Comments by readers of World Science, the global science news site
Re: Humans go into heat after all, strip club study finds (Oct. 28): I think there must be a shining and glow in the face (! any increase in the weight) and the beauty in appearance of a human female in the heat or ovulation days.
In the case of animals, will there be any special smell emanated from the body of a female that attracts the male animals from a far distance?
Re: “Extreme” rain follows global warming (Aug. 7): Does your editor live in a cave or on a desert island? Global warming is so passe’ Global temperatures have declined to where they are now at 1970 level.
The new scare is the coming ice age, but obviously you haven’t heard! There is the confluence of the 10,000 year interglacial period, the 200 year Schwabe cycle, the 30 to 40 year PDO and ADO cycles and the 11 year solar cycle are all coming into their cool periods.
We are 11,000 years into an interglacial which averages 10,000 years. Glaciations can occur quickly. A 12 C drop can happen in 20 years. If the cooling in 2007, faster than typical, continues, the temperature could be 14 C cooler by 2027.
A NASA and a Western Washington University scientist independently predict 30 years of cooling. By 2020, the sun will be starting into its weakest Schwabe cycle of the past two centuries. Cooling could signal the beginning of a Maunder Minimum, an event that occurs every couple of centuries and can last as long as a century. During the bitter cold period from 1650 to 1715, frigid winters and cold summers led to massive crop failures, famine and death in Northern Europe.
Warming and cooling trends over the past four centuries show an almost exact correlation between climate fluctuations and solar energy, while showing almost no correlation with CO2. A study of several centuries’ data shows global temperatures closely track 11 year solar cycles. If the current cycle remains quiet for another year or two, we could experience massive snowfall and severe weather.
Comparisons of historic global climate warming and cooling over the past century with Pacific Decadal Oscillations (PDO) and Atlantic decadal Oscillations (ADO) oscillations, glacial fluctuations, and sun spot activity show strong correlations. Switch of PDO cool mode to warm mode in 1977 initiated several decades of global warming. The PDO has now switched from its warm mode (where it had been since 1977) into its cool mode.
There is the confluence of the 10,000 year interglacial period, the 200 year Schwabe cycle, the 30 to 40 year PDO and ADO cycles and the 11 year solar cycle all coming into their cool periods.
31,072 have signed a petition declaring AGW as non-existent. Only 2000 (after 400 withdrew their name) scientists’ names were affixed to the 2001 IPCC declaration on GW.
Re: Signs of dark matter found? (Nov. 19): What is the relation of the “Dark Matter” to the “Black Holes” created from super massive stars, which are probably at the center of every galaxy? Is it credible that the “Dark Matter” consists of all those black holes, plus one super big black hole ( the 73% mass of the universe ) that represents what’s left over from the “big bang” associated with the “creation” of our “universe”?
Re: Signs of dark matter found? (Nov. 19): I regret to say that an expression in this report is just plain wrong.
The report says “Because, as Einstein showed, matter and energy are ultimately equivalent, dark matter would also be a part of the energy in the universe”.
Einstein did not show this.
The famous equation linking E to M and to C-squared does not make energy and matter equivalent. E is energy. M is MASS, not matter - it is a physics variable, not chemistry.
Before Einstein, it was believed that mass was only a property of matter (material). In the “magic year” 1904 to 1905, Einstein explored the idea of Max Planck’s concept of the quantum(of magnetic energy). A Quantum is the smallest amount of magnetic energy, such as the smallest amount of visible light.
At the quantum level, the light can either bounce or be absorbed. There are no other options. If it bounces, it returns from the “mirror” at the same frequency as it had when it arrived. Therefore, it return with the same energy as it had when it arrived. It bounces as if it had no mass (weight).
At the quantum level, if it is absorbed it is no longer magnetic energy. Light that is absorbed vanishes. However, when light is absorbed into a body, it sets that body into motion. This is the behaviour of something that does indeed have mass (weight). The equation says how much mass this would be.
So after Einstein, we understand that matter has mass and also that energy under the right conditions has mass.
If matter turned into energy, or vice-versa, it would violate two fundamental laws of physics - the Law of Conservation of Matter and also the Law of the Conservation of Energy. Matter cannot be created or destroyed. Energy cannot be created or destroyed.
Einstein’s physics is mainstream physics. He did not violate these laws.
As for dark matter, I have my own views of a possible explanation of what it is. I have published this on my website, but that is a different matter, although related. If energy has mass, as Einstein showed, the unexplained mass in the Universe may not be the mass of as yet to be discovered matter. It might be the mass of undiscovered energy.
That is the crux.
Charles Douglas Wehner
http://wehner.org
Re: Signs of dark matter found? (Nov. 19): Asuming that Dark Matter is distributed through the universe, is it possible that the measured finite velocity of light is due to Dark Matter imposing a ‘Drag’ on the passage of photons through it ? If this were the case then it would follow that dark matter must be evenly distributed, otherwise the speed of light would not be a constant Towards the boundaries of the universe the distribution of dark matter may, perhaps, thin out, which would then lead to an increase in the speed of light.
I have read a report which indicated that the motion of objects at the perceived limits of the universe appear to exhibit variations not in accordance with accepted theory, which assumes a constant and finite light speed, The report suggested that this must be due to some additional unperceived influence.
Could this not be due to variations in the speed of light, in the region concerned?
Re: Signs of dark matter found? (Nov. 19): I wish to bring an alternative concept “Hypothesis on matter” to your attention, which logically describes the structure and properties of the all-encompassing medium.
I am glad to inform you that the second edition of the book “Hypothesis on matter” is now published. New edition includes more details and additional topics to make the concept simpler to understand. Few ambiguous explanations in the first edition are rewritten to make them simpler.
“Hypothesis on matter” is a revolutionary new concept, which attempts to explain all physical phenomena based on just one type of fundamental particle - the Quantum of matter. These particles form, what the author calls, ‘2D Energy Fields’. Space is assumed to contain an infinite number of 2D Energy Fields extending in all directions. Nainan masterfully explains a wide array of physical phenomena, from the origin of matter to gravity and subatomic interactions to cosmological events, based on the simple mechanical interactions of quanta of matter. There is no more any need to envisage actions at a distance or to invoke irrational assumptions like diversity of forces, mass-energy equivalence, constancy of light’s speed, dual nature of electric charge, singularities, big bang, etc. This new concept will radically alter our understanding of the physical universe and at the same time, explain complex physical phenomena with simple Cause and Effect relationships.
Re: Math vs. vampires: vampires lose (Oct. 25, 2006): Actually, the basis of your article disproving vampires’ existence is based on faulty information.
Vampires do not necessarily turn everyone they bite into a vampire, but actually kill them.
They can only change others into vampires if they intend to actually do so.
(Keep in mind that I don’t necessarily believe in vampires) (Also, this is based on one version of the theory. But if this is in fact the case, isn’t it scientifically plausible? )
Re: Report: cells “from space” have unusual makeup (Sept. 8): What we are missing is not necessarily the explanation of what the rain itself consists of, but the effects it had on its environment. How did the plants react to the rain? Were there any differences in their growth? Did the red cells give them food? Did metal rust faster? Did the colour of the rain stain things that were left outside? The video we watched just said people were scared of the rain. Did they notice any changes with themselves or the environment? Was it consumable? Did it effect the body in any way? It was also said that the rains went on for a few weeks. Were they just limited to one area? Thank you for your efforts in solving this phenomenon and for listening.
Re: Kids’ music practice may pay off in other skills (Nov. 5): Has it really gotten to the point where Harvard spends money to research what was once known as a Truth?
Re: Mouth microbes helping the chef make magic? (Nov. 11): I just read your story about bacteria in the mouth being responsible for creating some flavors, and it gave rise to a whole bunch of questions! Last summer I had a sinus infection, and was prescribed an antibiotic (the generic version of Biaxin). It totally messed up my sense of taste, and destroyed my sense of smell.
Now I’m wondering if that’s because certain bacteria were killed off.
It’s been a little over 4 months, and my sense of smell and taste are coming back, but still not normal. I talked to my nurse practitioner, and she said to wait and see what develops. I guess I’m just wondering, is there a specific bacterium involved in this, and is it possible I’m lacking that? Or is the loss of smell and taste caused by something else? (I’ve researched the side effects of this medication. I haven’t found much information, other than that these are common side effects. )
Re: Bullies may enjoy others’ pain (Nov. 7): I would be curious to know if any studies or findings are available that are related to brain activity in teens playing violent video games or watching excessively violent movies. My grandson is a very non aggressive, friendly child of fourteen, but is totally captivated by violent games, videos and music, as are most of his friends and classmates.
Re: Bullies may enjoy others’ pain (Nov. 7): I suggest that the Bully is not feeling pleasure from the other person’s pain, but is feeling pleasure from reasoning that the pain shows that the other person is a real person, like himself.
Re: Giant simulation could help solve “dark matter” mystery (Nov. 5): I have had an idea re part of the so called missing mass for many years but am yet to get a comment in reply from anywhere.
Its not a strange idea! I did some equations about the kinetic energy, (1/2 MV squared), of particles when they spin, and if we consider such energy for our planet alone from fundamental particles all the way up to atoms, elements spinning with the earth, the earth around the sun, the solar system around the galaxy’s edge, and the galactic velocities, plus the the universes movement itself, then we have an awful lot of energy in kinetic form.
Such energy if converted to mass must account for some of the so called missing mass, no matter how minor, and all I seek is that someone somewhere says to me, yes it’s taken into account, or no pal, you are on the wrong track here, or, good idea?
PS I cant see that the idea is that stupid, and really wonder why, after the occasional email to various universities and science magazines over the years, no-one has ever even responded to set me straight?
(Editor's note: Physicists are hereby invited to respond to this inquiry from the long-waiting Mr. Lewis.)
Re: Kids’ music practice may pay off in other skills (Nov. 5): I have noticed this effect with my ten year old grandson, who in a remarkably short time has learned to read music fluently and to play the clarinet. He also learned to read easily at an early age and posesses a wide vocabulary and a remarkable verbal fluency. In his case an interest in a music, developed after his early mastery of reading and pattern recognition.
I would be interested to know if learning music also has an effect on the ability to learn languages.
Re: “Real” Crusoe’s island said to yield clues of sojourn (Oct. 30): I just wanted to thank you for putting up this article. I am a long decendant of Alexander Selkirk (Selkregg/craig)! Our family has always come to deeply love the Robinson Crusoe book and now the series as well. Thank you for bringing up/sharing some more info about such a special person in my heritage! I am related to him(cousin) via my fathers’ mother’s side(SelKirks/SelKreggs and such).
Re: Study: red enhances men’s attraction to women (Oct. 29): As a human male I agree totally, but something is to be said for black as well! The reason I am writing is regarding a paper I read in The Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 2157-2172. It has some interesting pictures of mandrills, velvet monkey and male mouse opossum. What is interesting is their penises as are the female rumps are bright red. But their scrotums are blue to cyan. The male mandrill also has a blue nose, but red nostrils. Perhaps the color difference is a way of enhancing contrast? After all on the CieLAB scale red and blue are on the same “line”.
Steven Carlo, PhD, C.Chem, MRSC.
Senior Scientist
Exponent
17000 Science Drive, Suite 200
Bowie, MD 20715
Re: Study: red enhances men’s attraction to women (Oct. 29): Has this experiment been made with persons from USA only or from all kinds of cultural / ethnical background ? US scientists tend to consider that White US-ians (Bolivians guatemala, mexico, tierra del fuego is also america) represent (and own?) the whole mankind. In that they tend to extrapolate what they find on a few people from new York and Albany to “humans”.
Re: Study: red enhances men’s attraction to women (Oct. 29): It will be nice to see if there is any opposite influence between the red and the green. These two colors are diametrically opposed in the color wheel of the solar electromagnetic spectrum.
Re: Green space better for kids’ waistlines, health (Oct. 28): I find it hard to believe that it was actually deemed necessary to conduct a study about green space and leafy areas in relation to obesity in children. It is only common sense that playing outside and engaging in activity, as opposed to not doing so, is a way to produce trimmer children. I suppose, next, there will be a study comparing healthy food to junk food as a way to combat obesity in children. There is no need for Duh! studies. How about coming up with some novel ideas. ?
Betty J.Rodman H.H.C..P., M.I.N.D.S. consultant,
Holistic Counseling
