• Question: What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?

    Asked by driabmas to Kate, Kieren, Nicola, Rowena, Roy on 10 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by andrewjaburgon, joe2000, .
    • Photo: Kieren Bradley

      Kieren Bradley answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      In the eternal words of Deep Thought: “42”

      The more important thing is what is the question?

      A very philosophical question, a biologist might well say that it is to pass on our genes, a religious person may well say to lead a worthwhile life. A scientist may well say to learn as much as possible about the universe and everything.

      I personally think it should be to have fun (which to me involves learning all sorts of interesting things about our universe) but without causing harm to others (including the other inhabitants, animal and vegetable) of our planet.

      It is quite amazing the fact that the universe came into being and the physical laws all work, though the fact they did maybe suggests they had to in the first place. It all gets a bit deep and my head goes round in circles if I think about it too much.

    • Photo: Rowena Fletcher-Wood

      Rowena Fletcher-Wood answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      42. But what’s the ultimate question?

    • Photo: Kate Nicholson

      Kate Nicholson answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      42. Or 49 the mice mis-calculated it he first time.

    • Photo: Roy Adkin

      Roy Adkin answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Hi Andrew,
      This has generated quite a lot of discussion in the PhD office.
      Ultimately, everything in the universe is either 1) going to die a cold lonely death as all the matter in the universe will be converted to energy over an unimaginably vast period of time resulting in an ever expanding ever cooling void of nothingness, 2) all matter collapses back in on itself, known as the Big Crunch, 3) Nothing happens because a steady state is achieved and 4) any number of other theories and suggestions…basically…*shrugs shoulders* know one knows. ( Although we suspect the answer is actually 43 and there was an error made in rounding to the nearest significant figure)
      Hope that helps 😛

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