What we learned last time

Hey guys it’s so hot right now. So last time we learned something interesting. If you see a bus going past you on the street… and you watch the people in the bus, you’ll notice that they are AGEING slower than you are! Time is moving slower on the bus, than on the sidewalk… it seems.

Wow. So what’s the problem?

There is no problem with that conclusion. Except that… remember how in part 1, we noted that a person INSIDE the bus will think that everything OUTSIDE the bus is moving?

If I repeat the thought experiment from part 2, i’ll see that someone INSIDE the bus will see time passing slower OUTSIDE the bus.

Continue reading Twin paradox (part 3) →

a quick note.
the podcast talked about an “atlatl” spear that some dude found in a glacier. there was a little mumbling about what it is, and then ryan told me to say something. Incidentally, i was trying to tell my cousin’s kid about them, she’s like 7, and she said she learned about it in school.

so for all of us who aren’t under 10. what’s an atlatl?

In short, it’s a stick that you use to throw a spear. You know how when you were a kid, your dad could throw a ball farther than you could? in part it was because his arm was longer. So the idea is that if you throw a spear at the end of a STICK rather than just from your hand, it’ll go farther/faster.

Actually. you know those ball throwers that people use to help exercise their giant golden retrievers whose primary joy in life is to chase after a ball and then make them slimey? atl-atls work just like that but for spears.

NOTE. also, fishing rods.

Okay, i can’t get the survey plugin to work and it’s canada day.

so. Post your answers in the Comments part, and i’ll get back to you and if you get the second question right i’ll give you a prize.

QUESTION: if you’re standing on a skateboard pointing east and west, which way do you roll if you take into account the rotation of the earth?

Answer: what kind of question is this ben? the language is imprecise and stupid. also, it’s terrible. the answer is “you stay still”.

REAL QUIZ QUESTION: suppose the earth is a perfect sphere, and it’s rotating (towards the east). and you are standing in the northern hemisphere. and you’re standing still. and you put down your skateboard just to the north of you, pointing east-west. and then you step onto your skateboard. which direction do you roll on account of the world’s turning?

(note. the answer is either “east” or “west”, leave your answer and justification in the comments. smartass)