M.J. Rose

What if? No really, WHAT IF? What if there were a website that answered “what if” questions in a completely scientific and fun way? Well there is. And it is amazing…

 

Welcome to WHAT IF. Click here to enjoy so very many incredible explanations of wonderful things! And see below for a sample:

 

Laser Pointer

 

 

If every person on Earth aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at the same time, would it change color?

—Peter Lipowicz

 

“Not if we use regular laser pointers.

 

The first thing to consider is that not everyone can see the Moon at once. We could gather everyone in one spot, but we learned our lesson about that a few weeks ago. Instead, let’s just pick a time when the Moon is visible to as many people as possible. Since about 75% of the world’s population lives between 0°E and 120°E, we should try this while the Moon is somewhere over the Arabian Sea.

We can try to illuminate either a new moon or a full moon.

 

The new moon is darker, making it easier to see our lasers. But the new moon is a trickier target, because it’s mostly visible during the day—washing out the effect.

Brightness aside, an ideal time would probably be 2:00 PM EST on December 27th, 2012, when a full moon will be high in the sky above Mumbai and Islamabad. At that point, the Moon will be visible to approximately five billion people—most of Asia, Europe, and Africa—about as many as can ever see it at one time.

 

But let’s pick a quarter moon instead, so we can see the effect on the dark side….”

 

Click here for the rest. You will not be sorry!

 

 

Share

Who is the reigning king of mysteriousness and bizarre-a-tude? Why, David Lynch of course. So, who could possibly think of a more mysterious place to have a cocktail than Lynch’s very own, completely impossible to gain entrance to, nightclub?

 

 

 

 

Inside David Lynch’s Paris nightclub

 

Inspired by the deeply strange Club Silencio in Mulholland Drive, the film director has opened a nightclub in the French capital

 

by Fiachra Gibbons (The Guardian)

 

“There were no dwarves. No dancing men. No one talked backwards – until the daquiries kicked in – and with the exception of the Japanese cowboy who turned out to be a fashion designer, no one looked all that weird.

 

In fact, by the time Silencio, David Lynch’s new Paris nightclub-cum-salon-cum-laboratory of the weird closed its doors at dawn on Wednesday after its first night, nothing truly bizarre had happened. Except, and it’s a big except, there was no sign whatsoever of the presiding genius himself. David Lynch was not in the building.

 

It’s true he could have been watching us from behind one of the smoked-glass walls, stroking a vintage Nicolas Cage hairpiece while plotting new ways to freak us out…”

 

For the complete article and more photos of the interior of the space, click here.

Share

Really!

 

 

 

Check this out:

 

Superman-Strength Bacteria Produce 24-Karat Gold

 

At a time when the value of gold has reached an all-time high, Michigan State University researchers have discovered a bacterium’s ability to withstand incredible amounts of toxicity is key to creating 24-karat gold.

 

“Microbial alchemy is what we’re doing — transforming gold from something that has no value into a solid, precious metal that’s valuable,” said Kazem Kashefi, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics.

 

Share