It's not true that string theory can't be disproven in our lifetime. It can, but it will be very hard to do so.

Once again, thanks for the compliment. As to why I'm not an official contributor, that's not in my power to answer that. I've never been asked to be an official contributor. If I were, would I accept? I don't know. I'd have to think very carefully about that.

Thanks! I appreciate the compliment. I can only hope never to lead you astray.

"You're presupposing that there's some sort of mystical, a priori "thing" that is an "idea" in the first place;"

"Supersymmetry holds that all the subatomic particles we know have counterparts that are almost exactly the same, only much, much heavier."

As usual for you, interesting article, Annalee.

"But my totally amateur guess is that it wouldn't make that much difference. "

I'm not aware of that book and will search for more info on it but, for now, I'll take a neutral position. All I know is that there is some controversy regarding J's existence.

I generally don't watch Family Guy but I should watch that episode. Sounds like the kind of 2010 I'd like to see and live in.

"There ARE mentions of Jesus in Roman writings of the time, so he probably existed."

"That also means much of the great art of the Renaissance is never created."

"I don't think it would have made any difference what-so-ever. [...] They simply would have co-opted some other belif system as a tool to strengthen their rule."

Sorry, but if Jesus happens not to have existed, then I'm afraid he can't help you with your madness. :)

Interesting analysis. Thanks!

"a machine that pulls energy from some non-obvious source (thus appearing to be PM or over-unity) can be very interesting and valuable, and worth at least having a look over to see if there's something to it"

"If it can be done in simulation with sufficiently large number of simulated atoms, then yes, I'd say the matter is no longer theoretical."

"If Jesus did not exist (and he did, it is simply his divinity that is in question)"

"If Jesus did not exist (and he did, it is simply his divinity that is in question)"

Excellent point!

What *I* would like to know is what the world would be like if neither Jesus (assuming he did exist) nor Mohammed had ever existed. Yes, I know, some other crazy person would then claim to have heard the voice of god. Still, there is always the chance that no one would claim that for a long enough time that, by the…