What fascinates you?

People fascinate me, although the definition, intrigue, is probably closer. Do you know anyone who gets hot and bothered because your political persuasion differs from their's? Have you seen heated exchanges when sports fans' teams meet on the field? Some take that to the edge of acceptance. Why do you want another baby when you can barely afford the two that you have? What's the point of getting married if you don't want kids?

Opinions are fine, but if you know that sharing them will create waves, keep them to yourself!
 

I think when I watched the building of the Carrier the USS Gerald R. Ford kind of blew my mind. I can’t even imagine what the next class of Carriers will be like. I tried like the devil to get a ticket to the christening or the launching of this behemoth ship. Can you imagine a ship weighing about 100,000 tons? I think the top speed is around 30kts.
 

Flowers fascinate me …….they are so human , they close up at night, (asleep), and open in the morning (awake)…….drink plenty of water to stay alive, and no water, die !!……
plus they need supplements to stay healthy !!
 
Magna-Carta said:
Yes, I believe your first sentence is pretty much what I said, and is ‘generally’ correct.

If we were to take the word ‘theory’ in isolation, then I could make a theory up right now, on many subjects, as we all can. But it wouldn’t necessarily be a ‘scientific theory’.

In my example I was trying to make the point that specifically a ‘scientific theory’ goes beyond that. Scientific theories are supported by a large amount of evidence that have withstood rigorous testing and scrutiny. Including being openly scrutinised by other scientists in other countries independently. And then supported by any separate known ‘facts’. So much so that some scientist might put it across as sounding like 100% factual.

Scientific theories can still be modified however, or even overturned in light of new evidence or a better explanation. This would be a normal and healthy part of the scientific process. And for life in general for that matter.

This in part is why I struggle with religion – and people who want to debate it with me by just simply quoting me scripture, and giving me circular arguments. And see it all as facts in absence of a free thinking mind. I suppose its called 'faith' for a reason?

I don’t want to pick on semantics, but I would say that if there are some physicists, as you point out, saying “Einstein's theory of relativity was recently disproven” as a matter of fact, then I would say that those physicists aren’t physicists/scientist – it would seem to be a strange thing for them to say. I would have thought that if it’s been ‘disproven’ then it would be so significant that it would be headline international news, but it’s not. Then the follow up words, “but it's still debatable” in the same sentance wouldn’t make sence to me either. As for me they are too much of a contradiction to have in the same sentence.

EDIT / Update. I suppose if there is any theory that disproves Einstein's theory of relativity (which one, his general theory or special theory), then that too should/will be subject to scrutiny and debate by people who know the subject much better than I. And based on being tested in order to make accurate predictions that can be repeated. That’s what science is all about after all.
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If you don't understand that the same word may have more than one meaning, polysemous, then I doubt rocket science is for you.
 
C50 said:
What's past the boundary at the edge of the universe? When I hear it described as a void or nothingness my mind can't wrap around that. How can there simply be blankness?
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Try thinking about it like this. The universe is all there is, so there can't be anything outside of it. Space itself was created at the Big Bang and it is expanding. But, it isn't expanding into something else. Don't think of it like a balloon.
 
Magna-Carta said:
I don't think some scientists explain themselves very well when thay say 'theory'.

I suppose the thing is, some scientist consider theories as facts for a reason. You & I might have a traditional understanding or definition of the word, theory. But I believe a scientist might view & use the word differently. A “scientific theory” is not a guess or a hunch.

A “scientific theory” is a well-substantiated explanation of a “set of other facts” that have been repeatedly confirmed through experimentation and observation. Understanding their use of this word gives a different take & a better understanding of what a scientist means when they say ‘theory’. A “scientific theory” is something that’s considered to be reliable and accurate. It’s a theory that is build up from other related scientific facts.

My own simple definition of a 'fact' is something that doesn’t necessarily need to be supported by theory or opinions.

Opinions are important, of cause that are, in that they are the driver to establish a theory, which then drives to find a ‘scientific theory’. Which then goes towards finding & establishing facts.

In an oversimplified way, an opinion needs facts/direct evidence to qualify it, but facts have no use for opinions.
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Yes! It always annoys me to hear some blowhard thinking he is refuting someone by saying, "well that's just a theory."
 
charry said:
Flowers fascinate me …….they are so human , they close up at night, (asleep), and open in the morning (awake)…….drink plenty of water to stay alive, and no water, die !!……plus they need supplements to stay healthy !!
Click to expand...
As an old landscape and nature photographer, I've always liked how you British folks are so fascinated by and enjoy our planet's plants, especially flowers. Also like how British folks more often discuss plants using scientific names versus often ambiguous common names. Given the heavy rains during this current winter, wildflowers in our favored locations with huge annual seed beds often dormant for years until big winters, will be putting on an epic show in just a few weeks. A good website for our Southwest wildflower lovers.

https://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html

Below is one remote location in Carrizo Plain National Monument with vast expanses of wildflowers, I'll soon be visiting:

This is a 4 column 2 row focus stack and stitch blended 12300 by 8500 pixels image, herein downsized to 1500 pixels for the web. Web search with "Carrizo Plain wildflowers", opening up a browser Images tab.

QL04186-04229-4x2vy.jpg


Another popular location is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. So a heads up for any able to take a vacation at short notice. Yeah... be fascinated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Valley_California_Poppy_Reserve
 
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Geezer Garage said:
Who put the bomp in the bomp shu bomp? Who put the ram in the ramma lamma ding dong?

"What fascinates you?"​

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Who put the bomp? Probably The Witch Doctor, he's well versed in gibberish:

I told the witch doctor, you didn't love me true
Doh, doh, doh, doh
I told the witch doctor, you didn't love me nice
Doh, doh, doh, doh
And than the witch doctor, he gave me this advice
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
 
horseless carriage said:
...

Opinions are fine, but if you know that sharing them will create waves, keep them to yourself!
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I have a harder time doing that in real life than I do on these forum.

My sons and I have wildly differing political views (my daughter and I think alike), so if politics ever came up while we were together, like for a barbecue or whatever, things would get heated. They would actually get angry that I believed "such nonsense," and that surprised me because I stressed lessons in tolerance when they were young.

Whatever their opinions are is A-OK with me, so it's certainly not worth challenging them and I've learned to keep my opinions to myself....

...unless :p

I mean, if I can support my opinions with an obvious, non-confrontational example or whatever, I will, but for the most-part, around my sons, I keep them to myself.
 
David777 said:
As an old landscape and nature photographer, I've always liked how you British folks are so fascinated by and enjoy our planet's plants, especially flowers. Also like how British folks more often discuss plants using scientific names versus often ambiguous common names. Given the heavy rains during this current winter, wildflowers in our favored locations with huge annual seed beds often dormant for years until big winters, will be putting on an epic show in just a few weeks. A good website for our Southwest wildflower lovers.

https://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html

Below is one remote location in Carrizo Plain National Monument with vast expanses of wildflowers, I'll soon be visiting:

Below is a 4 column 2 row focus stack and stitch blended 12300 by 8500 image, herein downsized to 1500 pixels for the web. Web search with "Carrizo Plain wildflowers", opening up a browser Images tab.

QL04186-04229-4x2vy.jpg


Another popular location is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. So a heads up for any able to take a vacation at short notice. Yeah... be fascinated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Valley_California_Poppy_Reserve
Click to expand...
I have been to the Antelope Valley..you are right ..it can be beautiful.
 
oldlongwalker said:
Try thinking about it like this. The universe is all there is, so there can't be anything outside of it. Space itself was created at the Big Bang and it is expanding. But, it isn't expanding into something else. Don't think of it like a balloon.
Click to expand...
What fascinates me is we really do not know with certainty all there is to know about space, time, etc..perhaps one day we shall :unsure: :)
 
oldlongwalker said:
Try thinking about it like this. The universe is all there is, so there can't be anything outside of it. Space itself was created at the Big Bang and it is expanding. But, it isn't expanding into something else. Don't think of it like a balloon.
Click to expand...

I see the universe as a cake.

My cake analogy is based on everything within it, between any two points, expanding at a constant rate. But when you then add several 'two point' together in a line, the extremities of each end of all those points are moving away faster than any two points within that line. Due to relative velocity.

These edges of the cake therefore are moving apart faster than any two points within it. If I were then use that analogy to look at the universe. This might be why opposite edges of the universe might appear as though they are moving apart faster than the speed of light.

The speed limit of all things ‘within’ the universe being the speed of light (186282.397 miles per second). I see light as being just one thing within the universe, complying with a speed limit of everything. But the ‘universe’ being its own entirety, which might in itself, appears as if it’s breaking any speed limit rules?
 

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