Authors
Fumfer Physics 40: Cosmic Ratios, Large Numbers, and the Information Structure of the Universe
In this exchange, Scott Douglas Jacobsen asks Rick Rosner about striking ratios in physics that appear across vastly different scales. Rosner points to large-number disparities, such as the enormous strength difference between electromagnetism and gravity at the particle level, and contrasts microscopic lengths with the scale of the observable universe. He cautions against misapplied figures, noting that some famous numbers belong to entirely different physical contexts. While no single cosmic object strikes him as anomalous, Rosner emphasizes unresolved questions about cosmic maturity, heavy-element origins, and the nature of time. He ultimately frames time as closely tied to information flow, arguing that our lack of a rigorous definition of information remains one of physics’ deepest gaps.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsena day ago in Interview
Sharmiin Meymandinejad: Repression, War, and Human Dignity in Iran
Sharmiin (also spelled Sharmin) Meymandinejad is an Iranian human rights defender, writer, and theatre artist who founded the Imam Ali’s Popular Student Relief Society (IAPSRS) in 1999 to combat poverty and support vulnerable children and families. Iranian authorities arrested him in 2020 and charged him with “insulting” Iran’s leaders amid a broader crackdown on independent civil society; he was held for months, including time in solitary confinement, and reportedly denied medical care. After sustained pressure, IAPSRS was ordered dissolved. Now in exile, Meymandinejad speaks on repression, public executions, social trust, and civilian harm from sanctions and war, through grassroots work.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen5 days ago in Interview
Center Stage with Paul Stewart. Top Story - March 2023.
*** I'm keen to republish the interviews I did for my series with Vocal creators. It's been a few years and I thought it might be nice to revisit these wonderful conversations. I'll be releasing them one at a time for a few weeks/months.
By Heather Hubler18 days ago in Interview
10 Minutes with Bill Gates
Introduction Spending 10 minutes with Bill Gates may sound brief, but even a short conversation with one of the world’s most influential innovators can offer insights that last a lifetime. As the co-founder of Microsoft, a philanthropist, an author, and a global thought leader, Bill Gates has shaped how the world uses technology and how it addresses some of its most pressing challenges. In just ten minutes, one could explore decades of experience in innovation, leadership, failure, success, and global responsibility.
By shaoor afridi21 days ago in Interview
Fumfer Physics 36: Proto-Thoughts, Context, and Memory Hooks
Scott Douglas Jacobsen asks whether it is naïve to look for a discrete “unit” of thought, given that thoughts vary in informational content and rarely arrive as neat sentences. Rick Rosner argues that language captures only a thin slice of cognition: perception, background knowledge, self-critique, and half-formed associations run in parallel as “proto-thoughts.” He uses the example of viewing a painting to show how sensory input and contextual inference accompany any sentence-like notion. Most thoughts, he adds, pass without leaving retrieval “hooks,” much like dreams. Without deliberate encoding—or a later contextual trigger—mental material vanishes, because recall depends on activating the right associative patterns.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen26 days ago in Interview
A Chat with Andrew Chancellor, CEO at Wellbeing International Foundation
Tell us about Wellbeing International The Wellbeing International Foundation was created to close the gap between scientific discovery and everyday medicine. The aim has always been to turn strong biologic research into treatments that genuinely help people, rather than leaving good science stuck inside laboratories. Our focus is on regenerative medicine and cell-free biologic therapies. These are treatments built from the body’s own healing signals rather than whole cells or surgery.
By Wellbeing International Foundationabout a month ago in Interview
T. Michael W. Halcomb on Disillusionment, Community, and Accountability in the Modern Church
T. Michael W. Halcomb is an American professor, author, podcaster, and stand-up comedian. He is the author of around 30 books, an educator with five degrees (including a PhD), and a frequent academic presenter with nearly 100 conference presentations. He co-founded GlossaHouse in 2012, a publishing house focused on language-learning resources, especially biblical languages. He gave a TEDx talk, "Silent no more: Resurrecting dead languages," in Evansville, IN in October of 2015. His comedy work has been featured in outlets such as Yahoo! Entertainment, TheWrap, and The Mirror US.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsenabout a month ago in Interview
Comprehensive List of the Leading Market Research Companies in Saudi Arabia. AI-Generated.
Why Market Research is More Critical Than Ever in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is experiencing one of the most dramatic economic transformations in the modern Middle East. Under the ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, the Kingdom is rapidly diversifying away from oil dependency and cultivating dynamic new sectors including tourism, entertainment, technology, retail, healthcare, fintech, and real estate. This historic pivot—combined with sweeping regulatory reforms, massive infrastructure investments, and a young, tech-savvy population—has created unprecedented opportunities for businesses both local and international.
By Ibtisam Al-Qahtani2 months ago in Interview
Claus D. Volko, M.D. on Symbiont Conversion Theory and Bacterial Reprogramming
Claus D. Volko, M.D. (born 1983) is an Austrian software engineer and medical scientist in Vienna. He holds degrees in medicine (M.D.), medical informatics (B.Sc.) and computational intelligence (M.Sc.). In the demoscene he is known as “Adok” and served as main editor of the electronic magazine Hugi. Volko formulated Symbiont Conversion Theory in 2018. He founded and leads the Prudentia High IQ Society, and joined Mensa in 2002. In 2018 he published “Volko Personality Patterns,” a Jungian-inspired extension of MBTI typology. In 2025 he posted “Reprogramming Bacteria for Symbiont Conversion: A Review” on Prudentia’s blog, and maintains Prudentia’s journal and blog.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen2 months ago in Interview
Expert Networks vs Traditional Consulting — Key Differences Explained. AI-Generated.
Businesses today operate in fast-moving, data-heavy environments where decisions need to be made quickly and confidently. Two of the most commonly used sources of external intelligence are expert networks and traditional consulting firms. While both help organizations solve problems, they work in fundamentally different ways.
By Nexus Expert Research2 months ago in Interview
Top Saudi Arabia Market Research Companies You Can Trust in 2025. AI-Generated.
Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing one of the most dynamic economic transformations in modern history. Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom is shifting rapidly from an oil-dependent economy to a diverse hub of tourism, entertainment, technology, and manufacturing. For businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs, this presents unprecedented opportunities—but only if they have the right map.
By Andrew Sullivan2 months ago in Interview
