by Alex Boese
Russell argued that we actually can’t know this for sure. One could arrive, like René Descartes, at the conclusion that existence itself is the only thing we can know with certainty: ‘I think, therefore I am.’ Outside of that, all is potentially illusion.
Almost all scholars reject this kind of thinking as an intellectual dead end, which of course it is. It rejects the very possibility of evidence, because in theory it could all be artificially manufactured. And yet, if you want to go that route, there’s nothing to stop you. If you’re willing to question everything, then you have to admit as a logical possibility that the past never existed.
Epilogue
We’ve covered a lot of ground. We’ve explored the earliest moments of the cosmos, investigated the origin of life, witnessed the evolution of the human species and have finally arrived at the rise of civilization. Now we can see the dim outlines of the modern world emerging: the formation of nation states, the establishment of the great religions of the world and the creation of universities that will foster scientific and technological progress.
But this is where we’ll bring our journey to an end. The intent of this book was to offer a broad introduction to the genre of weird theories. Having sampled from all the great eras of cosmic history, we’ve achieved that aim, although our investigation could easily continue, as there are numerous odd hypotheses left to explore. There are many that address present-day concerns. What if, for example, global warming is making us fatter? There’s a theory that the rise in global levels of carbon dioxide is both heating the planet and stimulating appetite-related hormones in our bodies.
We could also look beyond the present, to the future. What will become of humanity if we survive our careless management of the planet? Some speculate that our destiny is to miniaturize: our descendants will find ways to access the inner space of the microscopic and even quantum realms, until they finally transport themselves into a ‘black-hole-like destination’.
And how will the universe itself end? Or will it ever? One unnerving possibility is that the entire cosmos could undergo a sudden random change in its energy state, much like an atom undergoing the process of radioactive decay. In which case, absolutely everything in existence might abruptly vanish without warning, at any moment.
In fact, the scope of weird theories is as wide as curiosity itself. It encompasses all disciplines and domains of knowledge. Such speculations reflect our restless urge to make sense of this world around us, to discern the hidden connections lurking beneath the surface of reality, coupled with the suspicion that current explanations may not suffice.
Of course, these weird ideas may be no more than mad flights of fancy. They could be sending us on fool’s errands, down blind alleys. Most of them probably are. That’s a definite risk. But, on the other hand, isn’t it also a risk to ignore them entirely? After all, science has repeatedly shown the world to be far stranger than anyone would have expected.
Unfortunately, no algorithm exists that can reliably pick out the hidden gems from among the larger mass of misguided notions. There’s simply no substitute for analysis, debate and the constant evaluation (and re-evaluation) of evidence. And, on occasion, ideas that initially seemed absurd do emerge victorious from this process.
I believe this demonstrates one lesson above all: remain curious! Be willing to consider strange ideas that challenge mainstream opinion. That doesn’t mean embracing every wacky notion that comes along. Scepticism is important as well. But it does mean that one should never be afraid to ask questions, even seemingly stupid ones. Those are often the very best kind.
Acknowledgements
It would be weird to imagine that authors write books alone. They don’t. They need lots of help, and this book was no exception.
I’m deeply indebted to Charlotte Wright at Pan Macmillan who patiently guided the manuscript to completion. Her many suggestions and critiques were invaluable.
My family and friends, meanwhile, helped to keep me sane and focused during the entire process. My parents gave constant encouragement from afar, as did Kirsten, Ben, Astrid and Pippa. Charlie offered comic relief, and kept me humble about my Scrabble skills. Thanks to Danielle for being such a great daughter-in-law, and introducing me to the world of IPAs. Kingston, my first grandchild, arrived just as the manuscript was almost complete, but has already provided much love and many smiles. Pumpkin made sure I was up every morning on time and sat with me every day in my office. Stuart and Caroline provided helpful advice about British terminology. Anne and Diana hosted relaxing Yuma getaways – in addition to other times just spent hanging out. But most of all, thanks to Beverley for lovingly putting up with my long journey through the land of weird theories.
Bibliography
Introduction
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Chapter One: Cosmological Conundrums
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WEIRD BECAME TRUE: RADIO ASTRONOMY
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WHAT IF OUR UNIVERSE IS ACTUALLY A COMPUTER SIMULATION?
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WEIRD BECAME TRUE: DARK MATTER
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Chapter Two: A Pale Blue Peculiar Dot
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WHAT IF PLANETS CAN EXPLODE?
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WEIRD BECAME TRUE: THE HELIOCENTRIC THEORY
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WHAT IF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM HAS TWO SUNS?
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WEIRD BECAME TRUE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT
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WHAT IF TEN MILLION COMETS HIT THE EARTH EVERY YEAR?
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WHAT IF THE EARTH IS EXPANDING?
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Chapter Three: It’s Alive!
WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS CONSCIOUS?
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WHAT IF DISEASES COME FROM SPACE?
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WEIRD BECAME PLAUSIBLE: THE VENT HYPOTHESIS
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WHAT IF THE EARTH CONTAINS AN INEXHAUSTIBLE SUPPLY OF OIL AND GAS?
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WHAT IF ALIEN LIFE EXISTS ON EARTH?
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Davies, Paul, et al., ‘Signatures of a shadow biosphere’ in Astrobiology 9(2), pp.241–9 (2009).
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WEIRD BECAME (PARTIALLY) TRUE: THE GAIA HYPOTHESIS
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WHAT IF WE’VE ALREADY FOUND EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE?
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Levin, G. V. & Straat, P. A., ‘Color and Feature Changes at Mars Viking Lander Site’ in Journal of Theoretical Biology 75, pp.381–90 (1978).
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Chapter Four: The Rise of the Psychedelic Ape
WHAT IF THE DINOSAURS DIED IN A NUCLEAR WAR?
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&nbs
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WHAT IF OUR ANCESTORS WERE AQUATIC APES?
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WEIRD BECAME TRUE: THE OUT OF AFRICA THEORY
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