Is there a limit?
The limit used to be the tribal chief, then the Romans had armies. Religion took over, superseded by science but that imploded and now we have only the limits of our imaginations and fears.
Richard Crane, Vallon Pont d’Arc, France
• There is a limit to where logic will get us, imagination has no limits. To quote Einstein: “Logic will get you from A to B … imagination will take you everywhere.”
Angela Blazy-O’Reilly, Villeneuve la Comptal, France
• Imagine flying at infinite speed into infinity. It is hard to imagine that eventually “things” come to a halt, with a wall. Because if the end of nothingness is a wall, then what possibly could be on the other side of that wall, if not nothing? In which case, why a wall? There is no limit.
Charlie Bamfort, Davis, California, US
• Human greed knows no bounds, but Nature will ultimately Trump our excesses.
Noel Bird, Boreen Point, Australia
• Yes, about 5bn years from now when the sun becomes unstable.
Stuart Williams, Kampala, Uganda
• There must be, otherwise why would people keep exclaiming “Now that’s the limit!”.
Terence Rowell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
• It could be me. While growing up I was informed on many occasions that I was the limit, occasionally even the giddy limit.
Margaret Wyeth, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• Yes, and a speed trap, too, you can bet.
Mac Bradden, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
• Not on the roads I drive over.
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• Yes, it’s No.
Mary Oates, Perth, Australia
An ageless curse?
What is worse: being old or never getting old?
It depends on which end of the telescope you are looking through. At 83, I am not sure which end I have. Maybe I will find out when I get old.
John Graham, Palo Alto, US
• It’s worse getting old after losing someone who never did get to be old.
Wendy O’Brien, Alvhem, Sweden
• You can only do one or the other, not both, so you’ll never really know.
Bridget Wilcken, Neutral Bay, NSW, Australia
• Do you mean I have a choice?
Adrian Cooper, Queens Park, NSW, Australia
Saintly sneeze
Why is it that sneezers get blessed so much?
The answer can be found in a footnote in the human anatomy book of Hungarian brain surgeon Janos Szentagothai: in the Middle Ages, people believed that thinking created bad fluids, which accumulated in the brain. The function of the pituitary gland was to excrete these, and people got rid of them by sneezing. Thus sneezing made you healthier, and a congratulation was in order.
Gabor Lövei, Slagelse, Denmark
• They are congratulated on staying out of trouble by keeping their noses clean.
Tijne Schols, The Hague, The Netherlands
Any answers?
Are there other pairs of proverbs like “Many hands make light work” and “Too many cooks spoil the broth” that seem to express completely opposite meanings?
John Ryder, Kyoto, Japan
What would be the weirdest sentence in gobbledegook?
Haukur Olafsson, Delhi, India
Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com or Guardian Weekly, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK
