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Spaghetti science: What pasta reveals about the universe (bbc.com)
48 points by pseudolus on March 24, 2025 | hide | past | favorite | 16 comments


According to Italo Calvino [1] the universe was created from the impulse to make a bowl of pasta.

[1] All at One Point https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cosmicomics/cWMec8TktW4...


If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe...


This is also the fundament of Pastafarianism.



I came here to mention this, so I'm glad to see someone else got there first :-)


Long, thin strands of polymer are the backbone of life, which is one of the most, if not the most, complex forms of matter the universe has ever created.

Spaghetti is the same type of polymer so a pretty good abstraction.


A better article (featuring the same Getty stock photo!) at Scientific American, that clarifies that this research was looking at better materials for bandages and dressings: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-worlds-smalle...


The processes used in cooking have interesting properties. Freezing and thawing, heat, water, steaming and boiling, conduction and convection, even the order of operations.

Of course, there is always the risk that a metaphor will be overcooked.


Perhaps the Pastafarians were right? [0]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster


I agree and have full confidence in these truths:

It's Better If You Do's

    . It's Better If You Find A Thing You Are Good At
    . It's Better If You Live in Harmony With the World
    . It's Better If You Make Art
    . It's Better If You Lead An Untethered Life
    . It's Better If You Work Together
It's Better If You Don't's

    . It's Better If You Don't Put People In Cages
    . It's Better If You Don't Work Too Much
    . It's Better If You Don't Value Possessions
    . It's Better If You Don't Hurt Others
    . It's Better If You Don't Censor Things


Everything except "It's Better If You Make Art". That's not very fair to those of us who don't have a creative bone in our body. No one is better because they were born creative. Besides, who would there be to appreciate art if everyone were a creator?


Art is the way we express complex abstract feelings and ideas. Anybody can be an artist. No one says the art has to be appealing to others (which is always subjective)


We love noodles and sauce for they remind us of the simpler, primordial times.


<3


Spaghetti revealling scientific truths? Bobby Henderson would not be amused, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastafarians


Embrace his noodly appendages for The Flying Spaghetti Monster only wants what's best for you. Ra'men




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