#WWB Science
Is “the speed of light” really the best name for the universe’s maximum speed?
The “universal speed limit” isn’t about light: it’s the limit for causation within our universe, even as space itself expands faster.
Trivia: Did Einstein or Galileo discover the Relativity Principle?
In shaping modern cosmology, Galileo articulated the relativity principle in 1632, Newton made gravity universal in 1687, and Einstein revealed gravity as the curvature of ...
Why hasn’t Voyager been damaged by space dust?
Space feels dangerous, but its extreme emptiness makes collisions incredibly rare.
Will the night sky have stars nearly forever?
Our constellations feel permanent, yet aren't. The stars themselves, bound together in our galactic neighborhood, will light our night sky for nearly forever.
Are dogs and wolves the same species?
Yes. Dogs and wolves are the same species biologically, with dogs classified as a domesticated subspecies of the gray wolf.
When did play evolve in mammals?
Play evolved many times in evolution as a survival tool. Mammalian-like play emerged about 190 million years ago.
Is the 8.7-million-year-old Anadoluvius a human ancestor?
Anadoluvius turkae is a reminder of just how messy evolution is. The discovery highlights the diversity of great apes during the Miocene and how different ...
Is science tainted by bias?
Always remember that even science is touched by human bias. Its strength lies in being a self-correcting process. You too can self correct.
Is the Fermi Paradox still relevant?
It is a useful abductive reasoning model but challenges us to confront the limits of our technology, imagination, and perspective.
Are bonobos and chimpanzees separate species?
Bonobos and chimpanzees are separate species and cannot interbreed.
Did red algae descend from green algae?
Red algae did not descend from green algae. Both lineages split from a shared ancestor about 1.5 billion years ago, then adapted independently to different ...
What does Neanderthal rope indicate about our mental abilities?
Around 50,000 years ago, rope-making shows Neanderthal planning, technique, and shared cognition long before modern humans stood alone. This discovery helped reframe Neanderthals as more ...
What great apes have fur and which have hair?
All great apes share the same general hair-follicle pattern and follicle count—a primate pattern that likely goes back over 50 million years.
What’s the minimum change needed to breathe air on Mars?
We need to raise the atmospheric pressure, boost oxygen above Earth-levels, and strip out most of the carbon dioxide.
What is the difference between volume and mass?
Physics < Science
Does sound change pitch in water?
Sound does not change pitch when it moves to a new medium. Frequency remains constant. Speed and wavelength adjust, revealing a deeper consistency.
What’s the difference between common ions and ionization in physics?
None. Both describe the same process of atoms or molecules gaining or losing electrons.
When did we discover stars are mostly made of hydrogen and helium?
In 1925, Cecilia Payne showed that stars are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, overturning Earth-centered assumptions about the universe.
What was the IQ of Homo habilis, and did they ask questions?
Homo habilis, living two million years ago, likely had an IQ of 50-60. Their early cooperation in hunting and childbirth may have sparked simple, abstract ...
What is the nature of timbre?
Multiple sound waves including both harmonic and overtone waves, as well as the attack and decay which is the shape of the waves individually and ...