25 of the most provocative questions facing science

NY Times (Science Times) ^ | Nov. 11, 2003 | Anon.

[Pharmboy]

(1) Does Science Matter?

(2) Is War Our Biological Destiny?

(3) Will Humans Ever Visit Mars?

(4) How Does the Brain Work?

(5) What Is Gravity, Really?

(6) Will We Ever Find Atlantis?

(8) What Should We Eat?

(9) When Will the Next Ice Age Begin?

(10) What Happened Before the Big Bang?

(11) Could We Live Forever?

(12) Are Men Necessary? ...

... Are Women Necessary?

(13) What Is the Next Plague?

(14) Can Robots Become Conscious?

(15) Why Do We Sleep?

(16) Are Animals Smarter Than We Think?

(17) Can Science Prove the Existence of God?

(18) Is Evolution Truly Random?

(19) How Did Life Begin?

(20) Can Drugs Make Us Happier? Smarter?

(21) Should We Improve Our Genome?

(22) How Much Nature Is Enough?

(23) What Is the Most Important Problem in Math Today?

(24) Where Are Those Aliens?

(25) Do Paranormal Phenomena Exist?

[null and void]

I'll wager every man has, at least once, had the fun of trying to separate the woman he's interested in getting to know from her chosen pack of screaming b*tch harpy girlfriends

Only to discover, after considerable effort, that she BELONGS in a pack of screaming b*tch harpy girlfriends...

[Bon mots]

28) Where do all my unpaired socks go?

Okay. Let's make a deal... give me back some of my coathangers, and I'll give you your missing socks...

[RightWingAtheist]

I think Denis Weaire (the godfather of "foam physics") did a piece on that in Physical Review once

[Doctor Stochastic]

Perhaps others may disagree but I would rate the Riemann Hypothesis as the most important math problem. The ABC conjecture is a close second.

[RightWingAtheist]

You're welcome!

[Ignatz]

Bump for later reading

[jpl]

#2: Yes; Plato was correct, and the dreamers are wrong.

[general_re]

I tell ya, a guy can't win ;)

[facedown]

Okay. Let's make a deal... give me back some of my coathangers, and I'll give you your missing socks...

Throw in a handfull of couch change and we can talk!

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the bump.

[tallhappy]

You're welcome.

I read a similar list about 15 years ago and they were actually intriguing questions amenable to scientific inquiry. If I can dig it up I'll post it.

This list is mostly doubletalk. I mean, "does science matter?" What is this. That's not a scientific question.

This is liberal salon talk. Fitting for the NY Times.

[truthandjustice1]

"All phenomena are paranormal until explained."

good one!

[Mike Darancette]

(9) When Will the Next Ice Age Begin?

We are still in the present Ice Age and are currently experiencing an iterglacial period.

[new cruelty]

A: 42

[longshadow]

but I would rate the Riemann Hypothesis as the most important math problem. The ABC conjecture is a close second.

Sheesh; doesn't the Continuum Hypothesis get any respect anymore?

[RightWhale]

This is probably a joke listing for the casual inattentive grammar school pupil. No you won't have a car until you buy it yourself.

[Pharmboy]

Well, I actually agree with you (the Atlantis question gave me a smile, as did the men and wimmin questions). Usually the Science Times is better than this (even allowing for the PC-ness). With that said, some of the questions and answers were worthwhile.

[Pharmboy]

# 26b) How does a continuum transfunctioner work?

[jennyp]

My wife thinks that Budweiser commercial, the one that salutes the "wingman" who "takes one for the team" so that his buddy can get to know some other woman a little better, is hilarious, because she doesn't understand that, to men, that's not a joke. The "wingman" is just one of the many ways that men have evolved to deal with the nasty-girlfriend problem...

Wait a sec. You're saying that commercial isn't hilarious; it's poignantly realistic??? Oh my!