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25 of the most provocative questions facing science
NY Times (Science Times) ^ | Nov. 11, 2003 | Anon.

Posted on 11/11/2003 2:55:42 AM PST by 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?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: crevolist; questions; science; thefuture
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To: general_re
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...

81 posted on 11/11/2003 8:07:44 AM PST by null and void (*sigh* Been there. Done that. Have the Tee shirt...)
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To: facedown
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...
82 posted on 11/11/2003 8:08:09 AM PST by Bon mots
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To: facedown
I think Denis Weaire (the godfather of "foam physics") did a piece on that in Physical Review once
83 posted on 11/11/2003 8:13:20 AM PST by RightWingAtheist
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To: Physicist
Perhaps others may disagree but I would rate the Riemann Hypothesis as the most important math problem. The ABC conjecture is a close second.
84 posted on 11/11/2003 8:13:40 AM PST by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch is der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: Busywhiskers
You're welcome!
85 posted on 11/11/2003 8:13:57 AM PST by RightWingAtheist
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To: Pharmboy
Bump for later reading
86 posted on 11/11/2003 8:20:22 AM PST by Ignatz (Helping people be more like me since 1960.)
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To: Pharmboy
#2: Yes; Plato was correct, and the dreamers are wrong.
87 posted on 11/11/2003 8:21:38 AM PST by jpl
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To: null and void
I tell ya, a guy can't win ;)
88 posted on 11/11/2003 8:37:26 AM PST by general_re ("I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.")
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To: Bon mots
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!

89 posted on 11/11/2003 8:57:14 AM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: tallhappy
Thanks for the bump.
90 posted on 11/11/2003 9:06:24 AM PST by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to...)
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To: Pharmboy
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.

91 posted on 11/11/2003 9:11:44 AM PST by tallhappy
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To: Physicist
"All phenomena are paranormal until explained."

good one!

92 posted on 11/11/2003 9:26:54 AM PST by truthandjustice1
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To: Pharmboy
(9) When Will the Next Ice Age Begin?

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

93 posted on 11/11/2003 9:28:33 AM PST by Mike Darancette (Proud member - Neo-Conservative Power Vortex)
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To: Pharmboy

A: 42


94 posted on 11/11/2003 9:40:09 AM PST by new cruelty
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To: Doctor Stochastic
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?

95 posted on 11/11/2003 11:01:11 AM PST by longshadow
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To: Pharmboy
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.
96 posted on 11/11/2003 11:16:42 AM PST by RightWhale (Close your tag lines)
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Comment #97 Removed by Moderator

To: tallhappy
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.
98 posted on 11/11/2003 11:41:01 AM PST by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to...)
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To: new cruelty
# 26b) How does a continuum transfunctioner work?
99 posted on 11/11/2003 11:45:32 AM PST by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to...)
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To: general_re
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!

100 posted on 11/11/2003 12:05:37 PM PST by jennyp (http://crevo.bestmessageboard.com)
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