The SCIENCE thread

[Tiger Sora]

"Professor Hubert Farnsworth: These are the dark matter engines I invented. They allow my starship to travel between galaxies in mere hours.
Cubert J. Farnsworth: That's impossible. You can't go faster than the speed of light.
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Of course not. That's why scientists increased the speed of light in 2208.
Cubert J. Farnsworth: Also impossible
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: And what makes my engines truly remarkable is the afterburner, which delivers 200% fuel efficiency.
Cubert J. Farnsworth: That's especially impossible.
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Not at all. It's very simple.
Cubert J. Farnsworth: Then explain it.
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Now that's impossible! It came to me in a dream, and I forgot it in another dream".

This always comes to mind when the topic of science is raised.

Whos to say something can't go faster than the speed of light. We could be completely wrong, and that we've not yet discovered what can! Science is only what we've deemed it to be

We can have 200% fuel efficiency. It just depends on what we're measuring against.

Science shouldn't be cast in stone, due to the fact that theres always a probability that even the most fundamental cores of it could be proven incorrect or theres some workaround. Now I can't disprove anything, least not yet. But theres always the chance some nerd years in the future could change things right?

I think science should be cast in aluminum, (Highly versatile, easy to work with, can be recycled without degrading in quality and is awesome), so we can melt it down and change if needed.

Anyone here who agrees that established scientific facts have an absolute 0% chance of being wrong. I hope what remains of the matter that once consisted of your body tumbles angrily through space in 3 billion years. Cause science is only what we've said it is.

Due note: This is entirely hypothetical and refers mostly to physics and math. But until the day some space fairing race thats millions of years ahead of us, tells us we were right all along. You can't say I'm "wrong".

Now I'm off to invent something! Maybe some sort of death clock...

OT: 1: Physics
2: It's important to me cause it makes me think. Without stuff like this I theorize reading news and watching TV would allow some form of brain rot to set in. Don't want that.

 

[isometry]

Whos to say something can't go faster than the speed of light. We could be completely wrong, and that we've not yet discovered what can!

A common misconception is that faster than light travel (or some other fictional entities like wormholes) would be required to visit other galaxies in a human lifetime.

Because of length contraction, this is not true. Even traveling at less than the speed of light, you could fly across the entire universe in a rocket and visit the furthest galaxies.

For example, at a speed of 99.99999999999% the speed of light, you could reach the andromeda galaxy in under an hour. This galaxy is 2 million light years away from earth.

Its kind of funny. Physics already explains how to travel through space without going faster than the speed of light, but the public doesn't care, they are much more interested in the idea that physics might be wrong. I find this to be quite general, people aren't interested in how precisely we understand quantum mechanics and use it to make futuristic technologies like lasers and transistors --- they want to skip past all that and talk about how "nobody understands quantum mechanics, and maybe it's all wrong."

 

[dsawyers9]

1: What specific field of science do you find most interesting?
Zoologist, or biology. I also like both type of physics.

2: Why is that field specifically interesting to you?
I have taken both biology and physics and received a B or higher grade for the course when i was doing my BA. Both were enjoyable but the reason I like Zoologist, is because I've been a huge animal fan since I was a child. I used to spend hours upon hours watching the discovery channel; back when it was all about animals in general.

3: Why is this field important?
Biology and Physics is just a must along with chemistry. As a person whom isn't a full believer in a faith, I rely on science to prove almost everything and c'mon: Biology = human gnome or Quantum Physics? That's some cool stuff.

4: Where is this field used practically?
Biology is used for just about anything related to bio-organisms; from weapons to mapping out our ancestors. Physics is explaining how everything in our world works and what doesn't work is put in the area of Quantum and from there we try to understand it.

5: What are the most important basics of this field of science?
Organisms = biology
Gravity = Physics

6: Give some interesting, likely unknown facts about the field.
Biology in the hands of scientist have found cures to some of the worst diseases which led to the creation of a specialty called Immunology or Immunologist (one means the study of Immune system the other means a specialist which studies the Immune system)
Physics has proven that there is no point in the universe that Earths gravitational pull wont affect you, basically the gravitational pull will always be pulling on you while in the vacuum of space.

7: Clear up some misconceptions people have about it.
Biology is more than the study organisms and plants/animals. Biology as mentioned above, has aided in the creation of a field all in its own; Immunology. Biology has allowed physicians and scientist to test and create cures for diseases which plagued and killed many humans and animals and plants alike.
Physics has allowed us to learn about more than our selves, but also explains more and more about what we don't know. Take light for example, people believed that our sun and other suns were the main source of light for our planet. We soon found that while this may be true, other items like our moon or planets around us reflect light back at us and it is possible that our own light which we reflect out into space can be reflected back at us which could propose an infinite source of light or energy.

(On the notion of Alchemy, I do like the idea of the purpose which is combination of chemicals and or compounds to create another substance. What is false is the idea that alchemy is like that anime Full Metal Alchemist. I personally like combining chemicals is fun if done correctly and if you know what you're doing.)

 

[Tiger Sora]

Snip

Far past the realm of my knowledge. But I'll take a whirl of understanding.

Traveling at 99.99999999999% the speed of light traveling to B from A. We can reach B because space contracts?
So it's like.... the faster we go the shorter the accordion gets as a bad example.

But light itself takes, as from your example, 2 million years to travel to where we are. Why can we reach, doing slightly less speed, the same space in significantly less time.
I've heard of space folding or getting smaller before but, were going slower. Why and how does it only affect us?

I could be asking this all wrong, but go with it and teach me, lol.

 

[Death-Jester]

1: Overall I'm mainly interested in Physics but the facets of it I enjoy most have some cross-overs with Chemistry

2: What I'm most fascinated by in Phy/Chem are material properties. Determining what kinds of jobs are most suited to materials and how they behave on an atomic level during different processes or conditions

3: Alot of engineering and construction would be relying on guesswork if no one bothered to look at these

4: Telling engineers what material they should use for their job

5: You'd need a solid grasp of atomic structures and bonding. Knowledge about crystal structures would help

6: As water cools to ice it actually begins to expand while it's still a liquid when it drops below 4'C (~277K)

7: There is no conclusive argument about whether glass is a liquid or solid. However the example most often used of old church windows being thicker at the bottom isn't due to the glass flowing there over time, the process they used at the time for making glass didn't make perfect sheets so the heavier side was always made the bottom side.

 

[isometry]

Traveling at 99.99999999999% the speed of light traveling to B from A. We can reach B because space contracts?
So it's like.... the faster we go the shorter the accordion gets as a bad example.

Yes, the faster we go the shorter the accordion gets. Or instead of an accordion, think of a meter stick.

As you get closer to the speed of light, the whole universe shrinks down to a single point, from your point of view on the rocket ship.

Modern cosmology tells us that the radius of the visible universe is about 14 gigaparsecs, which is about 10^26 meters. The length contraction factor is calculated from this formula:

contracted length = original length * Sqrt[1-(v/c)^2]

where v is velocity and c is the speed of light. Using this formula we find that from the point of someone moving at v = 99.99999999999999999999999999% the speed of light, the entire universe contracts to a ball that is 1 meter in size.

Here is a wikipedia article on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Length_contraction

 

[Tiger Sora]

Snip

Alright I understand now. I did go and read that wiki page but just needed to confirm my own understanding of it.
Thanks for science'ing me buddy. Always fun to learn.

Now to go build that death machine....... I mean death clock.

 

[Random Fella]

1: What specific field of science do you find most interesting?
Chemistry
2: Why is that field specifically interesting to you?
I do all three Bio, Chem and Physics, but I'd have to say Chemistry is the most intresting, learning reactions and the amount of interesting things you can learn.
3: Why is this field important?
It's probably the most important field in science considering the benefits it provides in medicine, sure you could also say that intertwines with Biology but the basis is on Chemistry
Also the amount learn on war machines, reactions in weapons for example, enhancing military potential etc...
4: Where is this field used practically?
Mostly medicine and explosives I suppose, but also a lot of medical research
5: What are the most important basics of this field of science?
Chemical reactions most likely.
6: Give some interesting, likely unknown facts about the field.
The knowledge gives you the potential to commit murder without any evidence or remains of the person
I, guess that's unknown? To the common person anyhow. Don't mess with a Chemist.
7: Clear up some misconceptions people have about it.
You are never guaranteed a reaction from mixing chemicals
Mixing strange random chemicals or even random household chemicals can result in death, very quickly.

 

[Joccaren]

1. I find physics interesting.

2. Understanding how the universe works is amazing

3. Again, it lets us understand how everything works

4. Everywhere including space travel and electronics etc

5. I would guess the fundamental forces like gravity, electromagnetism etc

6. The main cause for insanity in the western world is trying to understand quantum mechanics.

7. It actually has practical uses, many seem to think learning new things helps no one.

You beat me to it. Nice work. Pretty much everything I was going to say summed up in one post. However, when working with Physics to understand the Universe it would be a big shame to leave out...

1: What specific field of science do you find most interesting?
Chemistry
2: Why is that field specifically interesting to you?
I do all three Bio, Chem and Physics, but I'd have to say Chemistry is the most intresting, learning reactions and the amount of interesting things you can learn.
3: Why is this field important?
It's probably the most important field in science considering the benefits it provides in medicine, sure you could also say that intertwines with Biology but the basis is on Chemistry
Also the amount learn on war machines, reactions in weapons for example, enhancing military potential etc...
4: Where is this field used practically?
Mostly medicine and explosives I suppose, but also a lot of medical research
5: What are the most important basics of this field of science?
Chemical reactions most likely.
6: Give some interesting, likely unknown facts about the field.
The knowledge gives you the potential to commit murder without any evidence or remains of the person
I, guess that's unknown? To the common person anyhow. Don't mess with a Chemist.
7: Clear up some misconceptions people have about it.
You are never guaranteed a reaction from mixing chemicals
Mixing strange random chemicals or even random household chemicals can result in death, very quickly.

So yeah. My 2 favourite sciences.

 

[gritch]

1. Chemistry. In fact let's narrow it down the subdivision of Inorganic Chemistry since it often gets over shadowed by organic and biological chemistry.
2. I am and undergraduate Chem major working in an inorganic research group. Plus the field encompasses the majority of the periodic table that might be over looked by other branches (ahem organic) of chemistry.
3. Often various catalyst used by chemists are inorganic in nature (such as hydrogenation reactions using Pt/Pd/Ni catalysts). By studying how these catalysts work, one can design more effective ones. Suddenly that chemical that would work great but was just to expensive to make is available.
4. Again a lot in catalysts. Another use that come to mind is use as x-ray contrast agents.
5. A good understanding of basic fundamentals of chemistry of course. Having the general characteristics of groups of transition metals and ligands speed things along as well.
6/7. Hmmm... Can't really think of anything. Maybe that compounds need not always have 8 valance electrons as many high school chemistry teachers like to emphasize. Once you hit those d and f blocks the octet rule is no good.

 

[Arakasi]

Psychology!
Though, ofc, this comes to mind.
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/purity.png

As a math guy at heart myself who's been saying that all along (as uncountably many people before me had too), I was so happy when that came out. I may also have an interest in physics and have mostly worked doing computer science-related stuff, both of which are basically applied mathematics, but deep down inside it's still about the math. Weird, abstract math, like metalogic and all of the fun paradoxes and developments in set theory and whatnot that developed out of that in the past century, because that stuff is just neat.

As far as whether it's even considered a science, I lean toward "no, but it's related", but there are a whole lot of different opinions. I'll leave that up to the philosophy of mathematics people. It's horribly misrepresented in the media and even in the way it's taught in schools though. It's almost like they go out of their way to make it as boring as possible and suck the life out of it and drive people away from it, but that's another rant (which is covered quite well already by this guy [http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf], so I'll stop).

Yes, school does suck out whatever fun maths has in it, out.
However, with the purity also comes the saying: Physics is to maths what sex is to masturbation.
It continues down the purities that way, till it reaches Psychology (imo).

 

[El Dwarfio]

Super SNIP

Seeing as I'm a qualified hydrologist I'm going to go ahead and say Hydrology.

Specifically the interactions between ocean shipping, industrial action and hydrology both geomorphological and in terms of water quality).

Important basics are physics (for the processes) Chemistry (for the causes) and bioloy and geology (for the effects) essentially you need to know a little it of everything, you don't find lazy hydrologists.

Interesting and unknown facts: The water you are drinking is likely poisoning you - especially if you live in america (and especially there if you live in the Mid-West) - the South of France, Spain and (twenty years ago) the east coast of America has the best drinking water in the world.

Misconceptions: Aside from the water yo drink likely not being clean, the water you bathe in is likely carthagenic - this does't mean you should change your lifestyle, but is still nice to know if your the unlucky 1 in 3000...

Social discussions - If you live in the US the government sanction the poisoning of your water and you have no legal case against being poisoned, South America - the US government are trying t buy your water ad sell it back to you for cheap $$$, Europe, you are flat out running out of water, especially south UK, France and Spain and Asia - fuck knows what's going on there, out of my research zone.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

Yes, school does suck out whatever fun maths has in it, out.
However, with the purity also comes the saying: Physics is to maths what sex is to masturbation.
It continues down the purities that way, till it reaches Psychology (imo).

That is always a fun quote to pull out, but I've never really agreed with it (and the experimental physicists say the same thing about the theoretical physicists, and the engineers who build their equipment say the same thing about the experimental physicists). Sure, the argument can be made that physics (and the other, progressively squishier sciences) tells us more directly about the universe, along with having more interpersonal and interdisciplinary connections in the work, but that doesn't inherently make it better. Pure (non-applied) math has its own rewards, and for people who haven't been exposed to it, there's a surprising aesthetic focus on elegance and simplicity that you can only have as a result of the purity of it. You lose that when you have to deal with the messiness of the real world rather than abstract concepts.

And then of course ideas from all areas end up feeding back into each other, because they're not truly separate at all in the end. They're just different ways of looking at the world at different levels. You can do it at a fundamental and deep level, or you can back up several steps to get a different point of view, and at each step you have to abstract away a few more things. That's not necessarily a good or a bad thing, just a matter of what's important at that level and what's practical to work with, and the people who find a particular perspective more interesting than the others tend to be drawn/biased toward it. I just happen to fall at the right end of that scale, while my girlfriend's back in school finishing her psych degree (research, not clinical) like you...and she has to use statistics, and I have to understand how people work, so there's no escaping it in the end. Heh.

 

[bojackx]

1: Chemistry.
2: Because, like Physics, it shows how everything works, and I really enjoy understanding things?

3: Same as above.
4: Everywhere, it has allowed us to advance in practically everything.

5: I guess medicine, and the production of useful substances, like the extraction of metals from ore.
6: Umm... table salt is made of a metal and a highly poisonous gas? (Sodium and Chlorine)
7: Misconceptions? Umm... that it's boring? Nothing comes to mind apart from Physics related misconceptions, like how we're 99.9% empty space, and how there's more than just protons, neutrons and electrons, there's neutrinos and anti-particles and pions and kaons and mesons. There's also only 4 forces: Gravity, the strong and weak nuclear forces and the electromagnetic force.

Ah the wonders of A-Level Science.

 

[Jonluw]

1. I find physics interesting.

2. Understanding how the universe works is amazing

3. Again, it lets us understand how everything works

4. Everywhere including space travel and electronics etc

5. I would guess the fundamental forces like gravity, electromagnetism etc

6. The main cause for insanity in the western world is trying to understand quantum mechanics.

7. It actually has practical uses, many seem to think learning new things helps no one.

Yeah, this.

I think it's about bloody time we found a way to unify quantum mechanics with the rest of the shit.

 

[dvd_72]

1) Quantum Mechanics is my personal science of choice, though I am currently doing a general physics degree. My masters though, will hopefully be in some field of Quantum Mechanics.

2) What fascinates me is how counter intuitive it is. I mean, things being both particles AND waves? "Tunnelling" through a potential barrier? Madness!

3) This field is important because it explains things that classical physics just can't. Take Alpha radiation for instance. Without quantum mechanics the nucleus could not decay, which I'm quite certain would not be a good thing for the universe.

4) Quantum mechanics is used in electron tunnelling microscopes. With it we can actually map the positions of individual atoms. It also enhances our understanding in many other fields of physics.

5) The wavefunction without a doubt. The wavefunction contains all the information about a quantum system, and through the application of operators we can extract the information we need.

6) multiple identical bosons may occupy the same quantum state, essentially overlapping in space. Identical fermions, on the other hand, cannot occupy the same quantum state. This is basically why you have the S, P, D, F levels in electron shells. Two electrons with spin up cannot occupy the same level, but one with spin up and another with spin down can!

7) The Heisenberg uncertainty principle is due to us needing to interact with a system to make measurements. False. Mostly. While it is true that our interactions with a system -do- cause some uncertainty, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is actually something that arises mathematically through the wavefunction. Some properties of a system are non-commutable (sutch as velocity and position) and there is an uncertainty that arises between them purely from the maths. Other properties are commutable, and display no inherent uncertainty.

 

[imnot]

I would love ot lear nabout qauntum physics or whatever it's name is, but I tryed once and my head hurt for weeks.

 

[Torrasque]

1: What specific field of science do you find most interesting?I find most fields of science interesting to be honest. I am currently working towards a BA Science in the field of Geology, because rocks and minerals are cool. I also find biology (especially genetics) fascinating, but the "proper" education for that is mind-meltingly boring.
2: Why is that field specifically interesting to you?I suppose for me, it should be "why do you find all of these fields interesting?". Well, physics is interesting because it deals with extremely large masses like planets and stars, as well as very tiny masses like hydrogen and anti-hydrogen molecules. The fact that physics can accidentally a bit of data and the whole science community freaking out, is very interesting. Geology is interesting because I like to know things, and what has more things to know about than Earth? Geology can deal with earthquakes, mountain formation, erosion, weathering, cones of depression, etc.
I just find all science to be very interesting, so this question is moot for me, lol.
3: Why is this field important?Well, physics is important because it has the potential for more efficient travel (both on the Earth and out of the Earth). Geology is important because understanding the Earth is the most important aspect of science. Climatology is important because we need to understand weather better so we don't accidentally the Earth. And on and on.
4: Where is this field used practically? I'm going to assume you mean "where do professionals in this field, use this?". It really depends. Since I am no professional, I just learn more and more and use it to win arguments on the net or convince people they are stupid. Professionals use this out in the field or in labs so they can better society... or build giant undersea castles as they complete their doomsday device.
5: What are the most important basics of this field of science? I'd say the most important basic of any field of science is knowing the rudimentary stuff, like how to find the hardness and fracture of a mineral, or how to figure out if a trait is dominant or recessive. You have to know all of the terminology in your field of science and how they can/may apply in order to be able to carry out tests. Hell, you need to know the terminology and how it applies in order to know what questions you want answered
6: Give some interesting, likely unknown facts about the field. I'll give one about Geology since that is my specialization at the moment: An Amethyst has 6 sides when the crystal comes to a point. The 6th side may be hiding because if fractured unevenly, but it is there. Also, the different colours of Amethyst/Citrine/etc. can be changed manually if you have an oxyacetylene torch, a steady hand, and a lot of patience. However, the colours cannot be changed back and they can only be changed in one direction (ex: yellow -> blue -> red)
7: Clear up some misconceptions people have about it. Geologists have only the foggiest about what is below the crust. They think they know whats up, and they suspect certain things, but they don't really know anything for sure. Also, if a geologist tells you that a volcano has a very high chance of erupting, put down your shit and run. These guys know what they are doing, and you don't.

Geologists are usually left alone to do their work and are not attacked by the media unless some volcano is about to erupt next to a big town, or earthquakes are about to fuck up half of the western seaboard. Well, if everyone listened to the geologists, then California would be deserted and/or the structures there would be hella earthquake proof. Hmm... I wish that movies with pseudo-geologists in it would stop trying to be legit. For example, in the movie 2012, none of that would happen. The entire movie would literally not happen even if every other thing in the movie happened. If the sun blasted the earth with molecules that somehow rose the temperature of the core, nothing would happen. If the core suddenly caused mega volcanoes, all life would die and the movie would end. Giant tsunamis would not happen as a result of giant mega volcanoes. If a giant man-made ship slammed into a mountain like Everest, it would fold in half. Etc. etc.

Also, here is a picture of my FAVORITE scientists
http://axolotlburg.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/fullmetal-alchemist.jpg

 

[Jonluw]

But light itself takes, as from your example, 2 million years to travel to where we are. Why can we reach, doing slightly less speed, the same space in significantly less time.

I don't know if this was clarified when you checked wikipedia, but in any case: The astronauts in the ship will certainly reach the Andromeda galaxy in a relatively short time (30 years, if they are accelerating at 1g and I remember the example correctly), however, 2 million years will pass on earth before they reach Andromeda.
Time is relative and all that.
So while you may say that you can travel to a different galaxy in a couple of years, it is entirely possible that humanity is extinct by the time you reach your destination.

To put it like this: From the perspective of the photon, light doesn't take 2 million years to travel between the galaxies.
Time is relative and all that junk.