Category Archives: Uncategorized
The EM Drive
In about 2001 or so, reports began to surface about a new kind of thruster for a spacecraft. This thruster was said to produce a slight push in a way that violated the law of Conservation of Momentum. Despite this … Continue reading
The Dogon Tribe
There is a tribe in Western Africa known as the Dogon people. They have a tradition of having been visited by beings who taught them various skills. The Dogons explain that these beings come from the sky, from a star … Continue reading
Cooper Family Falling Body
This refers to a photograph purportedly taken by the father of a family. The story is that when the father developed the image, he was horrified to see that a hanging body appeared. They state that the hanging body wasn’t … Continue reading
Faster Than Light Neutrinos
In 2011, researchers at CERN reported that some neutrinos appeared to travel faster than the speed of light.
Tools and Rules
These are some basic principles I use to help sort through the various topics and suggested explanations. Using them can simplify discussions.
The Fermi Paradox
The Fermi paradox is the observation that, although there are billions upon billions of stars, we have not discovered any evidence of intelligent life. The question is, “Why not?” Enrico Fermi
The Dunning-Kruger Effect
Briefly, the Dunning-Kruger (DK) effect is the erroneous self-assessment of skill, knowledge, or other qualities in a field that is not the person’s area of expertise. This can be laymen grappling with an unfamiliar discipline, or experts who have strayed … Continue reading
Conspiracy Theories
Bielefeld Conspiracy theories strike me as an attempt to hold on to a cherished idea when there is insufficient evidence to support it. Rather than consider that the idea is wrong, a person clings to it and invents reasons to … Continue reading
Cottingley Fairies
Before There Was Photoshop In 1917, two girls borrowed their father’s camera and took some photos in their back yard. When the photos were developed, they showed several fairies dancing and playing in the yard as the girls looked on. … Continue reading
Cold Fusion
In 1989, chemists Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann reported that they had achieved cold fusion. “Cold fusion” refers to a type of nuclear reaction that takes place at temperatures far below the several million degrees that are usually required for … Continue reading