Are we there yet? Science and Physics done?

A hundred years ago, as the 19th century drew to a close, scientists around the world were satisfied that they had arrived at an accurate picture of the physical world. As physicist Alastair Rae put it, "By the end of the 19th centuryit seemed that the basic principles governing the behavior of the physical universe were known." Many scientists said that the study of physics was nearly completed, no big discoveries remained to be made.
Now, in the 21st century, the situation is oddly similar. Once again, physicists believe the physical world has been explained, and that no further revolutions lie ahead. Because of prior history, they no longer express this view publicly, but they think it just the same. Some observers have even gone so far as to argue that science as a discipline has finished its work; that there is nothing important left to discover.

What are your thoughts on this?? Paraphrased above and references are available if you like!!!
So strange that we as a species always tend to get too big for our britches!?

Peace, Mondogiwa

[edit on 21-11-2006 by Mondogiwa]

At the beginning of the next century it might be the same story. We don't even know what dark matter and dark energy are.

I doubt any physicist worth his salt would say such a blatantly ridiculous thing!

There are still hunddreds of mysterys remaioning to be solved in science, not only relating to space but the interaction between quantum and classical systems.

We can explain how a lot of things happen at the moment, but science can't really explain why some things happen, like why + attracts - and repels other +. until we can do that sort of thing I don't think we will ever have a complete map of the universe and how it works.

I think I can safely speak for all physicist of the world when it comes to a question like that.

It is at the very boundaries of our knowledge that new discoveries are made.

If we reach what appears to be a dead end then that is a time to be excited!!! It means that there is something new to discover. In physics it is just as existing finding something that doesn't work as it is something that does.

One discovery leads to many other areas of research. Even if we were to finalise a final theory of everything, there would be more than enough work in searching for applications. etc.

Hope that helps,

NeoN HaZe.

[edit on 21-11-2006 by Neon Haze]

Now, in the 21st century, the situation is oddly similar. Once again, physicists believe the physical world has been explained, and that no further revolutions lie ahead.

I just dont see it.

Physicist are still searching for the so called therory of everything or a unified theory or a final theory that brings newtonian and einstien therories together. Hense we have string theory, loop quauntum gravity, the multiverse theory and probably alot more.

Additionally, I think any physicist thats says everything thats worth explaining has been explained is not woth listening to to begin with. We all know that history has proved those type of statements wrong many of time.

Originally posted by TheBandit795
At the beginning of the next century it might be the same story. We don't even know what dark matter and dark energy are.

This and we are just learning to create our own Universes ... that basically turn into a Black hole and disapear before we can even calculate how big the universe was that we made or where it went ... Or Pretty much anything about it .. No wwhat we gotta do is learn how to tap into this power ... "how ya see it now it's gone" ... if we can do that ..... then we may be headed towards ... other stages of TRAVEL .... "beam me up ScOTTY"

What is gravity.
Why do positive and negative attract?
What is that force that animates the body?




* ONLY FOR THOSE IN THE KNOW (if you don't know, don't respond)
How do those minds communicate?
How is one mind able to affect another's body?

Originally posted by Neon Haze
I think I can safely speak for all physicist of the world when it comes to a question like that.

It is at the very boundaries of our knowledge that new discoveries are made.

If we reach what appears to be a dead end then that is a time to be excited!!!
NeoN HaZe.

[edit on 21-11-2006 by Neon Haze]

This is exactly what I am talking about!! Believe me, I do not think we have it all figured out yet at all....this was a source that had some good references but I agree with you Neon Haze!!
I love your statement above regarding the boundaries and getting excited when you think you are at a dead end!
This is in no way intended to be a slam of anybody, especially physicists! Just want to see what you people think and where you think, "We", are as a species and figuring it all out. Seems from the above posts that in fact it is the simplest of things, such as gravity and positive/negative attraction that are some of the biggest mysteries. Is that right???

Thanks so far for the replies, I enjoy reading what you have to say. It is quite interesting to get your perspectives!

Thanks, Mondo

www.abovetopsecret.com...

According to this, scientist have just made a new and exciting discovery.

Also in reference to this threads topic I think we will find in the coming years that the rate of new scientific discoveries will excelerate at a pace unknown to mankind in the past.

Very nice! Sometimes it seems that the smallest of things turns out to have the largest impact!

So funny ... When people reach a dead end .. They start "THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX" ... Basically saying they are looking for different ways of doing the same things we have done forever ... Such as Electricity .. Why do we need wires running all over gods creation to have elec. everywhere ... Why did we not find a better way of doing this !!?!?! No wwe are looking and finding ...Why don't we use the oceans tide as a Conductor ???? Because we do some .. but other wise we are STUPID ! and it's all about money !!! Since the first car came out ... Who cares about the car ... coming out ... Horses ... Eat ... Everything that has ever been has always led to something else .. What if they could produce ... a Ball of electricity that would never run dry .. ? THEY CAN !!!! .. they just don't know how to trap it yet .... .... So people start making Batteries !!!!!!!!!!! .. one that would never go dead preferably !

It is true that 'classical physics' is pretty much fully known, although a few mysteries still remain. Just within the last year or two, some scientists finally solved the equations for turbulent flow in fluid dynamics, which was one of the last classical physics problems left. There's still tons and tons of stuff in other areas to explore, though.

A few that I wonder about:

Physics:
-what is the full nature of gravity, and why has progress in this area been so difficult?
-how was the universe created? Is the big bang model correct, and if so, where did the first matter come from? Why is the universe expanding?
-why do quantum mechanics and relativity break down when considering the origin of the universe? Is something missing in those theories?
-is everything in the universe deterministic (non random) or are there probabilistic aspects (random things that cannot be fully predicted)?
-what happens inside black holes?
-is time travel possible?
-can faster than light travel be achieved? what would happen to our perception of time if we travelled faster than light?

Biology:
-by what mechanism does evolution work (if correct) since many biological features appear impossible to have evolved in the 'small steps' that Darwin theorized? If evolution is false, then what accounts for the vast number of species?
-how did life form? (I look at this as both a religious and scientific question, and suspect that the true answer to this will be the same in both points of view)
-how did (most) species in the world end up with gender, as opposed to being asexual like single celled organisms or many plants?
-does alien life exist, and has it visited our planet?

Chemistry:
-why do some ions, particularly metals, have two different valence possibilities (like iron has +2 and +3; maybe this is known to science, and I just haven't read of it yet...)
-how many elements are there?
-can the heavy, unstable elements that are transuranic somehow be made stable, either in elemental form and/or in compound form? what uses might they have, if so?

That's just a few minutes of thinking, and excludes historical questions I can also think of, that have some basis in science, like the construction of many ancient megaliths such as stonehenge or the pyramids.

Hahahaha, I dont think there is such thing as being done otherwise we would be perfect in every way. Does not our world situation tell you how far off we are?

But we try and we have done alot in a small amount of time and we will keep going.

Rediculous.

There's allways someone who comes along and claims there's nothing left to discover, or nothing left to lear, or invent... It's just stupid.

What it is, is some idiot who has gained access to a publisher and wants to get his name out.

He can't invent anything because he's too dumb to think something new up... he can't come to terms with it because his ego is too big, so he avoids the fact by claiming that everything has already been invented.

The next time you read something like that, just remember what kind of small mind with a big ego said that. Then promptly laugh and throw it away.

my thoughts on physics is that not all has been unraveled or discovered. There are things that defy physics and undo them ex. ufos according to what i have read physics being taught now are inaccurate and the real stuff wount be taught until my grandchildren have children so they have to rewrite laws of physics, but dont take my word for it check out this site, mabey they still talk about it.
www.davidhamel.com...

Originally posted by Mondogiwa
A hundred years ago, as the 19th century drew to a close, scientists around the world were satisfied that they had arrived at an accurate picture of the physical world. As physicist Alastair Rae put it, "By the end of the 19th centuryit seemed that the basic principles governing the behavior of the physical universe were known." Many scientists said that the study of physics was nearly completed, no big discoveries remained to be made.
Now, in the 21st century, the situation is oddly similar. Once again, physicists believe the physical world has been explained, and that no further revolutions lie ahead. Because of prior history, they no longer express this view publicly, but they think it just the same. Some observers have even gone so far as to argue that science as a discipline has finished its work; that there is nothing important left to discover.

What are your thoughts on this?? Paraphrased above and references are available if you like!!!
So strange that we as a species always tend to get too big for our britches!?

Peace, Mondogiwa

[edit on 21-11-2006 by Mondogiwa]

No, we are not at that point at all. There are many mysteries still unsolved:

1) the Cassimir effect
2) quantum entanglement
3) metamaterials and light (see the relevant thread)
4) the cosmological constant
5) speed of gravity (a definitive measurement has not yet been given)
6) the existence of graviton particles
7) superconductors and why they mess with gravity
8) quantum teleportation

I would say that we have simply lift the curtain, and we are looking at how the universe, but we can not yet make sense of what we are seeing.

Superconductors mess with gravity? I haven't heard that... I do know for a fact that they do strange things to magnetic fields, though.

Well, if any physicist truly thinks this, it is very short sighted.

Lol, we're nowhere near done. We don't even know if we have the complete "periodic system" or if there are other elements in the universe that we don't know of, probably a dozen more metals and crystals out there, tens upon tens times the weight of our current.

Oh yeah, and the ever-ending question, based upon what we have discovered about spirituality so far: Does science and paranormal spirituality correlate?

[edit on 1-12-2006 by Volatile]