Wipe Away The Tears (And Other Bodily Fluids!!!)

Kidding? Me? When have I ever done that? It's actually a real news story. It's on the BBC website. Obviously there's a research lab somewhere with nothing more important to do!!

@WorDazza Some of the stuff they research is very strange - and this is one of them.

@WorDazza Oh well, if it's on the BBC it must be true!

Like most things these days it's probably just because they can!!

@fishtiger58 Yes it does seem somewhat strange to invest time in pointless frivolities when serious scientific research into solving some of the world's problems would seem like a better way to spend the time and effort.

@WorDazza While millions live on the streets and eat from garbage cans. Till the day I die I will never understand that.

The Higgs boson could lead us to a better understanding of how our universe works. This is potentially far more than just curiosity for the sake of it. A better understanding of how bodies acquire mass could potentially lead to future applications a number of years down the line. Who knows what they may be at this point in time but history is littered with discoveries that appeared to have no useful purpose at the time but their true use to humanity only became apparent many years later. One such example is nitrous-oxide. Originally used as an entertaining curiosity in travelling shows it wasn't until someone realised that, the apparently pointless, gas had pain numbing properties that modern anaesthetics were born. The steam engine was another one. A seemingly useless curiosity was invented in 150 BC that was driven by steam. It wasn't until this little device came to the attention of James Watt about 2000 years later that the practical applications were realised and the steam engine was born. So it may be with the Higgs boson. The discovery happens. The practical applications become apparent later.

Good examples of how research and science has sparked inventions of some usefulness. I suppose it all depends on how it is applied. The bit about devices that monitor waste I wasn't aware of. Thanks because if I learn something new it all seems worthwhile again. It's true everything we learn can lead to something new and exciting. I like to be able to see some kind of application but presently just can't nor has anyone ever written anything as to what this research will actually do for mankind as far as I'm aware. But like you wrote time will tell.

@WorDazza we bug ourselves anyway - bugs only work if we make noise and do stuff - they just pick up our noise - bugging monks on a vow of silence would be pointless - just because we make a mess is not an option for someone to access it forensically without warrented legal cause

As they're looking at microbes and other such stuff we leave on our phones then in a sense we are bugging our own phones!!

Au contraire. Not using 'in-private' browsing is far more likely to lead to trouble!!

They're analysing pretty much anything they can find on the phones. I suspect that phone screens are covered with molecules from everything we touch throughout the day.

Indeed. Which is why you will find me looking cool as the proverbial cucumber!!

It takes me all my time to make the effort to buy stuff I should be buying so it's unlikely I would be buying anything I shouldn't

Thank you. I do try! If you're buying that then I should have married you