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What beliefs or hypotheses do you hold strongly despite not feeling confident that you can necessarily prove or evince it? (self.asklemmy)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by cheese_greater to c/asklemmy

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Let hear them conjects

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[–] NeoNachtwaechter 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

What we know about the age of the human species, and other life, the earth, the universe etc. depends on so many guesses that we know essentially nothing.

Specifically, I think that elements and materials may have changed some of their properties and behaviour at some time in the past.

We do not know that. Most people just assume they have remained constant at all times. And we build quite many of our guesses on this assumption.

If, for example, C14 has changed it's disintegration rate at some time, then quite many of our guesses would be very wrong.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I don't think it's documented as happening to an element, but some compounds have changed their properties due to disappearing polymorphs.

[–] Feathercrown 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Holy shit what that's so cool! Reminda me of both low-background steel and the theoretical strange matter chain reaction.