HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jfreter@triton.unm.edu (The Myth)
Subject: Re: The Other 95% of the Brain
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 92 04:02:35 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <Bu0HI4.3DA@news.larc.nasa.gov> bogart@sabre.larc.nasa.gov (Ed Bogart) writes:
>
>Barry Shell posts;
>
>> Over the years, from time to time I come across the "fact" that one
>>only uses about 5% of one's brain; or the brain's potential. The 
>>idea is that if the brain was used to its full potential, telepathy,
>>telekinesis, out-of-body experiences, etc would be possible, and 
>>who knows what else.  ....
>
>Let me answer this by analogy.  Instead of looking at the brain, lets
>talk about something that most of you know more about, your computer!
>Most people never use more than a small percentage of their computer's
>capability (RAM, ROM, processing throughput, etc.)  If your computer was
>used to its full potential, writing the great American novel, proving
>Fermat's last theorum, etc. would be possible, and who knows whaqt else!
>

Let's look at this computer.  You have the CPU, memory (both volatile RAM
and permanent disk), I/O, and display.  These are all used to present 
and process info.  But you also have metal and plastic structures that
support the machine.  You have insulation on all wires.  You have circuit
boards and chip sockets.  There are numerous screws and fasteners.

A similar thing can be said about the brain.  There are fat cell, glands,
and connective tissue that do contribute to the weight of the brain, but
do not carry signals (only enhance, in some cases).  So, the question is
do all these non-neuron cells add up to 95% of the brain weight and/or
cell count?  I think not.  Maybe at most 50% (unless you're a fat-headed
Congressman).
From: art@acc.com (Art Berggreen)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Migratory habits of Mediterranean eels
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:32:02 GMT
Organization: ACC, Advanced Computer Communications

In article <2SEP199211035745@zeus.tamu.edu> enw2049@zeus.tamu.edu (WALKE, ERIK N) writes:
>In article <1992Sep1.134817.28888@cco.caltech.edu>, kate@cithe501.cithep.caltech.edu (Kate Scholberg) writes...
>> 
>>Recently an Italian collaborator of mine claimed that the eels caught 
>>in the Mediterranean near Italy have actually migrated from the
>>Gulf of Mexico.  Does anyone know if this is true?  Can anyone
>>provide me with, or direct me to, any further information on
>>eels, especially those of the Mediterranean?
>
>>Thanks,
>>Kate Scholberg.
>
>       I'm just posting off the top of my head (normally I try to 
>       refrain from it ;-> ), but this story rings a bell, vaguely.
>       Are there lampreys or some other fresh-water eel/fish that
>       migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes?

Also off the top of my head...

I believe that the Sargasso Sea area of the Atlanic Ocean is the breeding area
for both European and American eels.  Adults from the respective continents
return to the Sargasso Sea to reproduce and the young elvers migrate to the
same continent that their parents came from.  It is considered an evolutionary
artifact from the opening of the Atlanic and subseqent tectonic spreading
which separated the continents.  Over time the migration back to the breeding
area just got longer and longer.

Art
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: baylor@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Subject: Re: The Other 95% of the Brain
Reply-To: baylor@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 92 16:31:05 GMT

In article <Bu0HI4.3DA@news.larc.nasa.gov>, bogart@sabre.larc.nasa.gov (Ed Bogart) writes:

>If you want a FACT that you can throw out in casual conversations, use
>this; your brain is like a computer in that it has can only do one thing
>(or at best a very few) things at a time.

I never believed that one. As a musician, I am listening to the notes
evaluating the pitches, hitting the accents, keeping the beat,
expressing the words, evaluating the audience reaction, and sometimes
wondering what's for dinner, all at the same time. You (as an ordinary
slob ;-) can at least walk, chew gum, and observe the scenery (In itself
a complex multitasking process) at the same time.

RB

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: stefang@isy.liu.se (Stefan Gustavson)
Subject: Re: Seriously, microwave health risks?
Organization: Dept of EE, University of Linkoping
Distribution: alt
Date: 23 Aug 92 10:52:14 GMT

Ugh... I actually looked things up a minute ago, just after posting my
previous article. I seem to have been somewhat misinformed.
The rotational resonance frequency of water molecules must certainly be
way above the 2.something GHz of a microwave oven.
The observed effects are still real, though, but the reason must be
at least partly different from what I suggested.
Anybody got some real information about the mechanisms of microwave heating
of water, and why it behaves in such a strange way?

	/Stefan G

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science,sci.chem
From: eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya)
Subject: Re: Sparking grapes
Organization: NAS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 00:40:07 GMT

In article <1992Aug25.213300.1206@javelin.sim.es.com>
gfowler@javelin.sim.es.com (Gary Fowler) writes:
>This has nothing to do with grapes, but I once saw an experiment with
>a pickle and 110 volts AC.  A probe was inserted into each end of the
>pickle and the voltage applied.  This caused the pickle to glow.  It
>was pretty impressive to watch, but the burned pickle sure stunk.

We had a session at last year's Hackers 007.0 conference organized by
Andrew Beals entitled "Don't Try this at Home."  It was in fact based on
the pickle comment.  We also had various impromptu things (Don Hopkins
placed a CD in a microwave (the substrate cracks)), LN2 placed in a plastic
7-UP bottle (exploded, dry ice took too long, and leaked), heated up a coke
can, we had hoped for indoor fire works, but thought the better of it.
The area was also under fire restrictions (the Oakland fire occured a
day and a half later, and an attendee lost his house).  I remember Jerry
Pournelle making some comment about "Brightest minds in the country fooling
around....."  I hope they do better this year.  This could be a good session.

Upon telling this to Bill Burke (UCSC cosmologist), he said, "What you
guys didn't do this with a hot dog?  Great way to heat a hot dog.
The useful thing you learn as a Caltech undergrad..."

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene
Second Favorite email message: Returned mail: Cannot send message for 3 days
A Ref: Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, vol. 1, G. Polya
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: gold@imp.sim.es.com (Bruce Gold)
Subject: Proper citations.  Formerly: Sparking Lifesavers in the DarK
Keywords: television wasteland  National Enquirer  Cheers  Lifesavers  Jello
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, UT
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 22:49:14 GMT

>Jean-Sepastien Theriault jt@dcs.ed.ac.uk writes:

>Of course, to obtain all the scientific facts on this, one should 
>watch an old episode of lCheers where Carla demonstrates the effect,
>Clif (Cliff?) attempts to explain it, and Dr. Crane really explains it.

It's a sad state of affairs when even the scientific intellects of
alt.folklore.science sink to using video Pablum instead of properly footnoted 
citations from scholarly journals(1) impress their collegues, win research 
funding or achieve tenure.
-- 
				Bruce Gold
				   Utah

(1) According to an article I read in "National Enquirer"(2), the average American
8-year-old has watched enough television to turn their brain to Jello.  Similarly
conducted experiments in Great Britain showed the age to be 13 and the result to
be some other brand of gelatin dessert.  (I don't remember the brand; Knox?)

(2) Now, I ONLY read it while waiting in line at the supermarket and when I did
subscribe, I ONLY got it for the articles(3).

(3) Sorry, that was a disclaimer for a different 'journal'.
From: aproden@ac.dal.ca (Andrew P. Rodenhiser)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:18:25 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

In article <16852D62C.IQTI400@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU>, IQTI400@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU (macphil) writes:
> In article <1992Aug29.185251.16483@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
> bwatson@nyx.cs.du.edu (bruce watson) writes:
>  
>>>This is all very well, but what in the world is a "pinky" in this context?
>>>Inquiring (European) minds want to know!
>>The "pinky" is the smallest finger. What does it mean on your side of the pond?
> So you should explain the spectrum of fingers:
>  
> thumb    index or fore finger   middle finger   ring finger     pinky
>  

Obviously a right-hand rule!

Andrew P. Rodenhiser
One of those one-in-ten lefties.
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrew Paul Rodenhiser   |  You are the only censor.
Department of Chemistry  |  If you don't like what I'm saying,
Dalhousie University     |  you have the choice.
Halifax, N.S. Canada     |  You can turn me off!
APRODEN@ac.dal.ca        |   --Alice Cooper, Lay Down & Die, Goodbye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Migratory habits of Mediterranean eels
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:37:12 GMT
Reply-To: rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns)
Organization: U of Cambridge, England


In article <1992Sep1.134817.28888@cco.caltech.edu>,
kate@cithe501.cithep.caltech.edu (Kate Scholberg) writes:
|> Recently an Italian collaborator of mine claimed that the eels caught 
|> in the Mediterranean near Italy have actually migrated from the
|> Gulf of Mexico.  Does anyone know if this is true?  Can anyone
|> provide me with, or direct me to, any further information on
|> eels, especially those of the Mediterranean?

I don't know about Mediterranean eels, but it's a commonplace that
British (i.e., North European) eels wiggle off to the Sargasso Sea to
spawn.  Their babies return to British waters as elvers: Gavin
Maxwell's "Ring of Bright Water" recounts in gory detail the occasion
of their return - he caught vast quantities in buckets, and only fed a
proportion of them to Mij (his otter).
--
Robin (dump Brian Kay) Fairbairns                    rf@cl.cam.ac.uk
U of Cambridge Computer Lab, Pembroke St, Cambridge  CB2 3QG, UK
[Finally back in work - what a relief!]
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: vnelson@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Gerald Vernon Nelson)
Subject: Re: The Other 95% of the Brain
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 03:49:50 GMT

In vnelson@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Gerald Vernon Nelson) writes:

>This was a British show.  It featured 3 children who had suffered
>from hydra-encephilitis (sp?) as children.  Water on the brain.

I almost forgot to mention what this has to do with the question
of only using 5% of your brain.

I think this could be where the legend comes from.  There are a few examples
of people that have gotten along with only 20% of there brain functioning.

Some people have taken this to mean we only use 20%.

This of course, is not correct.  We do not have 80% on reserve
for psycho-kinetic powers.

Vern Nelson 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: mjg51721@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Michael James Gebis)
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 22:32:52 GMT

IQTI400@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU (macphil) writes:

>In article <1992Sep1.161825.7255@ac.dal.ca>
>aproden@ac.dal.ca (Andrew P. Rodenhiser) writes:
>>> So you should explain the spectrum of fingers:
>>>
>>> thumb    index or fore finger   middle finger   ring finger     pinky
>>
>>Obviously a right-hand rule!
> 
>>Andrew P. Rodenhiser
>>One of those one-in-ten lefties.
> 
>Really now?  Hmmm. Well, @ the time I wrote it, I was looking @ my left
>hand, palm facing me.  Never assume there is one, and only one answer. No?
> 

Actually, this is related to a psychology experiment I saw once....
Ask the subject to 'look at your nails."  Men tend to look at them by placing
the palm up and curling the fingers, women by placing the palm down and
extending them.  In my crude experimentation, this pretty much holds true.

Mike Gebis  m-gebis@uiuc.edu
From: bl1l+@andrew.cmu.edu (Bryan C. Lewis)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: The Other 95% of the Brain
Date: 4 Sep 92 13:49:43 GMT
	<1992Sep4.034950.18775@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
Organization: Junior, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

vnelson@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Gerald Vernon Nelson) writes:

>I think this could be where the legend comes from.  There are a few examples
>of people that have gotten along with only 20% of there brain functioning.

A question remains in my mind.  If the idea that we only use a small
percentage of our brain comes from this sort of idea (damage, etc.)--
how much of the brain's capacity do we use in our lifetime?  That is,
when will our brain be so packed with stuff that it can't hold any more?

That was always my interpretation of the 5% figure --  that we could
never learn or think enough to approach the limits of the capabilities
of our brain.
From: fant@pioneer.unm.edu (Andrew (The Fantmeister) Fant)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl
Keywords: U.S. Military Property. Do Not Dup.
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:13:32 GMT
Organization: Campus Crusade for Cthulu, Miskatonic U Chapter

In article <1992Sep2.192449.19720@colorado.edu> juola@bruno.cs.colorado.edu (Patrick Juola) writes:
>
>I don't know -- for me and millions of violinists/violists, we wonder why
>people can't tell the thumb and fingers are functionally distinct....
>
Cause to all of us cellists, the thumb is funtionally indistinct from the
rest of the fingers. All those studies in 5 and 7th positions, you know. 8-)

			Just my uniformed ramblings,
	 			Andy "The Fantom" Fant
From: ICJPS@ASUACAD.BITNET
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Lightning and cars (was Re: Lightning and trees.)
Date: 2 Sep 92 19:20:30 GMT
 <Geoff.1jvk@equinox.gen.nz> <1330@uknet.ac.uk>
 <1992Aug25.122013.20879@infodev.cam.ac.uk>
Organization: Arizona State University

The distinction is INSIDE the cab.  The "Faraday Cage" effect will protect
anyone inside the cab...all points have equal potential.  Just don't reach
outside.....
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: stefang@isy.liu.se (Stefan Gustavson)
Subject: Re: Seriously, microwave health risks?
Organization: Dept of EE, University of Linkoping
Distribution: alt
Date: 23 Aug 92 10:10:57 GMT

betsys@cs.umb.edu (Elizabeth Schwartz) writes:

>One thing I have heard, and maybe you folks can shed some luminescence
>on this, is that one should wait 30 seconds after removing food from
>the microwave so that the microwaves can "settle down."
>  Do microwaves "bounce around" inside food for a while? Or, will food
>continue to heat up for a few seconds after the machine is stopped?
>  thanks, Betsy
>--

If you want to be really safe, you could wait a few seconds before eating,
drinking or handling something that has been rapidly cooked a microwave oven.

The microwaves themselves "settle down" in microseconds or less, but
the microwave heating process works by boosting the rotational energy of
water molecules, while normal oven or stove-top heating primarily adds
vibrational energy. Quickly microwaved food has an overweight of rotational
energy that makes the properties of the heat somewhat different.
When the microwaves are turned off, the rotational energy gradually
transforms to vibrational energy, your normal Brownian heat motion, but
this does not happen instantly, especially not in a clear liquid.
This settling of the equilibrium might cause the food to appear slightly
hotter a few seconds after the oven has been shut off. If a liquid is just
around the boiling point when you take it out, there is also a risk of
sudden steam bursts, which are unpleasant and unwanted experiences.

You could have some fun with a mug of freshly microwave-heated water:
try to make some instant chocolate with it. The powder will float for a
few seconds and refuse to dissolve in an awkward way. Or put a teabag into
it. The tea will get its color instantly, but it won't taste anything.
These effects all disappear in a few seconds. You'll have to be quick.
You should also have to heat just a small mug of water at full power,
and not allow it to boil.
Beware of steam bursts as you take it out. Put a spoon in the mug to
avoid over-heating above the boiling point.

This effect is a lot harder to achieve with household microwave ovens
than with the turbo-boost professional models, but it can be done.

        /Stefan G
From: habersch@husc9.harvard.edu (Oren Haber-Schaim)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: halogen bulbs (was Re: Microwaved light bulb)
Date: 31 Aug 92 03:26:52 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

Someone posted that they don't use halogen lamps because they are
regressive and run hot.   However, one of the main selling
points of tungsten-halogen lamps is their greater efficiency 
than ordinary tungsten lamps.  That means  that for
the same light output, LESS HEAT will be generated, and thus
a lower temperature of bulb.  

The above refers to the type of tungsten-halogen bulbs sold
for household use as direct replacement for ordinary bulbs.
They come with a separate glass bulb surrounding a halogen
"capsule", the latter being a normal small halogen bulb.  The outer bulb
is a shield with the outside dimensions of an ordinary bulb, but
of thicker glass, presumably to resist shattering of the capsule
better.

In all fairness, it should be mentioned that the advantages
of tungsten-halogen lamps can be traded off between efficiency
(which also corresponds in practice to whiteness) and lifetime.
Manufacturers can use a relatively modest temperature of 
filament to get the most lifetime, thus minimizing the 
efficiency advantage.  [It may sound ironic that a lower
filament temperature would correspond to a higher bulb
temperature, the latter having worried the poster, but that
is because a larger filament, used to compensate for its
lower temperature to get the same light output, will generate
more total heat due to its size increased size.]

....too long.....


--Oren
From: enw2049@zeus.tamu.edu (WALKE, ERIK N)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Migratory habits of Mediterranean eels
Date: 2 Sep 1992 16:03:00 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep1.134817.28888@cco.caltech.edu>, kate@cithe501.cithep.caltech.edu (Kate Scholberg) writes...
> 
>Recently an Italian collaborator of mine claimed that the eels caught 
>in the Mediterranean near Italy have actually migrated from the
>Gulf of Mexico.  Does anyone know if this is true?  Can anyone
>provide me with, or direct me to, any further information on
>eels, especially those of the Mediterranean?

>Thanks,
>Kate Scholberg.

       I'm just posting off the top of my head (normally I try to 
       refrain from it ;-> ), but this story rings a bell, vaguely.
       Are there lampreys or some other fresh-water eel/fish that
       migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes?

***************************************************************************
  All opinions expressed by this user are well-reasoned and insightful. 
  Needless to say, they are not those of his advisor or university.
**************************************************************************
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: shell@cs.sfu.ca (Barry Shell)
Subject: The Other 95% of the Brain
Organization: CSS, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 17:06:22 GMT

Over the years, from time to time I come across the "fact" that one
only uses about 5% of one's brain; or the brain's potential. The 
idea is that if the brain was used to its full potential, telepathy,
telekinesis, out-of-body experiences, etc would be possible, and 
who knows what else. Often cited are the feats of gurus like
Don Juan in Carlos Castaneda's books, or various tales of bhudist
and tauist monks in remote parts of Asia. Glimpses of the "other
95%" are said to be possible with the use of drugs, sensory
deprivation (tanking), and various meditative techniques. Some
great minds such as Huxley, Leary and many others have suggested
these ideas. One also must note the evidence of rare cases where,
for whatever reason, up to 95% of a person's brain is destroyed
by a birth defect or accident and yet the person continues to
function normally.

What I would like to know is this: In neuroscience, (as I am
now discovering in the wideranging review published in this month's
Scientific American magazine (Sept 92)), there is no mention of
the missing 95%. In fact, if anything, experimental results and 
observations seem to indicate that thought and mind are so 
complex, they may require all 100% of the grey matter to function.
Why is the "other 95%" idea not mentioned in the Scientific
American articles? Is there any truth to the idea that we only use 
5% of our brain's potential? How can we find it and tap into the 
incredible hidden powers of the mind? Or is this just folklore?


Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science