Nothing is Unique

If you are after something for which there is a set of ‘identical’ ones, but no other similar things, what about this.
The NASA Space Shuttles, each Space Shuttle is I believe the same size, specifications, and design, yet there is nothing else like them in existance. Of course each space shuttle is different in minor ways, such as name, location, etc.

Well, if you’re a Baptist (I’m not) there’s only one God.

I think you’re asking for “one-offs”. Not a unique example of a thing such as say, a rare coin because ther are other coins, Right? If so that’s a tough one. Nothing readily comes to my mind. I thought of the many single examples in the fossil record but then there are many fossils. On the right track?

Neutron stars. They may not all be exactly identical, but I’ll bet you’d have a hard time telling them apart, as hard as telling two stop signs apart.

And before you say, “It’s just a variety of Star” it’s not, not in the normal sense anyway. You might as well say that everything in the Universe is a variety of Object.

I was kidding that they all look alike. Do I get to say “whoosh?”

Do I look that stupid? I meant “there are several instances of languages with only one remaining speaker each.” According to this website, there are two dozen Australian languages with only one remaining speaker each. Native American languages are similarly rare. This site says that as of 1997, “The only surviving fluent speaker of Quileute is 80-year old Lillian Pullen, of Las Push, Washington.” Seems pretty unique to me.

:smack: And hey, we’ve missed the TRULY obvious one: The Universe. By definition, there’s only one of those, because there isn’t anything else, and it contains all of the other allegedly non-unique things.

I thought that what the OP was trying to say is there are too many varieties of everything. Like you used to be able to just buy an Oreo, but now there’s double stuffs and mints & Og knows what-all else. Even peanut butter cups are now coming out in white chocolate & dark chocolate. It’s like, people, quit playing with the food.

The only thing I can think of in the grocery store that doesn’t have nine spinoffs and three competitors is head cheese.

Are we looking for things that are “similar, yet varied”? If so, Pringles potato chips would fill the bill. So would most breakfast foods (including bacon and eggs).

And eyeglasses.

I’ll stick with my stop signs suggestion until proven otherwise. A yellow caution sign with the word “Stop” taped to it by some security guard does not a stop sign make.

Mully:

http://www.n9jig.com/gallery/hwy/yellow.jpg

…heh heh…

Sorry to burst your bubble, bot Cosatino’s in Santa Clara has three varieties of head cheese (German, Italian, and Regular) Og only knows why.

Fine, yield signs.

Failing that, my next backup are mile markers.
After that, my final call would be signs signifying a hospital nearby.

Not sure about signs - are we considering all countries? I think a lot of European signs are shaped different. Perhaps a red stoplight is universal - I remember the green one is a plus symbol in some places.

And are we looking for manmade products? Thanks for sharing the news on the head cheese, Bippy - euww!

What about those little zipper grippers that always say “YKK” on them? I’ve never seen one that didn’t.

Even in us there are hospital sign varieties. Near me is a sign with Hospital in inverted commas, I believe it is that way because it is not a general hospital, but a psychiatric hospital.
I have been thinking far too long on this subject, and will share a few ideas. In medicine there may be some items that come in only one type by one manufacturer, stents may be (but I susspect they come in different diameters) I’m sure there must be some equipment still pateneted that is only made in one type. Also would those segway vehicles count? I am not sure if they come in different colors, but if they don’t then they should fit the bill.

I meant in US I have no psychiatric hospital signs inside me (psychiatric signs, but no psychiatric hospital signs).

Populated planet?

(adjusts tin foil hat)

The Mullinator Again:

http://www.us-highways.com/yldrw80.jpg

Hmm…mile markers…ah! http://www.wileymusic.com/Mile_Marker_200x150.jpg

I dunno about that one. You mean “other than blue background with white H”??

After the pain this thread has caused me, one thing that will fit the requested category will be how I choose to throw myself off of a tall building.

Part of the problem in answering the OP is how specific the groupings are. Using the stop sign example, would that be all stop signs world wide, just in the US, located just in California, etc?

I think the numbers in Fermat’s Last Theorem are unique. |3|, |4| and |5| is the only set of consecutive numbers such that the sum of the squares of the first two is equal to the square of the third. If that didn’t make sense, and I bet it didn’t, |3|[sup]2[/sup] + |4|[sup]2[/sup] = |5|[sup]2[/sup]. And that’s the only time that happens.

That is also found a lot when using Pythagorus’ theorem. When one side is 3, and the other is 4, the hypotanuse will be 5.

Well no.
|6|[sup]2[/sup] + |8|[sup]2[/sup] = |10|[sup]2[/sup]
|9|[sup]2[/sup] + |12|[sup]2[/sup] = |15|[sup]2[/sup]
|12|[sup]2[/sup] + |16|[sup]2[/sup] = |20|[sup]2[/sup]
And so on. And I don’t think that’s Fermat’s last theorem anyway.

Sorry, you said consecutive numbers. Ignore that last post.