Do you ever wonder how far along we are in our understanding of science? (1 Viewer)

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Matter is accelerated to beyond the speed of light all the time. Problem is, it happens on the event horizon of a black hole and we have utterly no idea what it does next.

If we could figure out how to generate gravity (gravity is cool, it breaks all kinds of laws that govern the other forces/energies) we could then set it up so that g-forces are counteracted and a ship might be pulled through space by a black hole continuously generated "X" distance in front of it. (The KK drive of Alan Dean Foster)

Yes, E=MC2 is true, on a macro level. On the quantum level, it's all higgeldy-piggeldy.
 
Taurus said:
Matter is accelerated to beyond the speed of light all the time. Problem is, it happens on the event horizon of a black hole and we have utterly no idea what it does next.

If we could figure out how to generate gravity (gravity is cool, it breaks all kinds of laws that govern the other forces/energies) we could then set it up so that g-forces are counteracted and a ship might be pulled through space by a black hole continuously generated "X" distance in front of it. (The KK drive of Alan Dean Foster)

Yes, E=MC2 is true, on a macro level. On the quantum level, it's all higgeldy-piggeldy.
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Everything is messed up on the quantum level. Some of the work scientists are doing in particle accelerators is just mind numbing. I know nothing of this KK drive. All I know is gravity is created by mass.
 
Science is funny stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm a SF freak from way back and I love this stuff, but..... We as a society are so quick to make resounding statements of irrefutable facts based on the cold hard basis of science. Fact is, when it comes to understanding the universe we live in we really don't know squat. It's really kind of funny if you think how we have built this whole realm of knowledge based on largely theories and assumptions. I understand that is a fundamental human characteristic....we want answers, but there is just so much we don't know, and the few things we think we do know don't stand up to real close examination. Any little kindergarden kid with a handful of "but why's" can take down the greatest scientist in the world.
 
ra said:
As long as I live long enough to see bacon and lasagna flavored ice cream, I will die content.
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Bacon Ice Cream

So you've got that going for you. I think that's great. :thuwink:

Or must both exist in order for you to die content? If so, then at least you're halfway there. I believe that if we apply ourselves, we could team up and make a million dollars each by tackling the lasagna ice cream issue. How hard could it be? I'll be checking my PMs, let's do this thing.

Or did you mean that a single ice cream must be flavored with both bacon AND lasagna? Because if that's the case, then I think you're just looking for something whose non-existence you can lament. Not that I blame you, because lamenting the non-existence of things is big fun.
 
killah said:
No, it is not a theory it is a fact, ok. Until you come up with a better "theory" and prove it in a lab, the onus is on you. We can't travel faster then the speed of light. It is simply a matter of fact. Energy = matter times the speed of light squared is one of the most beautiful equations ever thought up. It basically means that energy is mass and vive versa. When you hold a rock in your hand, you are holding energy. When an atom splits, it releases a certain amount of energy that can be determined by using certain mathematical principals. The speed of light is a constant but some very smart people think it might be getting faster or slower depending how fast the universe is expanding.

As for your understanding of the universe, I can't help you with that. I will say this man has come leaps and bounds in just the past 30 years of understanding our universe. In fact, the term "universe" is out dated it is generally assumed we exist in a multiverse and there are as many "universes" as they are grains of sand on the earth, probably more. Each universe has different sets of physics that rule. If you want to go to another universe, build a space ship, head toward the supermassive blackhole that sits in middle of our galaxy and jump right in.

If you really want to start to freak out on this stuff you should read more about M theory, good luck understanding it though. I doubt there is 1000 people in the world that understands this stuff.
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Killah,

You seem to deal with the here and now. That is fine; you may be right. What we know today may be all there is to know. By extention would you feel comfortable with the statement, "We will only learn how to apply technology to existing theories; but no new theory will unseat those in existence today--theory of relativity, theory of gravity, quantum theory, particle theory, etc."?

My perspective is there's more to the Universe than e=mc2. I think if Einstein were alive today, he'd be open to the possibility that in fact his theory may not hold for every situation but only those he has actually observed within our current context of time and space. Again, you may be right and in fact there is no way that human being will ever break the 186,000 miles per second speed barrier, but I think it can and will be done.

So back to the question of our understanding of science; assuming 10 means we know everything there is to know and 1 puts us at an elementatry understanding where would you place us---8 or 9? I'm being generous and place us at about a 2.
 
Well just remember science science has nothing to do with a belief. You can believe what ever you want and it might or might not happen. With science, you have to prove things. As of No. 25, 2006 at 2 pm, Einstein's "theories" albeit strange to our understanding of our practical world have been proven to be correct.

He theorized about the existence of black holes and now we know they are there. He said time would slow down the faster you go towards the speed of light and it is true and has been proven. He also said that nothing can travel faster then the speed of light and while we have not been close to approaching that incredible speed it looks like it is true.

So it is like I said before, you need to prove it before science will except the fact that someone or something can travel faster then the speed of light. I looked for the episode of Cosmos that explains, in layman's terms, special relativity for you because I don't explain the theory nearly as well as Carl Sagan did. However, I couldn't find it on youtube or other places on the Internet so I guess we are out of luck.

Pure Energy said:
Killah,

You seem to deal with the here and now. That is fine; you may be right. What we know today may be all there is to know. By extention would you feel comfortable with the statement, "We will only learn how to apply technology to existing theories; but no new theory will unseat those in existence today--theory of relativity, theory of gravity, quantum theory, particle theory, etc."?

My perspective is there's more to the Universe than e=mc2. I think if Einstein were alive today, he'd be open to the possibility that in fact his theory may not hold for every situation but only those he has actually observed within our current context of time and space. Again, you may be right and in fact there is no way that human being will ever break the 186,000 miles per second speed barrier, but I think it can and will be done.

So back to the question of our understanding of science; assuming 10 means we know everything there is to know and 1 puts us at an elementatry understanding where would you place us---8 or 9? I'm being generous and place us at about a 2.
Click to expand...
 
whiteshadowen said:
Science is funny stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm a SF freak from way back and I love this stuff, but..... We as a society are so quick to make resounding statements of irrefutable facts based on the cold hard basis of science. Fact is, when it comes to understanding the universe we live in we really don't know squat. It's really kind of funny if you think how we have built this whole realm of knowledge based on largely theories and assumptions. I understand that is a fundamental human characteristic....we want answers, but there is just so much we don't know, and the few things we think we do know don't stand up to real close examination. Any little kindergarden kid with a handful of "but why's" can take down the greatest scientist in the world.
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There are a few things we've got a pretty good handle on, however. Your computer works because of them. Same with your TV, jet planes, etc.

It's much like the evidence presented at a trial. You can look at the victim and say he died of a gunshot wound to the head while remaining cognizant of the remote possibility that he wasn't actually shot, but operated upon in such a manner as to mimic the effects of a bullet travelling at high velocity. Your basic detective isn't going to start looking for a state-of-the-art combination operating theatre and special-effects studio...he's going to start looking for a gun.
 
Common colds will never be cured...it would cost drug companies too much.

/Conspiracy
 

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