Chapter 1: The Human Condition and Science

In my experience with social media, particularly Medium, I often find myself amused and occasionally dismayed. The platform serves as a stage for individuals to share insights, some of which are genuinely enlightening, while others reveal a rather misguided understanding of science. It's intriguing to see how some contributors, despite their earnest intentions, display a lack of knowledge that is quite far from the truth. This piece highlights a few of my favorite scientific misconceptions that exemplify the saying, "A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing."

Since the time of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, it has become evident that our universe is in a state of expansion. Ironically, Einstein himself struggled with this conclusion and introduced a "cosmological constant" to maintain a static universe, a choice he later deemed "my greatest blunder." While various measurements dispute the exact rate of expansion, it is widely accepted that the universe has been expanding since the Big Bang, approximately 13.8 billion years ago.

Image credit: Forbes

One imaginative thinker concluded that this expanding universe resembles a rubber band being stretched. This led to the notion that something must be outside our universe exerting force to stretch it. If humans must pull a rubber band with their hands, then it logically follows that a deity must be tugging on the universe with colossal hands. Alternatively, perhaps it’s an enormous extra-dimensional being, maybe a bored alien child amusing themselves by stretching the universe until dinner time arrives. Let's hope that meal is far off!

Another equally misguided individual took inspiration from Relativity to devise a revolutionary health regimen. They posited that since the speed of light remains constant regardless of the observer's motion, spacetime must be flexible. This flexibility implies that our perception of time is influenced by our relative motion. Consequently, they argued, a person running at relativistic speeds would age more slowly than someone who is sedentary. While there’s a grain of truth in this—exercise does impact metabolism—the reasoning behind it is completely flawed.

However, if this misconception encourages even one person to adopt a routine of regular exercise, then perhaps this misguided author deserves some credit for their unintended positive influence.

Section 1.1: Quantum Quirks

One of my favorite misconceptions revolves around the famous quantum double-slit experiment. This experiment demonstrates a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics: particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior. When a single photon or electron is fired towards a detector through two slits in a barrier, it creates a wave interference pattern, suggesting that the particle passes through both slits simultaneously.

When no measurement is made to determine which slit the particle passes through, the result is an interference pattern. However, when an observer tries to measure which slit the particle goes through, the wave pattern disappears, and the particle behaves as if it only went through one slit.

What’s truly amusing is an interpretation by an unnamed genius who claims that the electric and magnetic fields of a photon, which oscillate perpendicularly, are like best friends holding hands. When unobserved, they take a brief separation to explore the slits individually, but when watched, they stick together to maintain their respectable image as a particle pair.

While we can chuckle at these misconceptions, it's vital to acknowledge that misconceptions are not exclusive to any one group. Influential figures, such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk, have suggested using nuclear weapons for various purposes, demonstrating a remarkable disconnect from the potential consequences. Furthermore, a number of influential leaders in several African nations have proposed unconventional remedies for HIV that lack scientific backing.

Ultimately, humanity has often displayed a remarkable degree of ignorance. It is through the efforts of a select few brilliant individuals that we enjoy modern technology, often without fully understanding its workings. As we shake our heads at the absurdities presented by others, we must remember that we, too, are capable of similar misunderstandings every day.

Chapter 2: Cosmic Curiosities

The first video, Analog Experiences: Journeys Into Space – but not quite…, delves into the whimsical and often humorous interpretations of cosmic phenomena, offering insights into our understanding of the universe.

The second video, Not the Science Type, humorously critiques the misconceptions prevalent in popular science discourse, urging viewers to think critically about what they consume.