
Seeing Double - Hooke
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/16/a-world-without-mirrors
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Jun8
"For this reason, the use of a mirror entailed a set of safety guidelines and
instructions"

Interesting to see common superstitions about mirrors span cultures: In
Ottoman times wall mirrors were commonly turned around at night to block evil
spirits, so the backside of mirrors were richly decorated (e.g.
[https://www.rubylane.com/item/151662-1826/Turkish-900-Silver...](https://www.rubylane.com/item/151662-1826/Turkish-900-Silver-
Embossed-Wedding-Mirror)).

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kazinator
> _But before there was any such thing as a mirror, human beings were still
> self-aware_

There was never such a time, because in the span of our existence we've always
had calm water surfaces to peer into.

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david-given
Have you noticed that your reflection always appears to be staring you
straight in the eyes?

The reason is obvious, of course. But once you start noticing, it never stops
being creepy.

~~~
labster
Optics is the creepiest of sciences, closely followed by nematology.

~~~
johnchristopher
Nematology ? Why ?

From WP:

    
    
        In short, if all the matter in the universe except the nematodes were swept away, our world would still be dimly recognizable, and if, as disembodied spirits, we could then investigate it, we should find its mountains, hills, vales, rivers, lakes, and oceans represented by a film of nematodes. The location of towns would be decipherable, since for every massing of human beings there would be a corresponding massing of certain nematodes. Trees would still stand in ghostly rows representing our streets and highways. The location of the various plants and animals would still be decipherable, and, had we sufficient knowledge, in many cases even their species could be determined by an examination of their erstwhile nematode parasites."[19]

