General science thread

Page 47 of 50« First<44454647484950>
December 21st, 2024 at 2:47:14 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
Quote: GenoDRPh
I'd ask what is the survival of the fittest use for a horn that size. It appears to be so heavy that the rhino would have a hard time lifting its head.
thank you
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 21st, 2024 at 2:59:25 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
More fake science?

Facebook post shows a picture of a newly discovered species, a predator living at about 8000 feet under the sea

made using AI it says, right on the picture. Naturally, though, you just expect it to be accurate, don't you? Unless you've started to get suspicious about Facebook content



compare it to what a NY Post article's images show



so now we know the poster wanted to make the creature that make some people think of the "Alien" one of the movie of that name, actually look like it ... using AI

great

https://nypost.com/2024/12/17/science/deep-sea-predator-discovered-with-a-body-made-to-kill-study/

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1005463101621734&set=a.644458231055558
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 21st, 2024 at 4:47:29 AM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 200
Posts: 20760
If Ai had access to thousands of websites it could probably produce billions of text with imaginary facts in a single day. Maybe less.

Guess this is the future we will have to figure out how to deal with. Maybe we'll have to go to databases that can only be read, but not added to without verification by multiple human sources.
"Facts are whatever I say they are." - Trump
December 21st, 2024 at 5:32:19 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
with Facebook, I've noticed it's impossible to get rid of annoying posters by blocking them. In this case you'd find out, I predict, that there are a seemingly infinite number of fake/altering science posters

your only hope is to not click on them and hope that the algorithm for what you like gets changed to something else. Unfortunately I've been clicking on these to post them here of course
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 21st, 2024 at 6:21:53 AM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 200
Posts: 20760
Quote: odiousgambit
with Facebook, I've noticed it's impossible to get rid of annoying posters by blocking them. In this case you'd find out, I predict, that there are a seemingly infinite number of fake/altering science posters

your only hope is to not click on them and hope that the algorithm for what you like gets changed to something else. Unfortunately I've been clicking on these to post them here of course


There's probably a half dozen science sites I use, but they existed well before all the everyman sites came into existence. Nothing is going to have a perfect record of accuracy though. I don't go to the National Enquirer even if it does do some true stories. Just not reliable enough. But if I need "Man talks to alien in his refrigerator" story, that's where I would go.
"Facts are whatever I say they are." - Trump
December 21st, 2024 at 11:04:04 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
another new pet peeve regarding what I might start calling semi-fake news, often regarding science

a lot of stuff showing up in google news links is this semi-fake stuff. Some examples:

headline: "Pink hydrogen, produced for the first time in history: It’s a dangerous energy source"
When you read the article, there's not a word about it being dangerous, instead quite the opposite. I guess the idea is the headline should be clickbait.
https://www.ecoticias.com/en/pink-hydrogen-produced-for-first-time/9850/

headline: "Shocking discovery in Europe: Neanderthals didn’t become extinct as we thought"
This turns out to be shocking for anyone who's been asleep for the last 20+ years or so. It's the old bit about modern humans having some Neanderthal DNA. Misleading clickbait headline.
https://www.ecoticias.com/en/neanderthals-didnt-become-extinct/9742/

When you look at an article, it's got a banner saying "econews" ... which I find not surprising. When it's OK to lie about the need to panic about climate, why shouldn't it be OK to lie about everything? But it isn't just science, there was a site posting misleading headlines about social security. It's not showing up now ... I'd like to think they got booted
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 29th, 2024 at 3:27:20 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
Volcanologists predicting an eruption pretty soon in the Pacific, under-hyping possibly devastating tsunami [I have to think] ... that would hit Oregon and that area. They're probably thinking they could cause panic, why do that?

You can put 'Axial Seamount' in google maps and it will come up

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/scientists-undersea-volcano-eruption
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 29th, 2024 at 4:38:48 AM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 200
Posts: 20760
Quote: odiousgambit
Volcanologists predicting an eruption pretty soon in the Pacific, under-hyping possibly devastating tsunami [I have to think] ... that would hit Oregon and that area. They're probably thinking they could cause panic, why do that?

You can put 'Axial Seamount' in google maps and it will come up

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/scientists-undersea-volcano-eruption


Not sure what was the shortest warning time in history for a possible tsunami, but the last one for California coast was several hours. They have sensors for detecting them so we usually get sufficient warning. Even on flat land, I think water only goes in a mile or more, so plenty of time to even walk out.

But I suppose it depends on how close to shore it starts. As far as panic... every time we have tornado or hurricane warnings, (but particularly tornado) you just think it's going to be kind of miserable if all your stuff gets destroyed, but it's just more of reluctant acceptance than panic. At least for me. It reminds me of primary school drills. You proceed calmly to the exits and hope you aren't the one to die. Except. school shootings. If you can't lock yourself behind a solid door , then everyone runs like hell. (so, it appears)
"Facts are whatever I say they are." - Trump
December 29th, 2024 at 1:36:10 PM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
dubious science on Facebook, continued

this outfit pops up

Quote:
IFLScience

[shows some asteroid]
The asteroid is so dense, physicists say it could contain elements not yet seen on Earth.


Anybody who knows anything about physics, thus naturally accepting only one definition for 'element', knows this is basically impossible, on the order of 18 YOs rolled in a row anyway

you do know why don't you?
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
December 29th, 2024 at 1:38:23 PM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 162
Posts: 5953
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
Page 47 of 50« First<44454647484950>