#perplexing phenomena

[bafflingmysteries1]

Nessie: The Loch Ness Monster Mystery

Dive into the mystery of Nessy, the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Explore the sightings, myths, and enduring fascination surrounding this elusive creature that has captured imaginations for decades.

[rqbossman]

hii silly question for silly guy, if you could swap your brain for literally anything (the functions stay the same and it doesnt feel wierd or uncomfortable the only thing different is that ofc you know about it and if they would x ray your head it would be visible on there) what would you swap it for?

Far more Plutonium than could reasonably fit inside a human skull. At first everyone would be like "OMG he's got plutonium for a brain" and that would freak everyone right out. But then one scientist in the corner would quietly observe that if their measurements are right there is more Plutonium in there than is physically possible. They'll be ignored and shouted down, plutonium-for-a-brain feels like a bigger deal than a simple mass discrepancy. But those people would be wrong. Over time people will realise that plutonium-for-a-brain is weird yes but "there's-more-mass-here-than-the-space-time-should-be-able-to-accomodate" is far, far weirder, more exciting and more dangerous. The public are confused, "we thought plutonium-for-a-brain was the big story. What do you mean it wasn't? Shut up nerd!" Meanwhile NASA is going absolutely bat-shit trying to investigate what can only be described as a localised, stable, benign wormhole. People dedicate lifetimes of study to the phenomena and through that potentially unlock technologies for interstellar travel and beyond. Then aeons ahead in the deep future when everything we have ever known is stardust, the human galactic empire has risen and fallen and there nothing left but the weightless detritus of a once space faring civilisation there will be my humble little noggin still bouncing around perplexing those that come after... "Zarlax? I think this skull is full of plutonium?" "That's not all Firtzlebeen, unless I'm mistaken, there's too much Plutonium..."

[rubywingsracing]

How/why is this one of the hottest/sluttest pics of him I’ve ever seen?!?!

all hail the return of the private equity yacht bro jacket

[crowttore]

I confess I was going to send in a nsfw spring event request (short) but started writing an essay (long) so instead of that whole thing could I please ask for Zandik with hickeys? Getting them or covering them up all embarrassed, or giving if you think it fits better? Can be nsfw or sfw, I just miss embarrassed Zandik a little! Write this one only if it’s not too much tho. Thank you! - Singed

Cannot believe you're not even sharing the nsfw idea :< Also shaking your hand, how could someone not miss embarrassed Zandik?

Tags: Akademiya!Zandik x reader, implied prior nsft activities, hickeys, fluff, established relationship, silly-

Having a relationship - or whatever it was you had - with Zandik came with certain perks. It also came with the aggravating experience of waking up with a sheen of sweat, a pounding headache, and a dry throat. All of it because of the wrong reasons.

Said reason being the poor placement of his bed in direct line of the east-facing window and its glaring lack of curtains. He hadn't gotten around to putting any up yet. You were certain he'd become a Dastur long before 'getting around to it'.

"Zandik.. water…" You whined, swatting at the space beside you with increasing frustration as your hand found nothing but his bed.

Mildly perplexed, and severely dehydrated, you shuffled into a sitting position, temporarily satisfied as your hands found the shirt he'd slept in and slipped it on.

Right. He was presenting a research proposal today.

A raspy chuckle caught your attention just in time to see Zandik wobble as he failed to properly put on a sock.

"So dignified." You merely grinned as he shot you a half-hearted glare, the subtle heat that rose to his cheeks not lost on you.

"You're hardly one to speak of dignity, waking up and acting like some spoiled housepet." There was no real bite to his words, nothing compared to how he snapped like a rabid animal whenever others would push his countless open books aside to make room for themselves in the House of Daena.

A small yawn escaped you, with Zandik swiftly following suit.

"And you're a terrible host," you retorted, beckoning him closer to fix the mess of tousled hair that he always insisted looked 'fine'.

"That so?" Zandik huffed, quick to grasp your chin and force your gaze to the nightstand where a full glass of water glittered tantalisingly in the sun. "Use your eyes next time, it's what they're there for."

Sheepishly, you brought the glass to your puckered lips, squirming until Zandik released his hold. An unfamiliar hint of blue caught your eye in the distorted view through the glass, the odd discoloration around his lips making him look almost anemic.

"Zandik," you tugged on his uniform to prevent his hasty retreat (no doubt anxious to go through all his plans and sketches one last time), "you've got some jam- let me.."

Most graciously, your efforts of licking your thumb and rubbing at his skin were afforded exactly five seconds before Zandik grew restless and swatted your hands away. Odd. It was still there.

"Had your fun?" He huffed, capturing both your wrists in one hand and squeezing them in warning. You couldn't help but parrot the question, clearly much to his dismay based on the tone he continued in, "at least pay attention if you want to rattle me, haven't even had any breakfast yet."

Although he would never admit to it, Zandik sounded nervous. And with good reason, a single mistake could easily cost anyone the support of the Akademiya, so for someone with his reputation? They would expect nothing short of perfection and full compliance with all regulations if they were to even consider backing his project.

Haven't had breakfast yet.

Heat rushed to your cheeks as a dreadful hypothesis formed in your mind. In all honesty, it was less of a hypothesis and closer to fact, there were at least few other options available that would explain the observed phenomena quite as precisely.

Zandik's startled squeak mere seconds after confirmed your suspicion, body already half hidden beneath the blanket as you desperately attempted to disappear. If he hadn't known exactly where you were, the rapid beating of your heart would've surely alerted him.

"Get. Out. Here-" you wrestled him for control of the blanket, catching glimpses of how the color of his eyes had spread to his cheeks, hot puffs of air hitting your face with every word he huffed.

The air was knocked from your lungs as you both hit the floor, laughter bubbling in your chest as the wrestling turned to Zandik merely laying splayed out atop you, his unruly hair tickling your skin. Once he'd settled against you, sharp teeth nipping almost painfully at your neck, it was too tempting to thread your fingers through his hair and pull his head back so you could admire the accidental masterpiece.

"How didn't you notice when I did that?" The question was free of accusation but filled with wonder, your free hand coming up to brush a thumb across his delightfully swollen bottom lip.

You tutted softly at his attempt to sneer, eyes locked on the blooming hickey, fascinated by how dark it appeared. "In case you don't remember, I was preoccupied.." Zandik muttered the words before diving back to bite and suck at your neck, most likely keen on taking revenge.

He ignored the first two calls of his name, one broad hand swatting at your face as you continued to writhe and giggle, "-Zandik! We're not gonna have time to cover it if you keep going-"

A/N: Yeah. It's easier than you think to make a hickey on someone's lip. No, they probably won't feel it. Yes, it's difficult as hell to cover up.

Dottore Masterlist

[slaymitchabernathy]

Teamwork

| this was inspired by that one episode of 'Sex and the City' where samantha can't reach an orgasm because she was so real for that. | contains sexual content |

Soarynn Nightingale has grown accustomed to certain sounds since moving into her boyfriend’s penthouse apartment.

The sound of the shower turning on early in the morning before he goes to work.

The muffled sound of his voice when he takes phone calls in his study with the door shut because she really doesn’t want to hear those.

The sound of him and Petunia silently fighting while trying to remain discreet.

The sound of Coriolanus snoring when he comes to bed too late after working for so long.

Right now, the only sound she hears is the headboard hitting the wall over and over again.

Sex comes with a lot of sounds.

Moans, groans, gasps, grunts, cries, whimpers, and sometimes, if he fucks her really well, screams.

Soarynn stares up at the ceiling while Coriolanus thrusts into her at a rapid pace and she can feel that familiar tingling she gets when she’s about to cum. She didn’t even know this feeling existed until she met her boyfriend and he inducted her into the world of sexual phenomena.

Now she can’t get enough of it, enough of him.

There’s just something about being as close as humanly possible to him that makes her all giddy inside. The feeling of his skin on her skin, his lips on her lips.

And it helps that he looks tremendously handsome whenever they have sex with his tussled curls and confident grin. He’s too sexy for his own good.

“So good for me,” he praises, bending her knee and pushing her leg back so he can fuck her even deeper. Soarynn moans, arching her back to get the ultimate pleasure. Coriolanus has never shied away from fucking her in all sorts of positions, always trying to discover their new favorite.

Soarynn is getting closer, her toes are curling, her nails are digging into his back. "I'm close," he pants, resting his head on her shoulder. Soarynn can feel it, she's on the cusp, on the edge, she's about to cum.

Then she feels Coriolanus reach his orgasm, groaning as he spills inside of her like he always does. He keeps thrusting in and out but at a slower rate and Soarynn...Soarynn didn't finish.

She always finishes.

Coriolanus finally goes still, panting while he comes down from his high. He gives her knee a squeeze before releasing it so she can fully lay down on the sheets but she's far from caring about her comfort right now. She's confused. Perplexed.

She didn't finish.

Soarynn stares up at the ceiling while Coriolanus whispers sweet praises about how good she was, how beautiful she is, and that's very cute but she still didn't cum. Coriolanus sighs and presses a kiss to her cheek, "That was good yeah?"

Soarynn blinks once, twice, "Yeah," she says, her voice cracking.

Should she tell him?

Coriolanus prides himself on being good at sex and she doesn't want to hurt his feelings because he didn't make her finish. But maybe it's not him. Maybe it's her.

What a terrifying thought.

Coriolanus slowly sits up and she knows how the rest will go. He'll pull out and start a warm bath for her. She'll lie there in a blissful mood until he picks her up and carries her to the tub.

But she's not feeling very blissful right now.

He's about to pull out when she stops him, sitting up on her elbows, "Did you finish?" She asks, already knowing the answer. Coriolanus furrows his eyebrows, giving her a confused look, "I did," he says slowly, "did you not want me to?"

Soarynn shakes her head, since the first time they had sex, he's always finished inside of her. She'd be worried if he didn't cum. But she didn't.

It suddenly dawns on him and he looks down at her, "Did you finish?"

Soarynn bites her lip, is this bad? Is something wrong with her?

"No," she mumbles, "I didn't. But I always do!"

Coriolanus nods, now lost in thought from the looks of it, "Maybe I'm just, just not feeling it," she suggests even though she was feeling it, she always feels it when she's with him. She was so close to feeling it until she suddenly wasn't and that worries her.

"You usually finish right before me," he finally says, resting his hands on her thighs, "maybe I finished too fast." Soarynn is quick to shake her head, he is not the problem and he's always held off until she's reached her peak.

"I'm probably just tired," she decides, shrugging it off, "it's fine." But Coriolanus doesn't look too convinced, not when she always finishes, not when he prides himself on being a good partner in bed, "Maybe I could go down on you," he suggests, "it'll only take a minute."

She doesn't miss the cockiness in his tone, Coriolanus loves how quickly he can get her to cum, how responsive she is to him but this is something different. "It's fine," she says again, not believing herself, "it's fine."

꧁ ꧂

The next day when Coriolanus comes home, Soarynn is sitting on the floor with her legs stretched out and a book between them. "Darling," he says slowly, setting down his briefcase, "what're you doing?"

Soarynn grabs her toes and leans forward, as far as she can go without feeling any pain, "Stretching," she explains as if it's obvious. He sits down on the sofa behind her, "I see. And what exactly are you stretching for?"

While Coriolanus works out regularly, Soarynn has never partaken in physical activity, aside from sex of course. Which is why she's stretching on the living room floor. "Well, I was reading this book," she tells him, grabbing her right foot with both hands, "and it said that stretching before sex helps ensure that both parties will reach an orgasm."

Soarynn would be lying if she said that she hadn't been obsessing over her lost orgasm all day. She's felt so...empty inside, so defeated. She didn't know life could be like this until now.

This is a life she refuses to live.

"Stretching before sex? Soarynn," he sighs, resting a hand on her lower back, "I think it was just a one-time thing, darling, you don't need to do all of these stretches for me to make you cum."

Easy for him to say, he's not the one who went to bed unsatisfied last night.

"I'm just taking all of the necessary precautions," she explains, switching over to her left foot, "you know as women get older, orgasms are harder to achieve."

"You're twenty-four."

She ignores his tone of voice, she doesn't need any of this negativity, "The book also said something about your partner having good energy," she adds, sitting back up, "it said that if your partner doesn't have good energy then it can affect you and your experience. It could block your orgasm."

Coriolanus scoffs and she glares up at him from over her shoulder, "My energy is just fine," he tells her, rolling his eyes, "and I think that you're literally reading too far into this. You're only going to get more obsessive."

Soarynn shakes her head, she's not obsessive, she's simply worried about her sexual health.

She's not obsessed.

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn brings the cup of tea to her lips, slowly swallowing it down while lying in bed, propped up against the headboard.

"Are you done yet?"

She looks over the rim of her cup at Coriolanus who's standing at the foot of the bed, hands on his hips, wearing only his boxers. It's been one week and Soarynn still hasn't had an orgasm. So, she's turned to herbal remedies such as this tea that should cure all of her sexual issues. She has to drink the whole thing and Coriolanus is not a man who likes to wait to have sex.

She keeps drinking her tea, making sure not to waste a drop, "Almost," she breathes, gulping down the rest, "you remember the position I showed you?"

Coriolanus sighs, resting his hands on the foot of the bed, "Yes darling, how could I forget that wonderful sketch you showed me?" Soarynn figured she might as well kill several birds with one stone so she was also researching new positions, some were a bit outlandish, even she knew that. But this was for the good of a great orgasm!

Soarynn finishes her tea and sets the cup down on her bedside table, "Good, now come and fuck me really well."

He needn't be told twice. Coriolanus crawls across the bed until he's on top of her, he looks a bit skeptical and she rests a hand on his cheek, "We can do this," she says, "it's a team effort."

Coriolanus raises an eyebrow, "Even though I do like ninety-nine percent of the work?"

Soarynn drops her hand, she needs good energy, not sass, "Be positive," she reminds him, "good energy Coryo, good energy, positive mindset."

He grabs her leg and lifts it up, pushing it back until her foot touches the headboard, "Well, I'm positive that you've gone a bit crazy with all of your research but whatever you say, darling."

Soarynn blows out all of the air in her body, "Exactly, exactly, we can do this, we can do this."

It'll work this time.

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn lights the last candle before blowing out the match. She sits up straight and rests her hands on her knees, closing her eyes, "Oh Aphrodite, please hear our calls, we ask you to bless us with your magic, to help us, well, me reach an orgasm. Lead us down your righteous path."

Soarynn waits five seconds, ten seconds before cracking open an eye and looking over at Coriolanus who's also sitting cross-legged on their bedroom floor, and he's picking at his nails. "Coryo! You need to say your prayer," she tells him, pointing at all the candles they lit for this.

Coriolanus gives her a look that she's gotten used to over the past two weeks, "Darling, these are candles you bought last year for Christmas, and we're in our bedroom, not a temple. I think you should just go to the doctor like a normal person."

Soarynn wants to strangle him. He's practically refused to participate in all of her ideas to help her orgasm again and it's starting to feel like he just doesn't care.

"We need to be a united front," she whines, no longer in the mindset for a prayer, "we need to work together, I need...I need to cum!" Soarynn flops onto the floor and groans, maybe she's dying because that's the only explanation for this.

They've had sex almost every night and she still hasn't cum. She's done everything in the book, they've done every position, she's drank every tea, she even bought a vibrator. Nothing has worked.

"We could still try that couples therapist," she suggests sweetly and he shakes his head, standing back up, "We don't need a therapist, we need you to go see a professional."

Soarynn sighs, maybe he's right, maybe she should go to an actual doctor to figure this out.

What's the worst that could happen?

꧁ ꧂

"Alright Ms. Nightingale, go ahead and get undressed for me."

Soarynn's eyes widen at her doctor's request, and she nervously grips the edge of the foam mat she's sitting on, "Pardon me?" She asks with a slight tremor in her voice. She thought this was going to be a non-invasive visit.

"Get undressed so I can take a look," Dr. Kyte says, putting gloves onto her hands, "there might be a problem internally."

Soarynn doesn't mean to question a medical professional but she's a bit hesitant, "I'm sure my boyfriend would've noticed if there was something wrong down there," she tells her doctor, "he's seen everything."

Dr. Kyte raises an eyebrow, "Is he a doctor?"

Soarynn slouches, "No."

She slowly gets undressed and lies down on the mat, hoping there's nothing wrong down there. She hadn't even thought about that being a possibility but maybe something had gone amiss. Dr. Kyte pokes around there for a few minutes before standing back up, "Everything looks perfectly normal."

Soarynn lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness, but then what's wrong with me? Why am I unable to..."

"Unable to finish? Well, it could be for a number of reasons, the female body is a great mystery. Do you and your boyfriend have sex regularly?"

Soarynn blushes, "Yes."

"How many days a week?"

"Usually six."

"Does he wear any form of protection?"

"No."

Soarynn looks over at Dr. Kyte and to her horror, the woman looks perplexed, stumped even, "Maybe you two need to try a different location," she says, "if you're having sex regularly in the same place, your body might start predicting what will happen. Spice it up."

"Spice it up?" Soarynn repeats, finding this advice to be very unhelpful.

"Yes, try a different location and things should change for the better."

꧁ ꧂

"So we need to fuck in my office at work? Is that what you're saying?" Coriolanus teases, wrapping his arms around her waist while she cuts up some strawberries. Soarynn rolls her eyes but tilts her head so he can kiss her neck, "Ha ha, very funny. She meant in the living room, or in the kitchen," she gestures to their surroundings, "my body is too used to the bedroom."

Coriolanus hums, sucking on her skin and sliding a hand under her shirt, "You want me to fuck you right here? Bent over the counter like a little slut?" Soarynn clenches her thighs together, the past couple of weeks have been hard on the sexual part of their relationship. She's been too focused on doing everything right and he's been focused on making sure she was enjoying herself.

But she wasn't.

"Yes," she whimpers, strawberries long forgotten.

Things move very quickly, clothes come off, skin is on skin and they're off to the races.

Soarynn moans while he fucks her from behind, hard and fast just the way she likes it. She can feel herself starting to get close and she's scared it might be another false alarm.

"You've got it, baby," Coriolanus says in her ear, "been so good for me, so good, you're gonna be my good girl and cum yeah?"

Soarynn whines, he's always loved saying the nastiest things in her ear and she can see how pent up he's been from two weeks of superficial sex. Soarynn has been without orgasms and Coriolanus has been without a present sexual partner.

He brings his hand down to her clit and plays with it with his fingers. Soarynn whimpers, grabbing the counter for dear life, "Please," she gasps, "please, please, please." She's in tears now, from the pleasure and the frustration.

Coriolanus fucks her even harder, even deeper than before. He grabs her right leg and lifts it up, pressing it against the counter so he can get as deep as possible. "Cum for me Soarynn," he grunts, "cum for me right now."

Her toes curl, her eyes roll back.

Soarynn's orgasm hits her like a fucking train.

Soarynn has never screamed so loud before. Their downstairs neighbors must be worried.

Soarynn's walls squeeze around his cock, gripping him like a vice while she works through her first orgasm ever as far as she's concerned.

"Yes," she cries, "yes, yes, yes, fucking yes."

She goes limp in his hold, resting her head on the counter while Coriolanus keeps going to reach his own orgasm. He tumbles soon after she does and they both let out a relieved sigh. "You came," he whispers, rubbing her side, "you finally came."

Soarynn lets out a crazed laugh, "Well it was ninety-nine percent you."

They both laugh and Coriolanus kisses her shoulder, "I'm happy for you baby, we should celebrate."

Soarynn sighs, "We should buy a cake."

It feels like so much tension between them has been released. The air feels lighter.

And just like that, Soarynn got her orgasms back and Coriolanus got his girlfriend back.

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

| taglist: @strawberriicakes @wonderlandbound111 @villiansarehottest @kickmybark @thevoicesinmyprettylittlehead @melodyoflovee @erensrealgf |

[s0lk]

intrigued and perplexed by the phenomena in the undertale/deltarune fandoms of frisk mostly being portrayed as feminine (with a high pitched anime girl voice that makes me want to throw something) and kris as masculine

i will be rectifying this issue. just you wait

[missfrieden]

Tech as a father Chapter 79

79 chapters and you all keep reading? I am stunned and perplexed. You guys keep up with my strange uploads and all the short and long bits. Just...

Thanks

But let us see how Tech handles what he just saw and found out.

Masterlist | AO3

Chapter 79: The probabilities were clear

A mixture of disbelief and wonder washes over Tech as he realizes what just occurred. Could Orion have somehow moved the toy with his burgeoning abilities? The thought both amazes and unsettles him, highlighting the unique nature of his son's connection to the Force due to Amanda.

Closing the closet finally, Tech approaches Orion with a mixture of curiosity and affection. As he lifts his son into his arms, Orion giggles and reaches up to grasp Tech's goggles, his bright eyes sparkling with delight. Tech can't help but smile at Orion's infectious joy, marvelling at the boundless energy and innocence radiating from his son. In that moment, any lingering worries or doubts fade away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude for the precious gift that is Orion. He did promise Amanda to not let them take it. So now he has the challenge to keep it hidden.

How difficult can it be? His brothers have other things to worry about. Right? Right!

“This is just between you and me for now” Tech's murmured words to Orion carry a sense of intimacy and trust, a promise between father and son to keep this mysterious occurrence just between them. As he places a tender kiss on Orion's forehead, Tech's heart swells with a mix of emotions, pride in his son's potential, longing for Amanda's guidance, and a touch of amusement at the unexpected turn of events. With a gentle smile, Tech muses about the captured moment, grateful for the small consolation of having it recorded. The camera attached to his goggles has preserved this precious memory, a testament to Orion's budding connection to the Force and the bond they share as father and son.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Orion's abilities, Tech finds solace in the warmth of their relationship. He imagined the day when Orion will utter his first words would have been first.

As the squad begins to experience these strange occurrences, Tech observes with a cautious eye, noticing the pattern of seemingly minor mishaps. Objects placed down inexplicably end up on the floor or shift a few centimetres away from their original position. While his brothers scratch their heads in confusion, Tech remains silent, a flicker of recognition sparking in his mind. With Orion cradled in his arms, Tech moves subtly to shield his son from the mysterious phenomena, or he adjusts his posture or shifts his position so that Orion's gaze doesn't fall upon the objects in question, unwilling to reveal the truth about Orion's burgeoning Force sensitivity to his brothers just yet.

Deep down, Tech knows that these incidents are linked to Orion's latent abilities, a testament to the potential lying dormant within his son. But for now, he keeps this knowledge close to his chest, determined to protect Orion and navigate the uncertainties that lie ahead.

As the squad gathers for a meal, the conversation naturally turns to the recent string of odd occurrences. Tech, preoccupied with feeding Orion his puree, listens to his brothers' discussion with a subtle furrow of his brow. Hunter, ever perceptive, directs a question to Tech, asking if he's experienced any of the strange incidents. Tech, keeping his focus on Orion, replies in a matter-of-fact tone, "It's likely just the small jolts we experience while the ship navigates through hyperspace. I will take a look at the stabiliser during our next stop."

His explanation is delivered smoothly, betraying no hint of the truth he holds close about Orion's Force sensitivity. Meanwhile, he continues to feed Orion, ensuring his son remains content and unaware of the discussion unfolding around him. Though Tech's response seems to satisfy his brothers' curiosity for now, he remains vigilant, aware that keeping Orion's abilities hidden is paramount to his son's safety and well-being. As the squad continues to grapple with these strange occurrences, Tech remains vigilant, silently guarding the secret of Orion's connection to the Force while marvelling at the boundless possibilities that await his son's journey. No matter how difficult, he will protect it for as long as he can.

Not because he does not trust his brothers, more because of the fear they would brag about it. Wrecker, yes he would be such a proud uncle he couldn’t be quiet for long.

Chapter 80

Reblogs are very welcome and I am open for feedback, as english is not my first language, so maybe my sentences may be weird sometimes, or I write a word wrong even with google, or I use a wrong word for an item.

Tag: @spectacular-skywalker @clonethirstingisreal @sleepycreativewriter @moonwreckd @sskim-milkk @heidnspeak

[jane-chef]

youtube recommending me let's plays with less than a hundred views: man what even is this

youtube recommending me cat videos with less than a hundred views: a cat⁉️ of obscure origin ⁉️ a perplexing phenomena❕️it must be studied to it's full extent 📝

[bafflingmysteries1]

Elisa Lam at Cecil Hotel: The Mysterious Disappearance

Explore the perplexing case of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel, where a young woman vanished under mysterious circumstances. Uncover the eerie details, the enigmatic elevator footage, and the enduring questions that surround this haunting and unresolved mystery.

[shamandrummer]

Dreams, Reality and Quantum Mechanics

Throughout human history, dreams and reality have captivated philosophers, scientists, and thinkers alike. These seemingly opposing domains--the ephemeral, subjective world of dreams and the concrete, objective domain of reality--pose fascinating questions about the nature of existence. What connects the surreal landscapes of our dreams with the tangible world around us? And could quantum mechanics, one of the most enigmatic branches of physics, offer a bridge between these realms?

The Nature of Dreams

Dreams have intrigued humanity since ancient times. In various cultures, they have been viewed as prophetic visions, messages from the subconscious, or even portals to alternate realities. From a psychological perspective, dreams are often seen as the mind's way of processing emotions, memories, and unresolved conflicts. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, famously referred to dreams as "the royal road to the unconscious."

Modern neuroscience has shed light on the biological processes underlying dreams. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, during which vivid dreams occur, is associated with heightened brain activity resembling the waking state. Yet, despite advances in understanding their physiological mechanisms, dreams remain deeply mysterious. Why do they feel so real? Why do we sometimes wake up questioning the boundary between dreams and reality?

Reality: A Perceptual Construct

What we call "reality" is not as straightforward as it seems. Our perception of the world is mediated by our senses, which transmit information to the brain for interpretation. This means that reality, as we experience it, is a construct of the mind. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant argued that we can never know the "thing-in-itself," the objective reality that exists independent of our perception.

The advent of virtual reality technologies further complicates this discussion. If a simulated experience can evoke emotions, memories, and sensations indistinguishable from "real" life, then what truly defines reality? Are we, as some thinkers propose, living in a simulation ourselves?

The Quantum Perspective

Quantum mechanics adds yet another layer of complexity to our understanding of reality. At its core, quantum theory describes the behavior of particles at subatomic scales, where the classical rules of physics no longer apply. Concepts like wave-particle duality, superposition, and entanglement defy intuition, challenging our conventional notions of space, time, and causality.

One of the most perplexing aspects of quantum mechanics is the role of the observer. The famous double-slit experiment demonstrates that particles behave differently depending on whether they are being observed. This suggests that consciousness--the act of observation--may play a fundamental role in shaping reality. Could this principle have parallels with the way we construct reality in dreams?

Dreams and Quantum Mechanics: A Curious Parallel

In dreams, time and space are malleable. We can leap across vast distances, relive memories, or encounter events that defy the laws of physics. Similarly, in the quantum realm, particles can exist in multiple states at once (superposition) or influence one another instantaneously across vast distances (entanglement). Both dreams and quantum mechanics challenge the deterministic, linear framework we rely on in waking life.

Some theorists have speculated that dreams might be a form of quantum consciousness. The idea is that during dreaming, the brain may tap into quantum processes, allowing for non-linear associations and creative problem-solving. While this remains a speculative and controversial idea, it highlights the potential intersections between subjective experience and quantum phenomena.

The Role of Consciousness

Central to both dreams and quantum mechanics is the question of consciousness. What is it, and how does it interact with the physical world? While science has made strides in mapping the neural correlates of consciousness, its fundamental nature remains elusive. Some physicists, like Roger Penrose, have proposed that consciousness might arise from quantum processes within the brain. If true, this could provide a scientific basis for the connection between dreams, reality, and quantum mechanics.

Furthermore, the subjective nature of dreams and the observer-dependent nature of quantum phenomena both suggest that reality might be less objective and more participatory than we typically assume. In other words, our minds might play an active role in shaping the fabric of existence.

A New Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics called QBism

An interpretation of quantum mechanics called QBism (short for Quantum Bayesianism) embraces subjectivity, making it the bedrock of knowledge and reality itself. QBism (pronounced "Cubism," like the art movement) reimagines quantum mechanics not as a theory describing an objective reality but as a framework for an individual agent's decision-making and beliefs about the world. Unlike interpretations that view the observer as merely measuring or revealing pre-existing properties of a system, QBism highlights the active role of the agent in shaping their experiences.

According to QBism, each of us constructs a picture of the world, a set of beliefs about it, based on our interactions with it. We constantly, implicitly, assign probabilities to our beliefs. The big reality in which we all live emerges from the collisions of all our subjective mini-realities.

QBism's core message, is that the idea of a single objective reality is an illusion. QBism's premise is that there is no absolute objectivity; there are only subjective, first-person viewpoints. A dream, you might say. QBism does not deny the existence of an external world but rejects the idea that quantum mechanics provides a direct description of it. Instead, it treats quantum mechanics as a pragmatic tool for agents to manage their expectations about future experiences.

Implications and Speculations

If reality is not as fixed and objective as it seems, what does this mean for our understanding of the universe? Could our waking life be another form of dream, constructed by the collective consciousness of humanity? Ancient philosophies like Advaita Vedanta and Taoism have long posited that the distinction between the self and the universe is an illusion, much like a dream.

Quantum mechanics also raises intriguing possibilities about parallel universes and alternate realities. The many-worlds interpretation suggests that every quantum event spawns a branching universe, creating a multiverse of infinite possibilities. Could our dreams provide fleeting glimpses into these alternate realities? While this idea remains speculative, it resonates with the sense of otherworldliness we often feel in dreams.

Bridging the Gap

Ultimately, dreams, reality, and quantum mechanics converge in their ability to challenge our assumptions about existence. Dreams remind us that reality is not always what it seems, while quantum mechanics reveals the strange and counterintuitive nature of the universe at its most fundamental level. Both invite us to question the boundaries of perception, consciousness, and the nature of the cosmos itself.

As science and philosophy continue to explore these profound questions, one thing is certain: the mysteries of dreams, reality, and quantum mechanics will keep inspiring us to look beyond the surface of what we know. Perhaps, in doing so, we will uncover deeper truths about the universe and our place within it--truths that blur the line between waking and dreaming, the tangible and the intangible, the known and the unknown.

[the-haunted-office]

✚ Quest!: The spiders are getting restless. We have no clue why. They shall invade the office in just a few days unless something is done to stop it.

The Spider Queen should be able to tell you why; if she isn't the one who ordered it in the first place.

My muse is now in an RPG and their fate is in your hands!

It was Shadowley who first noticed it - the spiders behaving strangely. He spends quite a lot of time with them down there in the darkness of the Office basement, so it's only natural that he would notice first.

He watched as each of the spiders who had been sitting on their webs up near the exit lights, awaiting the moths and other insects that found their way down there, uniformly marched off their webs and began to make their way upstairs. After enough of them had amassed together, it looked to Shadow as though the shadows themselves were siphoning off and up the stairs.

What was siphoning them? Where were the spiders going?

He couldn't help but move to follow along with them, to investigate.

What he found upstairs was more than a little surprising.

The spiders were all gathering around James, who was standing there looking both perplexed and alarmed at the same time. His lips were pressed flat together, his eyebrows drawn together, his face scrunched in, his eyes darting around as if trying to individually count all the spiders, and in his hands he held - of all things - an extremely tiny toilet... Whatever the heck he was doing with that, Shadowley couldn't even begin to fathom. He just decided to hide amongst the shadows and watch this all go down, whatever it was that was happening here.

One spider was bigger than the rest, just a little bit bigger, naturally, as Spider Queens must be. And, naturally, the rest of them parted for her when she approached the trembling employee who was being held in the middle of their mass.

James looked down upon noticing this phenomena. "Okay, look. I have no idea what this is all about, and I don't want to have to step on any of you to get through you, but I will!" he threatened.

That threat was apparently taken very seriously. All around James, spiders began jumping, leaping through the air like tiny ninjas, landing on his body and scrambling through the folds of his clothes before he could even react.

Once he realized what was happening, though, he let out a shriek and began slapping at his body with his hands and running around as though he were on fire. The tiny toilet he'd been holding fell to the ground where it miraculously remained intact. Shadowley could only watch this happen, watch with awe and wonder what exactly was going on. The spiders were acting much in a way he had never seen them behave before, that was for sure.

"Get off me! Get off me! Ow! Ow! What are you doing? OW!! Help! Cyrus! HELP ME!"

Surely, James's cries for help were being heard all throughout the Office, yet curiously no one was answering him. Shadow Stanley sure wasn't. He could only guess that the reason for this was the same reason he wasn't helping - everyone was tired of James's shit.

Quite suddenly, James went entirely rigid, stiff as a board from what Shadowley could see. The man fell straight over from there and hit the ground with resounding thump, one that Shadow was sure would have James aching afterwards. He just hoped that no spiders were hurt in the fall.

He couldn't tell what was happening here, though. All he could see was that James was swarmed with spiders. They didn't seem like they were... killing him, exactly, because if they were, he'd have vanished as bodies do when they respawn around the Office after they've died. It was hard to tell if he was in much pain, although Shadow could see that the spiders appeared to be biting him. It almost looked as if they were trying to hold him down, or like they were injecting him with their venom.

The Queen reappeared. She crawled up onto James, right up onto his face and settled onto the right lens of his glasses. She sat there for several minutes, just... looking at James, while James lay very still, the only movement coming from him being the blinking of his eyes. Shadow Stanley got the very clear impression that the Queen was somehow talking to him, and that James was somehow understanding her.

It must have been a very serious conversation, because when the spiders all let go of James and backed off, scurrying away to their various corners of the Office, to where you would never knew they were there unless you were looking for them, James remained there on the floor, breathing, blinking, unmoving otherwise.

Either that, or he was slowly dying from all the venom.

Well. Things quickly lost interest to Shadow Stanley after that. He watched James lie there for a few more minutes, but when he didn't disappear and respawn, Shadow went back to his own shadows, back down in the basement, to sift through all the data in boxes down there, to hang out with the rats and the spiders, and wonder.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

30-year mystery of dissonance in the 'ringing' of black holes explained

A scientist from Tokyo Metropolitan University has solved the longstanding problem of a "dissonance" in gravitational waves emitted by a black hole.

Using high precision computing and a new theoretical physics framework, it was discovered that it was caused by a resonance between a pair of distinctive "modes" i.e. different ways in which a black hole can "ring." The phenomenon offers new insights into the nascent field of black hole spectroscopy.

The research is published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Black holes are astrophysical objects so dense that even light cannot escape their gravitational pull. Despite their awesome presence in the cosmos, however, it is only over the past decade that we have begun to grapple with how they behave.

This is thanks to the advent of gravitational wave astronomy, where global detection efforts led by the LIGO (Laser Interferometry Gravitational-Wave Observatory)-Virgo-KAGRA (Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector) Collaboration have made it possible to detect the disturbances created by black holes in the fabric of spacetime.

Theoretical physicists now face the Herculean task of trying to understand the gravitational waves given off by black holes, working from theoretical models.

One of these efforts was a calculation made in 1997 by a graduate student, Hisashi Onozawa from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Institute of Science Tokyo), who discovered a curious irregularity in what these waves should look like. Just like sound emitted by a ringing bell, gravitational waves are expected to be composed of a combination of "modes," or different sounds emitted through the different ways in which the black hole "vibrates."

These modes were expected to vary smoothly and predictably. However, the calculations showed a perplexing "dissonance," where a particular mode behaved completely differently from the others. People at the time suspected a calculation error or an artifact, but even with the advent of better computers, the result remained an unresolved mystery.

Now, after 30 years, Associate Professor Hayato Motohashi from Tokyo Metropolitan University, formerly affiliated with Kogakuin University, has resolved this problem using precision calculations and the nascent theoretical field of non-Hermitian physics.

Looking closely at the behavior of modes, he found that the dissonance was not isolated to one mode but was a result of two modes interacting with each other in a resonant fashion. In fact, by examining many modes, it turns out this kind of interaction between modes is not a rare incident, but one which turns up universally in a range of modes.

Through a series of theoretical analyses, this resonance between modes in black holes was shown to be one example of a whole host of physical phenomena in not only astrophysics, but optical physics as well, looking at electromagnetic waves instead of gravitational ones.

The interdisciplinary application of a new theoretical approach heralds the birth of the new field of non-Hermitian gravitational physics, unlocking the true potential of global-scale experiments like the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, which are coming online.

[numinousmysteries]

Dancing the Tandava (3/10)

[on Ao3] @today-in-fic

Washington, D.C. 1993

It’s only a few months into her assignment on the X-Files and Scully has made it a point to arrive at the office on time. Still, her perplexing partner always manages to get there first. It’s as if he sleeps in this underground lair or he’s afraid to leave her alone in his sacred space. Neither would shock her.

She doesn’t have a handle on Mulder quite yet. His intelligence fascinates and intimidates her. Trying to keep up with his mental leaps leaves her breathless. His ideas are out there, but his hunches are correct an eerie amount of the time. The unexplainable phenomena she’s seen piques her innate curiosity even though none of it fits into her framework of the coherent, reassuringly knowable universe.

He has every right to treat her with disdain. He had her number as a spy (albeit an unwilling and increasingly disobedient one) from their first meeting, and her doubting nature and innate need to play by the book only slows him down. But he seems truly interested in her thoughts and ideas even if they don’t align with his own. She was mortified when she nearly stripped in front of him on their first case to show him the marks on her back, but he never made her feel embarrassed.

Her job is to keep tabs on him but the more cases they investigate together, the more inclined she feels to protect him and his work. Her loyalty is slowly shifting from the establishments she’s long unquestionably trusted to Mulder and his singular quest.

When she shows up this crisp November morning, he’s already at his desk thumbing through a file. He’s wearing thin, wire-framed glasses and a tie with a dizzying, Escher-esque maroon and olive pattern. She thinks he’s handsome, then pushes the thought away. Getting involved with superiors and co-workers is a habit she’s actively trying to break.

“Morning, Scully,” he says, without looking up.

“Morning,” she replies, coming to sit across from him. “Anything interesting?” She gestures to the file on the desk.

“That depends,” he says, taking off his reading glasses and making eye contact with her. This boyish smile and the gleam behind his eyes are already familiar to her. They’re signs he’s found a case that’ll likely lead them into trouble. It both scares and excites her. “How interested are you in the Fouke monster, a.k.a. the Southern Sasquatch, a.k.a. the Swamp Stalker?”

“I have to admit it’s never crossed my mind,” she says.

“Oh, Scully.” His smile widens. “You’re in for a treat.” He turns the file around so she can read it. The first thing she notices is an amateur sketch of a Bigfoot-like creature with red eyes.

“A giant, hairy creature first spotted in Fouke, Arkansas, in the mid-nineteenth century, the Fouke monster has been described as being over 10-feet tall with glowing blood-red eyes. In 1971, Bobby and Elizabeth Ford of Fouke reported that the creature had broken into their home. A neighbor actually shot at it, and supposedly made contact, but it wandered off into the night. That was the last sighting, until a week ago when a group of teenagers camping out at nearby Boggy Creek say he got into their tent and stole all of their rations, including two family-size bags of Doritos.”

“Is Doritos theft a federal crime?” she asks him with a raised eyebrow. He better have more evidence than the shaky testimony of some teenagers to go off. “Or do you just want to go Sasquatch hunting?”

“By the tone of your voice I can tell you’ve never had the pleasure of goin’ squatchin,’' he says, his hazel eyes lighting up as they meet hers. It’s almost enough to make her blush.

The shrill ringing of the phone on his desk interrupts them before she can respond.

“Mulder,” he answers. She can hear the garbled sound of a male voice on the other end of the line.

“My what?” Mulder shouts into the phone, startling her. “Who is he?...Okay, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

He hangs up the phone and turns his attention back to her. “Change of plans,” he says. “The Fouke monster will have to wait. We’re headed to Montauk. East End of Long Island.”

While she’s partly relieved she won’t have to interview a bunch of stoned teenagers about their alleged monster sighting, the rapid shift in Mulder’s attention gives her whiplash.

“What’s in Montauk?” she asks.

“A historic lighthouse, the shark hunter who inspired Jaws, and actually decent surfing for the East Coast,” he says, grinning at her.

“And yet why do I suspect you aren’t going to ask me to pack a wetsuit?” she asks.

He gives her a shoulder shrug and a pouty lower lip. “I wouldn’t stop you.”

“Seriously, Mulder,” she says, starting to lose her patience. “Why are we going to Montauk?”

“A disoriented young man has appeared at a decommissioned army base and specifically asked to speak with us.” He’s already up out of his chair digging through a filing cabinet.

“Did he mention what he’s so desperate to talk to us about?” she asks, trying to see what files he’s gathering.

“He says he’s from the future. The year 2023 to be exact.”

Scully laughs. “Mulder, that’s ridiculous. He’s probably some UFO fanatic who wants to meet you.”

Mulder shakes his head. He’s taking this seriously. “I think you overestimate my popularity,” he says.

“What about Max Fenig? He said he’d been following your work for years and that he’s not the only one.”

“Well, no one else has ever claimed to be my son before,” Mulder says. “Or that you’re his mother.”

She’s immediately taken back. Mulder has proposed a lot of improbable theories and ideas during their partnership, but this one might be the most ludicrous. He’s already grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair but Scully raises her hand to stop him.

“Mulder, wait,” she insists. “I don’t have to tell you how ridiculous that is. While I can’t speak for you, I know I don’t have a child, and I can say with total certainty that we’ve never had one together. Besides, you said ‘young man.’ How old is he?”

“I don’t know,” Mulder responds. “The officer said early 20s. He didn’t have any identification with him.”

“We were children ourselves 20 years ago,” she says, barely resisting an eye roll. “I can all but guarantee you this is someone pulling a prank.”

“I’m inclined to agree with you,” Mulder says. “But I have a feeling we should check this out. It’s not just what he said, it’s where he turned up.”

“Montauk?” she asks, confused.

“Not just anywhere in Montauk. At Camp Hero.”

“Yes, a decommissioned army base as you said,” she repeats.

“A supposedly decommissioned army base,” he grins. “CIA operatives at Camp Hero have reportedly been using extraterrestrial technology for experiments on everything from mind control and weather manipulation to the creation of wormholes for time travel. The project allegedly shut down in the 1980s when the base closed, but I’ve heard rumors that the work never stopped.”

He flips a file open on the desk facing her. Inside is a black and white photo of a giant radar tower and a hand-drawn blueprint of a building with rooms labeled “hypnosis lab” and “carrier oscillator.”

She tilts her head at him and squints. This is a lot, even for Mulder.

“So your theory is that you and I have a son who’s traveled back in time to—what? Come say hi?” she asks.

Mulder shrugs. “You said it yourself in your thesis: ‘Although common sense may rule out the possibility of time travel, the laws of quantum physics certainly do not.’”

If she did believe in time travel, this would be the perfect moment to return to her undergraduate days and choose a new thesis topic for her future partner to one day quote back to her.

“I know what I wrote, Mulder,” she says. “But that was a theoretical argument not a practical one. I was discussing the possibility of time dilation, an expanding or contracting of relative time as it’s experienced. There’s no science or technology that would actually allow someone to move forward or backward in time.”

“No science or technology that we know of yet,” he counters. “Let’s see what our boy cooked up in 2023.”

There is always the option not to leave with him—to stay in the office and write up a report while he goes chasing what is almost certainly a dead end—but she knows she’ll never choose that door. Instead, she retrieves her coat from the hook on the back of the office door and follows her frustrating, beguiling partner.

[iwriteasfotini]

The One-Eyed Witch Tunnel

Here we go (I'm honestly terrified to post Meta). I'm starting with the easiest one, IMO. This tunnel is hidden underneath the statue of the one-eyed witch and the first time Harry finds it is in POA when Fred and George gift him the Marauder's Map.

This is the first passage I'm pulling text from. POA Chapter Ten - The Marauders Map. Sorry for the image quality. I have no idea why it's so blurry.

The physical traits of this tunnel:

Underground (duh, I know)

"It was pitch dark." - POA Ch10

"a very narrow, low earthy passage" - POA Ch10

"the passage twisted and turned" - POA Ch10

"uneven flooring" - POA Ch10

This tunnel is directly compared to the burrow of a giant rabbit. - POA Ch10

Harry is mentioned as traveling at a quick pace to running down this tunnel. Which implies he (as a third year) can stand in it. While it is possible to run hunched over, to do so for an extended period of time is not realistic.

How long is the tunnel?

"It took ages . . . what felt like an hour . . . ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps." - POA Ch10

There is no specific distance given from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade in canon. Consensus is it is about a mile. It would be realistic for 13 year old Harry to travel a mile in the dark at a quick pace in about 20 minutes. Harry is referenced as being fast and quick, he also plays quidditch. He's an athlete. The kid can move. And at a run, which he does in this tunnel on one occasion, he could likely cover the distance in closer to 12 minutes. That's a slow mile, but given the dark, uneven footing, I think he'd have a hard time running faster.

Looking at the canon text in regards to length, I wonder why the tunnel feels like it took ages, even an hour, then ten minutes (which is a definitive timeframe) later Harry arrives. Perhaps Harry has a skewed perspective of time and distance in this scene. This actually makes sense, as he would be feeling nervous and unsure about where the tunnel leads. Ever notice how finding somewhere new (especially when walking) feels like it takes forever, but getting back is like a blink? It's a real phenomena, I'll grant JKR a pass on this one.

The Vanishing Steps

At the end of the passage Harry finds a set of worn steps, which he climbs.

"A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed..." - POA Ch10

The average flight of stairs in a home has 13-16 steps. Let's say Harry lost count and there were 250 steps. And be generous to imply a single level of a building is 16 steps tall. That would imply from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade (which I'm fairly certain is a downhill journey) Harry also moved 15 stories underground... This is quite perplexing and feels wholly inaccurate, especially because we have this text from Chapter 14 - Snape's Grudge.

No where in this quite descriptive account of Harry getting back into the tunnel after Malfoy spots his head near the Shrieking Shack, does it mention Harry descending over 200 steps. In fact, he "tucked the Cloak under his arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage."

It could have said he ran down the steps, that is definitely physically possible. It does not say this. It says he ran "flat out." FLAT out. He took off down the passage running as fast as he could given the circumstances. He runs the whole way back, which affirms the distance of the tunnel being about a mile. Harry doesn't go on runs, that we are aware of. I'd like to think he does. But I cannot support my HC for this with canon text. Thus, a fit teenage boy running a mile and getting a "sharp pain in his side" as a result feels authentic, longer than a mile, I don't think he could have run the whole way unless he runs recreationally. Quidditch isn't a weight bearing sport, nor is it particularly taxing on the cardio system for seekers who spend most of the game searching for the snitch.

The steps are never mentioned again on either end of the journey through this tunnel after the first time when there are over 200 of them. There are 4 passages of text which references Harry's trips. Down and back in Chapters 10-11, then down and back again in Chapter 14. The stone slide or chute which is on the witch end of the passage is mentioned multiple times. It is included in both the passages above, but I didn't underline the references.

Here is another one, as Harry enters the tunnel in Chapter 14 - Snape's Grudge.

There are three mentions of the stone chute in canon.

Why does it matter?

In examining the one-eyed witch tunnel, we get our first glimpse of JKR being inconsistent in her depiction of the passage. And we are not talking about book to book. Harry's trips through these tunnels are chapters apart in POA. We see the length of the tunnel described in a questionable way, we also see 15 stories of stairs suddenly become a non-entity.

As we examine the other two Hogsmeade tunnels, I will show this is not a phenomena isolated to this one tunnel. There are inconsistencies in all three tunnels!

And for one tunnel in particular this becomes far more than slightly puzzling.

Because The Prank, which is an important piece of evidence when considering the canon characterizations of Sirius, James, Remus, Severus, and even Dumbledore to a degree, involves a tunnel - the tunnel under the Whomping Willow.

No matter your camp, The Prank happened. However, I will argue that The Prank, like too many iconic and important moments in the series actually couldn't have happened in the way it is described at all. And there are further implications regarding the Whomping Willow tunnel and the stories Remus and Sirius tell Harry about their full moon excursions outside of the Shrieking Shack.

What does this mean for canon compliance?

It means what you want it to mean. It means canon is not always a reliable source upon which to build. It means canon compliance is ALWAYS the fanfic authors interpretation of the world, and that they are working with a flawed and incomplete template. It means when people make statements like "The Prank" shows how little Sirius cares for Remus, that he is no better than a murder, that the Marauders as a whole were willing to kill in their teens, and that Severus is a victim who was sent to his death, that canon cannot wholly support any of those proclamations because there are major flaws in the foundation of the stories told about the event.

To me, it means there is room for interpretation.

And that's really all I'm trying to show. Only JKR knew what her exact intentions were when writing the series. Of course she didn't intend most of the ships fandom ships, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for them to work within a canon context.

In all the flaws, JKR has left room for fanfic authors to fill in the gaps with their own imagination. And the reality is everyone may not all agree on how best to fill those voids, but that comes down to PERSONAL HC and not canon derived evidence.

Up next... the Hog's Head tunnel.

[atithsinaiamonkar]

The Symbiotic Union: Can Science and Faith Coexist?

The iconic Bollywood film "PK" made a unique exploration of the realities of faith and the human condition at large. Through its satirical lens, the film challenged conventional notions of faith and encouraged viewers to question the impaired acceptance of some religious beliefs. As the protagonist, PK, brilliantly portrayed by supremely talented and acclaimed actor Aamir Khan navigates a world filled with diverse beliefs and practices, he unwittingly exposes the absurdity of many blind rituals and superstitions. The cinematic provocation of this movie exhibits the complex interplay between science and faith, exhibiting the fragile boundary separating these two opposing forces and examining how these seemingly disparate domains can coexist and even complement each other.

Today, advancements in science and technology coexist with deeply entrenched faith-based practices. Even in critical moments, when medical science reaches its limits, many resort to prayer and divine intervention. This dichotomy is evident in the practices of institutions like ISRO, where scientists, while at the forefront of technological innovation, still seek divine blessings before major satellite launches and operations. This global phenomenon has polarised society into two factions, one that champions science as the ultimate arbiter of truth and the other that prioritises faith over empirical evidence. These two forces have captivated human thought for centuries and continue mesmerising the world with their perplexing embrace while failing to find synchrony in their association.

Science, an unrelenting explorer of the unknown, has peeled back the layers of cosmic mystery, from the minute particles that constitute matter to the vast expanse of the universe. Armed with empirical evidence and logical reasoning, science has empowered humanity to harness the resources of nature, elevate our quality of life and confront some pressing global challenges. Scientific breakthroughs have revolutionised medicine, technology, agriculture etc. reshaping the very fabric of human existence. From developing life-saving vaccines to creating sustainable energy solutions, science holds the key to a brighter future. Its ability to unravel the secrets of the natural world and apply them to practical solutions has made it an indispensable tool for human progress and prosperity.

The scientific understanding of human reproduction has long debunked the enchanting fairytales of angelic beings delivering infants wrapped in flower petals. Science offers a more grounded explanation, revealing the intricate biological processes involved in conception and birth. Similarly, the Big Bang theory provides a compelling explanation for the origins of the universe, challenging creation myths and religious tenets. The theory of evolution, through the process of natural selection, accounts for the diversity of life on Earth, including the evolution of humans from our primate ancestors. Science always relies on the existence of empirical evidence and logical reasoning to offer rational explanations for phenomena that are otherwise shrouded in misconception and superstition.

Faith extends beyond the realm of scientific inquiry, providing answers to the existential dilemmas that science cannot fully explain. Faith instils a moral compass and a belief in a higher power. By fostering hope and compassion it enriches lives and inspires individuals to strive for the better. Just as an orphan yearns for parental guidance, a person without faith may lack a moral anchor. The absence of a higher authority can lead individuals astray, as evidenced by the experiences of many orphans who struggled without any parental guidance. The fear of divine retribution and the hope of heavenly rewards can motivate people to lead virtuous lives. Conversely, atheists, lacking such accountability, may be less inclined and more fearless to consider the moral repercussions of their actions.

However, unchecked faith can degenerate into dogma and superstition, hindering progress and stifling critical thinking. It becomes necessary to approach any belief system with a critical mind, questioning its assumptions and seeking evidence to support its claims. By doing so, we can avoid the pitfalls of blind faith and embrace the wisdom that faith can offer. Blind faith can lead to irrational and harmful behaviour, as evidenced by countless examples. Moreover, pseudoscientific and cult practices often exploit the vulnerable, promising heavenly salvation and enlightenment while demanding obedience and sacrifice. A balanced approach that combines faith with scientific thinking becomes imperative to harness the positive aspects of faith while avoiding its negative excesses.

When faced with adversity, the human mind often succumbs to a state of learned helplessness. This feeling accompanied by anxiety and despair, paralyses rational thinking and creates a suspension of disbelief. In such moments of vulnerability, individuals may turn to seeking solace in the unknown. This leads to a dangerous disconnect between reason and reality, where individuals become more prone to superstition and unfounded beliefs. Instead of seeking solutions through scientific inquiry and critical reasoning, they resort to desperate measures, adding layers of complexity and confusion to an already challenging situation. This erosion of trust in both science and faith hinders progress and leaves individuals feeling lost and adrift in an ocean of uncertainty without shores.

A harmonious integration of science and religion can lead to a more profound understanding of both the natural and spiritual worlds. By embracing science for uncovering truth, while acknowledging its inherent limitations and the existence of questions beyond its scope, we can approach faith with a critical vision. This encourages a dialogue where scientific discoveries can inform and enrich the contemporary interpretations of faith, while the values of faith can guide the ethical application of scientific knowledge. This symbiotic relationship fosters a sense of responsibility and accountability within the scientific and spiritual community, ensuring that both faith and science serve the common good and align with the principles of compassion and justice across the globe.

Religious scriptures across all faiths offer profound insights into their practices, often aligning with scientific principles. They define faith not as any blind belief, but as a deep-seated trust in and an unconditional devotion to the higher power and a commitment to virtuous living. Many rituals, often dismissed as mere superstition, have underlying scientific benefits and have been proven to enhance our physical and mental well-being. These texts consistently prioritise virtuous conduct, emphasising integrity, compassion and altruism over superficial rituals or attempts to manipulate and appease the divine. Adherence to such authentic teachings is mandatory if we are to cultivate a holistic approach to life, integrating spiritual growth with justified understanding and ethical living.

A quarrel between two always benefits the third. The artificial divide between science and faith has created an opportune landscape for people with nefarious intentions to exploit the resulting chaos. By sowing discord and deepening the rift between these two forces, they capitalise on the confusion that ensues. While conflicts are inevitable, the welfare of human civilisation demands a concerted effort to maintain a harmonious union between science and faith. The multifaceted challenges facing humanity, necessitate a holistic approach that draws upon both the power of scientific innovation and the ethical guidance offered by faith. Ultimately, we are all products of this intricate interplay, and nurturing this communion is paramount for the continued growth and flourishing of humankind.

Science and religion are not adversaries but complementary disciplines with distinct strengths and limitations. Recognising the value of both perspectives allows us to cultivate a more balanced and enlightened worldview. As Albert Einstein eloquently mentioned, "Science without faith is lame, faith without science is blind." A tolerant coexistence between these two disciplines can illuminate the path towards a more fulfilling and meaningful human existence. As products of the procreation of science and faith, we must step in to foster a dialogue of ceasefire between science and faith. For securing the welfare of the human populace, we must take decisive action to preserve this association, if we are to forge a brighter future that is both intellectually enriching and spiritually fulfilling.

[theworldendswithsho]

Confounding Variable: Love

18+ MINORS DNIIII

i have been working on this for so so so long and i kept losing motivation but i finished it for his birthday <3

happy birthday to my man and enjoy this piece <3

word count: 2.8k

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Nothing ever perplexed Sho Minamimoto. There was no phenomena, worldly or otherwise, that he could not calculate, reverse-engineering the very factors of existence in his mind. He cared not for that which was incalculable. Without mathematical explanation, there was simply no beauty. The emotional connections that held back his fellow Reapers made no sense to him, and he knew it was because they didn’t need to. If it didn’t make sense to him, it was below him.

He didn’t realize just how true that statement was until you were pinned beneath him on his couch. 

This had all started out so innocently. You were walking through Shibuya, going clothes shopping for the fast-approaching spring time. You strode past clothing stores that you normally never looked twice at. The same was true for today, until out of the corner of your eye, you saw a man shopping in Black Honey Chili Cookie. You did a double take, stopping in your tracks and staring at him. He was disgustingly handsome; tall and tan, with sharp facial features and a strong demeanor. You simply had to get a better look. 

You walked into the store, looking around meekly as if the place would eat you alive. Here you were in your fluffy pink sweater and brown plaid miniskirt, looking around the punk-esque shop. You walked up to a rack of leather jackets and pants, gently touching them and feeling the smooth material under your fingertips. You looked up, checking to see where the man was, but he was nowhere in your periphery. Tough luck. At least while you were there, you might as well grab one of these jackets. They do look pretty cool, even if they hardly match what you’re wearing right now.

One look at the price tag had you changing your mind. $600? You were here on a shopping spree, but not quite that expensive of one. You stumble back in shock, preparing to quickly depart the store. You didn’t need the employees thinking you were stealing from some place so expensive, since you were lingering around looking for a hot guy. Your back hits a wall, except you don’t remember the border of the store being quite so close. And then it hits you, its a person. Oh god. You turn around slowly, “I’m so sorry”s rushing out of your lips before you can even see who you’ve bumped into. 

Its him. His long, dark gray snakeskin-patterned coat fell so nicely around his frame. You look up at him and blink a few times. “Don’t worry about it, you hardly touched me,” he says, his voice confident. “R-right, sorry…” you say, face flushing now that he’s looking right at you. Your sudden hurry to leave the store has faded, instead replaced by sheer awe of his handsome features.

“So… What’s a pretty girl like yourself doing here?” He asks, a sly grin on his face as he takes notice of your pink outfit, which was rather uncharacteristic for the store he was in.

“Oh, um… I thought those leather jackets looked really cool,” I lie, hoping he doesn’t notice.

He lets out a short laugh. “A girl like you would be more at home in a cute boutique, no? But hey, I think a leather jacket could suit you, too.”

“Well, uh, I just found out that its really expensive… So I was gonna leave and go to the store I normally visit…” I say awkwardly, feeling vulnerable under his gaze.

“If you’re worried about trying on the ones in the store, you can always try on mine,” he suggests, shrugging his jacket off of his broad shoulders. “Turn around, pretty.”

My face flushes bright red. “I couldn’t possibly try on your coat… I’m sure it was just as expensive as the ones in this store… And its really nice! I don’t want to ruin it.”

“Sure you could. Just slip it over those pretty shoulders of yours…” He trails off, his voice sweet and his eyes glinting.

“A-alright… Its a bit long though, I’m not quite as tall as you,” I say, slowly turning so that my back is facing him.

“Mm, good girl,” he mutters, slipping the jacket over my shoulders, taking his time and feeling the expanse of my shoulders where they met the pale column of my neck.

I gulp and turn to face him, raising an arm and noticing the way the too-long sleeves flopped over my hands. “I think its a little long,” I mutter, giving him a nervous smile.

His eyes rake over my frame, taking in the sight of my smaller body in his long jacket. I swear I catch his breath hitch in his throat momentarily, but that shit-eating grin is back on his face in no time.

���You look good in my clothes,” he says, eyes lingering on my bare legs underneath my skirt before rising again to my face. “But I think I’d like to see you without any.”

Mere moments had passed, but the next thing I knew, I was hand in hand with him, walking out of the store and ducking into the alley next to it. I was pushed up against the brick wall as he hovered over me. His face was mere inches from mine, our chests rising and falling in anticipation.

“...Your name,” I huffed out, “what is it?”

“Sho Minamimoto,” he whispered before pushing our lips together.

The next several minutes were a clash of lips and tongues and occasionally teeth, and I found my face heating up with shame at the feeling of aching in my core. I’d never been the type of girl to hurl myself at a stranger, but here I was, making out with a man I’d just met in public. I subconsciously pushed my hips up into him, and he met my motions with his own. Our lips separated to allow us a moment to catch our breaths. My chest heaved, mouth gaping open mere inches from his, my eyes heavy-lidded as I found myself intoxicated in his presence. One push of his hips against my own had me letting out a soft mewl, and he grinned.

“Not… not here..” I panted, “Not in public.”

Sho rolled his eyes, watching me piece together whatever dignity I had left after he’d just torn it to bits by ravaging my lips in the alleyway. He nodded anyway, and gave me a smirk.

“My apartment’s only a few minutes away,” he muttered against my lips, capturing me in a quick kiss before grabbing my hand and yanking me out of the alley, leaving me no time to compose my messy hair and spit-soaked lips. I followed him as he dragged me several blocks towards a tall apartment building. All I could do was stumble along behind him, his long legs allowing him to walk at a much faster pace than myself. With my one free hand, I attempted to fix my hair, keeping my head low in the hopes that I wouldn’t be recognized by anyone I know.

The apartment building was tall and glassy, its large windows looming over the neighborhood. Sho pulled a key card out of an interior pocket of his coat and scanned it on a small square by the door. The resounding click told me the door had unlocked, and he pulled it open, holding it for me as I skittered through into the building. The lobby was simple yet extravagant: a mahogany front desk with marble countertop, gold sconces on the walls, even an accent wall that was just a gentle waterfall tumbling over cobbles. Plush gray chairs surrounded a low mahogany coffee table, with various magazines and newspapers kept in a tidy pile in the center. Before I could gape too long, a “ding” sounded and I turned to realize that Sho had brought me to the elevator, the doors of which were now sliding open. 

It was at this moment, where he stood in the elevator, our hands connected as I made to follow him, that I realized I had a choice. I could drop his hand, turn around and run out the front doors, and leave this intoxicatingly handsome man behind and resume my shopping like nothing ever happened. I could run away with my tail between my legs and live down the shame of being so reckless without anyone being any the wiser. And yet, his stoic face and expectant gaze lured me in, and I wordlessly crossed the threshold of the elevator, hearing the doors slide shut behind me.

I stared up at him, chest to chest with him, as he reached behind me to press a button for whatever floor he lived on. The intensity of his gaze intimidated me and I turned my head, suddenly interested in the mirrored upper wall of the elevator. A large, warm palm lifted to my chin, turning my head back to him. My breath caught in my lungs as his amber eyes locked with mine and a smirk played across his lips. In an instant, our lips connected again, searing and relentless. My arms, awkwardly glued to my sides, slowly lifted to rest my hands on his shoulders. The warm palm on my chin slid to the back of my neck, holding me in place, whilst his other hand snaked down to my lower back, pulling me closer against him. I felt him bite gently on my lower lip and I gave a small squeak, opening my mouth and giving him access. His tongue quickly dominated my own, and the warm glide of our tongues on each other made me moan out. 

The elevator dinged, coming to a stop, and he pulled away from my lips. I stared forward at him in a daze as he looked up at the sign above the door and said, “Well, this is my floor.” He grabbed my hand and eagerly pulled me out of the elevator. I followed him, suddenly pliant and putty-like in his grip. Only a few short steps later, he was at the door to his apartment, pulling a key-card out of an inner pocket and scanning it to unlock the door. He gestured for me to step in, and I did, hardly getting a moment to take in my surroundings before he kneed the door shut and pressed me up against it. I gasped, feeling his hand on my waist, before it travelled down to my backside and then to the back of my thigh, where he hiked my leg up to settle on his hip. The new position reduced the space between us to mere atoms and I gulped, looking up at him with my mouth agape as I felt his hardness pressed against me. He leaned down, lips connecting with my jaw and then my neck, where he nipped and sucked. My hand rested in his hair and I relaxed against the door, letting out soft moans. My hips began to rock gently to meet his hardened length from where it rested in his pants, and I heard him let out a low groan followed by a deep chuckle.

“Tell me what you want, princess,” he mumbled next to my ear, the pet name slipping off his tongue with ease. I turn my head to the side, avoiding his gaze as a potent blush settles over my cheeks.

“Don't be an idiot, you know what I want,” I say, barely above a whisper.

There's a grin on Sho's face, and it's like a switch flipped in his demeanor.

“An idiot? What kind of man do you take me for? Maybe that kind of line works on the idiots you've been with before, but it won't sway someone of my intelligence. Now tell me what you want.” He punctuates the end of his sentence with a smack to my backside and I let out a gasp, turning my head back to face him.

“You… I want you… Fuck me, Sho, please?”

In an instant, he whirls me across the room and onto his grey, square couch. I'm flat on my back, skirt hiked up and revealing more of my thighs, and Sho is kneeling over me, caging me in with his hands and knees. He stares into my eyes, and there's a softening in his gaze. His right hand comes up to cup my cheek.

“Are you sure about this?” Sho asks, his voice suddenly tender.

I nod, and he presses a quick, chaste kiss to my lips before kissing along my jaw and neck. His hands slowly peel away my clothing, and he takes an item of his clothes off each time he takes one of mine. We're left naked on his couch, back in the position we were in before. Sho is staring into my eyes, and then he closes his eyes, shaking his head slightly. 

“I don't get it…” he mumbles.

“Don't get what?” I ask, confused and impatient.

“I like my alone time. I ask anyone I sleep with to leave right away. But I think – I think I want you to stay.”

My breath catches in my throat at the tender confession, and I nod in silent agreement.

“I'll stay.”

I feel his dick twitch against my thigh as I utter those words, and he groans slightly.

“I'm not gonna fuck you princess, at least not yet.” 

I whine, impatience overcoming me, but he shushes me and lines up with my entrance, gently gliding in, inch by inch.

“I'm gonna make love to you,” he whispers, and his hand intertwines with mine as he starts a slow, steady pace.

Little mewls and moans leave my mouth as I feel the pressure of him between my hips. Sho is pressing kisses to every inch of my skin he can, savoring the taste of a woman's skin for the first time in his life. His eyes have fluttered shut, and I can tell he is lost in the gentle pleasure of his ministrations. 

Sho lets go of my hand, moving his hand down to thumb at my clit in small, calculated circles. My moans increase in volume, and I hear him groan when I squeeze around him.

“Here's that fucking I promised, princess,” he breathes out, ending on a nearly feral chuckle. Sho pulls out, and I mumble whiny complaints about the lack of stimulation. He flips me over onto my hands and knees, and then slides back into my wetness in one deep stroke. 

“16 degrees downward…” I hear him mutter to himself, and then I am crying out in sheer bliss as he rams into that soft, spongey spot encased in my inner walls, over and over again. His thrusts are relentless, and the constant stimulation leaves tears streaming from my eyes.

“Fuck, ‘m molding your pussy into a perfect fit for me… Gonna ruin anyone else for you,” he groans out. “You gonna fuck an idiot ever again?”

So lost in bliss, I completely miss his question. Sho lands a quick slap to my ass in response. 

“Answer me, princess. Are you gonna fuck an idiot ever again?” 

“No, no, fuck, never again… Smart… Smart dick is too good,” I babble out, flushing in embarrassment at my own words.

“Good, sounds like I fucked the stupid out of you, isn't that right?”

Sho grabs my hips so hard I fear he'll leave bruises, and his thrusts are harsh and unforgivingly quick. My walls start to pulse in time with his thrusts, and I feel myself about to cum.

“Fuck, I calculated perfectly,” Sho groans out, and as my orgasm hits me he pulls out suddenly. The sudden action makes me gush, and I sob out in pleasure, the likes of which I'd never felt before. Sho finishes in this same instant, groaning with each spurt of cum that leaves his angry red tip and lands on my ass.

Lost in the afterglow of my orgasm, I slump forward and close my eyes, resting my head on my hands. It is silent, and I feel him shuffle off the couch. 

When I wake up, he's cleaned me off and covered me with a blanket. I look around, confused by waking up under a ceiling not my own. Sho's large hands softly fingered my curls, and I watch his lips move in the words, “C = pi r squared,” visually estimating the circumference of each curl. I look up at him and smile, and there's a softness in his gaze that I hadn't seen when I first met him. The hardened exterior had vanished.

Looking into her eyes, Sho felt his heart flutter in a way mathematics could not explain. He had acted irrationally, falling in love with a woman he only intended to sleep with. Love had never made sense to him, and from where he lay right now, it seemed it never would. With the way she looked up at him, her features soft and rosy in the afterglow of lovemaking, he figured maybe this was something he didn't want to explain with numbers or reason. In the grand experiment of life, his love for you would just have to be a confounding variable.