whap2005

"Recent research has found evidence that the value of certain fundamental parameters, such as the speed of light or the invisible glue that holds nuclei together, may have been different in the past." If this is true then I'm going give up and start going to church again... (That is if it wasn't for my golf league on Sunday morning...). http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060711_science_tuesday.html

Can this post really still be here? This is a science forum after all.

I managed to find Dr Godfey Louis's website so you can read his findings directly. http://education.vsnl.com/godfrey/ Check out this link to an analysis done on the particles a few days ago.. http://www.astrobiology.cf.ac.uk/redrain.html

Check out this ariticle just posted on CNN.com. Could this be true? Has anyone else heard about this yet? http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/06/02/red.rain/index.html I'm trying to find more info on this event: Here are a couple articles: http://www.ufoindia.org/article_red_rain.htm http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=123952 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1723913,00.html Here is a link from World Science that offer's skepticism: http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/060104_specksfrm1.htm

I found this article interesting. I had never heard of Anthropic selection before, and I'm surprised that it is gaining some legitimate support in the scientific community. If it is indeed true, then does this support the possibility of a creator? (This sounds like ammo for the ID fanatics) http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060508_mm_cyclic_universe.html

From: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/subcellular.html Ok this is some spooky shat. This means that retroviruses are basically organisms that can survive by integrating themselves into a hosts DNA. This means that the virus can basically be passed down to your ancestors. So if your great great grandfather was exposed to “human immunodeficiency virus 1” some point in his life, you or your kids could also be infected with the same virus (which I say again is basically a parasite and a separate organism then yourself).

Ok what the hell does that mean lol. I do agree, as someone pointed out in an earlier post, that the basic building blocks of the universe and their interactions are predictable; But to say that life results from the non-random survival of randomly varying replicators is a paradox. Bascule, since you appear to be more familiar with RD the I, how do you interpret that quote. To me, to say that life is the result of non random events would be to suggest that life is inherently unpredictable. How can it be possible that anything in a universe made up of predicable interactions be random?

I’m a pupil of science. To me the creationist views of the world’s organized religions is ridiculous; but to say that life is definitely the result of random events as most scientists believe is not so easy for me to see. Evolution is definitely happening and it must take a lot of will power not to see it. I have not yet however come across any proof, or have been able to rationalize how a pool of complex chemicals could become “alive”. I do know that there is no clear line that divides what is alive and what isn’t, but there is one thing that does set life apart from all other things in the universe; and that is “purpose”. If you take life out of the equation, all other things that happen in the universe are completely random. Life however appears be a step above the random happenings in the universe. Life is the only event in the universe (that we know of) that has the ability to actually react and adapt to random events; and it reacts with purpose, even if that purpose may only to replicate and to continue to exist. To me, proving that life can spring from random events should be one of the top priorities of scientists. The fact that we have not been able to create a biological cell from scratch yet is surprising to me when you take into consideration everything else we now of life and its process (we actually seem closer to doing it electronically with computers). Does anyone know of any instance where a cell has been built from scratch in a lab?

Dear computer geniuses /programmers, Over the past few years I have written some programs in my current job that I would like to try selling online through a company and website I created http://www.dtmstech.com. The first program I’m going to try to sell is called DTMS Issue Control. It’s basically a simple helpdesk application. I’m offering the program as a 30-day free trial, and am selling license keys to activate the software on a per-installation basis. The reason I’m coming here to you guys, is because I’m not completely confident the licensing system I have created is completely “hack proof” (or even slightly hack proof for that matter!). I’m looking for somebody actually bored enough to download and try to “hack” my registration process to see if there are any obvious bugs in my code or the process. The program can be downloaded here: http://www.dtmstech.com/downloadIC/SetupIC.exe. Here is a license key that can be used for testing: Customer ID: TestMe License key: 100301611 This key initially only good for 10 installations, but will reset itself to 0 every 15 min. Thanks all!

I did read your post, and I agree with you. I was just pointing out that science, or more specifically GR, has yet to explain why Mass/Energy causes gravity or what its purpose is. I appologize If I wasn't clear.

Yes I did. Why do you ask?

Ok after my last post I thought of something that made me chuckle (It doesn’t take much). Although we can tell this kid that gravity is not caused by heat or spin, in reality we don't know why mass causes gravity. So in reality, our answer isn’t all that great either.

Gravity is caused by mass, not heat or spin.

Edtharan, That is probably the most sterile description of life I’ve ever heard lol. If you are talking about life on its very basic level, then I agree with you. I think we may even find that life with the average complexity of a virus here on Earth, may even be common in the universe. However, I would think that even you would agree that life as complex as the one that occupies your chair right now, is a very, very rare. Lets look at a complex system, like weather for example. Weather on this planet is infinitely complex. It is “driven” by uncountable external forces, chemical reactions, and particle interactions. It is many more times complex then let’s say, a single bacteria or even a single cell organism. However, the weather is not alive. So to say that life if essentially just a complex chemical reaction doesn’t hold any water for me. There is something “extra” there driving that tiny little glob of chemicals to start making exact copies of itself, and then to ultimately jump aboard the evolution train. I’m not saying this little extra thing has to be god, I’m just saying that life is a “special” occurrence in the universe. Here is a challenge for you. Since you do not believe in an “elen viral” Are you able to describe to me the final series of events, or provide an equation, or graphical representation of the chemical reactions that show the point at which a “lifeless” chemical reaction becomes life?

I don't think that believing in the idea that humans can create life means that you must be an atheist. As far as I know there isn’t anything in any religious text that even addresses the question. If humans are able to create a new form of life it is because we have learned how from studying life that already exists, and are able to organize the necessary elements in a manner that allows it to take hold. That still doesn’t explain how life can just magically begin from nothing. I personally am not sold on the idea that it can (spring from nothing) although scientifically speaking, there is no other way it could have come into existence.

I have always thought Drake equations is flawed mainly because it only factors in planets and stars the are condusive to life similar to our own. I'm also not sure that the technology for traversing (or at least communiating) over the vast distances of space is as far off as you imply. Just think of what we have learned and the technologies that have been devoloped over the past 100 years, and the pace of advancement only seems to be increasing.

I agree that the odds of life which was created by random events elsewhere in the universe evolving to look like us is close to zero. However if life here was seeded by another form of life, then the odds of use looking similar to them increase dramatically. It is also possible that life on this planet is the first to evolve in our universe, which means we will be the ones who eventually may spread life elsewhere.

I want to start off by saying that I do not believe in the bible thumper’s version of ID. It is not based on any real science, and there is no tangible evidence that humans have a direct creator. I also have no doubt that evolution is a reality, and that we are the result of genetic mutation which has been channeled for billions of years by competition and environmental change (all or which appears to be random). However, many people believe that it is possible and even probable, that human beings will eventually be able to create new life forms either in alaboratory using biological means, or electronically using computer technology. For those people, I ask this question: If you believe that humans have or will have the power to create life from the raw materials that make up our universe, how can you rule out that possibility that life on this planet didn’t come into existence under similar circumstances? (And for those who don’t believe that humans will eventually learn how to create life, I challenge you to prove why it isn’t possible) Although I do not believe we have yet proved that life on this planet is the result of random events, I do believe that the first instance of life in our universe must have been a random event; simply because there is no other way it could have come into existence. However there is no reason to believe that our planet is the first place in the universe in which life first came into existence or evolve to reach conciseness. I think it is reasonable that any life form that reaches conciseness and discovers the technology and the means to create life, may choose to do so. (I in fact, think it is probable that they would). I’ve seen a lot of posts lately from people making fun of the ID and I understand a lot of it. Most of the arguments I’ve seen out there are ridiculous, as I’m sure this one may seem to many. I don’t however believe every argument for ID is flawed. The only way to rule out the possibility that we were not “created” is to first discover whether or not it is possible to create life from non-natural means. If we find that it is possible, then we need to prove that we were the first (or the only) life forms in the universe to discover how. Science of course, is the only way we are going to answer these questions which is why I believe science is the only true religion.

I just read an article (Thanks bascule for posting the link: http://www.discover.com/issues/mar-06/cover/) that basically tells of the discovery of a new form of bacteria and describes our current understanding of the role bacteria play in the tree of life. The article even suggests that bacteria most likely played a key role in the creation of the eukaryotic cell, which all multicelular organisms are descendants of. I’m a computer programmer by day, and what I found really interesting is that computer viruses and biological seem to play a very similar roll in thier environments. They both need a host to survive, they replicate, they have a genetic/binary code, they adapt, they respond to stimuli (and in a sense, computer viruses even metabolize using electricity). This got me thinking about the current state of computer technology and how many similarities it has with our theorized view of what early life may have looked like on this planet. Computer programs are becoming extremely complex and some are arguably more complex (I’m taking on a genetic level if you compare the machine code of a program to the DNA/RNA structure of some viruses) then even some viruses. Could the computer programs we are creating be a precursor to a new form or life not based on DNA/RNA? Based on the most widely excepted definition of DNA/RNA based life, something must have organization, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction to be considered “alive”. I can argue that computer programs can exhibit all of these characteristics. Question: Could it be possible that humans could someday create a new form of life which exists in an electronic universe of our own making?

I don’t think you’re including gravity in your math. Without a force to counteract centripetal force, you would then need a device that is impossibly strong. If you use gravity to counter centripetal force, then why would it matter how rigid it is?

Damn..there goes my styrofoam and toilet paper theory.. Actually if you’re using gravity to keep it all together, strength isn't as important as mass. Your going to want to keep this device as 'light' as possible. Less mass means less energy needed to accelerate the object.

This is interesting, but I'm not sure it’s entirely correct. We do not "think" when we are asleep. Sleep is intricate part in committing the input we absorb during the day to long term memory, but there is no actual thinking going on when we are asleep. If you really want to know why our brains are so powerful, you need to look into the theory of quantum conciseness. The neurons in our brain are made up of carbon based microtubules which have a quantum property to them. The theory works on premise that our brain, like the rest of the universe, exists both in relative and quantum space on a subatomic level (Just like a quantum supercomputer does). Check out this link which explains more:

I'm not sure this is entirely correct. If you could somehow place a mass at the center of this device and increase the density of the of the object so that its gravity would increase with the rate of spin, it could have the effect of keeping the device from flying apart. My only advice is to make sure you have the device insured since you may end up with a black hole before you actaully reach C...