There once was a time-honored axiom that no two snowflakes were
identical in shape. Then, some brutal, uncaring scientist declared: Oh
yes, there are indeed identically shaped snowflakes, thus destroying a
cherished childhood delight, comparing snowflakes. (This does not
apply to those in snow-free areas.)
  OK, you all-wise scientific types, are there two or more identically shaped 
pieces of popped popcorn? Rigorous research only, please.
monroe22

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Request for Question Clarification by hedgie-ga on 03 Feb 2005 21:20 PST

Hmmm,
         Until you define 'identical' - 
such statement is too ambiguous for a scientific analysis.
We need at least precision, like 'have same outside shape (and color?)', 
within  e-9 m or e-6 m (a nano or micro -meter) . Better still, procedure
for comparing two such objects. We also need a region - like 'during a given
winter, on the planet Earth', or on any 'weekend in Iowa, in the last decade.

 Did that brute (probably an impostor, not a real scientist) offer
supporting arguments? Is he keeping two such specimens in a deep
freeze somewhere ?
If so, where they found in nature or cloned? Real physicists say that
all electrons are same, all atoms of carbon, .. all molecules od
water, of macro-molecules of starch ...
 Then there is a gap, calles meso-physics.
 Then you can hear statements like 'all men are same' - but that is that
physics? May be sameness is in the eye of the beholder?

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Clarification of Question by monroe22-ga on 04 Feb 2005 09:51 PST

hedgie-ga:  OK, delete the "rigorous research only" provision...I
should have known better. Re-stated: What is the probability or
possibility of two units of popped popcorn having the same volumetric
point to point relationship regardless of dimensions, such as one cube
hss to another cube?
  This question is posed for entertainment purposes only. Let's have
no verbal fistfights over this.
monroe22

Duplication might be provable, but how would you prove nonduplication?
 Still, I never believed either one of those axioms.  Nor do I believe
"There are as many [ways to ... | kinds of ... | shapes of ... |
(etc.)] as there are people."  Thank goodness we're not really as
unique as we like to imagine, or there wouldn't be much point in going
to the doctor.

Archae0pteryx

it depends on how many pieces of popcorn i'm allowed to analyze. If i
can make a infinite amount of popcorn at one time in a clean room. I'm
sure i (or one of my descendents could find two pieces of i dentical
popcorn).

No verbal fistfights?  But they *are* entertainment.

Pass the popcorn.

Archae0pteryx

m2cahueg-ga  Where can you, or I, or anybody have access to an
infinite amount of popcorn?
monroe22

ArchaeOpteryx-ga:  OK, I admit they are entertainment...one of the
best features of GA. Now, if GA would be so kind as to crush those
idiots who clutter the site with graffitti.
monroe22

I infer from comments I've seen that some people think that's about
testing stolen credit card numbers.  Not just the meaningless letter
strings but also some of the totally inane questions that nobody would
really pay to ask.  I'm glad to see that most people have been
ignoring them, and GA has been taking them down really fast lately.

A~