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13 Things That Do Not Make Sense

thpr writes "New Scientist is reporting on 13 things which do not make sense. It's an interesting article about 13 areas in which observations do not line up with current theory. From the placebo effect to dark matter, it's a list of areas in need of additional research. Explanations could lead to significant breakthroughs... or at least new and different errors in scientific observations. Now there are 20 interesting problems for Slashdotters to work on, once you combine these with the seven Millennium Problems!"

4 of 1,013 comments (clear)

  1. Re:My Quickbrain trumps your assbrain by Leo+McGarry · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    There is no pain unless the brain interprets the signal coming from the neuron as such.

    That has what to do with my comment? That guy up there said that pain originates in the brain. He was wrong. Why are you still typing?

    So, in theory, if the brain does not want to feel pain (interpret signals from sensory neurons as pain) it does not have to.

    Wow. Anthropomorphize much?

    Your brain did a risk assessment, knew getting shot in the head was worse than walking with a limp, so it ignored the damage to the foot for a while.

    Um. No. A stressful situation results in an adrenal response, which involves the disinhibition of catecholamines like dopamine, which interferes with the sensation of pain.

    The mechanisms of pain are very well understood. What you described is nothing but a lot of mumbo jumbo that's totally unrelated to any actual science.

  2. Re:Mind over matter. by Leo+McGarry · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If I pour a big jug of glutamate on a table and stimulate a thalamus by poking it with a stick, is that pain?

    You're not very smart, are you?

    Plonk.

  3. Re:The Placebo effect is controversial by Leo+McGarry · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    No, the national assembly was elected. The government has yet to be formed.

    I bet if you try, you could split that hair even more finely. If you really put your mind to it, I mean.

    You'd claim that everyone had free access to the polls?

    Not just me. All the election monitors, including those sent by the UN, say so.

  4. Re:The Placebo effect is controversial by Leo+McGarry · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Sorry, I'm not that interested in having a conversation with somebody who (1) argues just for the sake of arguing and (2) gets all his information from "Wikipedia."

    Plonk.