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

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

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

What life exists in living and nonliving things?

If your alright with nonspecific species, then bacteria are the answer. They are ubiquitous and many are autotrophic; 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

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

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

Is gravity (according to Einstein) the effect from a distortion in the space-time fabric or the actual curvature of space-time?

First, it’s notable: You have to realize Einstein’s theory is a model of gravitational phenomenon per our observational affirmations. In … More

What is the value of taking a linguistics class in college if you are not a linguistics major?

It makes a better learner – and a better person – in many ways. You use language to learn everything. … More

How does Quantum Field Theory address wave particle duality?

Statistically. The duality is due to our mathematical models based on probability. Via calculus and empirical observation, we don’t literally … More

Why can’t humans feel or detect the Earth’s magnetic field like birds (might) do?

It’s likely most creatures do not sense it due to either sensory habituation, lack of survival utility, or a biophysical … More

Why can’t we live without water?

Water is the solvent of life. Metabolic and homeostatic systems need something like water to function. It’s polar and so good for … More

Why does light diffraction happen? Does it relate to particle-wave duality?

Diffraction is a fundamental interaction of light with matter. Specifically, photons interacting with electrons. Photons are oscillations of the electromagnetic … More

Is the Earth considered a living being?

Most any definition of life would not include a planet as a living being; only the organized anomalies within or on … More

How do photons interact with other photons and with matter?

In most conditions, light doesn’t interact photon-to-photon. The field they flow in doesn’t engage the constituent particles this way. Photons … More

Do photons have mass if they are bent by gravity?

No. It’s a massless force carrier of matter, via the electric force (or the electro-magnetic force to be broader). It’s … More

What’s in the inner-space between stuff, and outer-space?

True vacuum. Oddly, there is actually stuff in there; albeit “virtually“. Quantum field theory suggests that the void between matter … More

Is there any realistic way we can see or travel to alternate universes and dimensions?

We’re bound to our dimensions, and so our universe. For all we know, we’re messing around in others’ universe without … More

Can gravitational lensing just be dust or an effect of magnetic bodies?

I think the evidence shows that massive bodies bend light, magnetism physically cannot. To address magnetism: photons are EM emissions, … More

Why is life impossible on the moon?

It’s only impossible if you forget anything is possible. There is a possibility life exists on – or in, more … More

How can I make a film from powdered cellulose?

I think a “solution” in water laid to dry on a pan could form a lattice of cellulose. However this … More

How does the gravity of photons affect each other as they move?

Photons are massless and so do not influence the gravitational field. They do propagate through space-time, which is influenced by … More

What is matter ultimately made of?

A manifestation of energy via many fields and spatial dimensions. Ultimately: who knows?

What’s something that sucks about being white?

Disclaimer: I almost ignored this question but I figured it was fitting for this blog, as it’s a broad spectrum … More

Why is there dust in the air and on appliances when the sun shine’s through the window?

The sun beams reflect off the dust and make it easily visible. That dust is always there but usually not … More

Which is the biggest star other than the sun?

It’s likely most stars are larger in mass than the Sun. Visually, per perspective, the Sun is the largest. However, … More

Is a rainbow formed on the sky real or virtual?

It’s formed by your perception of light on your retina from light refracted in the atmosphere. Real or virtual is … More

What is the origin of gravity?

It’s possible gravity is an interaction between massive particles with force carriers exchanging in an unseen dimension. This would describe … More

How do you get to know someone who thinks nobody understands them?

Unlike the rest, you’ll have to extract a lot of information from them, like their habits, thoughts, and beliefs. All … More

Can you give evidence the Earth is round and not flat?

I’ll have to make a blog with all the reasons I can think of sometime. For now I’ll give you … More

If I have a cylindrical pipe, closed at one end, fill it with water and freeze it, will the ice burst the pipe?

This depends on the dimensions of the pipe as the open end’s surface area must allow a rate of flow … More

What is the main source of the Sun’s light and heat?

Gravity. Without it there can’t be all those atoms crushed together and radiating electromagnetic radiation and particles and at such … More

Why couldn’t the Planet Nine, or say Planet Ten, just be a wormhole or a new type of black hole we haven’t seen yet?

It likely isn’t micro black holes as these don’t last very long due to loss of mass from radiation (black … More

Is water flammable?

Flammable meaning it is able to become a flame, would be no, but let’s try to find a way, and … More

How does a dehumidifier remove water vapor from air?

This will be with large volume machines in mind but applies to any dehumidifier and the cooling system is basically … More

Why aren’t ordinary objects attracted by gravity and stick together?

If these ordinary objects were all alone in space they would go flying together as they are indeed attracted by … More

How can I effectively transplant a saguaro cactus?

One component of success is not getting a huge fine. Saguaros fall under Arizona’s Protected Plants Law. A property owner … More

A Mel’s Dozen of Personal Questions

I suppose there were supposed to be 11 questions, but a Mel‘s Dozen is 12 so I’ll oblige. 1. Naked … More