A good lateral-thinker

A good lateral-thinker

Posers and Puzzles

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d

Joined
31 May 07
Moves
696
12 Jun 07

A man is moving toward the centre of a field. He cannot quite see the centre, and starts to speed up until he can see the centre. He realises he is going to die when he reaches the centre, but instead of turning back, he carries on speeding up, heading further toward the centre of the field. He gets to the centre, and instantly he dies.

Explain.

(I think there's only one answer)

a
AGW Hitman

http://xkcd.com/386/

Joined
23 Feb 07
Moves
7113
12 Jun 07

It's the gravitational field of a black hole?

s
Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined
28 Dec 04
Moves
53223
12 Jun 07
1 edit

Originally posted by agryson
It's the gravitational field of a black hole?
He wouldn't instantly die coming into a black hole. Time slows down just like it does when you are in a ship in space close to the speed of light, so he could decend a ways in and only die when the gravitational gradient (tidal forces) tears him end from end, his head separates from his body and his feet likewise. But that would not happen instantly.

a
AGW Hitman

http://xkcd.com/386/

Joined
23 Feb 07
Moves
7113
12 Jun 07

From his perspective it would be instant. Only field with a deadly centre I know.

Insanity at Masada

tinyurl.com/mw7txe34

Joined
23 Aug 04
Moves
26660
12 Jun 07

Originally posted by agryson
From his perspective it would be instant. Only field with a deadly centre I know.
Hot chick with superaids

i

Joined
26 Jun 06
Moves
59283
12 Jun 07

there was a ramp and he had to jump it...

a
AGW Hitman

http://xkcd.com/386/

Joined
23 Feb 07
Moves
7113
13 Jun 07

The man is in the gravitational field of a black hole and continues to accelerate towards its centre. As he gets closer and faster, time is slowing, all that kind of stuff, so for him he's going faster and faster until eventually he passes the event horizon, flying towards tthe centre. Now he's really moving fast, as fast as he can actually, for him, time is travelling normally so he dies instantly from his perspective, but for us it takes a couple of milliseconds for the tidal forces to mess him up.
(still pretty instant in my books)

d

Joined
31 May 07
Moves
696
13 Jun 07

I'm looking for a sensible answer. No gravitational orbs, no aliens, no "Jesus did it".

C

Joined
31 May 06
Moves
35094
13 Jun 07

Originally posted by doodinthemood
A man is moving toward the centre of a field. He cannot quite see the centre, and starts to speed up until he can see the centre. He realises he is going to die when he reaches the centre, but instead of turning back, he carries on speeding up, heading further toward the centre of the field. He gets to the centre, and instantly he dies.

Explain.

(I think there's only one answer)
His final thought was "I wish I had worn a parachute"

d

Joined
31 May 07
Moves
696
13 Jun 07

wayeeeee XD congratulatoids!

Insanity at Masada

tinyurl.com/mw7txe34

Joined
23 Aug 04
Moves
26660
13 Jun 07

Ahh. Interesting. The riddle begs for the black hole answer which means the real answer is a surprise (but it makes sense).

While gravity is integral to the answer, the field isn't a gravitational field. Interesting...