Discerning crystals

[Rolfe]

From this week's commentary (http://www.randi.org/jr/010204rand.html):The charged water's seeds sprouted 1 day earlier with a deeper green color and grew to twice the height as the seeds in the regular saucer.But then again....Crystals placed in a swimming pool or spa seem to inhibit algae growth and decrease the need for chemicals.I also noted that a crystal will slow the multiplication of bacteria in milk.

Clever crystals, no?

How come they know that we want the seeds to grow faster, so promote their growth, but then they also seem to know that we don't want the pool algae or the milk spoilage bacteria to grow, so inhibit their growth?

How come they seem to tailor their effect to be "nice"? Are these crystals sentient? And what about the adverse effects? Which crystals are ill-disposed to us and so will slow the growth of the seeds and speed the growth of the algae and bacteria? I think we should be told.

Rolfe.

[Suezoled]

Simple Rolfe! Algae is not a plant! Therefore, it is affected differently than a real plant. And milk contains bacteria, which would also change the growth. Silly vet with your mainstream knowledge! ;)

[wayrad]

Originally posted by Suezoled
Simple Rolfe! Algae is not a plant! Therefore, it is affected differently than a real plant. Ah, but do the crystals work differently on the algae depending on whether you know it's a plant or not? :D

[Soapy Sam]

Rolfe, it is absolutely true that adding quartz crystals will reduce algae growth in a swimming pool. You just have to add enough. The effect is greatly enhanced by mixing the quartz in a cement slurry.

[patnray]

Rolfe: A very good point. Many woo woo claims suffer from the same inability to maintain consistency when examined closely. Often, if one assumes a claimed psychic ability really exists, then one can find numerous illogical or contradictory consequences.

My favorite is the claim that the "negative energy" of skeptics negates psychic effects. If true, then either the effect has a limit, which ought to be measurable, or else no psychic phenomina can ever occur as long as there is at least one skeptic alive in the world. If you believe that psychic phenomina do occur, then you must believe that there is a limit to this "negative energy".

I wonder why no one has ever tried to measure the limit?;)

[tamiO]

Originally posted by Rolfe
Are these crystals sentient?

There ya go! Simple when you think about it.

[thatguywhojuggles]

I recently had an encounter with a good friend of mine who believes in the powers of crystals. After telling me that crystals send out vibrations that she can feel, I excitedly told her she had a testable claim. After describing the test, she hesitated--almost as if she realized she could not pass this test.

After some further discussion, she pretty much let me know she wanted to believe, and it didn't matter if it was real or not--that if she believed it to be real in her mind, then it was real.

Reminds me of this quote:

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." -- Philip K. Dick (1928 - 1982)

[Rolfe]

Talking of wanting to believe, this page here does a very neat job of linking two of the items in this week's commentary - the crystals and veterinary quackery.

The Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre (http://www.alternativevet.org/crystals.htm).
:dl:

Yes, I know I've linked to it before, but it's just so risible I can't resist.

Rolfe.

[Suezoled]

I tried a crystal once. It was supposed to be soothing and send out vibes to calm me. I had to lie back and put it on my forehead. It kept rocking back and forth when I breathed. It irritated me even more. I betcha I could wilt grass I was so peeved. Must be my negative energy blocked out the harmonious vibrations of the cyrstals.

[jimlintott]

I sprinkled crystals onto my eggs this morning.

Then I ate them.

[MRC_Hans]

One of my (many) peeves about crystal idiots: Have you noticed that amber is part of their inventory? Of course, amber is neither a mineral, nor crystalline, but what the heck.....:rolleyes:

Hans

[Rolfe]

It all depends on how you define "crystal", of course. These spiritual people spit upon your reductionist chemical definition. :D

Rolfe.

[MRC_Hans]

A definition of "crystal" that included amber would include all inanimate objects :rolleyes:

Oh, well............

Hans

[Soapy Sam]

Yep. Crystals of amber, Christmas Pudding, plagiarism and histopathology would seem to share many properties.

[carlosthetackle]

What is this 'amber' you speak of?

[MRC_Hans]

Originally posted by carlosthetackle
What is this 'amber' you speak of? Amber is fossilized resin, about 50-150 million years old. It has been used for its decorative values since prehistoric times.

Good info here (http://www.gplatt.demon.co.uk/)

-- and here (http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/amber.htm)

-also here (http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/amber/)

And a commercial Danish site (http://www.danish-amber.com/)

Hans

[Soapy Sam]

Bernstein.

[DrMatt]

Originally posted by jimlintott
I sprinkled crystals onto my eggs this morning.

Then I ate them.

Well, the crystals I use every morning make me feel peppy. The way I figure it, to be called "Mrs. Ohlson", she must be married, so maybe she has a daughter my age.

[phildonnia]

Originally posted by MRC_Hans
One of my (many) peeves about crystal idiots: Have you noticed that amber is part of their inventory? Of course, amber is neither a mineral, nor crystalline, but what the heck.....:rolleyes:
Hans

Reminds me of the time I saw a person in a store "testing" one of those lead-"crystal" sparkly things by swinging it over their palm. Lead crystal is also not a "crystal". I resisted the urge to demonstrate "conchoidal fracture" right there.

A property of amber often cited by the woo^2 advocate is that it tends to pick up negative charges from other substances. (The word "electricity" derives from the Greek for "amber"). By this standard, Teflon should evidence the properties of amber to a far greater degree.

[Soapy Sam]

Phildonnia- conchoidal fracture in itself would not prove non-crystallinity. You would be likely to get it with quartz for example.
Depends on crystal system and cleavage.

You are quite right though. It's lead glass.

[phildonnia]

Originally posted by Soapy Sam
Phildonnia- conchoidal fracture in itself would not prove non-crystallinity.

And besides that, I'd probably end up paying for it.

[CERDIP]

Originally posted by Rolfe

...
How come they know that we want the seeds to grow faster, so promote their growth, but then they also seem to know that we don't want the pool algae or the milk spoilage bacteria to grow, so inhibit their growth?
...



Well its obvious. These are crystals grown in a thermos bottle!

[Bottle or the Gun]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by thatguywhojuggles
[B]I recently had an encounter with a good friend of mine who believes in the powers of crystals. After telling me that crystals send out vibrations that she can feel, I excitedly told her she had a testable claim. After describing the test, she hesitated--almost as if she realized she could not pass this test.

__________________________________________________ __

I also had a few friends who could 'feel' the 'power' of crystals when they held it in the palm of their hands. Any heavy enough object resting in the palm will present the holder with the sensation that it has some intrinsic 'power', as it is pressing against vessels that beat with your pulse. The same effect can be felt using a piece of concrete, a bolt, etc.

[whitefork]

Googling on "amber" and "cleavage" brings up a list of sites that are blocked by the filters here.

My research is terribly hindered.

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by jimlintott
I sprinkled crystals onto my eggs this morning.Sorry, they don't work, you fart all the same. :D