Jinavie

Star Wars

Posted on 03/02/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

Star Wars is packed to the brim with epic scenes of starship dogfights. The many “pewpews” of laser cannons and massive explosions characterise this classic science fiction film series. However, this is an example of a classic “unscientific fiction”.

The great explosions of ships would never generate a loud sound as in space, there is no air or any medium to carry the sound waves. As the tagline for the movie Alien states: nobody can hear you scream in space.
In this regard, 2001: A Space Odyssey is most accurate in its portrayal of space. Not only does it have absolute silence during its scenes outside in space, but it also has accurate portrayals of space-science such as magnetic boots and rotating toilets to generate gravity.

Psychology & Medicine

Vertex

Posted on 02/02/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

The vertex, also known as the crown of the head, is the uppermost point on the human body on the top of the head. It is the part of the body that comes out first (usually) during childbirth.

There are some interesting properties regarding this anatomic location.

Firstly, if one places a cellphone on top of their head, they cannot feel the vibration when they receive a call or text message. Almost every other part of the body can feel the vibration, but not the vertex. This is because the top of the skull is not covered by any muscles, which have receptors that sense vibrations. Ergo, no vibrations can be felt.

Secondly, when one places their hand on top of their head, they experience a sudden drop in muscle strength. This applies to the whole body and can be seen through basic activities such as lifting weights or even through arm-wrestling. The degree of weakness can be up to 10~15% of the muscle’s normal strength.

The reason for this is slightly more complicated. The nervous system remembers trauma and responds to it, such as childbirth where almost everyone (assuming they were born through vertex presentation, the most common) experiences trauma on the top of the head. For example, as labour is quite an intensive procedure, significant pressure is placed on top of the baby’s head as it tries to push out.
Because of this, when pressure or electric signals are exerted on the vertex, the nervous system responds negatively, remembering the trauma from childbirth, and “weakens” throughout the body. This results in decreased force exertion by muscles. The same effect can be achieved when a cellphone is placed on top of the head, as it emits electric signals.

Lastly, the top of the head is not sealed until a few months after birth. This makes a baby’s skull very malleable, and two fontanels, which are gaps between pieces of the skull, remain open for that time. This is seen as “soft spots” on the head which pulsates as there is no bone beneath it.

History & Literature

The Raven And The Writing Desk

Posted on 01/02/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

This riddle was first posed by Lewis Carroll in his famous work, Alice in Wonderland, asked by the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter asks this riddle in his nonsensical character, stating that he does not know the answer either. In fact, the book never reveals what the answer to the riddle is.

Perplexed, many readers wrote to Carroll as to the answer of this puzzle. After receiving so many enquiries, Carroll wrote in the preface of his next book that the riddle was thought of without the answer in mind, meaning that he did not know the commonality between the two either. However, he did suggest an answer that:

“Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!” (note that “nevar” is “raven” “put with the wrong end in front”)

Knowing that this riddle was never created with an answer, scholars have attempted to solve this riddle themselves ever since. There have been many proposed answers, such as “they both stand on sticks”, “they both come with inky quills” and the most famous “because Edgar Allan Poe wrote on both” (see The Raven). There have also been nonsensical answers (thus answering to the nonsensical nature of the riddle) such as “because there is a B in both and an N in neither”.

However, perhaps the best answer, as with all works by both Carroll and Poe, is that “you can baffle billions with both”.

History & Literature

Computer Bug

Posted on 31/01/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

The first-ever recorded computer bug occurred in 1947, on a US Navy Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator at Harvard University. After a thorough check of the computer’s software and components, operators discovered a moth that had fried itself on the circuit board, interfering with signals.
The operators taped the said moth to a computer log, with the description “First actual case of bug being found”, and also added the comment that they had “debugged the computer”, coining both the terms “bug” and “debug” that are frequently used nowadays.

Although actual insects are a rare cause of problems in modern computers, the word “bug” is still the colloquial term for an error.

Science & Nature

Peppered Moth

Posted on 30/01/201129/07/2024 by Jinavie

The peppered moth are a species of night-flying moth that have been studied extensively for over 200 years by biologists. They are known to be prime examples of the power of natural selection.

In England, there are two variants of this moth: one that has a peppery white appearance and another that is much darker, almost black. Originally, the white variant was much more common, as they could easily camouflage themselves on trees covered in light-coloured lichen.

However, during the Industrial Revolution, the heavy pollution killed the sensitive lichen causing trees to expose their dark bark. This caused the white moth to be extremely visible, making them easy prey for birds and other predators. The change in environment resulted in black moths, that used to be disadvantaged, to have a better chance of survival, causing the black moth population to become superior.

As people became more aware of air pollution and England began cleaning up its environment, lichen returned to the tree and the table turned once more – the dark moths were now better targets and were heavily preyed on. Instead, the white moth retook the majority position, thus showing how the environment affects which traits survive in a population.

Psychology & Medicine

Ganzfeld Effect

Posted on 29/01/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

To experience this peculiar effect, you require a ping-pong ball cut in half, tape, radio, headphones and a lamp tinted with red light (use cellophane).

Set the radio to an empty station so that only white noise is playing.
Plug the headphones into the radio and wear it.
Place each half of the ping-pong ball over your eyes and secure it with tape.
Shine the red light towards your eyes.
Relax on a couch or a bed for over half an hour.

What you will experience after about half an hour are powerful visual and auditory hallucinations, the result of your brain trying to fill the void created by sensory deprivation. As the brain is in constant need of stimuli, complete deprivation of the senses results in the brain becoming confused, trying to interpret what is not there. It has been reported that people see things such as horses flying through clouds or hearing the voice of dead relatives.

Science & Nature

Kangaroo Rat

Posted on 27/01/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

Kangaroo rats are a type of rodent found in North American deserts. They are known for their extremely long and strong hind legs which they can use to hop great heights (up to nine feet), just like a kangaroo. But the most interesting feature of the kangaroo rat is its kidneys.
This tiny animal is known to be so efficient in using its water that it literally never has to drink water. By having extremely efficient kidneys, kangaroo rats gain sufficient water from metabolism, as water is made from oxidation of food naturally. This gives them a strong advantage in such a dry habitat.

Kangaroo rats have many more adaptations that aide their survival in their desert environment. They exhibit food-hoarding behaviour and can be often seen with their cheek pouches full of grains. As there is no pools of water, they roll in the sand to have sand baths like some birds. Being rodents, they are social and live in underground community tunnels to avoid the heat during the day.

When in danger, kangaroo rats hop on the spot and stamp their feet on the ground to send signals to nearby friends using the vibrations. Amazingly, they have been observed to even fight snakes in times of need, using sand to their advantage. By leaping back with their strong hind legs, kangaroo rats are capable of spraying sand at their enemy, irritating them and sometimes even damaging them. Furthermore, they show exemplary teamwork by attacking a predator together, biting and leaping back to continuously inflict damage. Because their legs are so well-developed, they are able to jump away from harm even if it is a snake striking at rapid speed.

Such adaptations in anatomy, physiology and behaviour allow the kangaroo rat to survive in an environment that can swiftly kill even a person.

Life & Happiness

The Mermaid Theory

Posted on 27/01/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

The myth of mermaids originates thousands of years ago from sailors who had been out in the waters for many months. Without seeing a woman for such long times, they reached a point of desperation where manatees on the rocks appeared as beautiful women with strangely attractive fish tails. This portrays the basic male drive and the way we perceive the world.

This applies to modern days as well. Upon meeting any woman, regardless of their level of attractiveness, a “mermaid clock” begins ticking inside a man’s head. The time that takes for this clock to expire varies for every woman, but ultimately a time comes when the man will see the woman as attractive and will not be able to take his eyes off of her. This is The Mermaid Theory, which thus proves that the attractiveness of a woman to a man increases in direct proportion to the time exposed to her. Or put even more simply, no matter how attractive or unattractive a woman is, eventually a man will want to sleep with her. This process may be accelerated by the usage of alcohol and the level of depravation of the man at the time.

The Mermaid Theory proves to be potentially dangerous, for example when the woman in question is a close friend of the man or even his partner. Sometimes the mental shock that someone once so unappealing is now so beautiful looking may be crippling as well.

True story.

History & Literature

The Twelve Labours Of Hercules

Posted on 25/01/201111/02/2019 by Jinavie

After killing his children in a psychotic state inflicted by Hera, Hercules was dethroned and was set ten tasks, all deemed impossible, which he had to complete for forgiveness of his sins. Each task required problem-solving and unconventional thinking, which eventually granted Hercules the reward of immortality.

The twelve (including two that were added as he was blamed for cheating in two tasks) labours in order were:

Kill the Nemean Lion, a monster with hide so thick that no arrow can pierce it. Hercules stunned the lion with a club and then strangled it, after which proceeded to skin its hide with its own claws to use as armour.
Kill the Lernean Hydra, a monster with nine heads, which could regrow two heads in the place where one was cut. Hercules instructed his charioteer, Iolaus, to cauterise the necks after cutting the heads to prevent it regenerating, then used the poisonous blood to coat his arrows. This was considered cheating as he used the help of Iolaus.
Capture the Cerynian Hind, Artemis’ beloved deer. Hercules followed the hind for an entire year and then safely carried it away, to avoid harming the frail creature and angering the goddess.
Capture the Erymanthian Boar, a wild beast that intimidated all of the inhabitants of the mountain. Hercules captured the creature using a net.
Clean the Augean Stables, a gigantic stable housing thousands of cows that had not been cleaned in 30 years, Hercules was given one day for the task, so he bent two rivers so they flowed through the stables to clean the filth. He was about to receive payment for his service, which was considered cheating by King Eurystheus (who set the tasks).
Kill the Stymphalian Birds, murderous birds with bronze beaks and claws, and metallic feathers that they could shoot like darts. Hercules killed them with poison arrows tipped with the Hydra’s blood.
Capture the Cretan Bull, a rampant bull capable of breathing fire. Hercules wrestled to control the beast and successfully captured it.
Capture the horses of Diomedes, that were trained to feed on human flesh. Hercules killed King Diomedes who raised them and fed his corpse to the horses, thus taming them.
Take the Girdle of Hippolyte, the queen of the Amazons. Hercules was gifted the girdle by Hippolyte, but Hera spread a rumour that he was there to conquer the Amazons, forcing him to kill the Amazons and steal the belt in the end.
Capture the Cattle of Geryon, a winged monster with three human bodies. Hercules killed Geryon and his guardian dog, and then took his herd of cattle.
Take the Golden Apples of Hesperides, protected by Ladon, a dragon with a hundred heads. Hercules bargained with Atlas to hold the Earth while he retrieved it. Atlas tried to walk away free from his damned task, but Hercules tricked him by asking to hold the Earth while he shifted his cloak.
Capture Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded the underworld. Hercules had to wrestle Cerberus into submission as he was not allowed to use his weapons, and Cerberus agreed to be taken to see the king, after which it returned unharmed to the underworld.

This goes to show that any task is possible as long as one has the right mindset, can think outside the square and put in all of his or her strength into it.