Quantum Mechanics

[TequillaMockingBird]

...to think that Quantum Mechanics involves impossibly complex theories on the wave-particle duality of energy and matter at the sub-atomic level, and -though it does involve inherent uncertainty in knowing both velocity and exact position of microscopic particles - should be left alone by fringe-thinkers seeking to justify their hypothesis that the universe wraps itself around their wishful thinking that e.g. a packet of medium-posh biscuits will magically materialize on their kitchen counter?

And since when have neutrinos been able to travel faster than C?

Last week by the sounds of it. Clever little blighters those neutrinos.....

YANBU. When not in the context of an actual physics lecture "Quantum" is the single word most likely to trigger my Fruitloop Alert.
Such previously reliable terms such as Crystal, Ion, Detox, Wisdom, Natural and Amazing are nothing compared with the gold standard bollocks-detecting power of "Quantum".

I'm doing the BSc Environmental Science with a Dip H.E Natural Sciences along the way so who knows... we may bump into each other over the next few years

Same as you, I found the quarks and quasars stuff facinating but have no inclination to pursue the topic any further

Now, get back to work, that EMA won't write itself!

I love you a little bit right now, OP!

I think I know which thread inspired this - as you may have seen I had some kind of a discussion on the subject on there. This is something that really annoys me too.

My dad is not just a woo merchant but a proper wholesaler IYSWIM. He peddles this kind of BS all the time - not to mention the entire "energy" thing. He also claims this quantum woo author has found a formula to prove that the number of primes is finite - contrary to conventional wisdom. Apparently no peer reviewed journal will publish it because the guy never finished secondary school and anyway, they all don't understand such advanced mathematics.

What is so ridiculously infuriating about these types is that they give ordinary people the impression that science is really ludicrous and not very scientific at all half of the time. Which then leads to people saying stuff like "yeah, but you can't always trust scientists, anyway, this evolution stuff just doesn't feel right. Unlike homeopathy."

I don't understand why, if homeopathy is true, all the seawater (washing over rocks, rubbish people, shit) isn't infused with all that stuff. Surely all the water in the world has been diluted from everything over the course of the last several million years. It should be a homeopathic soup of stuff. N'est pas?

MrsTP, there is an excellent book called Bad Science (can't recall the author right now) which does an excellent job of shredding the pseudo-science industry, including homeopathy. What you have said is one of his arguments!

Bad Science - Ben Goldacre.

Ooh Callisto, I'm doing natural sciences too (well geosciences, but if I don't finish it in time, I'm also putting credits towards Natural sciences. They are basically the same thing)

Kind of glad I missed out on S104 though. Physics makes my brain hurt. I know enough about it to make witty physics jokes in the cheese aisle of Tesco, and that's it.

I'm starting the planetary science module in a few weeks. Whoo!

Love the fact that quantum theory in its full glory has made it onto mn....

callist, that looked like english, I am sure there were some english words in there... but...

I shall put that book on my Amazon wishlist. I love having ammunition good counter arguments for cobblers.