• In total there are 4 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 4 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 616 on Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:47 pm

T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Engage in discussions encompassing themes like cosmology, human evolution, genetic engineering, earth science, climate change, artificial intelligence, psychology, and beyond in this forum.
Forum rules
Do not promote books in this forum. Instead, promote your books in either Authors: Tell us about your FICTION book! or Authors: Tell us about your NON-FICTION book!.

All other Community Rules apply in this and all other forums.
User avatar
ant

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 5935
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:04 pm
12
Has thanked: 1371 times
Been thanked: 969 times

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

Interbane wrote:
ant wrote:You haven't touched on the actual differences regarding extrapolations of star positions vs fossils of once living tissue.
Just what are they and how important might the differences be?
The text you were replying to was actually mine. Rachita simply copy/pasted it without quotes. Extrapolation is taking what you know and extending it forward. There may be a more precise definition within mathematics, but I meant it in more simple terms. If living flesh has been preserved for 2 years in an experiment, and flesh is known to fossilize in as little as 10 years under the best of conditions, then the preservation technique is a possible explanation. Stahrwe's point is still correct, the headlines are misleading. That we have a possible explanation doesn't mean it 'has been explained.'

How is a controlled isolated experiment duplicative of real-world environmental conditions?

But you're right, it's a possible explanation (emphasis mine).
User avatar
Interbane

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 7203
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:59 am
19
Location: Da U.P.
Has thanked: 1105 times
Been thanked: 2166 times
United States of America

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

How is a controlled isolated experiment duplicative of real-world environmental conditions?
If an experiment is intended to duplicate real world conditions, what would prevent it from doing so?

:bananadance:
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.” - Douglas Adams
User avatar
ant

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 5935
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:04 pm
12
Has thanked: 1371 times
Been thanked: 969 times

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

Interbane wrote:
How is a controlled isolated experiment duplicative of real-world environmental conditions?
If an experiment is intended to duplicate real world conditions, what would prevent it from doing so?

:bananadance:
Weak.


A scientific model NEVER duplicates a natural environment.
Any difference or exclusion of unknowable variables has a direct impact on the conclusions drawn from an artificial model.
There would naturally be a difference (sometimes not known to us) between what our models produce and what Nature produces.


If this is incorrect, prove me wrong here.

:bananen_smilies008:
User avatar
Interbane

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 7203
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:59 am
19
Location: Da U.P.
Has thanked: 1105 times
Been thanked: 2166 times
United States of America

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

A scientific model NEVER duplicates a natural environment.
For duplication, you'd need to model each and every atom/quark/molecule on the entire planet, including photons coming in from the sun. That currently isn't possible, you're right.

The test of our models is how well the predictions do in the natural environment. Many models have a ton of potential predictions that can be made. Others take a while for the "stars to align" so that a prediction can be seen as true or false. Others model a phenomenon so rare that we may never have the opportunity to see a fulfilled(or failed) prediction. That will forever be a weakness in our acquisition of knowledge.

For the article in this thread, the experiments could be supported if scientists found road kill where all the critical conditions matched the experiment(as a silly example). Excess iron in the flesh, and whatever else makes it work. It seems to be a rare enough phenomenon that I doubt we'll "confirm" it easily or anytime soon.
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.” - Douglas Adams
User avatar
ant

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 5935
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:04 pm
12
Has thanked: 1371 times
Been thanked: 969 times

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

ou'd need to model each and every atom/quark/molecule on the entire planet, including photons coming in from the sun.
you're being ridiculous. that's not what I meant.
User avatar
Interbane

1G - SILVER CONTRIBUTOR
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 7203
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:59 am
19
Location: Da U.P.
Has thanked: 1105 times
Been thanked: 2166 times
United States of America

Re: T-Rex soft tissue and the science of deceptive headlines

Unread post

ant wrote:you're being ridiculous. that's not what I meant.
Why was my response ridiculous? You said a scientific model never duplicates reality, and I agreed. I went on to explain why this doesn't stop models from being useful.

If you don't have the time or energy to actually participate in a discussion, then don't reply. Explain exactly what you meant if I got it wrong.
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.” - Douglas Adams
Post Reply

Return to “Science & Technology”