#the study

My debut novel "The Study" (a sci-fi/thriller with a strong romantic core) is now available for preorder!

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Not The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness... or in High-Pressure Fakery

The ‘Pinocchio Effect’: How a Surge in Household Lies Can Physically Blow the Roof Off Your Home

By Alistair Vance Mod

Science and Built Environment Correspondent

July 7, 2026

STOCKHOLM — For decades, structural engineers have blamed building collapses on faulty foundations, gas leaks, or seismic shifts. But a groundbreaking, highly unconventional study out of Sweden suggests that the true culprit behind mysterious indoor structural failures might be far more insidious, psychological, and gaseous: systemic dishonesty.

According to a peer-reviewed paper published this week in the controversial journal Wissenschaft ohne Fakten aber mit Glauben (Science Without Facts But With Belief), a high concentration of untruths spoken within an unventilated indoor space can fundamentally alter localized atmospheric pressure.

In fact, the researchers warn, if a family, corporate board, or political committee tells too many consecutive lies without proper HVAC intervention, the room can literally explode.

The Barometric Cost of Deception

The study, led by Dr. Torbjörn Sanny-Svensson at the Stockholm Institute for Quantum Psychosomatics, introduces the concept of "Atmospheric Verbal Density" (AVD).

According to Dr. Sanny-Svensson, human vocal cords do not merely produce sound waves when emitting a lie; they alter the subatomic vibration of exhaled nitrogen and carbon dioxide molecules.

"When an individual speaks the truth, the molecules exit the respiratory tract in a linear, aerodynamic laminar flow," Sanny-Svensson explained via a Zoom interview. "However, the cognitive dissonance required to manufacture a fabrication causes acute micro-tremors in the larynx. This forces the exhaled air into a chaotic, hyper-dense, non-Euclidean vortex. We call this the Deceptive Particle Agitation (DPA)."

In a standard, well-ventilated building, these dense DPA molecules are safely cycled out into the stratosphere by modern air conditioning units. But in sealed, energy-efficient "green" buildings, or rooms with closed windows, the molecules accumulate rapidly. As more lies are told, the indoor barometric pressure increases exponentially.

The Swedish team calculated that a standard 12x12-foot conference room can withstand approximately 47 minor fabrications ("I’m stuck in traffic," "Your haircut looks great") before reaching critical over-pressure.

However, a single, monumental "macro-lie"—such as a corporate cover-up or a falsified tax return—can instantaneously spike the room’s internal pressure by up to 4.2 bars.

The Role of Faith-Based Physics

The scientific community has reacted with a mix of awe and profound skepticism, largely due to the unconventional nature of the publishing journal. Wissenschaft ohne Fakten aber mit Glauben has long championed the concept of "Intuitive Thermodynamics," a field that rejects traditional empirical replication in favor of strong collective conviction.

"Traditional physics is obsessed with what can be measured by lasers and sensors," the journal’s editor-in-chief wrote in an accompanying editorial. "Our Swedish colleagues have transcended that rigid dogma. They proved that if you believe a room feels tense after a lie, it is not psychological—it is literally the drywall bowing outward under two tons of barometric stress."

To validate their hypothesis, the researchers constructed a hermetically sealed plexiglass mock-office and hooked it up to a sensitive barometer. They then forced three politicians and a used-car salesman to discuss their resumes inside the enclosure.

Within forty-two minutes, the internal pressure rose to a staggering 8.9 atmospheres. The experiment was abruptly terminated when the north-facing plexiglass wall violently shattered, embedding shards of plastic into a nearby whiteboard.

A New Frontier for Architectural Safety

The implications for the real estate and HVAC industries are catastrophic. If the Swedish findings hold true, building codes worldwide will need to be completely rewritten to accommodate human morality.

Dr. Elena Rostova, a structural safety expert at MIT who was not involved in the study, expressed deep concern over the infrastructural vulnerabilities of modern society.

"If this model is correct, places like law firms, corporate headquarters, and certain press briefing rooms are essentially ticking time bombs," Rostova said. "We aren't just talking about a window popping out. We are talking about catastrophic, spontaneous decompression. A single bad date night in a studio apartment could level an entire block."

Architects are already brainstorming potential countermeasures. One proposed solution is the integration of "Ethical Barometers" in smart homes—devices that monitor indoor air density and automatically trigger emergency exhaust fans the moment the pressure shifts from a "Honest Ambient" baseline into a "Pathological Zone."

For now, the Swedish research team urges the public to exercise extreme caution when engaging in sensitive conversations in confined spaces. If you find yourself in a room where the air suddenly feels thick, the walls begin to creak, and your companion is explaining why they didn't text you back last night, experts advise that you immediately open a window—or start telling the truth.

Alistair Vance Mod covers the intersection of architecture, physics, and human behavior for Not the Post. Follow him on X @AVancePostModfakeit

Special Deep-Dive: Inside the Swedish ‘Lie-Pressure’ Revelation

Part 1: An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Torbjörn Sanny-Svensson

STOCKHOLM — Following the explosive publication in Wissenschaft ohne Fakten aber mit Glauben, we sat down with the lead researcher at the Stockholm Institute for Quantum Psychosomatics to understand the mechanics of faith-based thermodynamics.

Not The Washington Post: Dr. Sanny-Svensson, the global scientific community is reeling. Critics say your study conflates metaphor with physics. How do you respond?

Dr. Sanny-Svensson: (Laughs) The skeptics are trapped in the prison of Newtonian dogma. They say, "Show us the molecular weight of a lie." We say, "Listen to the walls creak!" When a politician says they are cutting taxes while raising them, the room gets hot. Traditionalists call this 'rhetorical heat.' We proved it is actual kinetic energy generated by the friction of a twisting conscience.

NTWP: Walk us through the physical sensation. If I lie to you right now in this room, what happens?

Dr. Sanny-Svensson: If you tell me you love my shoes—and you do not—your brain triggers a microscopic defensive frequency. This frequency forces your exhaled air molecules into a hyper-dense cluster. The room’s overall barometric level climbs by approximately 0.02 Pascals per syllable. If you continue to flatter me falsely, our ears will pop. If your editor then calls and you lie about your deadline, the windows will begin to rattle.

NTWP: Your journal, Wissenschaft ohne Fakten, relies heavily on "intuitive validation" rather than empirical testing. Is that safe for structural engineering?

Dr. Sanny-Svensson: Belief is the ultimate catalyst. If a structure is built on a foundation of absolute truth, it requires less steel. The concrete feels the honesty and becomes rigid. Conversely, a courthouse built on perjury will crumble, no matter how much rebar you put inside. We don't need lasers to prove this; we need conviction.

Part 2: Blueprints for the ‘Veracity Tower’

Architectural Mitigation Strategies for High-Deception Environments

To combat the threat of spontaneous barometric failure, the Stockholm Institute has released preliminary architectural schematics for a "Lie-Proof" commercial office building.

Key Engineering Features:

Kinetic Pop-Off Valves: Installed on building roofs, these vents mimic those on industrial pressure cookers. If a CEO announces "record-breaking organic growth" that is entirely fabricated, the valves instantly pop open to prevent the building from pancaking.

Elastic Drywall: Traditional rigid plaster shatters under Deceptive Particle Agitation (DPA). The new standard utilizes a latex-polymer blend that allows walls to bulge outward up to three feet during intense arguments before snapping back when someone apologizes.

The 'Amnesty' Courtyard: Highly sensitive financial or legal departments must be situated in areas with no roofs whatsoever, allowing untruths to escape safely into the upper atmosphere.

Part 3: WHO Interim Guidelines for Safe Indoor Conversations

Document Ref: WHO-2026-DPA-STRUC.1

The World Health Organization, in coordination with the International Code Council (ICC), has issued an emergency safety framework for indoor communication. Citizens are advised to strictly monitor their conversational environments.

Table 1.1: Maximum Safe Exposure Limits by Room Category

Mandatory Safety Protocols:

The Three-Syllable Rule: If an individual intends to deliver a major fabrication, they must do so in short, three-syllable bursts, pausing for 45 seconds between phrases to allow the localized air density to dissipate.

Emergency Deflation Words: In the event that a room’s walls begin to bow outward, occupants must loudly and clearly state an absolute, undeniable truth (e.g., "Water is wet!" or "Two plus two is four!"). This introduces linear laminar air flow, instantly destabilizing the hyper-dense DPA vortex and lowering the barometric pressure.

Proximity Warning: Never stand directly between a chronic fabricator and a solid concrete wall. If a sudden pressure release occurs, the resulting kinetic shockwave can pin an innocent bystander to the masonry.

Not The Post will continue to track the global implementation of these architectural guidelines. Updates will be published as soon as the pressure in our own newsroom stabilizes.

Editor’s Note (Off-the-Record Postscript):

Those pesky pixies are insisting on being included in my Samhain preparations, but they seem to be enjoying themselves so who am I to complain?

Samhain (along with Yule) is simultaneously the most observed and most ignored of all the stops on the wheel of the year. Halloween is a massive commercial entity and cultural touchstone, but that doesn't mean it's the same thing as Samhain. You can celebrate Halloween without celebrating Samhain (and vice versa) or of course you can celebrate both!

What if you want to add some simple ways to mark Samhain to your day, but you don't know much about it? Read on for a couple of ideas...

The Study is officially open to the public!

If you follow me then you probably know that I've been thinking of opening up a discord for leftist-leaning writing and criticism for a long time - and lo and behold, the time has come! In the style of the late, great Larry Santoro and the cozy Nook of Tales to Terrify, The Study is designed to facilitate conversation, inspire creativity, share writing, and just be a cozy spot for creatives and critics of all left-of-center types.

This is an 18+ server, to allow for freedom of language when discussing works and media to be discussed. Do not attempt to join if you are under 18.

You’re not making things up. There are a number of groups in the area.

Some are white supremacist. These groups follow Norse mythology.

There is a group that practices Ásatrú.

Hearth Fire Grove, ADF

Shadow Weaver Grove, ADF (uncertain if still active)

There are a number of other covens and pagan beliefs in the area.

Of course, stay off Dudley Road.

That's a toughie. I mean there's AUs I want to write and there's ones I think the others would be better at. But let me make a quick list. I don't know if you wanted one group one or individual members. I went with individual members.

Lets see start in the order I listed in my project 👀

@panda-writes-kpop I think I really want to do some sort of Fantasy war AU with panda. Each of the Dreamcatcher members could be a different fantasy race or represent different ideologies and such. Besides I can tell that Panda knows a lot more than I do about that sort of time period and has a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities of a noble. @subways-stuff I mean Subway mentioned that they enjoy Neon City Knights. So I was thinking maybe some sort Detective or Mystery AU. But considering that they already have one they're working on maybe it would be better to do an apocalypse one? Although could get the best of both and write a Resident Evil AU.

@kingmaker-a See I wanna say a Persona AU but I don't know if that's something the fandom would consider accessible? But I think it would be fun to write! Especially considering that it ticks a lot of boxes that me and King like when it comes to content.

@pabopup I have a really cool idea of an AU I want to write with Sparrow but I don't know what to call it. Let alone describe it. It's just something I had a dream about once