1

General Science / Is a book who's pages are in order at a low entropy?

« on: 27/02/2011 04:31:08 »

That's a fantastic book isn't it. I took me several attempts to get through as each tine I stopped for a few weeks I had to go back to the beginning again, but it gets better as you get through it.

2

Just Chat! / Surrounded by folk with zero scientific understanding or critical thinking!

« on: 26/02/2011 17:07:01 »

... I even had a workmate wearing a holographic band which he claimed balanced his energys, and he paid 45 pounds for it.

Thanks for that. I've just emailed it to my friend.

Point them here ... http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=35349.0

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Just Chat! / Surrounded by folk with zero scientific understanding or critical thinking!

« on: 26/02/2011 05:16:33 »

I don't ever fall out with friends over these things it is simply that inside I am often so frustrated and annoyed. It often seems that on every issue I am surrounded by people that take the wow angle or the psudo-science alternative. And so many of these issues are reoccurring. For example:

1. Did man land on the moon?
2. UFO's
3. JFK
4. Diana death.
5. Dr Kelly death (UK thing)
6. Aids
7. Acupuncture
8. Evolution

The list goes on. All the usual suspects really. Recently I even had a workmate wearing a holographic band which he claimed balanced his energys, and he paid 45 pounds for it. I managed to convince him it was BS. A couple of weeks ago a friend sent me a picture of a supposed ghost in his garage, complete with paranormal symptoms including tobacco smells. I gave him my opinion in email. I don't think he liked it.

I agree that one should not simply keep quite and say nothing. Even when in a group of people all holding the same nonsensical views I do say something,even if only quietly.

The religion issue is on another level, but then again I do work in Libya, or did.

 

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Just Chat! / Surrounded by folk with zero scientific understanding or critical thinking!

« on: 25/02/2011 16:43:36 »

I find myself constantly frustrated at being surrounded by folk with zero critical thinking ability, and a habit of believing and lapping up every type of pop culture conspiracy theory and mumbo-jumbo. It drives me crazy! I just wonder if anyone else is in the same situation and what you do, if anything, to get by. It makes the value of any kind of scientific training or education all the more obvious. 

5

Technology / What are the health risks associated with air conditioning?

« on: 03/08/2010 17:00:23 »

I wasn't thinking so much of Legionaries disease. I think that most here agree that the change in temp will not result in an significantly adverse health conditions. As mentioned, I think there is a degree of paranoia towards what may be perceived as modern devices. I wish that I could fine something concrete to back up my frowned upon opinion that air conditioners do not cause all these ailments. 

6

The Environment / do we really love our planet ?

« on: 28/07/2010 19:27:13 »

I doubt very much that the animals are that concerned. I don't think that many of them lost too much sleep either after or during WW2 or any other war.

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Technology / What are the health risks associated with air conditioning?

« on: 28/07/2010 19:22:15 »

I both live and work in hot countries where the use of air conditioning is prevalent. In my work place of North Africa the local people have concerns over the health implications of using the AC. Even when the ambient temperature may be 40’C they are often reluctant to turn on the air conditioning, especially in cars. Even in a hot gym they prefer to keep the AC off. The issue seems to be that changing from a hot environment to a cold environment is very much detrimental to ones health, especially to the heart. I am skeptical of this, especially since the people I am talking about are generally under 30 years old. However since I am not from a country that relies on the use of air conditioning and they are I do wonder if they are in any way right in their concerns.

As well as this I also hear from all nationality’s the assertion that their AC use has led to a list of minor ailments, including stiff back and neck, headaches and common cold symptoms. Once again I am skeptical of these claims.

I would be very interested in any information on the subject of health concerns over air conditioning. I think this affects many people across the board and it particularly relevant at this time of year with the sun beating down on many of us.

8

Chemistry / What is pure water and at what temp. does it freeze?

« on: 23/06/2010 23:00:21 »

Tonight a friend told me that pure water does not freeze! He said that a TV show showed a beaker of pure water in a freezer unfrozen, before having a metal rod added and seeing the water immediately freeze. I presume he meant that pure water does not freeze at 0'C, as it must surely freeze at some point. So my question is, can this be true, and also what exactly constitutes pure water anyway? Is it the same as distilled water? If so I have frozen distilled water myself in a domestic freezer.

Thanks.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How do cats clean their eyes?

« on: 23/06/2010 22:49:21 »

I'm guessing they clean them the same way we do. I guess they have some form of subaceous glands around the eye. Whilst they may not blink that often I suppose they do nevertheless blink and close their eyes regularly. Certainly at least when they clean the rest of their faces they tend to close their eyes.

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The Environment / Re: Could the thin air in Jo'burg affect the flight of a football?

« on: 23/06/2010 16:45:42 »

I understand the effects of high altitude on an athlete. This is well known and easy to understand. I still am not sold on the effect on the ball though. If it effects the ball would it not effect everything else that moved through it?

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The Environment / do we really love our planet ?

« on: 19/06/2010 21:45:15 »

No, I hate MY planet and hope to see it's demise within my lifetime. To help it along I have been known to leave the refrigerator door open slightly, thereby preventing the light from going off.

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The Environment / Could the thin air in Jo'burg affect the flight of a football?

« on: 19/06/2010 21:34:15 »

In case you didn't know it is the football/soccer world cup in South Africa right now, and my question relates to it.

The tournament is being held in some places of high altitude. A couple of work mates commented on how the 'thin air' is effecting the movement of the ball through the air. I am a little skeptical of this and can't imagine it to be true. Surely something the size of a football move at speed will not be effected in any tangible way. Has anyone got any idea if I am right to be skeptical or if my colleagues are correct?

Thanks

13

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How are plants modified to be pest resistant?

« on: 15/05/2010 01:46:48 »

Hi there

yes you are right

In fact, engineers now can manipulate the genes of living organisms which can be transformed as  planned but the further effects of that are not always studied or well known

to give to a plant the capability to kill the insect, engineers have to do lots of work in the lab to isolate the gene producer of the toxin  and introduce it in the genome of the plant so the resulted plant  is genetically modified and hence it behaves as a pesticide

but the most important question here is "are we eating pesticides" ??

Myriam

Similarly some crops are 'engineered' to withstand temperature variations or extremes. By your logic we should be asking 'are we eating anti-freeze'.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / why can't scientists reanimate dead bodies ?

« on: 15/05/2010 01:38:07 »

The genome is present in each cell of the body, not just one.

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General Science / Have they really found Noah's Ark (again)?

« on: 11/05/2010 11:51:56 »

I think they found the chariot belonging to Zeus too. One of the wheels was missing but it was definitely his.
 []

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General Science / Which is more efficient, a mechanical clock, or a digital clock?

« on: 11/05/2010 11:48:03 »

Surely it would depend on a lot of things. Like the size of the clock, arms etc. A clock will run a battery down faster if it's effectively running a large motor to turn the arms. Similarly if the battery is illuminating a large display it will use more power than a small dim display. This seems like a pretty inane question to be honest.

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That CAN'T be true! / Indian yogi master has not eaten in 70 years!!!

« on: 11/05/2010 07:02:47 »

Has anyone got any idea or opinion on the current media story about an Indian mystic who claims not to have eaten for 70 years.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100510/tod-starving-yogi-astounds-indian-scient-451ab4f.html

I think it has to be bunk and said so when my wife told me of the story last week. However the story has returned and now claims that the guru has been monitored in an Indian facility for the past two weeks and has not eaten. My thoughts are that Indian facility's are not to be trusted in such matters, but who knows.

Anyway, I would be interested an in anyone else's opinion.

18

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Can recipients of organ transplants inherit the preferences of their donors?

« on: 05/05/2010 11:06:46 »

Wow! Did I just stumble into the new age forum or what?

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Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Is there 2 meters of DNA on each nucleus in our bodies?

« on: 05/05/2010 10:56:02 »

What a fantastic reply! Thank you for that. That is just the kind of thing I was looking for. I had no idea of the length of a bp. The fact that you added is even more amazing than the one I questioned.

Thank you very much and well done.

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Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Is there 2 meters of DNA on each nucleus in our bodies?

« on: 29/04/2010 16:29:39 »

I am studying Human Biology and have been given a fact that I have come across several times before but always found difficult to believe. I know I should accept it but I just find it so amazing. The fact is:

'there is approx. 2 meters of DNA in each cell'

When I imagine the size of a cell, then I imagine the nucleus of that cell it is hard to believe this can be possible. It probably is but I thought I would share it and see what folk think.

Thanks.