Author Archives: muser

“I don’t know.” Three of the hardest words to say – except maybe for: EyjafjallajökullpneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosisLlanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Many of us – probably most of us – seem to approach admitting ignorance with the same enthusiasm we approach a root canal. It is … Continue reading →

In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays while playing around in his laboratory. The discovery made enormous contributions to physics and other sciences. Röntgen received the first Nobel Prize for Physics his work. It also triggered intense interest … Continue reading →

Kirlian Photograph of Fingertip Kirlian photography is a technique of acquiring photographic images through the use of high-voltage electricity. It was developed in the Soviet Union by Semyon Kirlian and his wife Valentina during the first half of the 20th … Continue reading →

From time to time, authorities in Illinois would receive a call from someone claiming to have seen a cougar. These calls were usually ignored. There were no cougars in Illinois – there were no credible reports of cougars here. That … Continue reading →

In 1989, chemists Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann reported that they had achieved cold fusion. “Cold fusion” refers to a type of nuclear reaction that takes place at temperatures far below the several million degrees that are usually required for … Continue reading →

Pyramids – What were we thinking? The pyramids of Egypt – and in particular, the Great Pyramid of Giza – are among the most puzzling and contentious productions of human endeavor. In fact, one argument is whether the pyramids were … Continue reading →

Beresovka Mammoth The Beresovka Mammoth was found in Siberia in the early 20th Century. Its body had been relatively well preserved, frozen for about forty thousand years in the frigid tundra. There were a few mysterious facts that puzzled researchers.

Most of us admit that we don’t know everything. However, we usually feel certain about some of our facts. We may think they’re obviously true, or that they’re so certain that everyone accepts them. I want to challenge this assumption.