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Moths in slow motion [video]

aeon.co

121–129 of 129 posts

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#121
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recognise that! Did not want to put you on a downer though, just reflect on why it often feels like we are on a slow motion train wreck, incapable of doing much about it. Feels like we should generally have more positive narratives and stories of the future, like this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solarpunk

The truth is also that this is not a problem you or I created. We leave our lives fairly simply I'm sure, choosing not to harm others. When we make choices, these choices are provisioned for us by the governance structure and the corporations. The same entities that cause environmental damage (eg wrt fires - cutting down pristine forests rather than farming them, poor forest management in not undertaking controlled b…

> the Christian idea that we are born in sin.

I thought it was the opposite. Christians hold that babies are born innocent and pure.

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#123
post #34

The video left me with a feeling of reverent astonishment about how beautiful our planet really is. Such a shame that we’re destroying it.

The last sentence reads like “Such a shame we’re destroying it. Oh well. So what did you have for breakfast?”

Totally, and this sentiment on HN scares me.

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#124
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last sentence reads like “Such a shame we’re destroying it. Oh well. So what did you have for breakfast?”

Totally, and this sentiment on HN scares me.

It's tough to say anything "political" on HN. Damned if you, damned if you don't.

If you are clearly seriously concerned, you are likely to get downvoted and dismissed as histrionic.

I don't know what the solution is. But maybe best to give it a charitable reading and assume that it constitutes sticking their neck out to mention concern at all.

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#125
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's probably due to the lens more than the speed.

It has to do with the scale and physics of the motion. When you film an avalanche from far away, it appears to descend very slowly at the normal replay rate. But if you made your typical science fair volcano on a tabletop, the foam descends a lot more quickly at the same time scale.

The fact that those objects have different scales and speeds does not mean that faster objects automatically appear smaller. You pointed out a correlation.

If we are pointing out random anecdotal examples, ice cubes melt slowly, and don't appear huge to the observer.

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#126
post #34

The video left me with a feeling of reverent astonishment about how beautiful our planet really is. Such a shame that we’re destroying it.

The last sentence reads like “Such a shame we’re destroying it. Oh well. So what did you have for breakfast?”

Why are there people who expect that HN comments are by themselves supposed to fix the world

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#127
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I noticed this too. It goes to show how wasteful and unrepairable nature can be at times. Leaves and flowers also fit the bill. Maybe Apple shouldn't be blamed so easily for making something that is becoming more and more perishable without being able to be repaired. After all nature does it too. As long as they do a good job recycling also like nature does.

Sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean by leaves and flowers being wasteful. I’m open minded but doubtful that this can be the case.

The die pretty quickly.

Re: Moths in slow motion [video]

#128
post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has to do with the scale and physics of the motion. When you film an avalanche from far away, it appears to descend very slowly at the normal replay rate. But if you made your typical science fair volcano on a tabletop, the foam descends a lot more quickly at the same time scale.

The fact that those objects have different scales and speeds does not mean that faster objects automatically appear smaller. You pointed out a correlation. If we are pointing out random anecdotal examples, ice cubes melt slowly, and don't appear huge to the observer.

I have to disagree both in the case of animals and the volcano example. With animals, there are real underlying physics principles that dictate the strength-to-weight ratios at various scales that lead to smaller animals being able to move more quickly (muscle strength is proportional to cross section, while mass is proportional to volume).

In the case of the avalanche, the force at work is the same (gravity) it's just that we are zooming way out and so crossing the same distance takes much more time.

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