How can I make myself more intelligent????

[EinsteinaGogo]

A bit lighthearted, but mean in a specific area.

I was reading about why Concorde failed, and i went down a rabbit hole of supersonic travel, hypersonic travel etc.

They're all predicated on the speed of sound.

I've Googled sound waves, speed of sound, speed of sound for dummies, etc, and I just CAN'T GET IT!!!

Sound is caused by vibrations. Vibrations travel. At a certain speed. Etc etc etc...

It blows my tiny mind!

So I guess my question is, how can I grasp these things more easily, and what blows your mind?

Khan Academy is great for learning certain subjects - the biology and chemistry stuff was priceless when I started my degree as a mature student.
They almost certainly have a physics section, maybe check that out?
I seem to do better at absorbing & understanding information with lectures or videos than reading a textbook.

I totally relate as was a straight A/ oxbridge student but have never been able to understand anything physics-related as it goes way over my head. I don’t understand what a black hole is and if anyone tries to explain simply I suspect my brain would shut down . I am guessing it’s like a different language that slow and gentle exposure to might slowly trigger an interest and understanding but it hasn’t happened here and I don’t understand concorde either !

I have similar blind spots. Like a PP, I'm not unintelligent (Oxbridge degree, a masters, professional qualifications) but space and the universe makes my head hurt. Similarly, anything involving blockchain and cryptocurrencies are just beyond me.

Keep doing what you’re doing.
Be curious.

Ah, black holes, another thing that makes me implode (sounds like that could be ironic but I can't explain the detail because I don't understand them!!!!).

Watch the Christmas lectures. They’re quite accessible and interesting.
Though I never thought so when my dad said watch them!

As a PP said... just carry on, be curious. Less time mumsnetting, more browsing science pages.

My BIL sits on his phone ALL day, but knows nothing... how can he look at so much, but learn nothing...

The speed of sound is not a constant. Nor is the speed of light for that matter.

@Rummikub

Watch the Christmas lectures. They’re quite accessible and interesting. Though I never thought so when my dad said watch them!

Just googled - blimey - didn't even know these were a thing, thank you 🙏🏻

Enjoy them!

Oh and if you like try the free future learn courses. Also coursera I think
And bbc bitesize app.

@Rummikub

Oh and if you like try the free future learn courses. Also coursera I think And bbc bitesize app.

Brilliant, thank you 👍👍

I definitely don't think you're less intelligent if you don't understand physics.

That aside, anything to do with space-time or astrophysics makes me almost anxious, it's so far beyond my brain's comfort zone.

Oh wow - thank you for the Bitesize recommendation too...

I'm off for some learning!

No matter how much I read up I simply cannot get my head around telephones.

How can I speak into a piece of metal and thousands of miles away my exact voice comes out of another?

@RunningFromInsanity

No matter how much I read up I simply cannot get my head around telephones.

How can I speak into a piece of metal and thousands of miles away my exact voice comes out of another?

Ooh... yes - that's a good one.

I'm going to add this to my sound list.

I've just learned that the cochlea only responds to a certain range of frequencies which is why humans can't hear dog whistles.

😱😱😱😱

it's so nice to read about people with an open mind, hungry for knowledge.

it's just so refreshing! there are far too many know-it-all, prejudiced or simply wilfully ignorant people.

you made my day @EinsteinaGogo

My dc swear by free science guy

@RunningFromInsanity

No matter how much I read up I simply cannot get my head around telephones.

How can I speak into a piece of metal and thousands of miles away my exact voice comes out of another?

Well now I know that voice sounds are turned into electrical impulses that are transferred by cable (landline) or air (mobile).

And the process is reversed to turn the impulses back into sounds for the recipient!

Sooooo interesting!

www.telcomhistory.org/how-phones-work-the-basic-science-behind-telephones/

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

Ah, thank you! I'm enjoying my new knowledge!

I’m actually loving how excited you are by it all. Keep going!

@EinsteinaGogo But how does that electrical impulse exactly replicate every single persons different voice??
I would expect it to be a more mechanical/robot sounding noise.

I just cannot understand it.

@RunningFromInsanity

That's my next bit of education - I'm letting the entry level stiff sink in first 😂😂😂

It's nothing to do with intelligence, it's just that some things are mind-blowing!

If sound waves make your mind boggle, Shrodinger's cat will make it explode

One of the few double honours degrees on offer at Oxford is Physics and Philosophy. It seems like an odd combination but actually it makes perfect sense.

You sound intelligent to me! I've got a degree in physics, I still think this stuff is quite mind-blowing.