Rocket Science – It’s Not Rocket Science!

We know it’s a synonym for something very difficult but really, it’s a misnomer. Where did the term come from? It was obviously coined by someone who doesn’t understand how simple it really is. Have you ever farted in a closed room and noticed people moving away from you? No? Er… actually neither have I but you can imagine the result. That’s basically rocket science but probably not what prompted Sir Isaac Newton to state that “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” more than 300 years ago. Newton failed to see the childishly amusing interpretation of a falling apple as a tree farting fruit onto the sleeping scientist. But that was all about gravity, something rocket science is meant to overcome.

Sorry to Hear That

It often accompanies news of a death. People say, or increasingly these days, post on Facebook, “I’m sorry to hear that”. Do they realise how self-centred they sound?