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The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

phys.org

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Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#41

Post by dmbche »

avodonosov wrote: post #40
dmbche wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking at it quickly it seems that 819 might be the number that lets the multiplier be as small as possible, since they are saying that all planets fit in a 45 year timeline I assume all mutipliers are smaller than 45..maybe that's the most handy form of optimization for their uses? Both number remain quite small, compared to 18*273.

> They noted that for Mercury, the synod period is 117 days, which, when multiplied by seven, equals 819 So for Mercury the multiplier is 1/7. Doesn't look very convenient. It would be more natural to use 117 as the magic number. Of course, convinience depends on their arithmetics. Looking from our decimal system perspective could be misleading. I was thinking maybe smaller divider can produce meaningless results wit…

Yeah it's a bit flimsy it seems, without seeing the paper - thanks!

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#42

Post by [deleted] »

sammalloy wrote: post #17
dmbche wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You remind me that I wanted to book an airBnB in one of the parks near me, they have an observatory and as such the sky is legally required to be untainted - I haven't seen the milky way in almost 10 years, I can't imagine seeing the stars every night.

Before the light pollution got really bad where I live due to development, provided it wasn’t cloudy, I could see the Milky Way every night for about 15 years. Now, it’s gone due to lax rules and regulations due to commercial security light fixtures which throw light in all direction at night to deter thieves. It’s pretty upsetting, but even worse, most people I talk to don’t even notice it’s gone. That’s almost more…

[deleted]

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#43

Post by eru »

sammalloy wrote: post #17
dmbche wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You remind me that I wanted to book an airBnB in one of the parks near me, they have an observatory and as such the sky is legally required to be untainted - I haven't seen the milky way in almost 10 years, I can't imagine seeing the stars every night.

Before the light pollution got really bad where I live due to development, provided it wasn’t cloudy, I could see the Milky Way every night for about 15 years. Now, it’s gone due to lax rules and regulations due to commercial security light fixtures which throw light in all direction at night to deter thieves. It’s pretty upsetting, but even worse, most people I talk to don’t even notice it’s gone. That’s almost more…

Well, I've never seen the milky way in the sky with my own eyes.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#44

Post by voz_ »

mtlmtlmtlmtl wrote: post #32
irrational wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this science? This is a human made up calendar, not how many protons are in a gold atom.

Science doesn't have some super clear, strict, reductive definition like the "scientific method" you may have been taught in school. The idea that all science must make or test predictions is just based on an old misinterpretation of the philosophy of Karl Popper, mainly by physicists. The only real general requirement I think you can make is that all science involves some level of interrogation and study of the phys…

This is a nonsense definition. Science absolutely must follow the scientific method. What you are talking about is natural philosophy and protosciences - its the difference between alchemy and chemistry - which is all the difference in the world.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#45

Post by eru »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #35
readthenotes1 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those planets are much easier to see without light pollution. All but Neptune* can be seen by the naked eye. (Shamelessly abusing the classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet here to exclude it from the conversation). Uranus: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op...

Uranus is not visible to the eye in any meaningful sense.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op... has some background.

I would mostly agree with you.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#46

Post by aaomidi »

dang wrote: post #13
jutrewag wrote: post #2

[flagged]

We've banned this account for repeated ideological trolling. Please don't create accounts to break HN's rules with. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Looking through their comment history nothing stood out, and unfortunately the comment they made is now invisible :(

Im now very curious what the straw was that broke the camels back.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#47

Post by eru »

irrational wrote: post #24
culi wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you know it wasn't 2012?

Seriously. Looking around, I would not be surprised to learn we have already passed the end of the world and have moved into hell.

The world is a better place now for more people than ever before.

If anything, we are escaping hell, not descending into it.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#48

Post by thaumasiotes »

eru wrote: post #45
thaumasiotes wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uranus is not visible to the eye in any meaningful sense.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op... has some background. I would mostly agree with you.

That link was already in the comment I responded to. And it doesn't even say that you should expect to be able to see it.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#49

Post by eru »

api wrote: post #37
irrational wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seriously. Looking around, I would not be surprised to learn we have already passed the end of the world and have moved into hell.

Instead of doing the whole hell thing, which God decided was kind of harsh, they just moved us into a shitty timeline run by hack writers. It's kind of like what's done with a show that somehow hasn't been cancelled yet but where all the good writers and a few of the lead actors have moved on. Their ideas are shit like: "I've got it! Let's make Donald Trump President! Then we'll have Donald Trump and the MyPillow guy…

Wider your horizon a bit. By and large, the world is getting better and better for more and more people. To take your first example: American political theatre is small fry compared to billions lifting themselves out of abject poverty.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#50

Post by tshaddox »

mustacheemperor wrote: post #31
egypturnash wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's basically no surviving Mayan literature, thanks to the hard work of the Catholic church. So good luck finding more evidence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization#Writing_and_...

Led by Bishop Diego De Landa, specifically. >We found a large number of books in these characters and, as they contained nothing in which were not to be seen as superstition and lies of the devil, we burned them all, which they regretted to an amazing degree, and which caused them much affliction. The same individual of whom it's been said >ninety-nine percent of what we today know of the Mayas, we know as the result…

That quote still shocks me every time I read it. Such depravity.
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