Unsolved Problems in Physics

The field of physics has expanded exponentially in the last few centuries, but scientists still grapple with a number of problems and questions that remain unsolved. Several of these problems are theoretical: they involve observed phenomena that existing theories seem incapable of explaining. Others are experimental: they concern theories that do not lend themselves to testing or phenomena that cannot be investigated in greater detail. What are several of the most prominent unsolved problems? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Principality of Hutt River Secedes from Australia (1970)

In the late 1960s, Australian farmer Leonard Casley protested government wheat quotas he considered unfair. Unsuccessful, he turned to Commonwealth law and styled himself a monarch—His Majesty Prince Leonard I of Hutt—and founded The Principality of Hutt River. His pronouncement of sovereignty was never successfully challenged by the Australian government, and he is now considered a non-resident of Australia for income tax purposes. What legal quirks allowed him to start his own micronation? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Feast of Ridvan

The Feast of Ridvan is a Baha’i celebration to commemorate a 12-day period in 1863 when the Baha’i founder, Baha’u’llah (which means “Glory of God”), made the declaration that he was God’s messenger for this age. When he made his declaration, Baha’u’llah was staying outside Baghdad, Iraq, at a garden he called Ridvan, meaning “Paradise.” The first, ninth, and 12th days of the period (April 21, 29, and May 2, respectively) are holy days when work is suspended. The celebration starts at sunset, April 20, the eve of Ridvan. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Henry Wheeler Shaw, AKA Josh Billings (1818)

Shaw studied at Hamilton College but was expelled for removing the clapper from the chapel bell. After a roving life as farmer, explorer, and coal miner, he settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, as an auctioneer and real estate dealer. In 1860, using the pseudonym Josh Billings, he began to write humorous sketches and homespun philosophies in rural dialect—often with intentionally crude misspellings—and soon became a popular lecturer. What are some of Shaw’s best aphorisms? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tuk-Tuks

Tuk-tuks are small vehicles used for urban transport. They are especially popular in the traffic-congested and densely populated cities of Southeast Asia, such as Bangkok. Often employed as taxis, tuk-tuks usually have sheet metal bodies with canvas roofs and drop-down or removable sides. They rest on three wheels—one in front and two in back—have a small cabin for the driver, and seating for up to three passengers. Rather than steering wheels, tuk-tuks possess what steering mechanism? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Ludlow Massacre (1914)

In the spring of 1914, the Colorado National Guard machine-gunned and torched a tent colony in Ludlow, where striking coal miners and their families had been living after being evicted from their company-owned homes some months earlier. Nineteen people, most of them women and children, were killed. For the next 10 days, the strikers attacked nearby mines and battled mine guards and militia. Federal troops were needed to put an end to the violence. Which side eventually prevailed in the strike? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary