Answers to Mysteries

Question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Answer: The answer to the question depends on whether you believe in evolution or not. If you believe in evolution, then the egg came first. A chicken's genetics is predominantly determined by its inheritance represented in the contents of the egg from which it emerged. A particular egg has a special combination of characteristics from its antecedents, including possible mutations. Evolution proceeds when a mutation has advantages for survival. If there are mutations in the new combination of DNA, then the egg becomes the new thing that will produce the chicken. The particular egg that has evolved is in some way different from its parents characteristics--it is the new, possibly improved model, which had not occurred before. It seems to have arisen from chickens which did not actually exist, hence it is the egg that comes first, developing into the chicken.

If you don't believe in evolution, then the chicken came first, and learned in time how to make eggs in order to keep the species going.

Question: When you can't find something, why is it always in the last place you look?

Answer: Don't confuse this situation with some demonstration of Murphy's Law. It doesn't have to be the last place, it just usually turns out to be because you stop looking once you find it. To prove to yourself that it doesn't have to be the last place, just keep looking a little more after you find it.

Question: What about Murphy's Law. Is that really a law?

Answer: It results from a common skewing of experience resulting from selective memory. It affects your perception and relationships. Combat it!

Question: Why are we here?

Answer: To reproduce.

Question: As Zeno pointed out, it is impossible to ever get anywhere. If you are currently at some point A and want to get to a different point, B you must first go half the distance from A to B, let's call that C. But before you get to C you must go half way there between A and C, a point we can call D. But before you get to D you have to get half way there, a point we'll call E, which lies half way between A and C. This process will go on forever, long after you have run out of letters to label the positions. No matter how long or fast you move, you will always have half the remaining distance left. How can one get out of this predicament?

Answer: Surprisingly, this trap is rather easy to get out of and one can actually arrive at a new position given if there is sufficient time and energy. Mathematically it can be shown that a infinite sum of 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16... does equal 1, or the total desired distance. The paradox in part is a byproduct of language, for Zeno can keep asking questions, dividing the space into diminishing halves, never getting even half way across between any two points. At some point you have to interrupt him and say "Yes, you have to first get to point C before you can get to point B, and to point D before point D, and so on. But you do get to all those points and you just keep going. Excuse me, I have to be getting on to point B..."

An interesting related problem would be "How many times can you be cited for speeding on one trip?" Imagine the police installing cameras that take pictures of speeders, which automatically snap a photo of cars as they exceed the limit and later send the ticket to the registered owner. How many cameras should be installed? Isn't the speeder constantly exceeding the limit for at least some stretch? Could you install a camera every foot, and snap off 5000 pictures in a mile? You could quickly run up quite a bill in such a society, if each offense cost tens or hundreds of dollars. The prosecutor could take Zeno's side "Sir, you were speeding between point A and B, but before you could speed past point B, here is a photo of you speeding at point C, between point A and B. There is yet another photo of you speeding at point D, halfway between point A and C, and so on. We have, in fact, compiled 24,000 speeding citations on your way into work this morning, and are therefore arresting you. Bill will be set at the value of your house, cars, investments, and retirement plan."

Unsolved Mysteries

Some mysteries are yet to be solved. If any has answers, please let us know.

Question: Why is it that when everything else about Cinderella went back to normal on the stroke of midnight, her glass slipper remained glass?