Reading Slashdot (my daily lunch pastime) is sure to lead to some interesting stuff, but it’s pretty rare that I absolutely bust out laughing in my office.
Although there was that line about “that caused my monocle to POP RIGHT OUT!” that for some reason struck me as so funny I would periodically chuckle for days.
Anyway, today there was a rather good discussion about quantum mechanics and the dual-slit experiment. It was in answer to an article where a physicist claims you can detect parallel universes in your own living room (“Hey kids, want to detect a parallel universe after dinner?”). He shows how to set up the experiment– which is a classic in physics– and claims it’s proof of a parallel universe. Whatever. This is an ongoing religious-like discussion amongst physicists, and only persists because there is no valid explanation yet… which leaves some wacky ones.
In any case, between all the discussion threads about quantum states and measurement and wavefunction collapses, I found this gem that made me crack up:
“When I tried this experiment I ended up with a 3D holographic image of the words ‘There is no alternate universe’ and a few moments later someone whispered ‘If you try that again we’ll eat your soul’.
So there is no alternate universe…
OK, mister spooky voice, you can stop making my walls bleed.”
Many other great quotes followed, including the insightful:
“I tried the experiment myself, and it worked! Through the holes, I saw images from many parallel universes, worlds in which Columbus discovered Europe, Lincoln shot President Booth, and Germany and Japan saved the world from Nazi America and Fascist Britain in WWII. However, Michael Jackson is a disfigured weirdo pervert in every parallel world. Must be a fundamental physical law, like the speed of light.”