MigL

We only ever get information about 'reality' by interacting with it. Whether by touch, sight, or our other senses, or, by the use of instruments to augment our senses. This is especially true of Quantum Mechanics, which tells us that there is no 'reality' until an interaction/observation defines or fixes a state. IOW, we can never know what 'reality' is, only how it is affected, and responds, to our prodding interactions.

What a relief. I thought for sure some perv was going to mention 'boobs'.

You''ll have to do better than that. Drinking, fornicating, marriage, voting, and running for office are prohibited to minors, not to adults who are capable of making their own decisions. As for retirement, canada has no mandatory age for retirement; you can work until you are 80, if able, and can 'retire' at any age. Benefits/pensions paid to youhave certain rules ( just like employment insurance, child benefit or welfare ), but they apply to all adults equally. Smoking already is a privilege, because you can only do it in certain areas, but this law criminalizes buying something, which others are allowed to.

Inertial confinement uses a pellettised Tritium target , and the lasers provide the high temperatures to momentarily 'ignite' fusion. Wondering how difficult it would be to use a magnetically confined torus target, and provide the initial temperature with lasers, but then, rely on the 'ignited' fusion reaction to sustain reaction temperatures in the magnetically confined torus. The neutron problem seems almost trivial ( but maybe the engineering is not ). A heavy water moderator is used to slow the neutrons and form tritium from the deuterium, ensuring a self-generating supply of fuel.

We haven't had a good political discussion in a while, and I miss butting heads with INow, Zapatos, Peterkin, and Phi. New Zealand recently passed a law that makes it illegal to buy or sell sigarettes to anyone born after 2008. New Zealand passes legislation banning cigarettes for future generations - BBC News Now I think this is a valiant effort to combat the smoking problem and its related health and societal issues, but I don't like the method used. The ban currently affects minors, but in 4 or 7 years ( depending on age of majority ), those minors will be adults. Adults who have one less 'right' than any other adult who is a year or more older. This law, in effect, legislates two classes of adult citizens. No law should be able to do that. ( and if I have to give examples, you haven't been paying attention to history ) Your thoughts ?

You can usually tell ... If Notifications informs you that 3 people reacted to a specific post, and the counter below your post is showing +1, then you know that, of the three votes, one was negative. Its almost like non-local entanglement 😄 .

OMFG ! Can you see air ???? Yet we are able to build planes that use properties of air to stay aloft and fly. What the hell are you talking about Phi probably has more Physics knowledge in the nail of his left pinky finger than you have in your head. About the only good thought you've had since you joined is that we might as well ban you.

So many misconceptions, so little time to explain. Light has a maximum speed limit. When you look far-away , you are looking into the past. When you look at the Sun, you are seeing lght that left its surface 8.5 min ago; when you look at the nearest star, that light left it over 4 years ago. We know what the universe looks like 10 billion light years away, so we know what it looked like 10 billion years ago.

Quantum mechanics is a paradigm shift in the way we understand the workings of reality at the smallest, most fundamental levels. How could it NOT affect any of mankind's future endeavors ?

Thanks Eise, but the information you provided is lost on Joe, who doesn't realize that space doesn't expand ( into anything else ), separation between large scale features of the universe is increasing. It would be great if people had a basic understanding of the topics whren they choose to participate in a discussion; something as simple as reading the Wiki page on that particular subject. Otherwise stick to asking questions, rather than making assertions.

When I throw something out, the trash man picks it up ...

We discuss the scientific aspects of Religion, and/or how it relates to science. Religion can be considered a form of mysticism, as they are both faith based, subjective belief systems, lacking any objective evidence. As such, for the purpose of a science forum, they both fall under the heading of 'MumboJumbo'.

You, and Joe, are free to believe whatever you want. But this is a science forum, so when you, and Joe, want to discuss the available observational evidence, and the conclusions that can possibly be drawn from it, I will participate. Until then, I will bitch and complain that you, and HijackJoe, are wasting everyone's time.

Just wonderful ! And at least what I posted can be backed up with evidence; can your post do the same ? This is Philosophy, but on a science forum. Everything should be backed by evidence or logically consistent arguments.

Long winded posts that jumble ideas together without separating into paragraphs, that talk about subjective concepts with no objective evidence, on a science forum of all places, and that no one bothers reading. Generally, a waste of everyone's time; seems very troubling to me.

You can figure all that out once you understand how a simple capacitor works. Charges ( or lack of ) do migrate, and attract opposite charges. Take Mordred's advice and start with the basics.

The speed of light measured in any inertial frame is c . What happens is that a frequency/wavelength shift is noted, such that if you are an observer situated in a gravity well, The light falling in to the observer will be 'blue shifted' to higher frequency/shorter wavelength. ( and light climbing out of a gravity well is 'red shifted' ) If situated too close to a black hole, other effects will become apparent that let you know you are no longer in an inertial frame.

Absolutely ! Stars, planets and galaxies are 'painted' on the celestial orb surrounding the Earth. Except there's no observational evidence for that, either !

You gotta love it when Joe, who professes to know very little Physics, insists on telling learned people how things work. I was wondering when someone was going to bring up 'residual' electrostatic forces that provide for molecular bonding. A 'grounded' charge feels no force, so Joe would think that a 'grunded' mass ( such as on the Earth's surface ) would also feel no force, yet it does; we call it weight Fields are particular to the model, and sometimes treating them as 'liquids' works for that particular model; sometimes a different approach is required.

Beer bloats you, and cheese constipates you => distended stomach. None of the things I like are good for me.

If you work hard, the energy density of 'green shrubbery' cannot provide the needed calories unless you consume large amounts and end up with a distended midsection ( like gorillas ). On the other hand, some foods, mainly starchy carbs, like breads and pasta ( but also rice and potatoes ) will contribute to the 'typical European physique'; large around the midsection ( barrel shape ) but with relatively thin arms and legs. ( I don't know if there are any studies done on this, but I do notice it in most middle aged Italians ) Like everything else in life, there are no simple answers. Moderation in everything you eat is the only advice.

No one has ever been banned for having a difference of opinion with another poster. And you convince others to your point of view with a robust argument; not complaints. Why not just drop it and concentrate on your posts; not complaining about others' ?

Never been a fan of LaTex either.

You are focusing on the part about being right or wrong; which are not against the rules. We are all here to learn. I've been wrong lots of times, as I'm sure you have; allow others the same courtesy. And referring to someone as a 'moron' is against the rules; even if as a choice between troll or moron.

What is the intended purpose ? I simply assume that, as the universe cools, particles of the appropriate mass/energy are created at the appropriate temperatures. It is the annihilation of these particles with their anti-particles that poses the problem of preponderance of matter WRT anti-matter.