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America baffles me in many ways, but I'm in Chicago at the moment - my first time. It absolutely baffles me that this place was essentially bare earth less than 200 years ago. It's bloody massive and has an air of permanence and solidity that rivals and possibly surpasses London at a fraction of its age. Bonkers.
less than 200 years ago
it sounds like you’re getting old winkface
but seriously, an almost complete mummified body of a baby woolly mammoth was recently uncovered in the klondike
this place was essentially bare earth less than 200 years ago
doesnt that classification cover most of the US?
You think the USA grew fast, until recently China was using more cement per year than the rest of the planet!
The size of space
When a T-Rex was alive all Stegosaurus were already fossils. A T-Rex is closer in time to an iPad than to a Stegosaurus.
Last time I used the expression "mind blown" was discussing Megan Thee Stallion's Glasto set with my brother. Fact. 😀
Earlier this year I found a lovely ammonite fossil on the beach at Saltburn. It fits nicely in my palm. It blows my mind to imagine that little creature swimming around about 150 million years ago.
It puts my existence on this planet into perspective!
The passage of time, although not as era straddling as the above example
Pick something that for me anyway seems in the recent past like Italia '90 world cup
That's as close to today as it was to 1958. We're so old 😁
The size of space
This. 93 billion light years across and yet here we are on this little rock with those in charge arguing about money, resources, and who owns what bit of the little rock.
I stopped at a zebra crossing outside my local M&S this morning to let an old fella cross. Halfway across he deliberately pulled a bunch of paper from his pocket, torn it up and threw it on the ground.
There was a bin directly in front of him on the other side of the zebra crossing.
Having been to the US recently, I’m in agreement with the OP as well, but what got me (and I know it’s nothing new), is there there was no physical way of safely walking to the Walmart that was 400m from my hotel. Even the pedestrian cycle of the nearest traffic lights still allowed traffic through from one direction!
Death. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.
The size of space
This. 93 billion light years across
Do they even know the size of the universe?
Death. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.
Really? Why? It's the end of a (admittedly, complex) system of chemical reactions, nothing more than that.
Death. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.
Why? Every living thing dies. What is somewhat baffling is what makes the difference between a bunch of living cells and a corpse - they're made of the same stuff.
Really? Why? It’s the end of a (admittedly, complex) system of chemical reactions, nothing more than that.
Just the whole concept of consciousness just halting, just pickles my brain.
I saw a very small snippet of a programme called "How do Animals do That?" and get this, dogs tell time by using their sense of smell. Amazing. Dogs are brilliant.
...dogs tell time by using their sense of smell.
*Sniff sniff "Ooh, breakfast time!
(later the same day)
*Sniff sniff "Ooh, tea time!
Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day. 😁
That the self is an illusion.
*Sniff sniff “Ooh, breakfast time!
(later the same day)
*Sniff sniff “Ooh, tea time!
Yeah, that. But also how scent levels change during the day tells them when owners are due home and stuff like that. Even while they are sleeping. (Which they are also really good at.)
Another vote for space. Really does blow my mind
Yep - another vote for space. It can't have ever begun and it can't ever end but conversely it must have started at some point in time and it must come to an end. But what existed before and what will exist afterwards?
That, and why some people like Piers Morgan.
LSD?
Humans lived in Damascus 11,000 years ago but a cave in Kenya (Panga ya Saidi) had continuous occupation for 78,000 years.
Not my own research.
That, and why some people like Piers Morgan.
The ads blow my mind: "Love him or hate him, you can't miss him" WTF? Why would anyone watch someone they hate? who's face, views, voice, clothes and hair they hate, but I know, with all the 1000000s of things I could be doing with my time, I'll watch that ****. Mind blowing. More so than space to me. And dogs.
It absolutely baffles me that this place was essentially bare earth less than 200 years ago
It wasn't. It was marshland and forest, a rich vibrant ecosystem full of wildlife at the mouth of a river, with a few native villages scattered about.
Along similar lines, there's a town in Wisconsin called Marshfield, where one of my wife's friends lives. Just outside there's a wetland nature reserve surrounded by fields and farms, they have a visitor centre that gives a bit of local history. It says that the whole area was virgin ancient forest, filled with huge oak trees until the 1930s when they built the railway. Then in a matter of years it was all cut down and shipped out, then turned into farmland. That was when my grandparents were alive. The origin of the modern USA is so romanticised, but the extent of industrial scale environmental destruction is absolutely staggering and horrifying. At the time there would have been natives who'd grown up living in forest villages, like the ones you see in South America on telly, and they would have had to watch as their entire landscape was literally destroyed. It must have been like the movies we now make about alien invasions. And those natives themselves were the survivors of the destruction of their societies by disease a couple of hundred years earlier, that they called the Great Dying. What those people went through was absolutely horrifying, when you think about it - there's no other word for it. They must watch modern alien invasion movies and think 'yeah so what? Boo ****ing hoo'.
I've posted this before but there's a town near Boulder, Colorado called Estes Park, which is an old school mountain resort sort of place, mostly dating from the 1930s or so - it's where the hotel they filmed The Shining is. Prior to that it had been a summer camp and meeting place for natives. The museum includes stories about old native men who were shown around the area in the 1950s to record their memories of the place, they were pointing out the places that they used to camp and trade and so on in the 1890s/1900s. I can't imagine how they must've felt, being the subject of study by the people who'd destroyed their entire society.
Go to the Oakland Museum of California if you visit San Francisco (easy trip on the metro). Spoiler: there isn't any history to speak of, but the Natural History floor is excellent.
Space is finite. It's bounded on a Riemann sphere. Head off in any direction and after a long time, you will return to the same point. Locally it looks Euclidiean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_of_the_universe .
For me it's still the compact disc and the CD player developed in and around 1979. The fact that four miles (approx.) of pits and lands on a 12 cm diameter disc of aluminium encapsulated in acrylic can be "read" by a laser diode and converted to reproduce a performance by the Halle Orchestra in one's own living room amazes me. Then there's the cross interleaved Reed-Solomon correction that enables said reproduction from a disc with scratches and fingerprints. There's even an incredible science behind the 44.1 kHz sampling frequency used when producing CDs. Read about Harry Nyquist for more info.
The whole thing is just incredible and one of the reasons my CD collection is still growing today. I enjoy the music and the science and engineering that makes it possible.
The fact were all living on the cooled crust of a gigantic sphere of molten rock, hanging in a vacuum.
And the chances are we're just a freak occurrence of nature.
That people hold views that effectively lack empathy and compassion, when there is literally more than enough resources for everyone.
Derren Brown.
Death. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.
Really? Why? It’s the end of a (admittedly, complex) system of chemical reactions, nothing more than that.
There was an episode of Infinite Monkey Cage where the discussion turned to whether a strawberry plant ever died. It puzzled the panel, so I'm happy to accept that death isn't always as black and white as it's made out. 😀
chvck
Free Member
Really? Why? It’s the end of a (admittedly, complex) system of chemical reactions, nothing more than that.Just the whole concept of consciousness just halting, just pickles my brain.
If the opposite is true then that should pickle your brain even more!
You only exist in your own head and your body is a complex machine built just to transport "you" around.
95% of all species that have ever existed are extinct
You only exist in your own head and your body is a complex machine built just to transport “you” around.
or as I like to think about it, I'm the pilot of a flesh mech in scify stylee
The ads blow my mind: “Love him or hate him, you can’t miss him” WTF?
They've clearly seen the scope on my sniper rifle.
If elon musk put a dollar down for each week the planet has existed he'd be pretty close to the beginning of the planet.
Space is finite. It’s bounded on a Riemann sphere. Head off in any direction and after a long time, you will return to the same point. Locally it looks Euclidiean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_of_the_universe .
That page seems to suggest that just the observable universe is finite, there may or may not be more...
Infinite or finite
One of the presently unanswered questions about the universe is whether it is infinite or finite in extent. For intuition, it can be understood that a finite universe has a finite volume that, for example, could be in theory filled up with a finite amount of material, while an infinite universe is unbounded and no numerical volume could possibly fill it. Mathematically, the question of whether the universe is infinite or finite is referred to as boundedness. An infinite universe (unbounded metric space) means that there are points arbitrarily far apart: for any distance d, there are points that are of a distance at least d apart. A finite universe is a bounded metric space, where there is some distance d such that all points are within distance d of each other. The smallest such d is called the diameter of the universe, in which case the universe has a well-defined "volume" or "scale."
chicago is pretty old. Miami is younger than my grandfather
If you look upwards you are looking into space. Try lying on your back and imagining you are on the bottom of the Earth clinging on!
Oh, another geographical one: If you have enough seaside holidays in Wales you end up on parts of the Cardigan bay coastline (weather has to be clear of course) where you can see Pembrokshire to the left and Snowdonia to the right. Once you learn what the mountains look like close up you can see how much of them is below the horizon, so you can visualise the curvature of the earth. Once you can see the whole coastline you can get a feel for how big Wales is, then when you compare that to the map of the world you can get an understanding of the actual size of the planet. It's pretty cool, I'm sure there are other places where you can see this.
Any program presented by Jim Al-Khalili. The one on quantum physics confused, enthralled and baffled me in equal measure. Oh, and how 'physical' things can be described by mathematical equations. (I have a B grade in GCSE maths and physics - blows my mind how I managed those 🙂 )
Never mind all that space stuff.I've only just found out that a gherkin is actually a cucumber.
That I survived my early years of driving.
I'm no Leclerc now, but my god I was crap back then, but I thought I was the dogs!
Honestly, every idiot boy racer that roars past me now was me bitd, I used to delight in trying to scare my mates.
I only ever had crashes with just me in the car, and none serious.
These days I'm very much an Ogmios...
+1 for Jim Al-Khalili too. Top science communicator.
They’ve clearly seen the scope on my sniper rifle.
Pull that damn trigger already!
The first supersonic ejection seat was tested using a bear.
when there is literally more than enough resources for everyone.
Only to a fairly basic, subsistence level. If anyone wants more than that, and most people do, there, unfortunately, isn't, which is why the planet is burning.
As this is a bike forum: manuals. I am almost 60, and have really tried over the decades past. Failed. Did one once, on a BMX. Went sailing off into some bins.
Life, death, the Universe, time are but nothing as to how some people have so much skill to my none at all.
I only found out two days ago that Dave Grohl plays the drums on Run With The Wolves by The Prodigy. This blew my mind.
Not space as such, 'cos we all know that's incomprehensibly massive - but it's the life thing...we all know that we're one planet in a galaxy of which they are frickin' billions. Fine.
So then there's got to be life elsewhere. If there's just one planet with life in this galaxy, there's possibly one planet in every galaxy. Which means billions of planets with life.
But what is that life like? Floating snails? Teleporting lettuces? Or more likely a dimension our brains can't imagine - that's what really blows my mind...what 'life' means elsewhere, that exists outside of our limits of experience and imagination. It's got to be something we don't even have words for.
And where the **** did this all start? Like, REALLY start?
I think of this kind of thing often when out walking but, like tonight, I quickly give up because my brain can't handle it and order a fillet-o-fish & and start walking back.
bear - you've missed the two really big questions:
- what is a fillet-o-fish?
and
- whatever it is, why do you order it?
Everything else pales into insignificance.
Eve
Gwen Stefani
Stromatolites.
Strangler figs and other impressive trees.
That fact that absolutely all life on this planet, plant and animal has the same source. DNA is too complex to have started in parallel in different lifeforms so everything stems from one series of chemical reactions.
fingerbang
Free MemberThe passage of time, although not as era straddling as the above example
Pick something that for me anyway seems in the recent past like Italia ’90 world cup
That’s as close to today as it was to 1958. We’re so old 😁
Definitely Maybe is as old today as Sgt Pepper was when we were all getting excited about Brit pop in the 90’s
Eve
Gwen Stefani
Also, Gwen Stefani is 52 and a mother of 3, yet somehow still looks about 28. Kate Beckinsale who is 4 years her junior looks about 24.
I can only assume they no longer own their souls?
Definitely Maybe is as old today as Sgt Pepper was when we were all getting excited about Brit pop in the 90’s
Shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP.
People still support the current Tory government (with the exception of those who have financial investment in them).
DNA is too complex
and may just be chance anyway.
Number of police currently in Munich due to the G7.
Fat women who prioritise having nice nails and eyelashes over a normal bmi.
People who choose to sit in traffic.
Litter.
Looking at the night's sky.
The cost of health insurance in Germany.
The job I've just completed.... Four weeks prep just for our gear, two truckloads sent to Croatia, five days put-in, probably over 500 people involved when you include catering, deco, stagehands, techies, artists etc.... The cruise ship from Venice with its 1200 guests, two days across the Adriatic.... All that for a seven (7!)hour circlejerk. Budget for the party alone was over 2 mil. No idea what the AIDA cruise ship cost for the week long jolly.
Needless to say I'll be looking for a new insurance company when it comes to renewing the van insurance. Sickening.
and may just be chance anyway.
It is entirely chance.
Space - specifically the distances involved. The distance between Earth and the moon (238,000 miles) is sufficient room for every planet in the solar system to fit.
On a slightly larger scale, our nearest solar neighbour is 25.5 TRILLION miles away. You might quite rightly think "that's a bloody long way", but if the sun were the size of the full stop at the end of this sentence, Alpha Centauri would be 8 miles away.
Kate Beckinsale who is 4 years her junior looks about 24.
I can only assume they no longer own their souls?
Vampire??
If we're doing pop stars,
Toni Basil was born in 1943. When she sang Mickey in that cheerleader outfit, she would have been 39.
On a slightly larger scale
'Small' is equally boggling. Solid objects are mostly gaps between atoms.
Thinking about - if the big bang created everything, what was there before 'the big bang'; then trying to work out why no-one that really matters scientifically actually cares. (I know. It doesn't matter cos it can't be measured etc.)
Concerning Chicago, the fact that they raised whole blocks of buildings a metre or two to help with installing sewerage and drainage. And this was over 150 years ago.
In fact, a lot of these huge engineering operations they did before computers just baffles me.
Definitely Maybe is as old today as Sgt Pepper was when we were all getting excited about Brit pop in the 90’s
What's mind-blowing about this is that The Beatles album still sounds brilliant and Oasis like dated, dull, unoriginal crap, that I wouldn't care if I never heard again.. and I loved it when it came out!
In fact, a lot of these huge engineering operations they did before computers just baffles me.
Screw computers, what about the ones they did without any powered assistance, like the cathedrals that were built nearly 1000 years ago using nothing more than levers, pulleys, ropes and grunt.
From the HyperPhysics website.
If the Earth were scaled to 0.5 mm diameter, then the Sun would be a ball of diameter 5.4 cm (a little smaller than a tennis ball) at a distance of 5.9 m (19 ft). On this scale, Alpha Centauri would be about 890 miles away. If the sun were scaled to a 1 foot radius, then Alpha Centauri would be about 10,300 miles away.
In fact, a lot of these huge engineering operations they did before computers just baffles me.
Erm, I was doing structural design with a desk calculator in the 70s. Surveying required the use of 7 figure log tables as calculators weren't accurate enough.
When she sang Mickey in that cheerleader outfit
Sounds suspiciously like a deposit in your "bank" to me...
My wife worked for Piers Morgan at the Mirror, says he was a great boss to work for… that I just don’t understand!
Sounds suspiciously like a deposit in your “bank” to me…
Dude, I'd have been 10.
Dude, I’d have been 10.
I was 12. Oh yes......
‘Small’ is equally boggling. Solid objects are mostly gaps between atoms.
If you could remove the space between the elementary particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) that make up all atoms and molecules and just close pack the particles themselves, the whole of human existance on the planet would be about the size of a sugarcube.
only found out two days ago that Dave Grohl plays the drums on Run With The Wolves by The Prodigy. This blew my mind.
I think everyone knows this by now but the riff on 'My name is' by Eminem was played by Chas n' Dave
Definitely Maybe is as old today as Sgt Pepper was when we were all getting excited about Brit pop in the 90’s
Music is one of those things that constantly suprise me when it comes to time.
Katy Perry has been a mainstream pop star for a quater of a century now. Her breakout single is older than Kylie's Spinning Around, both of which came out pre-Millenium.
RHCP 2nd greatest hits album will be 20 years old next year.
Speaking of Oasis and The Beatles. Oasis lasted 18 years, and you could argue aside from the in-fighting and lineup changes ended being the same band they started. The Beatles last only 7 years and changed as much as they changed the musical world.
That's 
to
In the same amount of time from when Mark Ronson released Uptown Funk and now.
RHCP 2nd greatest hits album will be 20 years old next year.
And I'd wager it sounded exactly the same as the first one...
The critical acclaim that RHCP get/had is something that blows my mind. They've written two songs - Under The Bridge and All the Others That Sound the Same
The Beatles last only 7 years
That blows my mind, as much as some of these time since comparisons.
Not talking about musical merit in comparison to the Beatles and what people think of them, but picking undeniably important or influential bands (also ignoring many are in gestation for years before they become 'a thing', and others then reincarnate - so ignoring eg: New Order, and just counting from breakthrough to demise)
The Doors - 5 years
Joy Division - <2 years from TV debut to Curtis suicide, < 1 year from debut album. ONE YEAR!
Smiths - just over 4 years from Hand in Glove single on Rough Trade to Strangeways and break up
Nirvana - 5 years from Bleach to Cobain's suicide
Even the Spice Girls were done and dusted in 6!!
Meanwhile Coldplay, - 22 years and counting 😉
A while ago, when computer chips were getting faster and faster and all the talk was about how many gigahertz etc I tried to look into the maximum speed possible. I got drawn into stuff about quantum vibration, Max Planck , 10 to the power of minus 37 and other things I didn't understand. It seems that the universe vibrates more times every second than there have been seconds since the big bang. And that's a lot of seconds. More than a million, I guess.