The Placebo Effect

The Placebo Effect is used in science for multiple different things. Placebos were given to people for a variety of mental disorders or sicknesses. They are if you did not know already, harmless. Placebos tend to be sugar pills but can be made out of some other things too. In any case, for those who thought they had a problem they did not, this was a great way of testing it. At the time time, it could also be used for drug trials where you have a “control” group.

This group is told they are given the medication (a Placebo) when they are not while the other half are actually given the drug. No one knows who will have the Placebo ahead of time, except those running the trial. In spite of the fact that people are not given the real drug, some will return and report success on the Placebo. When in reality, it would have offered them no assistance.

The Placebo Effect Part 2

This gets an accurate idea of what the drug will do. It’s also a way to judge the brain and what happens when you tell someone that something will help. For some, all they need is the knowledge that something “could” work for it to, well, work. There is no true reason a Placebo will work outside of mental disorder issues.

Science rabbit holes like this are important. For if someone reports success on something that does not work, yet they have no mental disorder to speak of, why are they reporting it? Scientists believe that a person’s belief system is powerful, yet the body cannot just get over anything as belief systems are not capable of doing this.

Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP)

One of the most difficult things to understand has to be Extra-Sensory Perception or ESP. This is often referred to as a Sixth Sense when in reality we technically have more than five “senses” anyway. Where ESP comes into play seems to be when the regular senses can no longer assist. Essentially, when a person must attain certain information that they did not get from using the five main senses (smell, taste, touch, hear see).

Rather, they sense things “with their mind.” Some people tend to attribute this to a form of telepathy, psychometry, or even the classic “psychic.” Sadly Marvel Comics fans, there is no mutant power of real ESP. However, there are instances of a person having an idea of future events that they “feel” could be possible. Some experience this in a dream, under hypnosis, or in other forms. Even smells and certain things you hear can help.

Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP) Part 2

The problem is that ESP is not supposed to use the main five senses. Therefore, if one gets a vision and can accurately describe the event days before, that is true ESP as described. Yet nothing like this has been scientifically proven. Although some have tried to prove it using science, those attempts have usually backfired. Some assume that people such as Confucious had ESP, but this is actually not true.

He spoke in vague terminology most of the time, so his ability to be “right” about a future event that was possible to predict is not shocking. Moreover, if you took his words and made them into something to fit your concept, this wasn’t real ESP either. You fell for what we call “Guilt by Vagueness.” Meaning that you chose to pick something out and associate it with something like an event, tragedy, etc. This was due to the vagueness kinda giving you the ability to do so.

How Bicycles Work

Now wait for a second, one of the major science rabbit holes involves how bicycles work?!? We do know that we can ride them, and clearly, our weight and the movement of the tires play a role. However, we’ve had bikes for over 150 years and yet scientists are not actually sure about how we stay upright on them. Even the idea of the wheels playing a role might not be 100% accurate. Before the 1970s, this was one of the main theories.

During the 1970s period, we found out that gyroscopic motion did not play a role in how bicycles actually worked for us. Once the gyroscopic concept was thrown out, scientists struggled to find out a reason why humans can stay upright on a bicycle. More theories began to emerge, with the Castor Effect being the frontrunner. This involves the angle of the front wheel when it makes contact with the ground, relative to the frame.

How Bicycles Work Part 2

This idea was also thrown out in 2011 when Cornell University scientists tested it out. The problem here is that we can all understand how to ride a bike. We also understand the mechanics of the bike itself, as it involves the use of gears and fiction to operate. However, when it comes down to how the bike stays stable and upright, science is not sure of any current theory.

You can see how this can take someone down a rabbit hole, right? It is not so much that we do not understand “how” to ride a bike. We know it is possible to do for most people. The issue comes down to the science behind why we’re able to do so. It’s quite odd and slightly annoying to ponder, especially when you consider that humans have been riding them for more than 100 years now.

Dark Matter

We came up as a species not understanding a lot of science. Just making fire was considered a breakthrough. However, as we grew more and more intelligent, we began to understand more and more. It led to advancements in multiple fields, from healthcare to technology. We then perfected those concepts and made them better while continuing to learn and advance.

Therefore, when you consider all we’ve done in human history, it’s a lot to hear about “matter” itself. The planets and stars are all part of the normal matter that we can not only see but comprehend when it relates to those outside our own galaxy too. Yet all of the matter we know to be normal makes up roughly 5% of all known matter. Dark matter makes up 85% of all matter in the universe.

Dark Matter Part 2

The good and bad about dark matter is that it can be used to explain a lot of things. Yet science inaccurately might tend to use it as a catchall for numerous different things they cannot explain. This is why it falls under the science rabbit hole concept, as it cannot always be the default answer. Though it is useful sometimes. For example, when there are certain gravitational effects that cannot be explained by our current knowledge of gravity, it can then be said that dark matter played a role.

It is called dark because this particular matter does not interact with our electromagnetic field. Since it does not absorb, reflect, or emit electromagnetic radiation, it is harder to detect. Yet if we can detect some form of matter itself, then we obviously know it is not dark. This is why we can see this concept with gravity and even other stuff too, but it simply cannot be a catchall.

Why Is There More Matter Than Antimatter?

This is one of those science rabbit holes that keep some scientists up at night. When the Big Bang happened, naturally there should have been an even ratio of both matter and antimatter. Yet this was not the case. Scientists call it “Matter to Antimatter Asymmetry” issues.

While we do not know why this happened, it’s certainly good that it did. Keep in mind that while matter and antimatter share the same mass, they also have some key differences. For example, the electric charge differs between the two. What is so interesting is that the two are always produced as a pair, meaning they are like mirror twins.

Why Is There More Matter Than Antimatter? Part 2

However, in spite of their mirrored status, if they come in contact with one another, they’d destroy each other and leave behind pure energy. In fact, during the Big Bang, they would have come in contact with each other quite a lot. They’d be created and yet kill one another the entire time. This would, logically, mean they should be destroyed together.

Instead of just a universe of leftover energy, we see what we have now. A universe with both matter and antimatter, but more matter. How did this happen? Scientists are not sure but they all agree something had to get in the way to disrupt the system. This unknown entity literally helped to create our universe. Feel free to debate what that unknown entity was.

Why Can’t We Access Dimensions Beyond The Original Three?

Currently, humans operate in what amounts to three dimensions. We have yet to truly access the 4th, 5th, or 6th dimensions and much less the potential others. By the way, we do not mean dimensions like those in a video game, movie, or mathematics. We mean this in universal law. We know these other dimensions must be there, but we don’t have a way of connecting to them.

When we look at this in terms of what we can see, it is clear that we only can view three. The question is why can’t we access those that are beyond the third dimension? This seems to have a lot to do with gravity and likely even dark matter and energy. However, it also seems to have a lot to do with String Theory. While merely a theory, this is a framework in which point-like particles of particle physics are no longer present.

Why Can’t We Access Dimensions Beyond The Original Three? Part 2

They are replaced by one-dimensional objects (strings). The theory describes how these strings interact with each other. That which is larger than the string scale sees a string as an ordinary particle with its mass, charge, and other properties as determined by the vibrational state of its string.

The vibrational states of the string will connect to a graviton, which is a quantum mechanical particle that is known for carrying gravitational force. This is the string theory’s form of quantum gravity. All of this, if one could access it, could assist in understanding dimensions overall. Yet no one seems to completely agree, making it one of the most notable science rabbit holes going.

Paranormal Activity

Based on numerous polls that asked if one experienced a paranormal event in their lifetime, it seems roughly 50% across the board claimed they had. This is pretty big, as there are quite a lot of paranormal things that could happen in your life. Things such as seeing ghosts all the way to hearing voices at a cemetery have been reported over the years.

Some of the stuff you see is complete crap though. For example, mediums are not able to talk to the dead. Rather, they use brain tricks into having you fill in gaps for them to improvisationally adjust to. This allows them to make you “think” they are talking to past spirits when they aren’t. It’s clever specialized science that they are using. However, it’s not paranormal.

Paranormal Activity Part 2

While ghosts have been possible over the years, a lot of the time people see these in ways that we can couch as a brain trick. Eyewitness testimony is seldom useful in science. You need evidence and “but I saw it” does not count. The stuff that gives scientists a tough time tends to be homes that have unexplainable issues within them.

For example, poltergeists are known to move or even throw objects at the living. Scientists cannot explain that, especially when they go to the place of the encounter and experience it themselves. Science rabbit holes like unexplained paranormal activity are terrific but keep scientists up at night, for good reason.

Big Bang Theory

You may have noticed that we brought up the Big Bang Theory. To be honest, this isn’t much of a “theory” today as most scientists are pretty much in agreement on it. While we all know what it is, there can be a lot of questions regarding how it happened at all. Just under 14 billion years ago, the universe was said to have started with a Big Bang.

The question is, how did this happen at all? What led to it and how did all of the things that made the Big Bang happen, well, actually exist themselves? Some scientists want you to think that the universe always was. However, other scientists want you to think it over and realize that, like science claims, something cannot exist when it comes from nothing.

Big Bang Theory Part 2

You need something there, just like the chicken and the egg concept. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Technically the egg was laid by another species that the chicken evolved from. You can see how the argument is settled right there, but then you’d ask how that less evolved animal formed, and we can keep answering that all the way until the Big Bang.

There is always something to explain something else when it comes to the development of the universe. Well, until there isn’t at least. Science rabbit holes like this can make scientists think for what seems like forever. Everyone will have an opinion and there are little to no answers that can be completely agreed upon.

Jean Hilliard – The Frozen Girl Who Lived

Enter Jean Hilliard, one of the most baffling people that science had ever come across in human history. The story goes that on December 20, 1980, Jean was driving to her parents’ home, which happened to be in Lengby, Minnesota. Due to it being winter in Minnesota, it was naturally snowing on the road. This led to some pretty hazardous conditions.

Sadly for Jean, her car stalled on the road and she decided to walk to her friend’s home. Her friend lived close to the spot of her car, so it made sense. Well, that was until Jean lost consciousness due to the cold outside. It was said to be nearly -8 degrees Fahrenheit. She’d remain passed out in the snow for a full 6 hours before she was found and immediately transported to a local hospital.

Jean Hilliard – The Frozen Girl Who Lived Part 2

Jean was seemingly dead on arrival, as Hilliard showed no visible life signs. Her skin was hardened due to being frozen, so she could not be given any type of injection. Jean was clearly dead, right? Wrong! She defrosted a bit sometime later and then began moving. After 3 days, she was able to move her legs and by Week 6, she was completely healthy. For those unaware, there is no such thing as the science fiction cryosleep that can keep you frozen yet alive for a long time.

It was especially not considered possible in 1980. Plus, she had nothing to keep her alive like cryo would need to offer. Jean should have been dead, which still baffles scientists today. This is one of the biggest science rabbit holes we know of. Scientists have debated the subject for quite some time, but no one is completely sure how she survived.

Is There A God?

While Science Sensei is a science-based website, we do feel we have to mention religion when it makes sense. In this case, the concept of a God existing is debated among scientists. You have one camp that is strictly atheist and believe there is no God possible. In another camp, you have those who believe there must be one. However, there are some in the middle that does not know if there is one, but they are not writing off the idea. We often refer to these people as Agnostics.

This has made the argument of a God(s) existing one of the biggest science rabbit holes of all time. It has been debated for literally centuries now. There is a case for God being possible, of course. For example, we mentioned the Big Bang earlier. How did the tools that allowed the Big Bang to happen actually form? Plus, think of our matter and antimatter point. There should be an even scale here but something got in the way.

Is There A God? Part 2

While we do not know what got in the way of these two colliding and killing a potential universe before, we know something did at least. This means, quite clearly, there is a case for God to be the hand that gave this a possibility. Yet one could also point to the idea that most of our questions can be solved through time and research.

In fact, a lot of things once thought to be “God-related” have been answered. From our health to how the universe formed, weather, and much more are now known. God or Gods were the previous answer. Therefore, if you can do this, you can eventually answer much of what we deem to be God now, right? You can see how this becomes quite a rabbit hole, right?

Déjà vu

Déjà vu is the feeling that you lived through something in the past, then experience it in the present. Your brain makes you think that this experience happened, often, right as you’re experiencing it in the present. It’s a French term, translating literally to “already seen.”

Most like to connect Déjà vu to some sort of mysterious place such as the paranormal. There is no such thing as true precognition. Hold up… have we been here before? We could have sworn that we mentioned something like this beforehand. Didn’t we? Wow, Déjà vu!

MORE SCIENTIFIC RABBIT HOLES

 

Why Do Women Give Birth To Life, But Men Do Not Or Cannot?

This is one of the tougher questions to answer, honestly. A lot of people have theories behind it, such as the idea that only one sex was supposed to be the child-bearer. The question then is, why were women chosen? Heck, were they even chosen at all if there wasn’t a creator? If all life came to be via evolution, why did we evolve to where women are the only ones capable of birthing more humans? What’s so interesting is that this very same concept is seen across the animal kingdom too.

Females tend to be the sex that gives birth to others in their species line. However, this is NOT universal as Seahorses (and related species) are the only species where males give birth. Yet a lot of the things mothers do for young such as breastfeeding, human males can actually do. Meaning, there is still a connection to life and maintaining it in males. There’s just no answer for why women give birth over men.

Why Do We Dream?

When you talk about science rabbit holes, this is a pretty deep subject. If you’re the average human, you’ve likely dreamed before. However, you might not dream every time you fall asleep. We know that dreaming typically only happens when a person is able to reach their “REM sleep.” This stands for “rapid eye movement,” and it is a period when your brain is actually pretty active as you’re sleeping. People assume when they sleep, their brain sort of goes into sleep mode itself.

Yet in reality, your brain never truly turns off or anything like that. However, when you reach the REM cycle, you’re likely getting great sleep. Could it be that when we reach REM, we’re not completely connected to rational thought? If our brain is also getting partial rest, it is clear that we’re not connecting to every major brain area. The issue in all of this is the “WHY?” part of the equation. We know HOW dreaming tends to happen, even when, but why does it? Science still has no definitive answer.

How Large Can Our Population Get, Without Causing A Need To Move Off-World?

It is a debate that has become a growing concern among humans for the past 50 years or so. Yet several Kingdoms worried about their population and its size, fearing they’d lack resources to help them all. This dates back to at least 3500 BCE. As science has progressed, humans are able to live longer on average than ever before. We went from an average age of 40 max to as high as 70 to 90, depending on the country. This has caused problems.

We did not reach 1 billion people on Earth in history until the mid-1800s. Just from 1850 to 1950, our population grew to roughly 2.5 billion. By 1980, we reached 4.4 billion, yet when we reached the 2020s, it’s just shy of 8 billion. By 2050, we’re expected to be over 9 billion. We won’t have enough resources before too long. Especially if people live even longer than they do now. This is why scientists have been debating when we’ll need to start moving people off-world. No one agrees seemingly!

Can We Download Our Brain Into A Computer?

The question here should, rather, be asked: “should you” download your brain into a computer? Without getting into a philosophical debate regarding whether or not it would truly be YOUR brain, we can see why this is an intriguing question to ask. Can we download our brains? To be honest, we sort of can. Technology is in development right now that is already capable of scanning your brain. However, nothing yet has been made that can scan a brain completely.

What we mean is, the scan can get the bulk of the brain. We can scan the look and how everything is being used. However, we cannot download YOU into a computer. Your personality, how you’ll answer questions, how you’d react to something, none of that is possible yet. Can we do it? Many scientists disagree. Some assume it is possible with the right, future tech. Others do not believe it can, because of the natural law that one cannot be genuinely copied and replicated exactly.

Nature vs Nurture

A highly debated topic in social science is the Nature vs Nurture Debate. Everyone agrees that “Nature” is what someone is born as. If you have two black biological parents, you will be black. Yet “Nurture” is what you’re taught. If you’re a Muslim, you’re taught this. Essentially, you cannot really change what someone is born as. However, you CAN change what they are taught. If you put a child with two Christian parents rather than Muslim, they’re likely to call themselves Christian instead.

These are the undebatable facts. The debate comes in regarding the questions that become a bit sticky. If one is considered evil, were they taught to be? Adolph Hitler is considered an evil man, yet there is no mention of evil parents. Yet in some instances, evil people DID have evil parents. Making it hard to decide if Nature or Nurture is at play. This is just one of the MANY problems within the system that take us down scientific rabbit holes.

How Intelligent Can A Person Really Be?

This is one of the most common scientific rabbit holes known today. The main reason for that is, quite frankly, very few completely agree. How smart can one possibly be? Well, this all depends on what people value as “intelligence.” Is it success in academics? If so, there are several people who have had 4.0s at Harvard and Oxford University respectably. Some even managed to exceed such a score.

Do we judge based on scientific and/or mathematic achievement? If so, again, there are numerous people who come to mind for this. Others might say that if you can beat a computer in anything, you’re intelligent. Yet what type of computer? What year could this have happened? A lot of questions come to mind for ALL possible avenues for how we judge it. How smart can someone truly be? We’re not sure anyone truly knows. Perhaps, the person who finds out is truly the smartest person ever.

What Happens Inside a Black Hole?

For literally decades, scientists have been trying to learn more about black holes. The first was discovered in 1971 and ever since then, we’ve all wanted to know more. We know a lot about them, yet we do not know what happens inside one. It’s especially unknown exactly what would happen once you’re completely swallowed up by a black hole. We currently know that when you get absorbed by black holes, you’re being pulled in via a major gravitational force that even light cannot escape.

Once you’re getting near the middle, time slows drastically (even more than when you’re first pulled in). If you’re the one swallowed up, you may not experience the stop in time but those watching you go through could be seeing it unfold for potentially months. However, we aren’t even sure if you can’t. General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics meet to explain black holes, but we cannot currently “translate” the concepts between the two, making it impossible to nail down a true theory.

Do We Really Have To Die?

With the advancements being made in numerous areas, especially the medical community, we’re living longer than ever. It used to be that you had to be married in your teen years and start popping out kids before your 20s. All so you could help them as they grow up, because you may not make it beyond your mid-30s. Today, life expectancy has given people more freedom and allowed us to take out time. Removing the need for arranged and early marriages.

As a result, we’re sure to only improve life expectancy. However, does this mean that one day we won’t have to die at all? That is a rabbit hole a lot of scientists try to avoid. The reason is, no one truly agrees. Some believe that we’ll find a way to preserve our bodies, especially as organs can be made to order. Yet others believe we’ll eventually upload our brain into another, younger body. It’s simply unknown, but it’s one heck of an interesting concept to discuss.

What Are The Boundaries Of The Universe?

Several years ago, we found out that the universe was expanding at a rate that it is unlikely anyone ever assumed possible. We knew based on calculations that it was expanding. It had to, and many predicted this over a hundred years ago. However, the difference is that the expansion is impossible to keep up with. Therefore, when someone asks what are the boundaries of the universe, it’s not an easy thing to answer.

We’re not sure if there are boundaries. We know that there are things one cannot do, such as breathing in space and on most known planets. However, due to issues like dark energy and dark matter, there are things we simply have yet to understand about our universe. As a result, asking about the boundaries we have in the universe can be tricky. We could only put up a boundary when we can state something without a doubt. There is very little that fits this when it comes to the universe.

What Is Free Will?

This is a deep topic that could take us down thousands of scientific rabbit holes without even trying too hard to do so. The real issue is that it can take us down two different roads: Hard Science and Soft Science. Hard science is stuff like chemistry, biology, etc. Meanwhile, Soft Science is stuff like sociology, anthropology, philosophy, etc. When you ask about “free will,” both sides of the scientific community will have their thoughts on the matter. They will not completely agree if they even agree slightly.

When you look at it on one side, free will is simply the idea that man can choose the path he walks. He will make the decision to do what he wants. Yet others might say that he does not because his life forces him to do similar things daily, such as go to work, eat, etc. In essence, he does not have complete free will there. If he chose to do something different, he displays free will. Meanwhile, if there is such a thing as intelligent design, nothing he does is ever free. As his actions were already decided.

Multiverse Theory

We referenced this slightly when we brought up String Theory as well as the Dimensions. Yet there are several who debate the mere idea that there are multiple universes at all. Yet in order for some things to be a reality, there would need to be more than one universe. On top of that, scientists already found what they believe is a universe that moves backward compared to our own. The struggle for many is clear though.

If we did have multiple universes, do each mirror our own? As in, if there is a Cynthia Brown in our universe, are they the same as a Cynthia Brown in another? Moreover, are human beings in other universes, or are we the only ones that will ever exist? Are there multiple universes for every different decision and avenue we take? If so, does that not mean that we have an infinite amount of universes? Does this multiverse concept also work with other living beings, like animals? Clearly, it’s a lot!

Are We Alone In The Universe?

It seems many scientists agree today that it is certainly possible that life exists besides our own somewhere in the universe. It would be odd to think otherwise for sure. In just our Milky Way Galaxy, there are between 100 to 400 billion stars, many having planets relatively close. There are also roughly 125 billion known galaxies, all with several million to several billion stars. Many also with planets near them.

Not only would be unwise to say no other life exists but for those found on Earth, it would be insane based on a statistical measure. The problem is, we have yet to prove that life currently exists somewhere out there. It takes us down a scientific rabbit-hole quite often. We have no answers for why we have not been able to find life elsewhere yet other than the fact that we have not looked in the right place. It comes down to assuming life is possibly existing, we just don’t know where.

What Is Consciousness?

One main issue we brought up regarding uploading our brain into a computer was that YOU would not be uploaded into the computer too. Your personality, the way in which you ask or answer questions, how you react to things, etc. Your brain might upload but not you. Consciousness is defined as merely being awake and aware of your surroundings. As well as the awareness and perception of something, on top of the awareness by the mind of itself and the world around you.

This means that if you cannot determine what you are, you will not be conscious. Let’s say you can determine what you are though. Are you capable of being self-aware, such as knowing who you are if you saw yourself in a mirror? If you can, this proves two things. You know who you are and can recognize it. However, one can do this in a dream even when they aren’t awake. This is why the topic is so controversial in the scientific community. We cannot fully agree on a universal principle.

Is Time Travel Possible?

If you were asking us, we at Science Sensei belief that time travel is certainly possible. In fact, we’ve written on the topic a little too. While we might believe it is, we’re not the only people involved in the scientific community. It is a massive community, with several experts in many fields. If you ask some about time travel, they might say it’s not possible because if it were, we’d already see them come back to top a major horror that happened in history before it happened.

Yet this breaks with major time travel theories. Which states that if you, perhaps, went back in time and killed Baby Hitler, you’d go to a new present, as the time traveler. This would not be the present you’re previously from. Therefore, you’ve now created a branched universe. One where your action took place and the other, where it did not. Plus, what if your Baby Hitler move didn’t stop a bad event from ever happening? Thus, if time travel is indeed possible, it would be very hard to prove.

What Makes Us Human?

As we get closer to the age of AI coming into play, as well as the introduction of made for order organs, robotic body parts, and much more, how do we know what is human? How can we claim to be human if we’re filled with non-human organs, and use robotic limbs? Removing this, what makes us human anyway? Do we base it on our intelligence or language skills? We certainly cannot base it on looks, as Hominids we came from in our evolutionary history looked a lot like Great Apes today.

If we cannot base humanity on looks, intelligence, or language skills, then what can we base it on? Perhaps, our ability to form long-term plans? Yet both bears and squirrels alone have long-term planning skills. Maybe our self-awareness and cognitive skills? Yet Koko the Gorilla had the ability to watch a movie, remember the actor, and spot them on the cover of the movie. Then recognize them in person. All of this at once. Where do humans differ enough to be human? Enter the rabbit hole!