Science is a strange, strange thing. The brightest minds come up with theories pertaining to our existence, space, and time – but sometimes they stretch beyond the boundaries of normalcy. In this installment, we’re scoping ten of the most bizarre scientific theories to be posed throughout time. You ready for this ride?
10. 21 Grams
Think about how much you weigh. If you’re not pleased with it, know that, according to the 21 Grams theory, you can subtract exactly that from your number to accommodate how much your soul weighs. So, maybe that's 1/20th of a pound or so, but that’s something, right? The theory came about with the research of Dr. Duncan MacDougall in the early 20th century. MacDougall observed several subjects as they died and believed he was able to determine when their souls left their bodies as their body weights were shown to drop 21 grams after death. MacDougall’s research is chided as incomplete and flawed due to the small sample size he used.
9. Holographic
Universe Theory In the words of the great Doctor Ellie Sattler, “It’s all an illusion!” Of course, the Holographic Universe Theory is talking more about the universe and everything contained within and not the perceived power of a dinosaur zoo… According to a team of theoretical physicists from the University of Southampton, our universe is nothing more than an illusion. Our 3D reality, then, would be stored on a 2D surface and not a thing we do matters because we only exist on this 2D plane as an illusion. The question we have is if we’re a holographic illusion, who is being entertained by us?
8. Lamb Trees
English Knight and traveler Sir John Mandeville is no stranger when it comes to spreading misinformation such as an island of dog-headed humans, but one of his most fantastical is that which spawned the theory that lambs grow on plants. In Mandeville’s writings, he spoke of a plant in Tartary, now present-day Russia and Mongolia, that produced gourds that sprouted lambs. For nearly 300 years, people actually debated Mandeville’s claim, among those involved being Italian polymath Girolamo Cardano, who used the lack of needed heat in soil to debunk the theory of the “lamb tree.”
7. Time Doesn’t Exist
Ready to have your mind blown? Consider then the scientific theory that states that time doesn’t exist. So what have I been wasting all of this time? Can I even use “time” in that sentence? My world is falling apart and it’s all thanks to Julian Barbour, the British physicist responsible for the theory that states time is nothing but an illusion. According to Barbour, there is no concrete evidence of the past, save for the memories we have, and the future is nothing more than a concept we’ve dreamed up. It’s the changes that we claim to go through that create this illusion of time. Barbour believes that individual moments that create the illusion of time, or Nows, are complete and exist in their own right.
6. Clockwork Universe Theory
Here’s a theory to tick off people of faith and atheists! Consider that, yes, God does exist, but his only contribution to the universe we live in was to set everything in motion. Then he steps aside and just watches it all unfold like a bad sitcom. Clockwork Universe Theory basically paints this image by comparing the universe to a mechanical clock that was wound up by God and then left to tick along. The laws of science, such as Newton’s laws of motion, are said to be the “gears” that keep the whole thing going.
5. Panspermia Theory
Where did life come from? It’s a question that many have tried to answer, but of all the incredible ideas put forth, the theory of Panspermia may be high on the bizarre list. According to the theory, some 4 billion years ago, Earth suffered a lengthy period of meteor showers. Upon these space rocks were thought to be the first organisms of Earth, meaning that life on our planet didn’t actually start here but rather elsewhere in the universe. While one could argue that no other planet can sustain life, Panspermia points to the resiliency of organisms like bacteria, which can sustain life in temperatures as high as235?F (113?C). This, supporters claim, makes it difficult to determine what conditions are ripe for life to form and thrive.
4. The Universe is a Computer
So, some people theorize that the universe is just one big computer, using mathematics and a pretty powerful CPU to simulate our world. Okay, fine, I’ll say it because you’re all thinking it: Just like The Matrix. It’s a theory that’s been supported by great minds like Elon Musk, who stated there’s a “billion to one” chance that we’re living in “base reality.”Whether we are a computer simulation or even a program designed by some super-intelligence really may not matter in the long run.That is, of course, until someone offers you a red and blue pill… Which would you take?
3. Spontaneous Generation
Have you ever wondered where maggots come from? I mean, when it comes to decayed food that’s left out. They seem to just kind of… appear, right? While many of us believe they don’t just spontaneously appear, there’s a school of thought that revolves around the Spontaneous Generation Theory that claims those maggots are actually formed through the nonliving matter of the meat.Another example is the existence of mice when a piece of bread or cheese is left out.
2. Zoo Theory
Maybe the most uncomfortable theory in this Archive, the zoo theorists believe that we are just one big attraction for some moreadvanced extraterrestrial race.The theory is often used as a reason why aliens have yet to contact Earth, claiming thesebeings would prefer to watch us evolve and thrive on our own without contaminating the environment we live in. In 1973, MIT radio astronomer John A. Ball proposed the idea that aliens are merely avoidingus, watching us from some deep corner of the galaxy. I prefer South Park's rendition where Earth is a reality TV show for aliens. I mean, who wouldn't want a talking hard shell taco that poops ice cream?
1. Garbage Theory
Austrian astrophysicist Thomas Gold caught our attention with another “panspermia” theory, that is, one that claims microorganisms exist throughout space. In this theory, Gold proposes that Earth was a literal junkyard for extraterrestrials. Rather than recycle their waste on their own planets, Aliens were traveling the galaxy,looking for a spot to unload their trash, when something went wrong, and it was all accidentally dumped on Earth. Within that waste lived the microorganisms that became the beginning of life on Earth. Won’t lie… I’m a little insulted by this one.
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