Other Sciences

The rare conjunction of orbital mechanics, the transit of Venus, was perhaps the most anticipated scientific event of the 18th century. Expeditions set off for the far corners of the Earth, including one by Capt. James Cook who sailed to Tahiti to observe the transit. He went on to discover the continent of Australia where I have lived for the last four decades. Explorers like Cook went in hopes of answering one of the most vexing scientific questions of the day: How far away is the Sun? “This was the big unknown for astronomy 250 years ago,” said Owen Gingerich, an emeritus professor of astronomy and history of science at Harvard. Without that number, much else abou…

I'm doing a science fair experiment, and I need to use copper electrodes to send electricity through the soil. What do I need to connect the speaker wire I bought to the electrode?

So last night we had baked potatoes. My dad noticed one of the potatoes rocking back and forth in the oven. He didn't think anything of it, and came back 20 minutes later and it was still going! Eventually it stopped, but started up again by itself a few minutes later, then stopped again. I did get a video, but I don't think I can upload it here. The only explanation we could think of was the metal pan it was sitting on contracting in the heat of the oven. It gradually rocked more and more violently back and forth and then stopped. I am most definately not a scientist; it's very interesting, but I am far better at humanities! I was hoping some scientists could shed light…

Globally a lot of people eat rice as a part of their staple food. I have felt that I feel sleepy after consuming rice. I have personally observed this and a lot of peoples views have confirmed the same. Can anyone please throw light on this ... What (factors) in rice induces sleep? Is the variety/quality of rice linked to this? Has it been scientifically proven? Does the glycemic load/glycemic index of rice play a role in triggering sleep? What is the mechanism of action of factor(s) that induce sleep? Does the brain need to concentrate on digestion of rice and switches off the other signals which make us lethargic? Please help me uncover the mystery behind thi…

What exactly is the mind ? Our nervous system or an extension of it? What are the attributes of our mind? Euphoria ? Intelligence ? Imagination ? Will the same set of stimuli (in a controlled environment) produce identical mental states? Please advise.

Watching the TV the other day with my partner when I heard her say "Really, we still use steam to generate electricity?" When I confirmed to her that yes we still do, she looked at me dumbfounded, which made me think, "why have we not been able to generate large quantities of electricity without steam?" So I jumped onto the internet and there it was, that word that drives our society these days "Economical". It seems that tech created over 100 years ago is still the only economical way to generate electricity. WHY? How the hell could we possibly create a colony on the moon or anywhere else where water is rare if we still need steam to generate electricity…

I was musing as to whether team sports like soccer or individual sports like chess define "intelligence" better. The former requires better co-ordination and "team-spirit". (if any such thing exists, plausibly) and the latter sheer grit. How does our nervous system handle these scenarios? Are they analogous or not? Any pointers on this. Thanks in advance.

This is my first post in this forum and since I don't think this is pseudoscience, and I couldn't find another category I would consider more appropriate, I decided to post here. If this is the wrong category, then I apologize. I am by no means a scientist, more of a budding herbalist, or an aspiring horticulturist, what have you, but my primary interest lies in the genetic engineering of new plants- specifically, as per my background in herbal medicine, plants which may revolutionize the medical field. Basically, this is an inquisitive post. I am wondering if there is a shortcut, so to speak, to making this happen: an alternative to genetically engineering a plan…

I am wondering what the applications of a mind machine are to psychology and the psychology of dreams. Specifically, I am thinking about generating a particularly introspective and/or immersive dream experience. Also, are there other ways to simulate the effect that a mind machine generates? Such as a sequence of images, colors, patterns, or shapes generated by a computer program?

specifically im using AC 10,000 volt process in distilled water one lead in solution with crystalline silver , silver crystals and other about 6 inches apart and 1/4 jnch above solution producing a constant purple arc try n to make silver colloids small nanoparticles 0.2 to 0.3 nm range ... my TDS reads 0.00 ppm at start and 3 hrs later 300.00 ppm and solution is crytal clear ,now when i used DC low voltage process the solution would turn light grey or yellowish between 10 ppm and 25 ppm my conclusion that if i can see something in solution then must not be nanoparticles in smaller range of between 0.2 & 0.3 nm any and all advice or assistance will be helpful…

Research is much needed to find a way to cleanse asbestos fibers from the inner human body-this would prevent asbestos related diseases!. For more information about asbestos log into asbestos wikipedia.

Hi, I was hoping someone can help me understand the 6 principles of Bureaucracy by Max Weber? I found a source here: http://www.bustingbureaucracy.com/excerpts/weber.htm but I'd like it to be clearer, basically and simply, what are the 6 principles/what is he saying?

Ever wonder how a stealth aircraft is made? I am going to share some of the secrets with you. First my disclaimer. I do not work for any government agency, nor subcontractor to a govt agency. What is said in this post is based off of common knowledge. Any similarity to the true process of our govts stealth technology is by calculated origin. No secrets were taken or a crime commited in getting this knowledge. I am just a common man who works in a warehouse. Where to begin, well lets start with the physical structure of the aircraft itself. If you ever notice a stealth aircraft is oddly shaped compared to other aircraft. This is for a purpose. As the angles are design…

Hello brains, I am hoping I can get some assistance. I am writing a sci fi novel and an idea I have introduced is a bodysuit which adapts to climate be it hot or cold, be it water, ice,or fire, and keeps the wearer safe, comfortable, and alive. Also, it maximises your muscles capabilities and stamina and can possibly be worn in open space, tear and puncture resistant also. It cannot be no armored Ironman type of suit though, something that looks more similar to a scuba diving bodysuit. Yes I know it is impossible especially with our level of technology or understanding for this to be a possibility but put aside the limitations for a moment, lets assume we have everything …

What are in your case, the best or most mysterious cryptid out there? Tell the story of of it and what it might have been. THE BLOOP The Bloop was a sound that was heard in 1997 and was so loud that the "creature" that created it would have been the size of a mountain . It is consistent with icequakes generated by icebergs colliding or scraping each other. However, it sounded like it had a biological origin, and who knows. Maybe there is an Everest sized whale out there. According to Wikipedia, bloop is the name given to an ultra-low-frequency and extremely powerful underwater sound detected by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. Th…

Which applications are often uses for stress analysis of concrete framed buldings in your country? Thanks in advance.

This thread is to offer the opportunity to share clever quotations that people have come across. To kick off here is one from Professor Inglis

Could you describe to me party animal: behavior, appearance, what he likes, how he dressed. 120 words. Everything can be ! my english isnt good because im from germany, help me

EDIT: I accidentally placed this in the wrong section. Goddamnit. Can a moderator move this? Recently I began a new inquiry into anthropogenic global warming/climate change unlike my previous ones. This time I had both experience debates provided, and a new perspective to explore that my earlier research queries blessed me with. My original stance was that of some confusion. As I wasn't entirely sure of the whole picture. Debating this on various forums helped substantially, and also aided in the gathering of information required for me to delve deeper into the anthropogenic climate change theory. - My first links will deal with the history and development of…

Evening all, I have touched upon various anthropological areas and I have developed a taste for this area of study and was wondering if anyone could recommend any good all round introduction books on this area of study? Many thanks, Samuel

I know its possible that our universe can exert energy into what would be a alternate universe via a membrane. That has me thinking. What about this alternate universe having a membrane here in this universe. Could our universe been created by a alternate universe where the matter of the alt universe flows into ours? Could a Big Bang event be caused by such? If such is possible. How many universes could there be.

Hi, I just had a question in my mind, What creates Deja Vu? We we know a couple things. Many have speculated different theories on the subject (e.g, There's a delay in data modelling images from 1 eye to thr next giving a 'Memory' type feeling of what your seeing). But not all of the Daja Vu can really be explained. Michio Kaku even has his own theory here: My hypothesis: The Brains attempt to succesfully make a datamodel of the future (Much like when someone makes a data model of a pants color, and they expect to see that color again when they see the pants) When the brain makes a succesful data model of a image, the Designer (Beholder) typically…

My friend and I were talking about some science-y things, and some of the things he said really intrigued me about questions with possibly blatantly obvious answers, but either way, I'm going to ask just to make sure. First of all, is it possible for light to manifest a physical form? We can see light, but is it possible to touch it, and warp it to a shape or any other physical form? Second, can huge amounts of sound create black holes? My friend says massive, and I mean massive, amounts of loud sound can create black holes, which to me sounds insanely stupid. Adding on to this question, can you be sucked in to a black hole if you're behind it? Black holes suck in every…

http://www.carricktoday.co.uk/news/local-headlines/households-to-claim-green-energy-grants-1-3075335 The Green Homes Cashback scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust, means each South Ayrshire household could be eligible for the funding towards installing a new boiler, insulation or other energy efficiency measures. Energy Saving Trust figures show 31 per cent of Scots householders have an interest in installing double glazing, 37 per cent are interested in fitting insulation to their home and 22 per cent would consider investing in a new energy efficient boiler. Read more: http://www.shelfari.com/groups/101394/discussions/478364/Crown-Capital-Managemen…

this palm-sized spider freaked me out ! who can tell me what kind of spider that is ? is it toxic and dangerous ? Thanks.