shortest distance between 2 pts is double helix

[DerekMB]

I've seen this before and am anxious to explore. You know, the old question:

"What's the shortest distance between two points?"

Most would say a straight line, but in actuality its not... At least not according to everyone that is. Physicist Michio Kakau for example seems to think that the shortest distance between two points is a wormhole. He explains this by folding a flat sheet of paper over around itself, so that two points on opposite sides of the page are able to meet up. The page itself is akin to space and time. If you can imagine for a moment to illustrate what I mean by this, imagine what your perspective might be if you were living on/in the paper itself. Can you see how you might not necessarily be aware of anything beyond your 2- dimensional "paper experience"?

A peregrine falcon might say something else though. This winged raptor is reportedly the fastest of any animal in the world and there are quite a few other interesting things about it as well and aviators have been studying it for these reasons. They wish to duplicate the flight techniques of the Peregrine Falcon in modern aircraft. One of the things about the Peregrine Falcon that's more in line with this topic though is the fact that it travels faster on a curve than it does as a straight line when in flight. In fact, the more curve, the faster it will go. At best the Falcon travels in a downward helical path, and more curiously, this has more to do with the physics and nature of matter - friction with the atmosphere for ex. - Essentially, and this is how I ultimately understand it to be, the falcon travels more distance in less time by attempting to "burrow" through time and space. Energy, pressure, etc... proggressively increased behind and on top, while energy and pressure below, or in front of are progressively decreased.

Even more interesting to me is that this principle shows up in quite a number of other things as well. A screw, I think, is a good example (Though not a perfect one). The screw burrows into the wood - a structure of matter - progressively decreasing pressure and energy from in front of the screw and transfering it to the "back" of the screw. End result being that the screw has more pressure trying to push/hold it in that it does trying to push it out.


Other things I can think of that seem to share this principle:

-Dna: The double helix

- Fibonacci sequence

- Solenoids; electro-magnetism

- wave/particle behaviour in physics


Comments? Interesting links/reading material? & please be gentle with me, im sensitive

[Brutha]

When you think about those things you should be aware that you nation about what terms like line, point, time or space mean might be wrong.

The falcon doesn't use any quantum effects.

[DerekMB]

Originally Posted by Brutha

When you think about those things you should be aware that you nation about what terms like line, point, time or space mean might be wrong.

The falcon doesn't use any quantum effects.

What makes you say that? The bird can be described using quantum mechanics, as can it's flight pattern. Otherwise I am unsure what you mean by nation (notion?) or how you say terms being wrong.

[joelr]

Originally Posted by DerekMB

I've seen this before and am anxious to explore. You know, the old question:

"What's the shortest distance between two points?"

Most would say a straight line, but in actuality its not... At least not according to everyone that is.

It depends on the geometry. In Euclidean geometry it is a straight line but in Riemann and Hyperbolic geometry it isn't.

You can't curve a flat Euclidean surface to create a wormhole without turning it into a Riemann surface so Michio may be a bit off.

[DerekMB]

Originally Posted by joelr

It depends on the geometry. In Euclidean geometry it is a straight line but in Riemann and Hyperbolic geometry it isn't.

You can't curve a flat Euclidean surface to create a wormhole without turning it into a Riemann surface so Michio may be a bit off.

Howdy Joe

Never heard of Riemann Surface so thanks for telling me about that. Really interesting. Also, I remember hearing about a famous contradiction. What's that called when you try to prove something wrong with logic? I forget... Anyways there's this... "Contradiction" that goes something like this:

Since you can't run or view the entire length of a line, since it is theoretically infinite, it is impossible to tell if the line is completely straight or not.

Euclid or some other famous Greek like Aristotle came up with this. Just remembered hearing about it. Sounds like you might be better able to approximate what I am trying to convey here haha but I like this analogy in reference to physics and spacetime as spacetime itself appears straightforwards enough most of the time but in actuality there are distortions present.

[joelr]

Originally Posted by DerekMB

Howdy Joe

Never heard of Riemann Surface so thanks for telling me about that. Really interesting. Also, I remember hearing about a famous contradiction. What's that called when you try to prove something wrong with logic? I forget...

Argument? Syllogism?

Originally Posted by DerekMB

Since you can't run or view the entire length of a line, since it is theoretically infinite, it is impossible to tell if the line is completely straight or not.

Euclid or some other famous Greek like Aristotle came up with this. Just remembered hearing about it. Sounds like you might be better able to approximate what I am trying to convey here haha but I like this analogy in reference to physics and spacetime as spacetime itself appears straightforwards enough most of the time but in actuality there are distortions present.

Don't know that one, could be one of Zeno's.

Yeah spacetime uses Riemann geometry. Einstein figured that out as part of his special relativity. He had to borrow a mathematician to help him design the specifics using non-euclidean (in this case Riemann) geometry.
Riemann is my favorite mathematician.