How many questions do you have a burning desire to know the answer to

  • Thread starter Thread starter wolram
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The thread explores a variety of questions that participants have a strong desire to know the answers to, ranging from personal curiosities to scientific inquiries. The discussion includes both serious and humorous questions, touching on topics in physics, philosophy, and everyday life.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a desire to understand complex topics such as the reversal of entropy and the sources of universal constants.
  • Questions about personal experiences and societal issues, such as how to inspire more people to learn and the role of scientists in government, are also raised.
  • Humorous and whimsical questions are posed, including inquiries about fictional characters and nonsensical riddles.
  • One participant reflects on existential questions, including the purpose of life and the nature of consciousness.
  • Several participants share light-hearted responses to questions about everyday issues, like laptop overheating and personal relationships.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the nature of their questions or the answers sought, with a mix of serious and humorous inquiries leading to varied responses and no clear resolution.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes a wide range of questions that vary in depth and seriousness, with some participants providing humorous or nonsensical answers that may not directly address the original inquiries.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in exploring a diverse array of questions and the nature of inquiry across different fields may find this discussion engaging.

wolram
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
Messages
4,410
Reaction score
551
How many questions do you have a burning desire to know the answer to? ask them here, you may go away unhappy though.
 
Physics news on Phys.org


What is the best way to get rid of nose hair?
 


How may entropy be reversed?
Why do some people ask questions on the forums, after stating that they are not well read on the topic they asked about and then proceed to poorly argue with the answers someone took the time and effort to be helpful?
How is your finger?
a*d^x+e*b^x=c solve for x
Are friends electric?
How can we get more scientists, engineers and teachers into government roles?
How can I inspire more people to learn?

In all seriousness, some of those I would really like to have the answers for.

Enjoy!

wolram said:
What is the best way to get rid of nose hair?

Just grab a bunch and tear away.
 


The subject of burning questions reminds me of the opening stanza of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock:


LET us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question….
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.
 


charmar said:
how may entropy be reversed?

insufficient data for meaningful answer.

(edit: bah, the forum software won't let me enter that in all-caps. :frown:)
 


wolram said:
How many questions do you have a burning desire to know the answer to? ask them here, you may go away unhappy though.

Where've you been, Woolie?

And when are you coming back?
 
wolram said:
How many questions do you have a burning desire to know the answer to?

At least 42
 


lisab said:
Where've you been, Woolie?

And when are you coming back?

I have never left, i log on to PFs in my lucid moments :biggrin:
 
I've always wanted to know more about the sources of Universal constants beyond "they're just there".
And what would be the best way to hollow out my roommate's potatoes?
 
  • #10
Who is Ted Mosby's wife?
 
  • #11
WannabeNewton said:
Who is Ted Mosby's wife?

Easiest question ever.

Mrs Mosby
 
  • #12
JonDE said:
Easiest question ever.

Mrs Mosby

Holy ****. That makes so much sense!
 
  • #13
JonDE said:
Easiest question ever.

Mrs Mosby

Buahaha!
 
  • #14
wolram said:
How many questions do you have a burning desire to know the answer to? ask them here, you may go away unhappy though.

Let's see, I know how life arose on Earth (from scratch basically), know why math describes Nature so well (cut from same cloth), why man and ape share 98% DNA but yet so different (catastrophe theory), how consciousness arises (emergence from non-linear dynamics), the purpose of life (none), if God exists (of course not), is there life outside Earth (of course), and "why" the Universe got started (pre-existence encountered critical-point).

But I'm still puzzled by what causes life to go from simple to complex so I guess that's what I have left to know.
 
Last edited:
  • #15
What have I got in my pocket?
 
  • #16
A train is heading north, its smoke is blowing south. How many pancakes does it take to cover a dog house?
 
  • #17
What does Jimmy have in his pocket?
 
  • #18
Drakkith said:
A train is heading north, its smoke is blowing south. How many pancakes does it take to cover a dog house?

Kate Upton.
 
  • #19
Why doesn't the Comedy Channel show the presidential debates?
 
  • #20
Pengwuino said:
What does Jimmy have in his pocket?

Huuuuum, depends on the size of his pocket.
 
  • #21
what is love
 
  • #22
Borg said:
Why doesn't the Comedy Channel show the presidential debates?
I thought they were on the Comedy Channel...
 
  • #23
kepler94 said:
what is love

Baby don't hurt me!
 
  • #24
Love is like a toffee, it either disolves in your mouth or sticks to your teeth.
 
  • #25
I have many questions but these are the most important:

1. How do girls think.
2. Who am I and who are you?
3. I have infinite more questions, and before you say I can't have infinite questions, when I find the answers to current ones then I end up with more.
 
  • #26
Why does my laptop keep overheating?

I hope that'a not a burning question, literally.
 
  • #27
lisab said:
Why does my laptop keep overheating?

I hope that'a not a burning question, literally.

Sounds like the air inlet of the fan under the laptop could use the vacuum cleaner for a few seconds. The result may be spectacular.
 
  • #28
lisab said:
Why does my laptop keep overheating?

I hope that'a not a burning question, literally.
If it's been more than a couple of years, spray compressed air through the fan vents. You should get a lot of dust and a cooler running computer.
 
  • #29
lisab said:
Why does my laptop keep overheating?

I hope that'a not a burning question, literally.

Over use, the poor thing is probably exhausted. :biggrin:
 
  • #30
What happened to D.B. Cooper?
 

Similar threads

Medical Harmful substances released by burning plastics?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
High School Logic Problem: Figuring Out How Many Apples Each Man Ate
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Admissions What are some of the questions asked for a medical physics residency interview?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
How could I make it so ferrofluid drops do not coalesce?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
888
Research question about burning metals and their flashes and colors
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
6K
How do you know how many solutions there are for z?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
Graduate Quantum mechanics, many worlds, and its implications -- I have questions
  • · Replies 47 ·
2
Replies
47
Views
5K
Is infinity the answer of all question that we cannot answer?
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
High School How do physicists know if limits exist, things are integrable, etc?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
High School Baccarat math and beating the edge
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K