5 Unsolvable Mysteries of Science 

Thanks to Brilliant for sponsoring this video! Go to brilliant.org/sideprojects/ to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription.

Simon's videos are like the universe, constantly expanding and impossible to enumerate.

Simon, your videos play a huge part in drowning out my inner monologue that throws relentless obstacles in my way 😂 thank you for your melodious tone and cadence!

I had a dream the other night. I went to work one day, and nobody remembered who I was. So I decided to take the day off.

If you don't think you'd EVER fall for the placebo effect, realize that it take 10-30 minutes for the caffeine in coffee to kick in, and yet many people feel "instantly awake" at the very first sip. Similarly, Tylonal tablets take 30-45 minutes to take effect, yet I've seen many people insist they feel "much better" after about 5 minutes.

I'm one of those people that feels that their mind is in their brain/head. When I think, I feel it from my brain, when I move, I feel it from my brain, wheni get hurt, sure, I feel it at the point of pain, but I feel it in my brain. As I type this, I feel it being thought in my brain. Ugh. So profound Simon, you're killing me!!

I used to keep a dream diary where I would write down as much as I could remember of the dream and then afterwards analyze it. While there were a few "What the heck was that all about" dreams, for the majority of them I could figure out this came from something that happened a few days ago, that came from something I read, this came from something I saw on TV, etc. So I am of the belief dreams are just our brains sorting through memories.

It’s very comforting to think of areas of knowledge unfathomable to humans, I think

I dreamed that I was able to finally watch all of Simon's videos and was caught up.... turned into a nightmare when there were no more Simon videos!

If my dreams have any meaning... uh, they don't. My dreams are so bonkers there's no way there's a meaning or value to them.

1:05 - Chapter 1 - What are dreams 2:40 - Mid roll ads 4:10 - Chapter 2 - What is consciousness 6:10 - Chapter 3 - What's out there 7:45 - Chapter 4 - How do animal migrate 10:00 - Chapter 5 - What is the placebo effect

I wonder if placebos would have any effect on paralysis?

About the placebo: It can actually affect some biological processes. In a randomized trial, balding men began growing their hair back after being treated with a placebo. It's very strange.

Placebos are crazy! The fact that they can tell you it's a placebo and it works is weird!

The biggest question I have about dreams is why I have no visual imagination or memory when awake but I definitely see all the weird shit that happens in my dreams

Loving the Side Projects Simon, keep it up!

I find comfort in the idea that there is a limit to human knowledge. We can never know everything.

loving your work and the level you go to.

Im sure we could talk for hours if not days on these subjects Mr Whistler. I find intellectual stimulation to be the finest wine.

Whats crazy is the people who say they dont have an inner monologue. How is that possible? How do they read or write if they cant talk in their head?

I've never had a dream I can remember where I was using a cell phone or on social media

To quote Douglas Adams "Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space."

"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities." -- J.R.R. Tolkien

Fascinating as always!

Fantastic video and subject, Simon! Love your work! Also, I may have an answer for your question 'What came before the Big Bang?' Answer: The Chicken. 🐔 Then *BOOM!*💥The Universe was born!

If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand it, we wouldn't be sufficiently intelligent to understand it.

I think dreams.. our other selves in the multiverse/dimension etc that’s why they are so weird but feel comfortable

Really good vid Simon.

I keep coming across the idea that dreams have meaning, that they're symbolic or metaphorical or somesuch. And there are plenty of collections of dream tropes and their associated meanings. But that never really seemed to work for understanding my dreams, or at least the few I could remember. Not that my dreams are particularly bizarre, just that there doesn't seem to be any way in which they're about anything.

I have a nightmare disorder that stems from childhood PTSD. The vast majority of them involve real life characters and, generally, places I've been or lived. They are extremely vivid and I will remember some for days. Sure, some weird things happen or that are only plausible in dreams - like being chased by people that are zombies. But they are repetitive, over and over, but the places change ever so slightly over time to become a totally distinct place that is only recognizable in my dreams. I don't believe in any weird symbolism. They're just repressed memories or replays of trauma that my brain is trying to sort out. I can even see spikes in my heart rate taken by my watch. I take Clonidine every night for it (because I can't afford the cost of Prazosin even with insurance). But its half life wears off so fast that I start to have dreams when it wears off. As a result, I can only sleep 3 or 4.5 hours at a time. And then I wake up. (Yes, I've been professionally diagnosed)

I had a dream that legitimately haunts me a couple years after having it. My first born was 3 months old. About a week after starting to let her sleep in the nursery, I had a dream where I awoke in the middle of the night to footsteps and voices. The week before our daughter was born we had an attempted home invasion and so fears were still understandably high about another. Anyways, I looked in the baby monitor and I saw a large male form, I launched out of bed. I did not grab any weapons I just ran as fast as I could. I burst through the door to her nursery and there stood my Best Friend! He had my infant daughter by the throat, dangling in the air and he said "I can't wait to hear your last breath". I jumped on to his back and immediately put all of my weight and energy into a sleeper hold but I couldn't grip hard enough to have and effect so I grabbed him by the chin and around the back of his head, I twisted as hard as I could and when I say I was using all my strength I mean it. Finally I heard the snap and knew instantly what I had done. After all that I was still unable to save my daughter. Thankfully I woke up to see her sleeping soundly in her crib and I was exhausted, every muscle in my body was aching as if what just happened was real. It was not real but I will never forget that dream.

Genetic memory has to exist in some form. It's the only thing that would explain consistent migration across generations. I remember reading about how a bird species would avoid a specific area while migrating and scientists could understand why. They eventually realized millions of years ago a mountain would've existed in that area and the birds must've been following an ancient instinct to avoid it.

Are you suggesting that coconuts are migratory?

Some people don't remember their dreams when they wake up. They only remember 5-10 mins of nothingness and then it's the morning.

Simon your videos on all ur channels are a blessing, you and your team do good work

Dreams are you seeing your life in an alternate reality. That’s what I think. Mostly. Okay, I just want to. But it’s just as good as anyone else’s idea and more fun. 😂

Dreams are sometimes i think links to parallel universe which has other versions of you. Because it feels so real, and sometimes u even feel dezavu in some scenarios and because most dont remember their dreams. Because for you to remember brain has to experience or have emotion attached to it, but seeing/being in same place might bring dezavu because you probably dreamed of it before, u just sont remember other you being in that same spot soing something.

Every time Simon says “placebo,” I think of how he misread his friend’s shirt in his school days

If the medicine is a Pink Pill, an Orange Liquid or Fizzes when dropped in water... it works for me. Seriously! I know this is just an example of the placebo effect but it really does work!... mostly! Obviously when I broke my thigh I just wanted more of that ole laughing giggle gas 🙂

Something that I miss from my binge drinking days is the crazy dreams I would have for a day or two afterwards.

I didn't know Carabou were such good swimmers.

I'm a biomedical researcher for a huge pharmaceutical corporation. I've documented so so so many medical trials. And, I've also designed many more experiments than I will ever remember. I have more first-hand experience with the placebo effect than damn near anyone. What I've observed is that the efficacy of a placebo is so intrinsically linked to the individual, it could never be harnessed and utilized practically.

I am very interested in the possibility that our dreams are windows to other universes aka multiverse theory. That would explain why we cannot recognise ourselves in dreams, because in different universe you would develop differently as person. Looks like you but is not you. It would explain very lot why I dream of things I have never seen in real life or things happening I never have even thought about.

I thought the placebo effect only worked if you didn't know it was a placebo. Like in drug testing. That's interesting if it still works even while knowing

Another banger from posh waluigi

Weird that monarch butterflies in any other country just flutter round until they die but born in only one specific location will migrate

5:51 the eye of a NEG Blood Type...

The placebo effect works more effectively if a person receives it via injection rather than oral medication. As we perceive injections as more serious.

Consider doing a video on Dual Brain Psychology.

How do we know these mysteries are unsolvable? They are only unsolved at the moment.

I had no idea how rare it was to hear music during a dream. I had a dream I was at a BBQ party and the song "Simply Irresistible" was playing. I remember it because I was woke up about half way through it and the song was still in my head as I woke up and wanted to sing it. I heard that some people have hearing problems who dream of music but I don't. The funny thing is I have had plenty of songs in my dreams all my life. I remember there was music even if I don't usually remember the songs that played. Oh, and fyi, Idk all the words to that song but somehow it sounded complete in my dream. I'm guessing I must have filled in what words I thought was in the song.

simooon! good video again. Keep it up :)

Ive only had certain parts of dreams stick with me in memory but ive never been able to understand them

Please God - let me dream of Monarch Butterflies. Nice job Simon.

I have questioned my dreams. How I am able to fix a wiring problem on a vehicle , even getting the wire colour correct. This made me think,and hear me out. I would love to believe in parallel universes. Maybe when you dream, your conscience leaves your body and you view yourself in a parallel universe somewhere. Don't know, but it makes me excited going to sleep and escape this messed up world.

Weird fact about the placebo, even when made aware that they have the placebo the brain believing there's a chance this is a lie and they may actually infact have a slight chance of having the drug THE EFFECT STILL HAPPENS AT "FULL EFFECT"

Wasn't their a placebo effect doscovered a few ywars ago with exercise. If you imagine exercising it can have a similar effect to actually doing the exerciee?

0:21 Did you say Metzen? 😥😥 I miss him writing the warcraft story

I often dream that I am tired and sleepy and I really want to finally fall asleep but something always disturbs me and prevents me from sleeping. I also often dream that I need to go to the toilet to pee, but there are always circumstances that prevent me from doing so. The best dreams are those in which I have mastered the techniques of swimming in the air. I can then carefully rise in the air and move high. The most disturbing dreams are those about the death of oneself or loved ones. Several times I dreamed that I was preparing for my impending death. I rarely have nightmares. Usually only when sick. Then I count numbers all night, do calculations. I'm endlessly puzzled over a lot of math problems. I'm working hard towards some goal that I don't even understand.

I hope we can find the answers to these questions.

The brain doesn’t like loose ends (Gestalt). I’ve always looked at dreams as the brain running through all the input, deciding what is worth keeping and what is not. Like defragging a hard drive.

My dreams are always the wildest after a weekend of drinking.

My degree is in Cell and Molecular Biology…which is fascinating to me. However I wish I would have studied astrophysics instead. Astronomy is one of the few disciplines that readily acknowledges that the current body of knowledge is incomplete, and it may be totally incorrect. They easily accept new discoveries and the possibility of having to rewrite the entire accepted model of knowledge. It’s a field that is open to change and modification. Many other fields are less open to new ideas and the acceptance of newly discovered evidence that may require a complete overhaul of the current theories. Anthropology is one of the worst when it comes to accepting new discoveries…

Before I start watching this video, here is my take on this: We are always dreaming, well almost. Every conscious experience is a dream. By day this dream is fed by sensors input from eyes, ears or whatever and by night in your sleep by the brains internal input like memories, feelings and creative associations.

Never ever have my dreams made sense. A wise person once told me dreams are mental garbage. No more or less. Yep.

consciousness might only be one note in the overtone system of the mind- there might be a symphony going on in the mind

AFAIK I have aphantasia, yet my dreams seem to have much more fully realised imagery than my awake imagination.

Who am I to disagree?

After not sleeping like I used to for the last 3 years few hrs at a time and days on end with none. One finds that you can train yourself to wake upon answers to revaluations to scientific understandings Back injury ! Pain can be a amazing motivator sometimes

12:34 What’s even weirder is reverse placebo effect, where a person can get a legitimate medicine, but it won’t work because the person strongly believes that it won’t. Just like the regular placebo effect, I’m sure there are limits, but it’s much more relatable or understandable to have a sort of confirmation bias where you tell yourself you’re feeling better, even if it hasn’t improved. I don’t get how taking a legitimate chemical would be rendered inert just out of disbelief.

Dreams are great; the most special, important, meaningful thing in the world to you. And even your family and best friend couldnt care less about it. Magical.

Which begs the question of why we do not dream of our phones but we use them 24 hours a day

Dreams counteract the harmful side effects of life. It's "insanity" which keeps us sane (or reasonably-so).

I hardly ever ever remember my dreams, I'll go months or a year between dreams

"Where does the purple toad come from?" would only ever make sense in a Simon Whistler video

11:47 interesting bonus to this is that the Placebo effect will still work (at least partially) when you tell someone they are taking a placebo. Like bro the fuel is gone why does it still work?

I submit also the possibility that placebo groups do well or better than the actual test subjects because it is their brain making them feel better and not a chemical and also they don’t suffer negative side effects or interactions from placebo that the test subjects can and often do suffer. 🦋

What goes on in the visual part of the visual cortex when people who have blind from birth dream?

The only thing I definitively know about dreams is that there is nothing more boring than someone telling you about their dream.

At least you say "may never be answered" instead of "will never be answered". I hate it when people speak in absolutes when it comes to science, like "we'll never be able to go see beyond the observable universe". You can't know that. It might be highly unlikely, but we don't know everything, all the theories we have could turn out to be wrong, we could in fact be missing some major puzzle pieces, and there might just be something that enables incredible leaps in capability. Just like mere months before that flight of the Wright brothers, there were articles in newspapers about how we won't fly even in a million years. While we probably won't find paradigm-shattering info about space travel this year, I wouldn't be surprised if they had to rethink intergalactic travel within my lifetime.

It occurs to me that most of these are outside the realm of science (except the animal migration). There's no place for consciousness or free will in naturalistic science, maybe it is just an illusion but it doesn't really matter. The power and triumph of science lies in its limitations, it doesn't waste time and energy on questions that can't be answered, even if they are perfectly valid philosophical questions.

My dreams often reflect errors in my past work or ridiculous work situations, big or small. I retired 12 years ago. Why am I dreaming this?

I'm not a smart person or a conspiracy theorist but in my opinion there absolutely has to be more to dreams than us going to sleep and just experiencing them, we spend literally one-third of our lives requiring something that creates these dream and if we don't we die. I have absolutely no idea what it could be or what my theory is but there is definitely SOMETHING going on with dreams otherwise one-third of our entire lives would not be spent there.

We know how sensations are triggered and transported to the brain but what short circuits my brain is what is it doling the "feeling"? If I burn my hand nerves transmit information to my brain that tells me I'm in pain, but what is the thing actually experiencing that pain?

Finally acknowledges the UFO phenomenon as real! 🎉

What's going on, Simon??? No "your momma" jokes any longer?! That's why I subscribed to your channels. It's okay though, as your videos are quite interesting and I learn something new with every video. Keep up the great reading and personal interjections!

The recent spate of accidental placebo overdoses is alarming.

Simon, don't you mean the Place Bow Effect? 🤔

Hell, I couldn't find where I was born without looking up some paperwork and following a GPS!

I shat my pants so hard...while dreaming

Any date when your going to do your cat channel??? Me and my little cat "Serin" cant wait...

9:55 the editor cuts Simon off, rude man!

Well done Simon. I read some place that the gut has 40% of all neurons, but only communicates with the brain by 9 connections. That just makes sooooo much sense.

Dreams are where we'd hope to go when we die

Dreaming allows the brain to form more stable neural connections that without dreams, would take far longer to form, leading to greatly increased learning times and far more conscious processing power is needed to perform the action/function, until links in the brain form properly. The body doesn't like to waste energy on things not being used, for any longer than it will take to begin healing an injury... pretty much instantaneously.

LIFE AFTER DEATH?!?!

I wish it would work on my Migraines. I have a very rare form thats genetic, my neurotransmitter levels drop causing extreme pain among other side effects. Its so rare I'm one of only 4 family lines known to have the mutation of 2 genes that cause it.

All of our selves are quantum entangled. Dreams are just glimpses into our other selves lives.

I watch my dreams like I'm thinking about them but they're happening milliseconds before I think about them. At least that's what it feels like. If that makes any sense

Research about dreams about being out of jail and currently waking up in jail plz... Im really about learning