# Simple things that amaze me **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 25, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587 "2016-12-25T05:06:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/61 "2017-01-28T23:07:31Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I’m still amazed that phonograph records work as well as they do. Digital recording makes some sense. You can store lots of data digitally. But how in the world can you etch a little groove into plastic (or whatever) that cane store enough information to **mechanically** reproduce such a good copy. I’m amazed by both. Groves in records that reproduce beautiful music is amazing. But turning billions of 1’s and 0’s into music (or HDTV) blows my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/62 "2017-01-30T14:47:21Z")
Reading totally amazes me. You mean to tell me with twenty-six letters I can tell what someone was thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/63 "2017-01-30T16:31:52Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I’m still amazed that phonograph records work as well as they do. Digital recording makes some sense. You can store lots of data digitally. But how in the world can you etch a little groove into plastic (or whatever) that cane store enough information to **mechanically** reproduce such a good copy. And speakers! You have this little paper\* cone that vibrates, and all this amazing complex sound comes out! - Yeah I know, most of them are probably not made with paper anymore, but still… ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/64 "2017-01-30T16:51:48Z")
On a very cold winter day you can feel the difference in temperature when you step from the shade into the sunlight. Whenever I notice this, I am completely amazed, I CAN FEEL THE HEAT OF SOMETHING THAT IS 95 MILLION MILES AWAY FROM ME OR WHATEVER. I guess it should be the same in the summer, but for whatever reason, it is more striking to me in the winter. I was cold in the shade, I am still cold in the sun, but I am very very slightly less cold in the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/65 "2017-01-30T16:54:25Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Over a hundred AU out, traversing the heliosheath into interstellar space. The utter loneliness of those two spacecraft, still returning data as their power sources fade, is just breathtaking. Incredible. Fascinating that their transmissions still contain useful scientific data and their systems still respond to commands. I [started a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19897082) to discuss JPL cancelling the weekly status reports and simply publishing the planned operations schedule. Kinda bummed that JPL is less invested in explaining Voyager 1,2’s operations to the public. These probes should be celebrated. ---
**Author:** ![Moonshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Moonshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonshine)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587/66 "2017-01-30T17:01:06Z")
It amazes me that I can go out into my garden of an evening and, looking up, see the space station zip by overhead. Up there are men and woman doing experiments, living in a near vaccum, eating dinner out of a toothpaste tube, taking pictures IN SPACE. A hundred years ago you could only break the bounds of gravity in science fiction and now I can see this marvel of science from my back garden. OK, I know the ISS hasn’t technically overcome gravity, but come on! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-amaze-me/775587.md?page=3)