There is no known limit. It is possible that in trillions of years when we don’t exist, there will be … More
Author: ProfTomBot
Fisher Men-At-Arms
On an even keel… The fisher men go out into the deep blue sea They see the battle of Tripoli … More
A Northern Indigenous Wolf Tale
One day a girl’s father saw a wolf near the village and tried to kill it. His daughter saw it’s … More
What can I do about someone who makes a lot of assumptions about me?
The primary response is frustration and the desire to correct their assumption. Often, people with assumption disorder are having some … More
The Little Fly With A Heavy Back
Sometimes a fly wants to fly true and free. But once in a while it’s back gets heavy…. Sometimes being … More
Can religious people be considered freethinkers?
All people are free thinkers. That’s the nature of the human brain. However, it can occur that ideology is more … More
Listening as Knowing
It’s easy to forsake what you hear as blather. But words from other minds are valuable. When you listen you … More
Anomalies as Nominal: Abnormal is Normal
It’s easy to think bizarre things are of the realm of our typically contrived normal. However, according to logic and … More
If I know I’m nearing my end, how can I die a natural death?
Legally, many places may mess with you doing any form of euthanasia, “natural” or not. But literally, you are your … More
Imagination Station: Is there a Terminus?
Where does imagination end? Are there impossible things for a human mind to imagine? Suppose we became so brilliant we … More
Would you die instantly upon entering a black hole?
I think you’ll die for long time. No happy ending. As you spaghettify, you will be hauling so much ass … More
Can we use the Hubble space telescope to view the Moon? Could we see the Apollo mission leftovers?
I believe this is like asking if a telescope can be used as a microscope. The lens is optimized for … More
A Deterministic Present
As a sort of therapy for the uncertainty and burden of living with the past and future in a present … More
Since crude oil is almost as abundant and easy to access as water and is highly non-perishable, why can’t they be priced the same?
I fear you may be unaware of how petroleum is extruded and processed. Before crude oil is even useable for … More
Variety is the Spicey Essence of Life
Variety is a critical factor in biological evolution and for the purpose of survival in an ever changing hostile place. … More
Gravity as an Energy Source
What’s interesting, amongst various other fruits, about life here on Earth are human energy sources. Humans require regular animal metabolic … More
All People Are Created Special
You’ve heard it, “Everyone is special in their own way.” Then one asks, “How can everyone be special? That means … More
What is some advice you can give to a newfound atheist?
Atheism is itself a belief. Thus, do not bash believers. Treat their belief as yours: an idea of how the … More
Is clothing made of cotton better for the environment than clothing made of synthetic fabrics?
This is a complex system type question, so there is no easy answer. To aid you, let’s look at the … More
Location to the Third Power
The capitalists say it so much it’s like they’re trying to shove it up your location. It’s Location, Location, Location. … More
Irish Identity via Music
Recently I explored identity with respect to music. With this I inquired into how Irish immigrants used traditional Irish music … More
Nature’s Recurring Theme: Destruction is Creative
From supernovas to composting, our universe holds true to the idea that to create things you need to destroy things. … More
The Personal-Change-Effect
It is an undeniable fact that people change. Like all things known to us in the known universe, people are … More
The More Massive They Are the More Forceful They Fall
There is a common misconception that declares things fall at the same speed regardless of their weight. For instance, Galileo … More
Writing on the Grand Canvas Walls
Erosion writes a petroglyph composed over deep time Frozen into narrow cliffs exposed and too steep to climb There is … More
Travel in Time to a Redundant Dimension
It’s common to hear time referred to as the fourth dimension, an assumed complement to the three dimensional space we … More
Optimistically Assuming the Worst
It would seem quite pessimistic and anxiety-inducing to always assume the worst. However, there are benefits to consider here. When … More
The Tale of Two Truncs: 0.5 as 1 and 0.
Would you round 0.5 to 1 rather than 0? With no other information than “0.5 needs to be rounded to an … More
The Schematics of an Abstract World
As humans we are constantly engaging in particular and specific endeavors with behaviors equally ad hoc. Or so it would … More
Can nothing ever happen again?
Can nothing ever happen again? 1. Logically: No… or yes. 2. Pragmatically: Yes 1. If nothing ever happens again, then … More
Be Certain of Uncertainty
Zen Flash got me thinking from this one. I’ve found most negative affect comes from uncertainty. Anywhere from fear and … More
Where Ohm and Lotus Reside
For Adrian, Remember, when in doubt tao it out!
On the Nature of What We See
We cannot actually see what things are. In a sense, we can only see what they are not. This is … More
What life exists in living and nonliving things?
Bacteria are the answer. They are ubiquitous and many are autotrophic. Autotrophic is a fancy way to say they make … More
What does a scientist who found the theory of everything deserve?
Extreme scrutiny and skepticism. True science knows no truth, let alone something about everything. We can’t build a theory of … More
What’s the relevant use of studying tectonics?
The relevant application is to help societies know when and where massive amounts of energy can be released. If you … More
Is there a way to distinguish super-advanced technology from magic?
Find the fundamental causes and effects. Technology will always be bound and based on conservation laws of matter and energy. … More
What would happen if the Earth’s crust became twice as dense as the internal layers?
The crust would basically switch places with the less dense lower layers. You’d have to bust out Archimedes’s buoyancy formula … More
Hate Doesn’t Need Be
Hate is a funny word. It’s often used out of context. Regardless of definition, hate is a deep seeded, emotional … More
Piecing Together A Broken Mirror
Autism is a neurological disability that comes in three identified varieties. Autism Spectrum Disorder describes these varieties as subtypes. The … More
Tutorial: A Stylistic Application of Knowledge
“How It’s Made” in Smarty-Pants-Know-It-All Style: This method should be applicable – perhaps with variation on technique at points – … More
How can we use rock to tell the Earth’s magnetic field has shifted over the eons?
It’s a chronological index. Temporal patterns of the Earth’s magnetic flux influence orientations of magnetic material spewed from magma. The … More
Sacred Places: A Natural Temple
The most sacred of places cannot be built. In human folly, we feel we can make sanctuaries. Often they are … More
Original Music
[This is a complement to a previous Musical Origins related post] Assuming an Out-of-Africa model, 200,000 years ago there was … More
Me, Music, and I
Humans are complex, highly cognitive, cultural beings. There are many aspects that could influence and define a person’s identity. However, … More
War and Peace: A Peaceful Warrior
I shall stand and fight as a warrior of peace. My weapons are love and kindness. They cannot deliver harm, … More
Dualism or Monism: Is There A Choice?
Dualism and monism are contradicting perspectives of human existence. Dualism suggests that there is a human body and there is … More
Rock Out With Your Work Out
Listening to music during exercise or sports is certainly part of some people’s everyday experience. It seems that many people … More
Disease-Illness Distinction
Upon further discussion from my recent article on culture-bound disorders, I feel it’s useful to post an in-depth semantic insight … More
The Music-Language Connection
Language likely plays a very significant role in music; both its composition and performance. In early or pre-human communications, phonic … More