Ask A Genius 1043: The Hindemburg Melão Jr. Session
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/07/28
Rick Rosner, American Comedy Writer, www.rickrosner.org
Scott Douglas Jacobsen, Independent Journalist, www.in-sightpublishing.com
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: This is Hindemburg Melão Jr. He asks, “Do you consider that dark matter is a satisfactory explanation for the anomalies observed in the rotation speed of galaxies?” and “What other alternatives do you consider plausible?”
Rick Rosner: Yes, maybe. Suppose the universe is much older than it appears. In that case, dark matter can be a regular matter that’s collapsed into neutron stars, black holes, and brown dwarfs because maybe these things have had long enough to form in profusion and form stable, outlying orbits. If you had collapsed matter bodies closer to the galaxy’s center, they’d run into stuff. But if they’re far enough away, they can explain galaxies’ rotation curves and avoid running into stuff. So yes, dark matter might be sufficient. I also wonder if the universe is slightly less than three-dimensional, where there is less matter to define it, which could also deliver results like that, but that’s a much less likely explanation. But yes, I do not believe in dark matter being made from exotic particles we have yet to discover. It’s just regular matter that’s super old and doesn’t emit much radiation.
Jacobsen: He was reading an article in Business Insider in 2014. You say that your strengths are math and physics. He also has the Sigma Test, the Sigma Test Extended, and the Sigma Test Light. He is wondering if you’re willing to take them. He is willing to exempt the fees. For example, some questions might be more stimulating or different than other tests for you. I mentioned that, over time, it’s uncertain, because you’ve mentioned many times that you’ve become ‘less crazy and more lazy.’
Rosner:That’s true. Also, yes, so I’m 64. So I’m closer to the end than I was. The last time I took an IQ test, I hope I was not close to the end at all, but I shouldn’t be wasting much time on IQ test items; there are some IQ test items that to solve, you’ve got to put in 10, 15, 20 hours or more per item. And there’s still no guarantee that you’ll get the solution. You’re just running through many different possibilities and thinking about it to the exclusion of other stuff. That’s not what I should be doing. I bring only a few books into the house because I have too much to do. I shouldn’t be wasting too much time reading. I used to love to read. I used to read at the gym between sets, but I don’t do that anymore because of COVID-19. I want to get in and out before some asshole breathes on me. So I can’t. Everybody else is on their fucking cell phones at the gym and taking too much time, but I want to get in and out. I got rid of Words with Friends, or Words with Friends got rid of me. It wasn’t updating anymore.
I don’t know the problem, but I happily let it go because that’s more time for the stuff I should be doing. So yes, I’ll look at the tests. But if they’re legit, they have problems I shouldn’t be doing. It’s tempting. I like a good set of problems but should be doing something else.
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