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Science's Limits Are Only Self-Imposed

Posted by michael on from the there-is-no-spoon dept.

Tristfardd writes "The Independent has a fine article on ridiculous experiments, some of which really are ridiculous, while others have interesting ramifications. If only the article gave links for viewing the rotating frog or the film on self-trepanation."

6 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. As for the 'soul' experiment... by floW+enoL · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The article forgot to mention that there was indeed a plausible explanation for the 21 grams lost after each person died. No matter how much one exhales, there is always air left in one's body. However, when you die, your lungs relax and thus expel that final bit of air, hence making your corpse a little bit lighter.

    1. Re:As for the 'soul' experiment... by polymath69 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      That density is at STP. I wonder what the pressure is inside the lungs[...]

      For back-of-the-envelope purposes, it's the same as STP.

      The actual temperature is a little higher than standard, so by the ideal gas law the density (and weight) goes down a bit; no help there. As for the pressure, it's the same on average in the lungs and the environment, and breathing really doesn't generate much pressure in either direction. (To demonstrate the latter, try to blow up a bicycle tire with your mouth and see if you can get enough pressure in to even measure with a tire gauge. Bet you can't.)

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      I don't want to rule the world... I just want to be in charge of mayonnaise.
  2. Very useful Brazil nut experiment by dickeya · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The sorting issue as defined in the Brazil nut experiment came up recently while I was on a field survey of some land in Nevada. It was a mapping project and we kept coming across areas known as "Desert pavement". This area of the desert experiences the same sorting activity when water or wind is added to the mix.

    Though this seems a bit trivial, it has very serious implications for later rain events. This sorting makes the soil mostly impervious to water and contributes to some of the deadly flood events that can occur in these arid environments.

    This said, be careful pouring water on that holiday display of mixed nuts.....

  3. Trepanation Howto by HavokDevNull · · Score: 2, Interesting


    http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/

    With pictures as well :)

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    Sig
    1. Re:Trepanation Howto by orangesquid · · Score: 2, Interesting

      don't forget the classics!

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      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
  4. More fun with grains by blether · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The brazil nut experiment reminded me of this fascinating result. If you shake a container of granular material, the granular material spontaneously collects together in one place.

    The same page also has a cool video of granular eruption.