Today I Learned

[BillTre]

Plants can sense light vs. dark (as in growing toward the light or circadian responses), but seeing images is more unlikely.
The same source also said something I had doubts about which raises questions for me about them as a source.

 

[fresh_42]

Plants can sense light vs. dark (as in growing toward the light or circadian responses), but seeing images is more unlikely.
The same source also said something I had doubts about which raises questions for me about them as a source.

Actually seeing the results on TV can be very convincing, and it wasn't trash TV, it was a serious documentary on a serious channel with a serious Chilean biologist who discovered found that plant.

 

[symbolipoint]

See post #6658.

BillTre in #6683 has his own way of saying what I was trying to say, maybe slightly different examples.

 

[BillTre]

#6683 is my post.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

This is big. I expect this will be the driver for much of the economic and political decisions over the next 5-10 years, with indirect impacts on most of us.

Yes indeed. I am betting (professionally) the micro nuclear Gen IV fission reactors are the key. Fusion may come along soon as well but that is still pie in the sky. We've been building micro nuclear plants for subs and ships for over 60 years. Gen IV is new technology but not entirely unproven. The Natrium plant Gates is building in Wyoming isn't the latest and greatest, but it is ready now (hopefully).

 

[symbolipoint]

I find the description difficult but I have some understanding. I will not even try to explain it but:
T.I.L.: MacGuffin, a fiction story plot device.

(Upon opening the briefcase, the audience sees that an orange or golden light shines onto the face of the character who is looking at what's inside. This example being in the movie, Pulp Fiction.)

 

[sbrothy]

I find the description difficult but I have some understanding. I will not even try to explain it but:
T.I.L.: MacGuffin, a fiction story plot device.

(Upon opening the briefcase, the audience sees that an orange or golden light shines onto the face of the character who is looking at what's inside. This example being in the movie, Pulp Fiction.)

tvtropes is a veritable goldmine for these kind of... yeah tropes:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGuffin

EDIT: One can go on a wiki walk just like with the "real" wiki and find all kinds of new entertainment one wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

EDIT2: Chekov's Gun is a classic and is even used as a sound effect in the webcomic Schlock Mercenary.

 

[sbrothy]

Apropos nasty bugs and parasites:

XKCD: Biology Department

Should perhaps have gone in the lame jokes thread but as we just touched upon bugs…

 

[sbrothy]

tvtropes is a veritable goldmine for these kind of... yeah tropes:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGuffin

EDIT: One can go on a wiki walk just like with the "real" wiki and find all kinds of new entertainment one wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

EDIT2: Chekov's Gun is a classic and is even used as a sound effect in the webcomic Schlock Mercenary.

Took a little digging:

Schlock Mercenary - Chekov "Sound" Effect.

EDIT: In fact, it's pretty impressive as the comic ran daily for twenty years without missing a day. T'was a little like finding a needle in a haystack.

EDIT2: And I have no idea why I went all Mark Twainey there...?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Very cool
https://www.observium.org/

 

[symbolipoint]

I was starting to get a sense of, and today did make a brief search for any better understanding if possible; but T.I.L. more exactly the meanings for "terminology" and "vocabulary".

https://thisvsthat.io/terminology-vs-vocabulary
https://www.askdifference.com/terminology-vs-vocabulary/

 

[sbrothy]

I was starting to get a sense of, and today did make a brief search for any better understanding if possible; but T.I.L. more exactly the meanings for "terminology" and "vocabulary".

https://thisvsthat.io/terminology-vs-vocabulary
https://www.askdifference.com/terminology-vs-vocabulary/

Where does vernacular fit in?

Nah, you are hopefully aware by now that I'm joking. I've always liked this saying:

"Succinct is verbose for terse."

Unfortunately I don't know who to ascribe the quote to. I copied it from someone elses footer on codeguru.com

 

[sbrothy]

Ooh that reminds of this one, also a favorite of mine:

"I'd be happy to deal with my problems one at the time, if they would only line up!"

I'm not sure here either. Perhaps Paul Cilwa Borland C++ Insider.

 

[symbolipoint]

Where does vernacular fit in?

That's a good question. I am not prepared to try to answer. I did do a search about "vernacular", just a few weeks ago.

 

[sbrothy]

That's a good question. I am not prepared to try to answer. I did do a search about "vernacular", just a few weeks ago.

Well I admit I hadn't thought too deepLY about it before asking it. I was basically just teasing you. Shame on me.

EDIT: that, and I love words. Etymology FTW!

 

[symbolipoint]

Well I admit I hadn't thought too deep about it before asking it. I was basically just teasing you. Shame on me.

EDIT: that, and I love words. Etymology FTW!

Some memory intuition happening here:
Vernacular is cultural or regional while terminology is occupational or expertise-dependent. Go ahead, check on the thinking and see if it works as a reliable fit.

 

[sbrothy]

Some memory intuition happening here:
Vernacular is cultural or regional while terminology is occupational or expertise-dependent. Go ahead, check on the thinking and see if it works as a reliable fit.

That sounds correct to me. I guess you could go even further and say vocabulary is the intersection of each.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

You can use the Fibonacci Sequence to convert miles to Kilometers.

The number of kilometers in a mile is k = 1.609344 which is close to the golden ratio φ = 1.6180334.

The ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers converges to φ, and so you can approximately convert miles to kilometers by multiplying by a Fibonacci number and dividing by the previous Fibonacci number. For example, you could multiply by 8 and divide by 5, or you could multiply by 13 and divide by 8.
https://www.johndcook.com/blog/2024/09/01/miles-to-kilometers/

or you can just remember 1.61...

 

[fresh_42]

You can use the Fibonacci Sequence to convert miles to Kilometers.

The number of kilometers in a mile is k = 1.609344 which is close to the golden ratio φ = 1.6180334.

The ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers converges to φ, and so you can approximately convert miles to kilometers by multiplying by a Fibonacci number and dividing by the previous Fibonacci number. For example, you could multiply by 8 and divide by 5, or you could multiply by 13 and divide by 8.
https://www.johndcook.com/blog/2024/09/01/miles-to-kilometers/

or you can just remember 1.61...

Do you have any idea how many versions of Miles there have been and are? I stopped counting somewhere above 60.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Do you have any idea how many versions of Miles there have been and are? I stopped counting somewhere above 60.

Obviously I mean 5000 Roman Feet = 1 Mile

 

[sbrothy]

... that "handstand" must have some kind of meaning I've never heard of (or maybe the editor meant to write "last stand"?

Found it here in the "timeline of incidents in 1993 that have been labelled as "terrorism" and are not believed to have been carried out by a government or its forces". in particular the "Columbian Conflict", October 5:

In the village of El Bosque, Piedras Portugal, 13 ELN guerrillas died in combat with troops from the Palacé Battalion of the III Brigade. They were surprised while they prepared a handstand.

---- Wiki: List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_1993#List (boldness mine)

Yeah, I go on wiki benders and get around pretty thouroughly, but really? A handstand? Is there some meaning of the word which escapes me?

EDIT: Removed Wiki link which initially escaped me.
EDIT2: Removed more Wiki links.
EDIT3: It just evoked a pretty obscure picture in my mind.

 

[sbrothy]

… that Platypuses (ii?) are actually venomous. Though apparently not fatal to humans (says Wiki).

Platypus venom: a review (Australian Mammaology)

 

[BillTre]

… that Platypuses (ii?) are actually venomous. Though apparently not fatal to humans (says Wiki).

Platypus venom: a review (Australian Mammaology)

Only the males.

 

[sbrothy]

Only the males.

Thanks. Haven’t yet read the paper I linked to in detail, hence my wiki “reference”. I like that cracked.com called the animals “deliriously ridiculous”.

 

[BillTre]

The males have a spur on their hind legs that is venous.

 

[sbrothy]

The males have a spur on their hind legs that is venous.

Yeah I caught as much. But only the males you say. It’s like “deliriously ridiculous” fits better applied to evolution.

 

[Ibix]

… that Platypuses (ii?) are actually venomous. Though apparently not fatal to humans (says Wiki).

Platypus venom: a review (Australian Mammaology)

You are behind on this thread:

Spoiler for anyone playing NY times Strands game.


TIL: Platypi are not only egg-laying mammals. Male platypi are also among the rare mammals that are venomous, delivering the venom through spurs on the hind legs. It is apparently quite painful.

I actually knew this already due to consuming reliable scientific sources on the subject.

 

[sbrothy]

You are behind on this thread:

Ouch!

I usually search the thread before posting, but mostly if I think I already posted something similar myself. In my defense the thread is getting awfully long and I put wiki "reference" in quotes.

 

[Ibix]

In my defense the thread is getting awfully long and I put wiki "reference" in quotes.

My linked reference is better.

 

[sbrothy]

Absolutely. No discussion there.