Category Archives: Science
Do Constants Change?
In physics there are many values that are called “constants.” These include the speed of light in a vacuum, the gravitational constant, the fine-structure constant, and many others. These values have often been measured quite precisely; many are well-known. And … Continue reading
One Problem With Quantum Theory
Quantum Theory is one of our most successful scientific theories. Its predictions have been verified, often to an extreme level of accuracy. It has helped us to develop technologies that we rely on, that have brought us such wonders as … Continue reading
Victims Of Their Own Success
These days, many people adamantly refuse to take a vaccine, claiming that the vaccine can do more harm than the illness it is meant to combat. It is true that there is a risk of adverse reactions to vaccines, as … Continue reading
The Sky Is Blue
OK, Captain Obvious here, trying to make a point. Some people who profess an interest in science make claims such as, “The sky isn’t really blue,” and then go on to explain how the sky really isn’t blue. They’ll refer … Continue reading
The Rise Of The Machines
Sometimes people worry that one day, artificial intelligence will get out of control, and intelligent machines will massacre us. Maybe there will be an uprising of some sort. Maybe they’ll just stop working for us and let us die out.
Settled Science
Occasionally I will hear that some issue is “settled science.” Often it’s in the context of some controversial topic such as climate change. The consensus among climate scientists is that climate change is real and man-made. They tend to dismiss … Continue reading
Grey Goo
There is a new and highly speculative concept of nanotechnology, the creation of functioning machines that are extremely small, possibly even microscopic. At the moment we are not able to make such machines, but some scientists consider it to be … Continue reading
Tools and Rules
These are some basic principles I use to help sort through the various topics and suggested explanations. Using them can simplify discussions.
The Revenge of Schrödinger’s Cat
Quantum theory has produced an assortment of results that fly in the face of common sense. Particles that can be waves, particles that can be in two places at once – or nowhere at all – our being unable to … Continue reading
The Fermi Paradox
The Fermi paradox is the observation that, although there are billions upon billions of stars, we have not discovered any evidence of intelligent life. The question is, “Why not?”