things that make you go "hmmm"

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Bushcraftsman

Native
Apr 12, 2008
1,368
5
Derbyshire
ok, just post all the facts or stories or what ever in here if it fries your brain.

Here is a couple of mine

What would happen if Pinocchio told you his nose was about to grow?

would he be lying or telling the truth? hmmmm

Also

The Infinite Circle
Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464) made the following interesting point regarding the shape of an infinite circle. The curvature of a circle's circumference decreases as the size of the circle increases. For example, the curvature of the earth's surface is so negligible that it appears flat. The limit of decrease in curvature is a straight line.
An infinite circle is therefore... a straight line!

i've got plenty more but i'll see what everyone else comes up with
 

Tracer1969

Full Member
Feb 11, 2009
50
6
54
Belgium
Who put the sign in the grass "Don't walk on the grass"
Why do kamikazes were a helmet?
Why do we push the buttons from the remote control harder as the battery's go empty?
If the material of black boxes is unbreakable, why don't they make whole the airplane in that material?
 
Last edited:
The Infinite Circle
Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464) made the following interesting point regarding the shape of an infinite circle. The curvature of a circle's circumference decreases as the size of the circle increases. For example, the curvature of the earth's surface is so negligible that it appears flat. The limit of decrease in curvature is a straight line.
An infinite circle is therefore... a straight line!

Depends if you think the universe "closed" i.e. curved or not surely? Where's a physicist when you need one.

Also interesting for anyone a little mathematically orientated...
Imagine the Earth is a perfect sphere, and you were to tie a very long piece of paracord all the way around, so it was just tight. Now tie in just one 1m (or 1 yard if you like) extra to the length of the cord. Now the cord will of course be slightly loose. If we were to even out that slack around the Earth, how far above the surface of the Earth would the paracord theoretically be?
The answer is very surprising, and no its not a trick question.
 

Rumcajs

Forager
Nov 13, 2009
171
1
Kielce, PL
www.jbohac.net
How they stick teflon to a pan if nothing sticks to teflon?

or

Why people speak louder and slower to foreigners who do not understand the language?

Pinocchio thing is a paradox.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,508
3,711
50
Exeter
Depends if you think the universe "closed" i.e. curved or not surely? Where's a physicist when you need one.

Also interesting for anyone a little mathematically orientated...
Imagine the Earth is a perfect sphere, and you were to tie a very long piece of paracord all the way around, so it was just tight. Now tie in just one 1m (or 1 yard if you like) extra to the length of the cord. Now the cord will of course be slightly loose. If we were to even out that slack around the Earth, how far above the surface of the Earth would the paracord theoretically be?
The answer is very surprising, and no its not a trick question.

Is it genuine 550 Cord?:)
 

TeeGeeBee

Tenderfoot
Nov 30, 2009
67
0
South Lakes
:rolleyes: If an arty brick supposedly worth £3,000, (daylight robbery in my book) gets stolen and replaced with another brick. How come the re-installation of the second of said brick isn't art? And why isn't it worth just as much?

TGB
 
Last edited:

bashabuddy

Nomad
Dec 15, 2008
295
0
bramley, Leeds
If a doctor spend 6 years studying to become a doctor, then spends another 3 studying to become a GP, why is the place he works called a PRACTICE?????
 

Seth.Karlo

Member
Aug 11, 2009
26
0
31
Wiltshire
Grr, you made me get my calculator out :p

Taking the radius of the earth to be 6378.1 km, using 2PiR you get a circumference of 40074784.21 metres. Add 1 metre, divide by Pi and then divide by two and you get a difference in radaii of:

*Drum Roll*

15.9 Cm

Do I win a cookie? = D
 

Draven

Native
Jul 8, 2006
1,530
6
34
Scotland
Paradoxes are rather interesting; I particularly like the Omnipotence Paradox (can an omnipotent being create an object so heavy that it cannot lift it?) and the Unstoppable Force/Immovable Object paradox (What happens when an unstoppable force encounters an immovable object?). They both have logical rebuttals, but I like them all the same.

Something that does make me go 'hmm' is the philosophical argument that the universe must have had a 'beginning' because something cannot exist for an eternity and end up in the present.

Shows like 'Big Brother' also make me go 'hmm' on the basis that Charles Darwin would probably have chucked his theory right into the fireplace had he seen it. Funny how things work :)

Pete
 

Draven

Native
Jul 8, 2006
1,530
6
34
Scotland
Grr, you made me get my calculator out :p

Taking the radius of the earth to be 6378.1 km, using 2PiR you get a circumference of 40074784.21 metres. Add 1 metre, divide by Pi and then divide by two and you get a difference in radaii of:

*Drum Roll*

15.9 Cm

Do I win a cookie? = D

I think that he meant pulling the cord tight again and measuring how high the excess reaches, rather than spacing it evenly around the earth :)
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,508
3,711
50
Exeter
15.9 cm all the way around the world?

If it is that answer ( and it probably is , coz i know squat about math ) I'm surprised.
 

Seth.Karlo

Member
Aug 11, 2009
26
0
31
Wiltshire
I think I'm right... Then again, it's been a long day. Regarding the Universe question, we have no way of knowing if it's closed or open, but most believe it to be closed I think... I do anyway, as it's expanding.

Sleep time now :p
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,508
3,711
50
Exeter
I think I'm right... Then again, it's been a long day. Regarding the Universe question, we have no way of knowing if it's closed or open, but most believe it to be closed I think... I do anyway, as it's expanding.

Sleep time now :p

Regarding the Universe , It closed , the note left up says 'back in 5 minutes'.....





Coat . Me. Gone.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE