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Search: Posts Made By: majamin
Forum: Education 24th January 2015, 03:45 PM
Replies: 907
Views: 74,125
Posted By majamin
Let's rank knowledge in terms of how ubiquitous...

Let's rank knowledge in terms of how ubiquitous it is (how many people know each fact), a logarithmic scale of knowledge, if you will ...

1. Fire is hot

2. Some plants and grains are a good...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 24th July 2014, 08:27 AM
Replies: 21
Views: 1,878
Posted By majamin
What is the mathematical background of your...

What is the mathematical background of your students? How much calculus do they know?
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 6th March 2013, 09:49 PM
Replies: 16
Views: 888
Posted By majamin
I said yes to the poll, but only because I think...

I said yes to the poll, but only because I think there is a level at which patenting a sequence of genes would be acceptable (say, if it was much different than any other sequence we know of, and be...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 2nd March 2013, 09:05 AM
Replies: 20
Views: 1,053
Posted By majamin
There are many levels to split hairs here, I...

There are many levels to split hairs here, I admit, but let me try. If the OP is pointing to a high-school level question aimed at young adults, then factorization is referring to writing the...
Forum: Education 23rd February 2013, 10:29 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 9,487
Posted By majamin
In lieu of JREF creating its own line of videos...

In lieu of JREF creating its own line of videos there are many youtube users that have taken on the skeptical front with great videos. Users Qualiasoup, TheraminTrees, c0nc0rdance for purely...
Forum: Education 23rd February 2013, 09:39 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 9,487
Posted By majamin
Are you implying that there could be no better...

Are you implying that there could be no better alternative to the Khan Academy?
Forum: Education 23rd February 2013, 09:08 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 9,487
Posted By majamin
I thought I would comment a little bit on this...

I thought I would comment a little bit on this exchange, because I found that there are truths in both responses, and some miscommunication of ideas. Please follow the links to the full quote for...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th November 2012, 12:02 AM
Replies: 22
Views: 1,303
Posted By majamin
I love when the simplest of phenomena are exposed...

I love when the simplest of phenomena are exposed by high-speed cameras:

pbGz1njqhxU
Forum: Education 28th June 2012, 11:31 AM
Replies: 56
Views: 6,713
Posted By majamin
In the spirit of criticism, how about some...

In the spirit of criticism, how about some critiques of your ideas:

#4: Doubt, challenge, and criticize everything? Are you sure? I say pick your battles wisely: what is your relationship to the...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 14th December 2011, 10:55 AM
Replies: 1,512
Views: 125,752
Posted By majamin
Personally, I'm not all that certain that alfa1's...

Personally, I'm not all that certain that alfa1's equation is based on a rational derivation. I can see a semblance of special relativity there, but that is all. Regardless of whether you have...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th December 2011, 10:46 AM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
yy2bggggs: I agree with Perpetual Student. You...

yy2bggggs: I agree with Perpetual Student. You need to start a new thread on this (interesting) discussion, but unless you tie into "problem solving", then what you are doing is derailing the thread.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th December 2011, 12:57 AM
Replies: 81
Views: 11,015
Posted By majamin
A natural thing to point out here, I think, is...

A natural thing to point out here, I think, is that "completely meaningless" is an unnaturally large hyperbole.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 13th December 2011, 11:27 AM
Replies: 1,512
Views: 125,752
Posted By majamin
$m=m_0 \left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}} -...

$m=m_0 \left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}} - \frac{(v/c)}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}\right) = m_0 \frac{1-\frac{v}{c}}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}} = m_0 \sqrt{\frac{1-\frac{v}{c}}{1+\frac{v}{c}}} =...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th December 2011, 10:58 AM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
I just wanted to bring out a few potential...

I just wanted to bring out a few potential talking points to get the thread back on its rails.

Incubation is the term used for what we are dealing with.



The preceding article states...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 04:52 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 1,885
Posted By majamin
Since temperature is proportional to kinetic...

Since temperature is proportional to kinetic energy, which is proportional to the square of the average velocity of the particles, a doubling of velocity would produce a quadrupling of temperature,...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 03:00 PM
Replies: 81
Views: 11,015
Posted By majamin
If you think what you do is natural, there's...

If you think what you do is natural, there's always someone out there who will think that they are doing that thing in a more "natural" way than you, thereby making everyone both a loser and a winner...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 01:02 PM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
Nicely hypothesized. Do you have a background in...

Nicely hypothesized. Do you have a background in NNs of the computer or brain varieties? Because you certainly sound like you do.:)

I never considered a "coincidence" hypothesis to this. Neat.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 12:45 PM
Replies: 9
Views: 1,514
Posted By majamin
I think science can give us a descriptive account...

I think science can give us a descriptive account of the state of things but to say that science can prescribe morality is saying nothing more than that science should guide our decisions, based on...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 12:10 PM
Replies: 54
Views: 3,767
Posted By majamin
The question is in how to mitigate global damage,...

The question is in how to mitigate global damage, given that human population is increasing (but note: human population increase is predicted to decline over the next 40 - 50 years according to the...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th December 2011, 11:25 AM
Replies: 81
Views: 11,015
Posted By majamin
The only two questions to answer are: (1) what is...

The only two questions to answer are: (1) what is the level of risk associated with the activity? (2) do I enjoy the activity?

Whether or not you feel that something is "natural" does not tell you...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 11th December 2011, 06:25 AM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
I would be curious to know if our most important...

I would be curious to know if our most important thoughts come unexpectedly, or if we just remember those epiphanies more often then the non-dramatic, conscious, problem-solving of everyday life /...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 11th December 2011, 06:13 AM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
Great list, thank you. I've looked through the...

Great list, thank you. I've looked through the first five, and already some great reads. I look forward to the others.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th December 2011, 10:57 PM
Replies: 68
Views: 7,615
Posted By majamin
Does your subconscious solve problems?

I've searched the JREF forums and elsewhere on the internet, but I haven't been able to find good evidence supporting the claim that your subconscious will solve "a problem" if you just take a break...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 9th December 2011, 05:44 PM
Replies: 65
Views: 2,108
Posted By majamin
Nicely summarized. On a hair-splitting issue: I'm...

Nicely summarized. On a hair-splitting issue: I'm worried about the factor of 1/2 (i.e. is it accurate to just add a factor of 1/2 when you take r=1?). i.e. Does equality hold for:

$\frac{1}{2}...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 8th December 2011, 11:49 PM
Replies: 65
Views: 2,108
Posted By majamin
I was still thinking Euclidean norm ... oops....

I was still thinking Euclidean norm ... oops. But, I would still rather take r=0.5 (i.e. d=1), since then we naturally get $\pi$ as the circumference for n=2. This was the first time I have seen...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 8th December 2011, 04:45 PM
Replies: 65
Views: 2,108
Posted By majamin
"Superellipse" If we take the diameter to be...

"Superellipse"

If we take the diameter to be 1 for each coloured figure below, then the perimeter ranges between 4 (a cross centered at the origin) to 4 (a square in the limit as n -> 0), with the...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 2nd July 2011, 11:04 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,658
Posted By majamin
I like to avoid speculation ... but what the...

I like to avoid speculation ... but what the hell. I'm not well-versed in nutrition, but it would be interesting to know if satiety by drinking diet soda sets a bodily expectation of a change in...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 20th May 2011, 12:22 PM
Replies: 22
Views: 8,888
Posted By majamin
I couldn't find a reference to one word that...

I couldn't find a reference to one word that describes the phenomenon, but the closest I got was Delusions_of_reference, via Paranoia. :confused:
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 6th December 2010, 10:21 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Bocydium globulare - Brazilian Treehopper ...

Bocydium globulare - Brazilian Treehopper

This is absolutely bizarre and amazing -> from an article "Why evolution is true...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 20th November 2010, 09:37 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
The pebble toad of Venezuela does something...

The pebble toad of Venezuela does something altogether different: it curls up like a ball and throws itself down the side of a mountain. (source...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 15th November 2010, 10:55 AM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
That's a new one. Thanks for sharing this oddity.

That's a new one. Thanks for sharing this oddity.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th November 2010, 09:09 PM
Replies: 42
Views: 1,724
Posted By majamin
This would be indicative of fraud, since...

This would be indicative of fraud, since Arizona's population is about 2% of the total population of the US. Assuming a uniform distribution (because there should be no preference for where these...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th November 2010, 01:34 PM
Replies: 42
Views: 1,724
Posted By majamin
Mirrorglass has shown how the probability of...

Mirrorglass has shown how the probability of tickets A, B, and C were independent of where they were bought. Each ticket turned out to have identical probabilities irrespective of how many tickets...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th November 2010, 10:22 AM
Replies: 66
Views: 3,268
Posted By majamin
An interesting article on weight lifting (via...

An interesting article on weight lifting (via SaveYourself.ca): Less is Not Less (http://saveyourself.ca/articles/strength-training-frequency.php)

"Go to the gym much less frequently and still...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 14th November 2010, 12:06 AM
Replies: 42
Views: 1,724
Posted By majamin
Suppose your hunch is true ... that each time a...

Suppose your hunch is true ... that each time a certain location has a winner, a different location is more likely to have a winner. If you applied this to coin flips then this would mean that a coin...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 06:06 PM
Replies: 4
Views: 661
Posted By majamin
Anti-vaxers, though dedicated and most convinced...

Anti-vaxers, though dedicated and most convinced that they are doing "the greater good", are nonetheless horribly wrong. The same with this guy ... think of all of the people who will not go to a...
Forum: Education 13th November 2010, 05:58 PM
Replies: 112
Views: 8,916
Posted By majamin
When taking measure theory in my undergrad, it...

When taking measure theory in my undergrad, it was always a given that students would work in groups to tackle the problem sets together (this was one of the most difficult courses I've taken).
...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 05:28 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
I've never heard of this ... just awesome. ...

I've never heard of this ... just awesome.

"Siphonophorae thus exist at the boundary between colonial and complex multicellular organisms." (Siphonophore Description...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 05:18 PM
Replies: 14
Views: 7,181
Posted By majamin
Health Canada Report on Nitrites and Nitrates

The following link contains a lot of information, but it is a very good resource outlining the exposure and health effects of nitrate and nitrite. (The citations consist of a blend of North American...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 03:46 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) ...

Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)

http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/shark-types/goblin-shark.jpg (http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/goblin-shark.html)
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 01:49 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) ...

Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica)

http://files.sharenator.com/saiga_Worlds_strangest_looking_animals-s450x334-2313-580.jpg (http://www.sharenator.com/Worlds_strangest_looking_animals/)
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 01:45 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Not quite weird, but interesting and playful...

Not quite weird, but interesting and playful interaction between bears and dogs:

JE-Nyt4Bmi8
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th November 2010, 01:32 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
When using , make sure only the name...

When using , make sure only the name (ni7QF2Lec-s) appears between the delimiters (is that what they're called?) ... I took the liberty to fix them here :)

P.S. ... I love deep sea life!
...
Forum: Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories 11th November 2010, 07:52 PM
Replies: 174
Views: 17,046
Posted By majamin
Anders: You have thus far been incapable of...

Anders:

You have thus far been incapable of posing your theory in terms of falsifiable terms, and have failed the first marker of a coherent theory: Occam's Razor. Your are clearly looking for...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 11th November 2010, 06:57 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Speaking of poop ... Projectile Poop: Why...

Speaking of poop ...

Projectile Poop: Why Some Caterpillars Go Ballistic(ally) (http://www.inklingmagazine.com/articles/projectile-poop-why-some-caterpillars-go-ballistic/)


...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 11th November 2010, 12:45 PM
Replies: 1,739
Views: 101,323
Posted By majamin
Shame on me, but: How do we know the...

Shame on me, but:

How do we know the previous version of the article is correct? There aren't any citation that we could go back on (in which case let's find 'em!) :boxedin:
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th November 2010, 04:18 PM
Replies: 1,376
Views: 62,861
Posted By majamin
(insert Far Side cartoon) Meanwhile,...

(insert Far Side cartoon)

Meanwhile, crouched under a makeshift shelter in the jungle, RussDill, while having observed them in their natural environment, is taking diligent notes to prepare...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th November 2010, 03:51 PM
Replies: 69
Views: 4,840
Posted By majamin
This would limit bias in the trial. Good advice. ...

This would limit bias in the trial. Good advice.



That's just crazy talk.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th November 2010, 03:27 PM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
I second that motion. I've never...

I second that motion.



I've never spiced my genes up with other genes ;) ... tasty?
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th November 2010, 10:06 AM
Replies: 115
Views: 14,618
Posted By majamin
Blood Squirting Lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) ...

Blood Squirting Lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum)

gEl6TXrkZnk
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