How does a weak person justify himself when he cannot explain his actions? Things that scientists can't explain
Questions that are simply impossible to answer, they may not give rest to the curious mind of a person for a long time!
wow signal
Signal "Wow!" (Wow!), also sometimes called in Russian publications "with the signal 'Wow!'"
On August 15, 1977, Dr. Jerry Eyman, while working on the Big Ear radio telescope as part of the SETI project, detected a strong narrow-band space radio signal. Its characteristics, such as transmission bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio, were consistent with a signal of extraterrestrial origin. Then Eyman circled the corresponding symbols on the printout and signed “Wow!” in the margin. The radio signal originated from an area of the sky in the constellation Sagittarius, approximately 2.5 degrees south of the Chi star group. Eyman expected a second signal, but it never came. The first problem with the WOW signal is that to send it (if we still accept its extraterrestrial origin as a hypothesis) a very powerful transmitter is required - at least 2.2 gigawatts. Until now, the most powerful transmitter on Earth has a power of 3600 kW. There are many hypotheses regarding the origin of this mysterious message, but none of them is accepted. In 2012, on the 35th anniversary of the WOW signal, the Arecibo Observatory sent a response of 10,000 coded messages in the direction of the intended source. The earthlings never received an answer.
To date, this is the only signal that can be interpreted as extraterrestrial (and artificial). Further observations of this part of the sky led to nothing. A possible “terrestrial” explanation—a secret satellite broadcasting at a wavelength of 21 cm—seems unlikely. Even less likely is the reflection of a signal from a ground source from space debris. But maybe there is some kind of natural scientific explanation?
Strange flight of the Pioneer 10 and 11 ships
On March 3, 1972 and April 5, 1973, the United States launches two spacecraft to Jupiter and Saturn. Thanks to these devices, it was possible to obtain images of the solar system.
The Pioneer 10 and 11 space research stations completed their flights around the solar system a long time ago, but scientists still pay special attention to them. Although Pioneer 11 was completely lost, both research stations unexpectedly (and inexplicably) changed the direction of their flights. However, the mysteries do not end there: it seems that both ships were heading in the same direction.
Puzzled scientists gave a huge variety of assumptions about this: computer errors, solar winds, fuel leaks. However, this all remained only at the level of assumptions; nothing has been proven. How “Pioneer 10” moves in space is of great interest to scientists, since the observed slowdown of “Pioneer” by the gravitational attraction of the Solar system alone, as it turned out, can be explained it is forbidden. This means that this circumstance can either serve as evidence of the existence of a force still unknown to science, or be associated with some properties of the spacecraft itself. Unfortunately, communication with an exact copy This probe, Pioneer 11, was interrupted in 1995.
“Pioneer-10”
Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and explore the outer solar system, the first to approach Jupiter, and the first to use the planet's gravity to change its trajectory and achieve escape velocity 3 (Escape Velocity). , necessary for the spacecraft to be able to leave the Solar System and go into the Galaxy. At this speed, the spacecraft leaves the sphere of gravity of the Sun and leaves. solar system. Third escape velocity (near the Earth's surface) ~ 16.67 km/s).
Mpemba effect
It's paradoxical, but hot water freezes faster than cold weather, so the skating rinks are flooded hot water. In physics, this phenomenon is called the “Mpemba effect.” Why? Because in 1963, a schoolboy from Tanganyika puzzled his teacher with the question of why heated liquid freezes faster than cold liquid. The teacher brushed off the intrusive student, saying that this was “not world physics, but Mpemba physics.”
Erasto did not forget about his question and later asked about the same thing to someone who came to lecture at the University of Dar es Salaam English physicist Denis Osborne. Unlike the school teacher, Osborne not only did not laugh at the inquisitive student, but conducted a number of experiments with him, and in 1969, together with Erasto, published an article in the journal Physics Education, where this phenomenon was called the “Mpemba effect,” although Both Aristotle and Francis Bacon once pondered over it.
A scientifically substantiated explanation for this phenomenon has not yet been found. In 2012, the British Chemical Society even announced a competition for best explanation"Mpemba effect".
Dark energy
World science was on the verge of a genuine revolution when the discovery of astrophysicist from the American Cornell University Rachel Bean called into question a key position general theory Albert Einstein's relativity, concerning the space-time model of the universe. It is known that the light of distant stars and galaxies on its way through the Universe is influenced by the gravitational fields of massive space objects, such as other stars or a cluster of galaxies. The path of light is bent under the influence of gravity. Thus, the image of these stars reaches the Earth distorted, as if through a lens. Rachel Bean's research was based on studying the effects of such gravitational lenses. According to Einstein's theory, the effect of gravity is explained by the curvature of space and time under the influence of the mass of cosmic objects. Scientists can gain insight into this process by observing the path of light. In this case, in accordance with the general theory of relativity, the time distortion coefficient must be equal to the space distortion coefficient.
Meanwhile, based on observations of more than 2 million galaxies using the latest telescopes, including Hubble, Rachel Bean discovered a phenomenon that contradicts this rule. She found that between 8 and 11 billion years ago, the time distortion coefficient was three times greater than the space distortion coefficient. Einstein's theory of relativity has received a number of confirmations of its correctness within the same galaxy. However, it has never been tested in the gigantic spaces of the Universe. Bean's work is the first to summarize data on the motion of millions of galaxies.
MAIN AGES OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE
Experts have not yet undertaken to judge what explains the discovered anomaly and whether these data can be reconciled with Einstein’s theory on the basis of new hypotheses. According to some of them, the violation of the patterns can be explained by the influence of dark energy discovered in 1998. This substance, according to modern ideas, resists gravity and causes the Universe to expand.
By the way, Albert Einstein predicted the presence of a force that prevents the Universe from contracting. True, in scientific world Until now, it was generally accepted that dark energy began to dominate approximately 5-6 billion years ago. However, data obtained recently using the same Hubble telescope allowed scientists to suggest that it began to influence the Universe at an earlier stage.
Speed of light
According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, there is nothing faster than the speed of light. Scientists from the German University of Koblenz managed to surpass the speed of light and experimentally confirm the existence of “zero time” zones. During the experiments, they recorded the movement of a photon, the speed of which exceeded the speed of light. Thus, the foundations of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, which gives modern physical description the foundations of our universe. The theory states that the speed of light is absolute and cannot be exceeded.
However, professors Günther Nimtz and Alfons Stahlhofen managed to experimentally obtain and study the “tunnel effect”, known in modern theoretical physics. According to existing theory, there is “zero time” in such tunnels.
The discovery was made during experiments on the passage of light through two mirror prisms located at a distance of a meter from each other. In this case, the photon crossing the created tunnel reached the end point simultaneously with the light reflected by one of the faces of the prism, although it traveled a much greater distance. As Professor Stahlhofen stated, these experiments have already been repeated in other leading world laboratories, and scientists have obtained similar results. “We are faced with a paradoxical physical phenomenon when you can find yourself at the end point of the path without even starting the movement,” the scientist noted. This phenomenon confirms a number of assumptions of quantum physics regarding space-time forms that existed before the so-called “big bang” - the instantaneous unfolding of our universe. Alphonse Stahlhofen also believes that the experiments conducted confirm the existence of physical laws other than those that form the basis of modern physics. “In Einstein’s physics, the cause causes the effect, in our case the cause is changed, which leads to completely new and paradoxical consequences”- said the German scientist.
Placebo effect
A placebo is often narrowly defined as “an inert substance that acts due to the patient's expectations and is unable to act directly on the conditions for which it is prescribed.” A placebo can be a substance, a procedure, or a verbal expression. A placebo is a sugar pill that acts as a medicine. The famous professor Berezin treated his patients suffering from depression with calcium gluconate tablets, which, as is known, cannot have any effect on mood. The duration of treatment was slightly longer than with antidepressants. American studies show that the effectiveness of placebos in treating depression is 59% of the effectiveness of psychotropic drugs.
Placebo is a good pain reliever with the most stable effects. Many double-blind experiments have been conducted to study the effectiveness of placebo in relieving pain. The reduction in pain with placebo was 55% of that achieved with morphine. We chuckle at some medical treatments of the past: blood bat, molar tooth of a crocodile, hair from the head. And yet they worked. Sometimes. And not thanks to any special properties.
Scientists have been interested in the placebo effect for a long time and this interest is connected primarily with the fact that pharmacists have long noticed - when testing new drugs, when one group of patients receives a new drug, and the second receives an empty drug, being sure that they are also receiving the drug, some of the patients show signs of improvement despite the fact that they have not undergone any treatment. However, the reasons for this effect, called the placebo effect, were not clear until recently.
How our psyche can affect health is still not completely clear to science, but scientists are working hard on this and, perhaps, soon the veil of secrecy will be lifted.
Cold fusion
Cold thermonuclear fusion is the supposed possibility of a thermonuclear reaction, with normal conditions, (that is, room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The usual conditions for a thermonuclear reaction are temperatures of millions of degrees Kelvin and high pressure. Many reports and extensive databases about the “successful” implementation of the experiment later turned out to be “canards.” The leading laboratories in the world were unable to repeat a single similar experiment, and if they repeated it, it turned out that the authors of the experiment, as narrow specialists, incorrectly interpreted the result obtained, or did not carry out the experiment correctly, did not carry out the necessary measurements, etc.
However, when atoms collide with sufficient force, they can join together. Along with this merger, a huge amount of energy is released. All kinds scientific theories They tell us that this can only happen in an environment with incredibly strong energy, for example, in the solar core.
However, scientific experiments have proven that this can be achieved in a real situation. If you conduct an electrical voltage between palladium electrodes in water that contains deuterium and heavy hydrogen, an incredible phenomenon will happen before your eyes.
Yawn
The reasons that cause yawning are still not fully understood. Scientists have refuted the common point of view that a person begins to yawn in a poorly ventilated room with a lack of oxygen.
Yawning does not contribute to falling asleep, but, on the contrary, helps to drive away sleep and invigorate the body.
Experiments showed that people who were given more oxygen or carbon dioxide yawned equally.
Yawning is not only a symptom of boredom or sleepiness, but also complex operation to regulate brain temperature, say American scientists. According to Andrew Gallup, professor of psychology at the State University of New York, the human brain is like a computer: when it “overheats,” it begins to work worse and causes a yawn, which provides an influx of blood and cooler air. The result of this is improved brain functioning. Scientists also claim that, contrary to popular belief, yawning does not help you fall asleep, but, on the contrary, helps drive away sleep and invigorates the body. It is known that yawning is contagious: as soon as one person starts yawning, everyone around him picks it up. The fact is that yawning easily occurs as an imitative reflex. This reflex makes us not only yawn, but also smile if someone laughs nearby.
Scientists have been trying to unravel the many mysteries of the natural world for many centuries, but some phenomena still baffle even the best minds of mankind.
From strange flashes in the sky after earthquakes to rocks that spontaneously move across the ground, these phenomena seem to have no certain meaning or goals.
Here are 10 of the strangest, most mysterious and incredible phenomena, found in nature.
Reports of bright flashes during earthquakes
Light flashes that appear in the sky before and after an earthquake
One of the most mysterious phenomena are inexplicable flashes in the sky that accompany earthquakes. What causes them? Why do they exist?
Italian physicist Christiano Feruga collected all observations of flashes during earthquakes dating back to 2000 BC. For a long time scientists were skeptical about this strange phenomenon.
But everything changed in 1966, when the first evidence appeared - photographs of the Matsushiro earthquake in Japan.
Nowadays there are a great many such photographs, and the flashes on them are so different colors and shapes that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish a fake.
Theories explaining this phenomenon include heat caused by friction, radon gas and the piezoelectric effect - electric charge, which accumulates in quartz rocks when tectonic plates move.
In 2003, physicist NASA Dr. Friedemann Freund(Friedemann Freund) conducted a laboratory experiment and showed that perhaps the flashes were caused by electrical activity in the rocks.
The shock wave from an earthquake can change the electrical properties of silicon and oxygen-containing minerals, allowing them to transmit current and emit a glow. However, some believe that the theory may only be one possible explanation.
Nazca Drawings
Huge figures drawn on the sand in Peru by ancient people, but no one knows why
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The Nazca Lines extend over 450 square meters. km of coastal desert, are huge works of art left on the Peruvian plains.
Among them there are geometric figures, as well as drawings of animals, plants and rarely human figures, which can be seen from the air in the form of huge drawings.
They are believed to have been created by the Nazca people during a 1000 year period between 500 BC. and 500 AD, but no one knows why.
Despite the status of the object World Heritage, Peruvian authorities are having difficulty protecting the Nazca Lines from settlers. Meanwhile, archaeologists are trying to study the lines before they are destroyed.
Text: Artyom Luchko
Science emerged for the sake of the need to answer people's questions. And it seems most of complex phenomena have been studied far and wide, but “very little” remains - to understand the nature of dark matter, to understand the problem of quantum gravity, to solve the problem of the dimension of space/time, to understand what dark energy is (and several hundred more similar questions). However, there are still seemingly simpler phenomena that scientists are unable to fully explain.
What is glass?
Nobel laureate Warren Anderson once said: “The deepest and most interesting of the unsolved problems in solid state theory lies in the nature of glass.” And although glass has been known to mankind for more than a millennium, scientists still do not understand the reason for its unique mechanical properties. From school lessons We remember that glass is a liquid, but is it so? Scientists do not know exactly what the nature of the transition between the liquid or solid and glassy phases is and what physical processes lead to the basic properties of glass.
The process of glass formation cannot be explained using any of the current tools of solid state physics, many-body theory, or fluid theory. Briefly described, liquid molten glass, as it cools, gradually becomes more and more viscous until it becomes rigid. While during the formation of crystalline solids, for example, graphite, the atoms instantly form the usual periodic structures.
Glass behaves in such a way that it cannot yet be described by equilibrium statistical mechanics
Modern man trusts science more than ever before. If we suddenly encounter a phenomenon that we cannot explain ourselves, then we turn to scientific publications for this. But there are still a few places in the world that defy explanation. And although such places are not at all proof of magic, we are still fascinated by what nature offers us.
1. The Lights of Hessdalen
For decades, residents of the Hessdalen Valley in Norway have felt like they were in a movie. Secret materials" Every night strange lights appear in the sky, moving chaotically and even blinking in different colors. And you don’t need to think that only drunk villagers see them. Science has officially confirmed that the lights are very real, but it doesn't know what exactly causes them.
Scientists' guesses about what's really happening are as unusual as the lights themselves. According to one scary theory, the valley is very radioactive. Radon is applied to dust particles that disintegrate in the air, thereby causing the glow. If this is true, it's bad news for locals—radon isn't the friendliest of elements.
Other scientists are of the opinion that the valley may represent a huge “battery”. It was found that one side of the valley is rich in copper deposits, and the other - zinc. These are the elements that make up the batteries. All it takes is an acid to connect the two sides, and some sort of charge, and sparks begin to appear in the atmosphere, much like an alien invasion.
Or... they could be terribly boring aliens. We don't actually know which of these versions is more plausible.
2. Sleeping epidemic in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan also has a right to be known, although in reality it is more like " headache» for the local population. It's about about a mysterious epidemic that causes fatigue, memory loss, hallucinations and, even stranger, prolonged bouts of unexpected narcolepsy. 
Over the past few years, hundreds of Kalachi residents have already reported sudden unconsciousness. The problem became so serious that the residents of this city were even evacuated. According to the leading hypothesis, local residents became a victim of radiation poisoning, because the city is located near uranium mines. But there are some unclear points in this theory. Residents of a neighboring town, which is located even closer to the mines, are not experiencing any signs of illness.
In addition, all blood tests were normal. This leads one to believe that the situation may be a case of good old-fashioned hysteria. Anyone who falls asleep at work is considered a victim of sleeping sickness, although it is possible that they were playing Skyrim all night.
3. Fairy circles in Namibia
The desert in Namibia (Africa) has its own amazing features. The circles, with a diameter of 3 to 20 meters, are located over an area of more than 1,500 kilometers. The secret is that nothing grows in these circles, even if the rest of the field is covered with grass. Scientists have been trying to figure out the secret of these circles for decades, but they have all come to a dead end. Not only can they not explain where these circles come from, but they also do not know why they are distributed more or less evenly, have the shape of a perfect circle and never intersect. Nevertheless, they came up with dozens of (mostly debunked) theories that tried to explain this fact.
In 2013, scientist Norbert Jürgens stated that the circles were created by termites. Other theories include exposure to radiation, and that it could be caused by ostriches bathing in mud. Each theory was successfully refuted.
4. Rumble in Taos
If you are one of those people who can hear the buzzing of the television or the noise of electrical wires, then you must understand how you can slowly go crazy from the annoying monotonous sound. Residents of Taos (New Mexico) hear a similar sound every minute and every day. Since the early 1990s, residents of the city have begun to report a constant buzzing sound that permeates the entire city and drives people into a subtle frenzy. 
In Borneo, the source of such sound was a local factory, and in one of the English cities the noise comes from a neighboring runway. However, in Taos, scientists have been trying unsuccessfully to find the source of the noise for more than 20 years. The prevailing theory is that people who hear this noise have such sensitive hearing that they perceive the sounds that their own brains produce.
5. Devil's Kettle in Minnesota
The Brule River in Minnesota flows along shards of rock. In one place its flow is divided into two parts. One part continues to flow into Lake Superior, and the second ends up... hmm... in a water paradise?
The fact is that this water does not flow out anywhere. It is believed that the water flows through a system of underwater caves until it reappears near the lake. After all, it must flow somewhere. But scientists were never able to find this place. 
And it's not that they didn't try. Scientists poured paint into the kettle and then observed the lake to see which part of it would change color. When that didn't work, they threw ping pong balls in there, which also disappeared, seriously scaring the locals.
Phenomena that no scientist can explain are especially interesting. “Where and how did life appear” is the most pressing question. He torments not only scientists, but also ordinary people. The answer to this has never been found. Researchers are divided into groups depending on their theory. Some scientists believe that life originated from the soil: the ocean floor, volcanic craters, ice layers. Others believe that it was brought from space and delivered by meteorites and comets. But how did life appear there? Dont clear. There are at least 7 more unanswered questions.
Why are we sleeping?
Many people lament that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. On the one hand, this is a waste of time, on the other hand, it is an important activity. Scientists have not yet fully explained its nature. We are aware that during sleep the body cleanses itself of toxic substances and accelerates regeneration processes. We also know that after sleep the brain “reboots”: information is organized and nerve cells prepare to analyze new data.
But why are these processes impossible outside of sleep? Why do some animals not sleep at all? One version says that the lack of sleep in some living organisms is just an adaptation option to environment: They are always alert and in a state of combat readiness, while dormouse turn on their intelligence and organize shelters for protection. However, this theory has not yet provided complete answers to all questions.
Is there gravity?
We are faced with the consequences of the so-called gravity: the lunar one provides the ebb and flow of the tides, the solar one keeps our planet in its orbit, the earthly one makes sure that we do not fly into space. The only question is, what is this phenomenon that allows massive objects to attract small ones? Scientists are speculating about whether gravity is the cause of such interactions or whether it is a phenomenon that can be called a consequence of the existence of gravity particles. Why is the nature of the force that holds atoms together different from the nature of gravity? Why is the structure of the atom so strange: the electrons and the nucleus are located far from each other? Why is this empty space? In short, questions without answers.
Where are the aliens?
Humanity cannot calm down: we feel too lonely among billions of galaxies with planets and stars. As you know, the diameter of the observable Universe is 92 billion light years. And this is only part of what we can still imagine. So is it really possible that among this splendor there is not a single soul and not a single green man? People fantasize about “aliens are among us”, “they are preparing an attack”, “they cannot contact us”, but so far these are just speculations. We see UFOs, but scientists stubbornly shrug their shoulders. Yes, some natural phenomena remain to be unraveled. Or maybe we are really alone in the Universe?
What is dark matter made of?
Dark matter is an interesting substance. Scientists say that 80% of our Universe consists of it. Why is it needed, why doesn’t it emit light at all and what does it consist of - here important questions on the agenda. Scientists have been searching for answers for the last 60 years, but they haven't gotten very far. Reflecting on the composition, the great minds divided into groups. Each group has its own recipes and ingredients.
Some experts think that black matter consists of WIMPs - particles that are quite massive (according to a preliminary version, 100 times heavier than protons), but weakly interact with each other. They interact even weaker with baryonic matter, which is perceived by our senses (this is all the matter around us that we feel and feel). Another group included elements such as photino and neutralino in the preliminary composition of black matter. Time will judge who is right and who is wrong. Or he won't judge. This is also not known to science yet.
What is dark energy?
Not to be confused with dark matter! According to scientists, this is one of the forms of energy that affects the expansion of the Universe, but it has not yet been possible to find out how. In the scientific world, life is in full swing: one version replaces another, but the information reaches us slowly and in a distorted form. Well, let's use the data that is available. While the bottom line is only the fact that the density of dark energy is comparable to the density of matter, its composition is not clear, as well as whether this substance changes or is a constant value.
Where does lithium go?
Most of the mass of our Universe is made up of isotopes of helium and hydrogen. Along with these isotopes, lithium isotopes were formed during times when the Universe was very hot. They still exist, but there are ⅔ less of them than in old times. Someone is openly stealing lithium, but who exactly is not clear. Some scientists believe that axions are involved, others suspect stellar cores that absorb lithium without a twinge of conscience. On this moment the criminal was not found: scientists cannot explain where all the lithium went.
How do birds find their way home?
The phenomenon of migration is of interest to biologists and others. As you know, many species of animals and birds move around the planet, escaping from low temperatures, hunger and other unfavorable conditions for life. Some of them are true travel frogs: they are not satisfied with resting close to home. They run away or fly thousands of kilometers away and by some miracle return back. Experts are struggling with questions: how do they survive on the road, how do they not get lost without a navigator, and how do they cope with difficult road conditions? Some of them clearly perceive the Earth's magnetic field and use this sensitivity instead of a navigator. But this is not exhaustive information. Science continues to search for an answer to the question of how animals understand where and when to fly.
