Mrs Zeta

Why does it have to be human faeces? Can it be, say, dog's or other animal? This is a discussion that does not reflect reality. In normal everyday life we produce a variable amount of excrement, of variable consistency, depending on age, activity etc etc. It is practically impossible to estimate a TRUE amount over a lifetime (think of the times you had diarrhoea, or constipation for days). An amount estimated over a month could skew the average produced over a year, depending on the degree of constipation over time. If you are talking about one human stool, produced on one occasion as a sample for your experiment, then what happens if that sample happens to be liquid diarrhoea? And how long do you need to wait for a stool of a normal consistency to be produced? If you choose an average stool, then average for whom? Some people's average is less that others, (small women on average produce less than huge men), babies vs older people amounts vary. So, it is impossible to give you an answer that reflects the truth. You might as well guess a number.

Well, I am a doctor (not well paid but, I believe, well-informed), and don't like to see people being hurt. So what do I do? Where do you suggest I go to help? What is your point? I believe in practical, down to earth concepts, not just discussion for the sake of it. So, any practical suggestions?

See the following for some background info on laughing... http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/13/science/13tier.html?_r=1&ex=1174536000&en=9e64514e5d308a59&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Why do you think it is 6 million? Is there any evidence you can produce? And, yes, evolution has happened and is happening (although I make a distinction between evolution by natural selection and evolution through other means).

It may have to do with the rapid air flow into and out of the lungs during laughter, so it is just a by product of the laughing prosess. Also the noise acts as a feedback loop which enhances the laughter (if you hear laughter you laugh yourself). So it is an integrated process with individual components, some of which are more relevant than others.

It would be interesting to know what the proponents of AI have to say about this. There are those who believe that eventually artificial intelligence will become so advanced that it will take the place of humans (i.e we will abandon our frail biological body and live in a strong artificial one, the first step being 'consciousness uploading'). However, laughter is one of the characteristics of being human, and something that an artificial intelligent machine will never do. Laughter is also needed in everyday life to help us relax both within ourselves and in the company of others, so it has an evolutionary advantage in reducing excessive mental or physical pressures (stress, as mentioned above), and consequenlty high blood pressure, heart disease, depression etc. 'Laugther therapy' is pretty established in some countries and it is used against these conditions with some success.

Only that the Universe was created out of nothing. “Random fluctuations have produced a material Universe out of true Nothingness”. Who said that? I forget.

This is funny but relevant: Some people tell me that they are so ill during the night, and worry that they may wake up and be dead!

Someone/something must have created the universe for the first time. As a rational being I cannot comprehend how something exists without being created in the first place. Convince me! Someone/something must have created that entity or that big organism. So IMO,we are still down to 2 hypotheses...

Ahh, I get it. How quaint! Many thanks.

I am sure this has been discussed before, but being new, can somebody explain why some members are quarks, molecules, protists etc. Are there any criteria one must meet in order to become something? And what influences the Reputation of a member (Neutral, Good etc), is it according to how many posts one makes, or what. Just curious.

#2 could come under #1 (or #3). In that case there are only two scenarios: either 'God' made everything, or everything happened without a creator. So, according to logic, there could not be any more items on your list. I will take my hat off to whoever suggests another hypothesis.

Humans ARE special. They made the videos!

Mental illnesses are divided into two broad categories: Neuroses and Psychoses. Many patients who have a neurosis, such as severe phobias are treated by facing their object of fear. For example people who are afraid of spiders are made to handle spiders. People who have a psychosis (schizophrenia etc) are not generally aware that they have a problem (i.e. they have a poor insight into their condition), so you can't make them face their problem.

I can't see much on clinical medicine, scientific discussion of nutrition, supplements etc, i.e. there is very little on practical, direct-relevance-to-an-average-human, clinical aspects of science.

What you are talking about is, effectively, a concept of 'posthumanism', see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posthuman (particularly the section on Posthuman in Transhumanism). There is nothing magical or crancky about these positions, it is just how the world is inevitably (and currently) evolving. We are seeing the first steps now, leading to human enhancement, and eventually to indefinite lifespans, teleportation and other currently science-fiction ideas.

IMO work experiences counts more than university degrees. Your time could be better spent searching for a better position rather than getting a PhD (and then spend more time looking for a position). I have seen people struggling for years to get a PhD, coping with family problems etc, and then still unable to find a good suitable position. If I was a commercial (not academic) employer I would employ the most experienced applicant, and not the most well-qualified. Having said that, it is what matters to you individually that is important. If you think that the satisfaction of getting a PhD is worth the expense, trouble and lost income, then it is OK. And age has nothing to do with it.

For a good, comprehensive discussion about stem cells see this: http://www.vincegiuliano.name/Antiagingfirewalls.htm#Declinestemcelldifferentiationtheory

This is actually a rather good post, touching on some difficult concepts. I agree with most of it. A unique characteristic of a human is that (s)he asks questions and tries to come up with the answers.

The world is a better place if you believe it to be a better place. There are problems as always, everywhere and with everything, but it is how you see these problems that matters. We now have a different life based on technological developments, but people like me who have seen enough technology and modern life tend to escape to the country and live a simple life, at least for part of the year. Whether I am packed like a sardine (literally) in a train in central London, or living in a scorpion-infested hut (literally) in my farm in Italy, makes no difference to me. Both lifestyles have good and bad points, equally. It is what you do with your life that makes the difference. Somebody said: "You cannot change reality, but you can change the eyes that see reality".

I agree with this, sounds too depressive. Also I noticed some other threads talking about inflicting injuries (mercury injections etc), what's the deal?

It depends on the type of mercury. Organic short-chained mercury will destroy the central nervous system and cause confusion, psychosis etc. Inorganic mercury will cause severe gastrointestinal problems and kidney failure. All will cause necrosis of the tissues near the injection site. And you will go to prison.

I have seen older patients with osteoporosis that fractured a rib after a strong sneeze. But not normal healthy people. Also, while on the subject, it is possible to fracture your ethmoid bone after blowing your nose (or blocking it during a sneeze) with air escaping under the skin and making your face look swollen, even in young people. These are true, rare, medical cases.

In some cultures, dreaming that you are dead is a sign of good fortune.

Interesting, I think this is plausible.