Beginning-less and End-less Universe

Originally posted by twhitehead
I don't believe it is resting on a stationary point. Do you have any references with pictures so I can see what we are discussing?

[b]By the way, the explanation I gave about the transference of energy comes from physicists who have studied this object. So unless you think the known laws of physics don't apply or you believe they pulled this explanatio ...[text shortened]... ntact with the outside world is absolutely essential in that example. It is not a closed system.

I don't believe it is resting on a stationary point.

It was resting on a stationary point when I spun the hard plastic model. The table didn't wobble, but the object did wobble and reverse direction when I tried spinning it against its apparent directional bias.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I don't believe it is resting on a stationary point. Do you have any references with pictures so I can see what we are discussing?

[b]By the way, the explanation I gave about the transference of energy comes from physicists who have studied this object. So unless you think the known laws of physics don't apply or you believe they pulled this explanatio ...[text shortened]... ntact with the outside world is absolutely essential in that example. It is not a closed system.

I still haven't been able to locate articles on these stone artifacts, but I'll keep trying.

The story behind this find is interesting. The first people to study these stones were archaeologists. They were interested in them because they didn't appear to have any particular significance, and there were no similar finds among other digs to compare them to. They didn't appear to be tools or religious artifacts, but the ancient people who collected them seemed to think they were important because groups of these stones could be found all throughout the dig site. Another interesting thing about these stones is they were all similar in shape... it was an asymmetrical elongated form that could rest (ballance) on one point of a flat surface.

One day someone was mulling over one of these stones and trying to figure out what was so special about them, and then he began playing with one. That's when he found out what it does, so he discovered purely by accident what those ancient people must have also discovered. After that it was studied by physicists to find out why it could do something that should be impossible to do. For a while it was a mystery, like how bumble bees are able to fly when it seems aerodynamically impossible, but they eventually figured it out.

It was nearly 20 years ago that I purchased a hard plastic toy with the same shape and read the brief explanation that came with it. About ten years after that I found science articles online that went into more detail, but I was only able to find those articles because I still had the literature that came with the toy "stone". If I could remember what name was given to those stones I could quickly find and provide links to science articles on this subject... but like said, I'll keep trying.

Originally posted by lemon lime
I still haven't been able to locate articles on these stone artifacts, but I'll keep trying.

The story behind this find is interesting. The first people to study these stones were archaeologists. They were interested in them because they didn't appear to have any particular significance, and there were no similar finds among other digs to compare them ...[text shortened]... y find and provide links to science articles on this subject... but like said, I'll keep trying.

Do you mean a rattleback?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattleback

Originally posted by Aspect of Shatner
Do you mean a rattleback?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattleback

Yes, that's it! Thank you William, er, I mean Aspect of Shatner. 😉

I don't think I would have ever remembered the name. And those other names for it didn't sound familiar either. I've been wanting to read about this again... and maybe find or even make one.

Originally posted by lemon lime
It was resting on a stationary point when I spun the hard plastic model. The table didn't wobble, but the object did wobble and reverse direction when I tried spinning it against its apparent directional bias.

The wobble involves a change of resting point.

Originally posted by lemon lime
I still haven't been able to locate articles on these stone artifacts, but I'll keep trying.

It was easier to find than I expected:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattleback