Things you wonder about

[twilyth]

I wonder how much alcohol evaporates from a glass of wine you leave out over night.

[Black Panther]

I wonder what's at the edge of the universe. And if there's an edge... what is there beyond.

[twilyth]

Originally Posted by Black Panther

I wonder what's at the edge of the universe. And if there's an edge... what is there beyond.

Oddly enough, this is the cover story of the August edition of SciAm.

edit: sorry, Scientific American.

[jmcslob]

I wonder why the world seems to be pushing for advancement across the globe...
Methinks it's more than just cheap labor.

[twilyth]

The new world order dude. Mark of the beast coming to a bodega near you.

{j/k} Or am i?

The globalization thing only goes so far. A lot depends on culture. In a lot of cultures, they just don't care about accumulating possessions. I remember one study from sociology where some Germans opened up a factory in the S. Pacific I think. they couldn't get the people motivated so they offered to double their wages. They responded by working half as much.

Not every culture is going to be like China or India.

[jmcslob]

Why is China and India suddenly modernizing though?
seriously why??? why now??? why not in 1830?
What's changed that makes right now the time?

[twilyth]

Oh. Good point. With china it was mainly the communist regime. That's why nixon gets so much credit for "opening up" china.

With india, i don't know. population growth is probably part of it. more people means more demand for more stuff. I'm sure there's a lot more to it though. This is a good one for our indian and east asian members.

[Soylent Joe]

I wonder if I'll ever be able to break my addiction to Honey Buns

[twilyth]

I'm sure there's a 12-step program for it someplace.

[DrPepper]

Wondering how much energy my car produces per 50 litre tank compared to how much my house consumes per day.

[HossHuge]

Yesterday, I was wondering about how the world would be so different if Mao Zedong and his Communists didn't win the revolution (1949) in China. All of China would be like Taiwan now and put a serious strain on world resources.

[DrPepper]

Another is how do pornstars (male) get the job.

[HossHuge]

Originally Posted by twilyth

Oh. Good point. With china it was mainly the communist regime. That's why nixon gets so much credit for "opening up" china.

And "closing down" Taiwan in the UN.

[twilyth]

Originally Posted by DrPepper

Wondering how much energy my car produces per 50 litre tank compared to how much my house consumes per day.

It's not really a fair comparison since internal combustion engines are so inefficient. My furnace (oil, forced air) is about 85% efficient. The old one was probably only 60-70%. I'm pretty sure a car engine is way below even that.

Ofc that just for heating. For electricity, like a hot water heater, I would guess the comparison is even worse.

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by twilyth

It's not really a fair comparison since internal combustion engines are so inefficient. My furnace (oil, forced air) is about 85% efficient. The old one was probably only 60-70%. I'm pretty sure a car engine is way below even that.

Ofc that just for heating. For electricity, like a hot water heater, I would guess the comparison is even worse.

Well the car engine is a 1000cc 3 cylinder but it's more of a curiosity than a serious proposition.

[theJesus]

Why do we park in a drive-way and drive on a park-way?

Originally Posted by Black Panther

I wonder what's at the edge of the universe. And if there's an edge... what is there beyond.

It's like Mario, you just start over on the other side.

[twilyth]

Originally Posted by theJesus

Why do we park in a drive-way and drive on a park-way?

It's like Mario, you just start over on the other side.

The first question is an even greater mystery than the second.

I haven't read the article yet and I'll probably just skim it anyway - if I can focus again someday (this is how I get behind on my reading). The bottom line though is that no one has a clue.

My own theory (patented and trademarked in case any of you lot were thinking of stealing it ) is that the universe is a dimensionless point and everything in it is just a different aspect of the same point. I think that's original, but I wouldn't bet on it. It's sort of a spoof of the idea of a holographic universe - something I won't even try to explain (as if I could).

[theJesus]

Originally Posted by twilyth

The first question is an even greater mystery than the second.

I haven't read the article yet and I'll probably just skim it anyway - if I can focus again someday (this is how I get behind on my reading). The bottom line though is that no one has a clue.

My own theory (patented and trademarked in case any of you lot were thinking of stealing it ) is that the universe is a dimensionless point and everything in it is just a different aspect of the same point. I think that's original, but I wouldn't bet on it. It's sort of a spoof of the idea of a holographic universe - something I won't even try to explain (as if I could).

I think I'm in a coma and the whole universe exists only within my dreams.

edit: Oh, and the whole 2012 thing is just a prediction of when I'll wake up.

[Princess]

I wonder why things are named what they are. I wonder what life would be like if certain things in my life had gone differently. I wonder what I look through other peoples eyes, I wonder why some people are so stupid..Do they know they're stupid? Or do they just wander through life, contemplating nothing.

[twilyth]

Originally Posted by Princess

Or do they just wander through life, contemplating nothing.

Contemplation of nothing is one path to enlightenment - aka quiet sitting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung-shan#Later_life

[de.das.dude]

i wonder why LOLcats are so goddamn funny.

[SK-1]

Originally Posted by Black Panther

I wonder what's at the edge of the universe. And if there's an edge... what is there beyond.

My number one. I have had this exact same thought from about age 7 until yesterday... when I found the answer. JK But in all seriousness that has been my major wonderment.

[Black Panther]

Wondering why ducks can't walk backwards. If they get in a tight spot where they can't turn around they remain stuck, seen it happening.

Apparently this question is common in the minds of computer techies/enthusiasts. I googled it and on the first page was a link to a thread on anandtech asking the same question...

[ProgressiveTokyo]

I wonder at what point we will reach the technological singularity and what implications it will have for all manner of societies across the globe. In particular our children who will grow up in a hyper-connected world where all the worlds knowledge is at their fingertips at all times.

Augmented reality will become the norm in my opinion. Wet-ware/hardware interfaces which make absorbing new information in real time a reality (they are already doing it with the blind and disabled, but it will not be limited to that in the future Im sure..the advantages are too great)

But there will be major opposition due to the old world power centers becoming threatened with a youth population a thousand times both smarter (learning curves will be incredibly reduced) and better at this new hyper-connected world than we ever were.

And I wonder how many of the fundamental paradigms of the 20th and early 21st century will become completely obsolete and may begin to even hinder progress. For example when real replicators which can instantly "3D print" anything from fundamental atoms and particles will render much of the scarcity/value paradigm completely irrelevant.

So many questions, but it is an exciting time to be alive...more-so than at anytime in history.

[Princess]

Originally Posted by ProgressiveTokyo

I wonder at what point we will reach the technological singularity and what implications it will have for all manner of societies across the globe. In particular our children who will grow up in a hyper-connected world where all the worlds knowledge is at their fingertips at all times.

Augmented reality will become the norm in my opinion. Wet-ware/hardware interfaces which make absorbing new information in real time a reality (they are already doing it with the blind and disabled, but it will not be limited to that in the future Im sure..the advantages are too great)

But there will be major opposition due to the old world power centers becoming threatened with a youth population a thousand times both smarter (learning curves will be incredibly reduced) and better at this new hyper-connected world than we ever were.

And I wonder how many of the fundamental paradigms of the 20th and early 21st century will become completely obsolete and may begin to even hinder progress. For example when real replicators which can instantly "3D print" anything from fundamental atoms and particles will render much of the scarcity/value paradigm completely irrelevant.

So many questions, but it is an exciting time to be alive...more-so than at anytime in history.

I respectfully disagree. I wish I'd been alive in the forties to be a fiery by deeply loved housewife. The fashion was beautiful, women were actually respected unlike nowadays..I would've been a fantastic housefrau..