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Dark Matter Exists

olclops writes "It's a big day for astrophysics. After much speculation, scientists now have conclusive proof of dark matter. This result doesn't rule out alternate gravity theories like MOND, but it does mean those theories will have to account for exotic forms of dark matter."

2 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. Grammar Nazi Strikes Again by Ruff_ilb · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    the PP is correct, before anyone jumps off and gets on his case, as has happened before.

    From Dictionary.com

    Effect
    tr.v. effected, effecting, effects

                1. To bring into existence.
                2. To produce as a result.
                3. To bring about. See Usage Note at affect1.

    (e.g. "The Senator was afraid that the new policy would effect higher oil prices.")

    Also, effect is often seen as a noun, meaning (among other things) a result. For example: "The Senator was afraid that the new policy would have detrimental effects on the oil industry."

    On the other hand:

    Affect
    tr.v. affected, affecting, affects

                1. To have an influence on or effect a change in: Inflation affects the buying power of the dollar.
                2. To act on the emotions of; touch or move.
                3. To attack or infect, as a disease: Rheumatic fever can affect the heart.

    (e.g. "The Senator was afraid that the new policy would adversely affect the oil prices, dragging them higher.")

    Affect is rarely used as a noun, although it is much more commonly seen as a verb. Affect as a verb: "The man had a strange brand of body language that lent him an odd affect."

    If you don't believe me:

    Usage note from dictionary.com:

    "Usage Note: Affect and effect have no senses in common. As a verb affect is most commonly used in the sense of "to influence" (how smoking affects health). Effect means "to bring about or execute": layoffs designed to effect savings. Thus the sentence These measures may affect savings could imply that the measures may reduce savings that have already been realized, whereas These measures may effect savings implies that the measures will cause new savings to come about."

    Usage note from wikipedia.com:

    "Do not confuse affect with effect. The former is used to convey the influence over existing ideas, emotions and entities; the latter indicates the manifestation of new or original ideas or entities. For example, "...new governing coalitions during these realigning periods have EFFECTED major changes in governmental institutions" indicates that major changes were made as a result of new governing coalitions, while "...new governing coalitions during these realigning periods have AFFECTED major changes in governmental institutions" indicates that before new governing coalitions, major changes were in place, and that the new governing coalitions had some influence over these existing changes."

    Usage note from Write101.com:

    "The easiest way to distinguish the two is to remember that affect is a verb (well, nearly always a verb) and effect is a noun ... well, nearly always! [...]
    When affect is pronounced [uh FEKT] and accented on the final syllable, it's a verb meaning "to have an influence on."
    eg Nothing they did, could affect my decision to go to the beach.
    Occasionally, very occasionally, the word is used as a noun (it means a feeling or emotion, as distinguished from thought or action, or a strong feeling having active consequences) and the accent is on the first syllable [AFF ekt]. This is a term that is reserved for psychiatry and psychology:
    eg In hysteria, the affect is sometimes entirely dissociated, sometimes transferred to another than the original idea.
    Effect is most usually a noun and it means the result of some action or the power to produce a result. The noun is pronounced [uh FEKT] :
    eg The effect of the bushfire was clearly visible.
    eg The soothing music had an immediate effect on the wild beast.
    This can also be a verb and it means to bring into existence, to produce a result (pronounced [ee FEKT]}"

    --
    http://www.TheGamerNation.com/Forums
  2. Re:So funny by bersl2 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    We know a thing or two, but we can't feed everyone. We have satellites orbiting the Earth while people live on sidewalks.

    What are you going to do about it? Give arbitrary power to somebody, who will feed and house the poor with the wealth of the rich? You think some form of collectivism wouldn't quickly degenerate into totalitarianism?

    We are what we are. We can only build on what we have previously done. There is no magic of the gods that will allow us to become a species of greater beings; that only happens through the analysis and synthesis of our environment and our own imaginations.

    Please keep in mind that even the best of us have flaws, and that the worst have many, many more.