light is different on the island....

[puff6962]

The electromagnetic field necessary to hide even a small island would require an electrical wattage equal to all that which has ever been generated going back to Ben Franklin and his kite.

However, if we think of the island as a mini-universe and think in terms of space time, the we could explain how Desmond could sail in any direction and always end up back at the island. 

Einstein was the first to envision space time as a "fabric" that warped around on itself.  Therefore, you can think of space time as a sheet that rolls back on itself.  This means that if you travelled to the edge of the universe, you would get back to the place from which you departed.  Also, if you could see to the edge of the universe, you would view your back.  Wierd stuff Vern.

Anyway, only a black hole could produce the gravity required to bend space time within such a diameter.  So, how can the island have some properties of a black hole without pancaking the inhabitants.

[Lion of Atreides]

Apparently the energy it'd take to keep a worm hole open has been calculated to be equally impossible to generate, yet sci fi writers continue using it as a prop.  So why not a bubble around the island, surely another energy hog? 

And since we've so far been at a Type 0 Civilization (energy from chemical combustion), the Island may achieve Type I power levels (tapping the planet itself for power) or Type II (tapping the sun). 

Or it may someday be revealed that there is indeed a mini-black hole secreted somewhere on the island powering everything, which real-world scientists are said to be in danger of creating in particle accelerators, if but for the briefest of instants.  Those mini-black holes apparently are 'no threat' to people nearby, or the safety of the planet.

[Cowboypants]

I liked the Langoliers, and King was/is a fan of the show.

I think they are hinting that there was/is a magnetic bubble around the island. THat is why Des couldn't find a way out, he was going in circles.

Time travel makes me too happy to think about, but Darleton said no time travel.

Also, wouldn't the properties of the island have an effect on the surrounding tidal currents, creating a giant whirlpool or 'maelstrom' that would make it difficult for ships to pass close by without crashing and nearly impossible for an unpowered boat to leave?

'maelstrom' = Miles Strom

Anyone else find that a little forced, though?  Is that why he didn't want them to know his last name?

[sherifkarama]

Scientists and engineers have been experimenting for years with ways to make objects appear invisible or "camouflaged".

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/02/07/japan.invisible.ap/

Could be that the island's primary defense mechanism is to bend light in such a way as to avoid detection. That explains Ben's line of "even god can't find this island."

It may be due to electromagnetism. A strong enough magnetic field will bend light much like gravity bends light near dense objects like black holes.

I also find it interesting that they chose two of the new characters to be named Faraday and Minkowski. The writers have said in the past that there is a reason for the names of the characters on lost.

Good Thread

one of the most sense posts ive read on any lost forums in a while! theres actually a reference to minkowski in discover magazine of january 08, he actually preceded einstein in including time as a 4th dimension, and to consider as part of the main fabric of the universe, thus space-time

[LostAndSeek]

Apparently the energy it'd take to keep a worm hole open has been calculated to be equally impossible to generate, yet sci fi writers continue using it as a prop.  So why not a bubble around the island, surely another energy hog? 

And since we've so far been at a Type 0 Civilization (energy from chemical combustion), the Island may achieve Type I power levels (tapping the planet itself for power) or Type II (tapping the sun). 

Or it may someday be revealed that there is indeed a mini-black hole secreted somewhere on the island powering everything, which real-world scientists are said to be in danger of creating in particle accelerators, if but for the briefest of instants.  Those mini-black holes apparently are 'no threat' to people nearby, or the safety of the planet.

Ooohhh... Mini-black hole could affect tides as well. Well, in a science fictiony universe anyway. And it would explain where the power is coming from better than Ben's hamsters... And, well, there are wormhole theories attached to black holes as well.

[PrincessLeia]

Apparently the energy it'd take to keep a worm hole open has been calculated to be equally impossible to generate, yet sci fi writers continue using it as a prop.  So why not a bubble around the island, surely another energy hog? 

And since we've so far been at a Type 0 Civilization (energy from chemical combustion), the Island may achieve Type I power levels (tapping the planet itself for power) or Type II (tapping the sun). 

Or it may someday be revealed that there is indeed a mini-black hole secreted somewhere on the island powering everything, which real-world scientists are said to be in danger of creating in particle accelerators, if but for the briefest of instants.  Those mini-black holes apparently are 'no threat' to people nearby, or the safety of the planet.

Ooohhh... Mini-black hole could affect tides as well. Well, in a science fictiony universe anyway. And it would explain where the power is coming from better than Ben's hamsters... And, well, there are wormhole theories attached to black holes as well.

Enter the Casimir Effect & the Orchid Station.

[goober]

The electromagnetic field necessary to hide even a small island would require an electrical wattage equal to all that which has ever been generated going back to Ben Franklin and his kite.

However, if we think of the island as a mini-universe and think in terms of space time, the we could explain how Desmond could sail in any direction and always end up back at the island. 

Einstein was the first to envision space time as a "fabric" that warped around on itself.  Therefore, you can think of space time as a sheet that rolls back on itself.  This means that if you travelled to the edge of the universe, you would get back to the place from which you departed.  Also, if you could see to the edge of the universe, you would view your back.  Wierd stuff Vern.

Anyway, only a black hole could produce the gravity required to bend space time within such a diameter.  So, how can the island have some properties of a black hole without pancaking the inhabitants.

Apparently the energy it'd take to keep a worm hole open has been calculated to be equally impossible to generate, yet sci fi writers continue using it as a prop.  So why not a bubble around the island, surely another energy hog? 

And since we've so far been at a Type 0 Civilization (energy from chemical combustion), the Island may achieve Type I power levels (tapping the planet itself for power) or Type II (tapping the sun). 

Or it may someday be revealed that there is indeed a mini-black hole secreted somewhere on the island powering everything, which real-world scientists are said to be in danger of creating in particle accelerators, if but for the briefest of instants.  Those mini-black holes apparently are 'no threat' to people nearby, or the safety of the planet.

Ooohhh... Mini-black hole could affect tides as well. Well, in a science fictiony universe anyway. And it would explain where the power is coming from better than Ben's hamsters... And, well, there are wormhole theories attached to black holes as well.

Enter the Casimir Effect & the Orchid Station.

Yes PL... and there is also Delbruck scattering. There are many wavelengths in the EM spectrum. You don't necessarily have to generate a strong magnetic field in order to alter the way light travels near or around an object:

http://dukenews.duke.edu/2006/10/cloakdemo.html

Warping of Space/Time may not affect the way that light travels on the island. Then again maybe it was just a throw-away line from a geeky physicist... but I doubt it.

[DirtyMaggieMae]

http://www.docarzt.com/lost-theories/koobies-physics-theory-it-does.php

Good theory on that page.  He says pretty much what you all have said, but he mentions what I'm assuming is the ELDRIDGE (hunt, anyone?) the ship from the notorious Philedelphia Experiment where a boat was suppsoed to become invisible for a short period of time.  Apparenlty, some pretty crazy stuff happend on that boat as a result of that experiment...aka PROJECT RAINBOW (again, hunt anyone?  is sledge the smartest man alive?)  anyhow, is the island using this sort of cloaking device?  I dunno.  But I love how Lost reminds us of other forgotten things and conspiracies like this and the amelia earhart biz.

[Laklost]

Thanks to all of you for pointing out why Dan's line was so important, but I just thought it was the funniest geekiest line in all of Lost and I laughed my head off at it.  It was such a perfect Lost moment - something big (and slightly off) is happening, but the ones dealing with it are characters we care about so much.  It went past Kate (loved her face), but it's affecting her more than she and we know.

[T Mack]

dan mentions that the light is different, that it scatters strangely. is this because of smokey? jacob?

it may have been a throwaway line possibly in reference to the tree canopy but i think there's something more to it.

did that line strike anyone else as odd?

Another clue drop to tell you that the island has strange magnetic properties.  Sorta like all of the time "altering" (I refuse to use the lightning rod word "time travel" ever again!) clues that have been dropped over the last 2 years.

[Versed4every1]

dan mentions that the light is different, that it scatters strangely. is this because of smokey? jacob?

it may have been a throwaway line possibly in reference to the tree canopy but i think there's something more to it.

did that line strike anyone else as odd?

Another clue drop to tell you that the island has strange magnetic properties.  Sorta like all of the time "altering" (I refuse to use the lightning rod word "time travel" ever again!) clues that have been dropped over the last 2 years.

I agree that it was a clue to something being not normal about the electro-magnetism of our island and its effects on it.  This is most likely the reason they chose a physicist to be a part of their team - especially when you consider the name sake of that physicist.   

[DirtyMaggieMae]

True enough.  Not that the island having abnormal electromagnetic problems was a big secret to begin with, but it shows this guy is serious about his science!  Go Faraday! 

[Laklost]

True enough.  Not that the island having abnormal electromagnetic problems was a big secret to begin with, but it shows this guy is serious about his science!  Go Faraday! 

So serious he wore a tie!  I loved that!

[DirtyMaggieMae]

tie+gun+extensive knowledge of physics=sexy

[Laklost]

tie+gun+extensive knowledge of physics=sexy

I'm telling you, that whole bumbling physicist routine was priceless.