23:24:38 »

You can certainly overdose on things like painkillers and acetaminophen. And I'll bet a lot of people don't know you can overdose on iron tablets too. But what about fiber supplements?

If you or a family member went to the emergency room complaining you took too many fiber pills, what would they do? Would they just keep you there till all of it passed? Or would they have to flush it out somehow? Especially if you took a really big dose?

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Physiology & Medicine / Why Does Almost Everyone Seem To Hold On To Their Ability To Speak?

« on: 10/08/2023 06:37:31 »

Why does everyone seem to always hold onto their ability to use language, even when there is brain damage? Most developmentally disabled people can talk. In fact the only for of brain damage that I can think of that might limit your language skills is a stroke. Is there some evolutionary reason for this?

I know the way we acquire and use language is complex and interesting. And there is only a small window of time when most people can become fluent in a language.

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Physiology & Medicine / The Reason For Head Hair.

« on: 03/08/2023 17:29:55 »

Every human being seems to have head hair, or at least be born with it. What purpose does it serve? Does it have a practical, physiological purpose? Or like many things in human evolution, do we have it because we thought it was attractive at one point?

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Just Chat! / English Word That Means Uncle Or Aunt.

« on: 27/07/2023 17:49:27 »

Is there any English word that means "uncle or aunt"? The reason why I ask is because I was interested in the artificial language Esperanto a while back. And their word is geonklo I think.

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Just Chat! / Is There Any Evidence For God?

« on: 20/07/2023 10:22:06 »

You will notice I put this in the science section. Is there any evidence for God?

I know there's no proof. And a lot of the claims of religions, like miracles and divine intercession, seem even unlikely. But is there any support for him at all?

Because you know Albert Einstein was pantheist. And some people think Carl Sagan was an agnostic. But no one is sure. And he did say things like "Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality."

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General Science / Is Medicine A Science Or An Art?

« on: 13/07/2023 16:29:58 »

I guess I can tell you. Every other year I have to have a colonoscopy. I have colitis. It's fortunately under control, unlike my mother's case. But I have to sign a waver before each procedure. And it says medicine isn't exacting. Because it's an art, not a science.

I'm sure they are just saying that to cover their butts, in case I feel the need to sue them for malpractice (which I am sure will never happen--I have a very good doctor). But it got me wondering.

Is medicine a science? Or an art? Because I know the culinary sciences are a definite art. Psychology and psychiatry may be an art, I don't know. But what about medicine?

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General Science / 'Everyone Has An Accent But Me'...

« on: 06/07/2023 12:14:17 »

When I was a little kid, I thought British people all had thick accents. So did Australians, apparently. But you know, we all have accents. I have an American accent. People in Windsor, Canada near where I live have Canadian accents.

But what is that called when you think everyone has an accent, except you? I once heard the term ethnocentrism. That might apply. There's also the word culturocentrism.

And what is the explanation for this? Why does everyone seem to have an accent but you? Do the language centers of the brain have anything to do with it?

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General Science / Infinity...

« on: 29/06/2023 15:36:32 »

I was wondering. Can anything physically literally go onto into infinity?

I know hypothetically things can. The number line goes onto into infinity in both directions. And on a line, between points A and B, there are an infinite number of points. But that's not what I am talking about.

Also, I was wondering. We live in a universe. But there is a bigger multiverse, isn't there, of many universes. Is the process of universes going in and out of existence, infinite and eternal?

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Just Chat! / How Can the Cell Phone Company Always Find You?

« on: 22/06/2023 16:18:25 »

I usually just call people locally. But you know, no matter who you call, anywhere in the world, the cell phone company seems to locate them. You could call someone in Siberia, in outer Mongolia. And your call would be routed right to them. Almost immediately, right?

How can the cell phone company locate everyone everywhere in the world? Especially now that there are so many people using cell phones.

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Just Chat! / What Gives Money Its Value?

« on: 15/06/2023 05:24:06 »

I was shocked to learn in HS that money basically has no value. Our teacher, Mrs. L, told us that it isn't backed up with anything at all. Up until 1971, 5% of U.S. money was backed up with gold. Now its backed with nothing. But then she asked us. If someone gave you a hundred dollars, what would you do? Burn it or spend it? So it obviously has some value.

A couple of things. There's not enough gold to go around, since population has expanded. If we relied on gold, we'd all starve. Also, I was thinking. What really gives gold it's value? There's very little of it. And it's recognized as the medium of exchange. Is that what gives money its value?

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Just Chat! / Heat-Treating Rubber Bands...

« on: 08/06/2023 05:48:09 »

Interesting story. I had some rubber bands in my attic from some time back. And they were pretty old, several years at least. It gets pretty hot in my attic because I don't cool it. And the rubber bands were in perfect condition.

This seems odd to me, at least. Because it seems rubber bands deteriorate and warp almost immediately, or so it seems. This has happened to me more than once too. Heat seems to make my rubber bands last longer.

What gives?

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Just Chat! / Why Does Latin Need A Vocative?

« on: 01/06/2023 05:11:30 »

The vocative case in Latin is the noun of direct address. Why does it need it?

According to Shakespeare, Julius Caesar's last words were Et tu, Brute? meaning "Even you Brutus?". Brutus is in the vocative case. But I just said it without using it. And you understood what I meant.

So why did the ancient Latins think they needed this special case?

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Complementary Medicine / The Benefits of Air Baths...

« on: 25/05/2023 08:36:07 »

Are there any real benefits to "air baths"? Benjamin Franklin reportedly used to take them. He basically just sat around the house naked for a couple of hours. I assume he put a rob on if he had any guests. But is there any real medical benefit? Nudists are welcome to this discussion.

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Just Chat! / The Linguistic Status Of 'Thrice'?

« on: 18/05/2023 09:19:48 »

What exactly is the linguistic status of the word "thrice" now? Words are acceptable. Then they become archaic. Then they are obsolete. It's obviously not obsolete yet. But is it archaic?

In the US, where I live, it's used more in an ironic or humorous sense. People rarely use it otherwise. What's it like in other English-speaking countries? Because I would argue it is archaic. But Webster's New World Dictionary claims it is not yet.

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That CAN'T be true! / Spring-Heeled Jack.

« on: 11/05/2023 06:16:11 »

I think I've chosen the right forum for this. Who was Spring-Heeled Jack? Spring-Heeled Jack was a fantom that terrorized England from 1837 to 1904. The circumstances surrounding his appearances are interesting. Here is the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring-heeled_Jack

So what exactly was he/she/it? There must be some rational explanation for him. What was it?