Forty things we don't know yet

It was widely believed, a little over a hundred years ago, that most of the great scientific questions had been dealt with and that what remained to scientists was little more than a mopping-up operation.

People soon learnt better.

Today, as we embark upon a new century, the number and variety of things we don't know continues to increase. The following article from Wired.com is about the most salient of these -- the Big Questions, so to speak -- and the progress (or lack of it) we have made in finding answers to them.

What We Don't Know

Thread now open for comments, observations and disputation.

this one Caught my attention:

What’s at Earth’s Core?
We know that at the center of the planet, about 4,000 miles down, sits a solid ball of iron the size of the moon. We also know that we’re standing on about 1,800 miles of rock, which forms Earth’s crust and mantle. But what’s in between the mantle and the iron ball? A churning ocean of liquid of some sort, but scientists aren’t certain what it’s made of or how it reacts to the stuff around it.

Wow and I though Hollywood had it right!

I always thought there were caves or what not ... In the inner earth ... You know sorta like the Matrix ... Man , I was hoping to be able to go below ground and live a while .... sometime ....

Originally posted by Astyanax
It was widely believed, a little over a hundred years ago, that most of the great scientific questions had been dealt with and that what remained to scientists was little more than a mopping-up operation.

.

I couldn't help it, this quote just reminded me of this one so much I had to share it.

The Quotation Page

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899 (attributed)

Supposedly he was telling the President they should close the US Patent Office.

Originally posted by Keyhole
I couldn't help it, this quote just reminded me of this one so much I had to share it.

The Quotation Page

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899 (attributed)

Supposedly he was telling the President they should close the US Patent Office.

LOL

That is probably true. I truly believe that there isn't anything truly new today, but if something unique does come out it is designed to make its debut for reasons of the marketplace.

Most patents today are just different variations of possible ways to suck money out of the populations if the opportunity presents itself to the patent holder.

Originally posted by ben91069
I truly believe that there isn't anything truly new today, but if something unique does come out it is designed to make its debut for reasons of the marketplace.

Most patents today are just different variations of possible ways to suck money out of the populations if the opportunity presents itself to the patent holder.

Argh yes damn those awful communications satellites, birth control pills, high yield rice, MRI Machines, Electron Microscopes, pacemakers, air bags and hearing aids. All worthless rehashes of existing items, or inventions conceived purely to suck away my hard earned cash.

Of course things are invented to make money, you need money to build, and create things, money to have the time to do it, money to distribute it, and money as an incentive to do it.

I truly believe that its absolutely disgusting that people get a job and expect to be paid for it, people these days seem to work all day every day just to suck money out of their employer. disgusting.

reply to post by Astyanax


Link to source is not working (for me) though I realize others are getting a connection to 'wired'.

Thanks for thread.

reply to post by Astyanax


observation: your link is broken sir.

reply to post by Astyanax


Ha! You couldn't be more wrong! Sure, there may be one or two unanswered questions but these are mere details that will surely be ironed out with more accurate measurement. We've pretty much got it sorted. We were wrong last time and the time before that but scientists were silly then. We're much smarter now..........

In many ways, what we DON'T know is more interesting to me than what we do. The unknown, what is to come. Recognition of this is what keeps us (or at least should) grounded and humble yet driven. I can't believe nobody else flagged this one yet.

Originally posted by OZtracized
reply to post by Astyanax

 

Ha! You couldn't be more wrong! Sure, there may be one or two unanswered questions but these are mere details that will surely be ironed out with more accurate measurement. We've pretty much got it sorted. We were wrong last time and the time before that but scientists were silly then. We're much smarter now..........

In many ways, what we DON'T know is more interesting to me than what we do. The unknown, what is to come. Recognition of this is what keeps us (or at least should) grounded and humble yet driven. I can't believe nobody else flagged this one yet.

Nothing to do with silliness, everything to do with progress. The quote about "mopping up" wasn't so far-fetched at the time as Newtonian physics was largely sorted a long time ago. It's only when the quantum can of worms got opened that such a statement seemed far off base