# The Fluff
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [September 8, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638 "2011-09-08T18:37:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/1 "2011-09-08T18:37:12Z")
This forum “Debates” was relevant in searching the term “The Fluff” --assuming there had been any discussion… My search found discussion on grounded astronants [HERE](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14225696#post14225696%22%5B%5BURL=%22http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14225696#post14225696%5BIMG) so in the same sense the Fluff comes into play.
The MIT space link has been canceled I guess. My computer is a sex pistol for advertisers and government. So I’ve uploaded the file to rapidshare and will continue to refresh the MIT link if necessary.
Basically, we’re getting fired by the electromagnetic field with a fractal time element.
> [@](#):
>
> Magnetic fields play an important (sometimes dominant) role in the evolution of gas clouds in the Galaxy, but the strength and orientation of the field in the interstellar medium near the heliosphere has been poorly constrained. Previous estimates of the field strength range from 1.8–2.5 mG and the field was thought to be parallel to the Galactic plane1 or inclined by 38–606(ref.2) or 60–906 (ref. 3) to this plane. These estimates relied either on indirect observational inferences or modelling in which the interstellar neutral hydrogen was not taken into account. Here we report measurements of the deflection of the solar wind plasma flows in the heliosheath4 to determine the magnetic field strength and orientation in the interstellar medium. We find that the field strength in the local interstellar medium is 3.7–5.5mG. The field is tilted 20–306 from the interstellar medium flow direction (resulting from the peculiar motion of the Sun in the Galaxy) and is at an angle of about 306 from the Galactic plane. We conclude that the interstellar medium field is turbulent or has a distortion in the solar vicinity. The local interstellar medium magnetic field (BISM) is one of the key elements that control the interaction between the Solar System and the interstellar medium. Determining its strength and orientation is crucial because BISM affects the shape of the Solar System and the filtration of particles that stream into the Solar System from the interstellar medium. However, until the Voyager spacecraft crosses the heliopause, we cannot directly measure the orientation or strength of BISM.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/2 "2011-09-08T18:39:45Z")
I think I speak for everybody when I say “What?”
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/3 "2011-09-08T18:48:04Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> I think I speak for everybody when I say “What?”
You only speak partially for me.
WTF??
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/4 "2011-09-08T18:50:08Z")
Huh…I was thinking more along the lines of “wha’chu’talkin’bout, Willis?”. But maybe that’s too much ‘Fluff’…
-XT
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/5 "2011-09-08T18:51:36Z")
Not for me, thank you. I say “Guh?”
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### Author:  [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/6 "2011-09-08T18:53:52Z")
Galactic magnetic fields are poorly understood and/or modeled.
Gotcha - boy am I relieved now.
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### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/7 "2011-09-08T18:54:19Z")
OK, without the scientific notation, by looking at the links it appears that the solar system is passing through an interstellar cloud that is of some interest to physicists.
I am not clear on what might be the issue for debate. I am not clear that anyone who is not a physicist would be able to follow the OP in any detail. I am, finally, not clear that we have enough physicists on this board to make a debate on whatever the issue might be.
My view is, pretty much, so what?
Roddy
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/8 "2011-09-08T18:57:58Z")
Did this interstellar cloud turn the OP’s PC into a sex pistol for ‘advertisers and government’? That’s the part I really want to know about.
-XT
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/9 "2011-09-08T19:02:49Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
>
> OK, without the scientific notation, by looking at the links it appears that the solar system is passing through an interstellar cloud that is of some interest to physicists.
Er, cloud of what? dryer lint? That could generate a fair amount of electromagnetic energy, I reckon.
I also reckon that this thread has about the least comprehensible opening post I’ve ever seen that was in a language that seems to be English.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/10 "2011-09-08T19:08:37Z")
Oh, you’re still here?
I thought you left in an incomprehensible, free-association huff after Electromagnet Artifical Intelligence was closed.
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### Author:  [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/11 "2011-09-08T19:35:12Z")
What appears to be happening is this cloud has the ability to generate sometimes lethal amounts of EM. Moreover my understand of the Fluff is that it has temporal fractures, which may also account for the repeated ‘wtf’ remarks above. 😉
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/12 "2011-09-08T19:42:01Z")
The earth is passing through [delicious, fattening space](http://humoroutcasts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/marshmallow-fluff-entert0406-de.jpg).
Cool.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/13 "2011-09-08T19:42:09Z")
Is The Fluff anything like [The Time Cube](http://www.timecube.com/)??? I am very worried.
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### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/14 "2011-09-08T19:42:13Z")
The Fluff! The Fluff! The Fluff is on fire!
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/15 "2011-09-08T20:20:43Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#):
>
> Moreover my understand of the Fluff is that it has temporal fractures
Do you mean that The Fluff has temporal fractures, or your understanding of The Fluff has temporal fractures? I can believe either one.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/16 "2011-09-08T20:30:14Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#):
>
> What appears to be happening is this cloud has the ability to generate sometimes lethal amounts of EM.
IOW, we’re all gonna die.
Got it.
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/17 "2011-09-08T20:47:49Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#):
>
> What appears to be happening is this cloud has the ability to generate sometimes lethal amounts of EM. Moreover my understand of the Fluff is that it has temporal fractures, which may also account for the repeated ‘wtf’ remarks above. 😉
I suggest that instead of doing a OP like this, instead you do a short film along these [lines](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRsa4ro4Ixs), explaining what’s happening in a succinct but humorous way. It will really get people on board with your ideas.
-XT
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/18 "2011-09-08T20:54:23Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#):
>
> What appears to be happening is this cloud has the ability to generate sometimes lethal amounts of EM.
Sigh. I don’t suppose you might be able to provide us with anything remotely resembling evidence for this claim?
Oooh, look! A windmill! I think I’ll go do some tilting while I wait.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/19 "2011-09-08T21:08:34Z")
I didn’t realize it because of all the gibberish, but the consisted of a copy-and-paste of a published article. **Vahid Tarzan** , I’ve cleaned up and shortened the quote in your OP. You violated our copyright policy with that post. Don’t do it again.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fluff/595638/20 "2011-09-09T07:19:31Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> > [@Vahid Tarzan](#):
> >
> > What appears to be happening is this cloud has the ability to generate sometimes lethal amounts of EM.
>
> IOW, we’re all gonna die.
>
> Got it.
Not for very small values of ‘sometimes’.
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