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Nerf As An Analogy For The Expanding Universe


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#1 Viper

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Posted 07 December 2004 - 08:49 PM

"Nerf Theory"

If you look throughout the site, they extend the analogy of the nerf ball to amazing limits describing variable speed of light theories as well as the expanding universe as a nerf ball.

Edited by Viper, 07 December 2004 - 08:53 PM.

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#2 taita cakes

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Posted 07 December 2004 - 08:57 PM

That was . . . errrrrrrrrrrr . . . deep . . .

That's about it.
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#3 Viper

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Posted 07 December 2004 - 09:02 PM

I was amazed how far they took the analogy. It wasn't like "Imagine the expanding universe as a nerf ball" and forget it from there, every aspect of the physical theory was explained using a nerf ball.

Edited by Viper, 07 December 2004 - 09:02 PM.

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#4 Black Wrath

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Posted 07 December 2004 - 09:08 PM

I'm scared now...

These guys are insanely sane. Like, wow.
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#5 Ender

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 09:35 AM

Or like saying they are so insane they’re crazy, either way an interesting concept.
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#6 VACC

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 11:05 AM

That's very cool. For anyone who's read a Brief History of Time ( or those of you who are far more academic than I and have read the more advanced volumes), I think you'd agree that Hawking could have used a little more nerf...

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#7 Fuse

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 11:52 AM

Well, that was... Interesting. Would be better if the guy who wrote it was more up to date on theoretical physics tho. Actually, that ignores a lot of stuff. Im probably taking it too seriously.
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#8 Viper

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 02:38 PM

Not really Fuse, he addresses all the issues in theoretical physics, though his ideas were meant for an audience more accustomed to the surface level approach. If you guys want more information on theoretical physics, check out onlinephysics or places like www.wolframscience.com
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#9 Fuse

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 03:03 PM

Not really Fuse, he addresses all the issues in theoretical physics, though his ideas were meant for an audience more accustomed to the surface level approach. If you guys want more information on theoretical physics, check out onlinephysics or places like www.wolframscience.com

I didnt mean he ignored specific issues, but rather he ignores the work of his peers.
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#10 firesavage

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 07:01 PM

Riiiiiight....that's a little overdose of nerf if u see the universe as a nerf ball.
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#11 Black Wrath

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 07:55 PM

Riiiiiight....that's a little overdose of nerf if u see the universe as a nerf ball.

It's an analogy.

He's trying to help people understand his thoughts and perception using an example that most people can grasp easily. I think it's an excellent way to introduce people to his theory, because alot of people can imagine a nerf ball in their hand, and how it behaves when compressed.
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#12 Fuse

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 08:19 PM

Riiiiiight....that's a little overdose of nerf if u see the universe as a nerf ball.

It's an analogy.

He's trying to help people understand his thoughts and perception using an example that most people can grasp easily. I think it's an excellent way to introduce people to his theory, because alot of people can imagine a nerf ball in their hand, and how it behaves when compressed.

Yup, physics in my oppinion require a simple visible description. All the great theoretical breakthroughs have had a simple visual. Heck, Einstein though up the visual model for his theorys then worked the math.
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#13 Viper

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Posted 09 December 2004 - 02:33 PM

Yes, the common rising cupcake or cake or dots on a balloon example only takes place in 2 dimensions while a nerf ball's "cells" could explain it in 3 dimensions. Also, the closed cell network of polymer inside the nerf ball is excellent for describing things like Penrose's Spin Network or other node-based descriptions of the universe.
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