For Fun

More goofy physics stuff on the interwebs!

String theory explained in a two-minute video using a rubber ducky

If you haven't already seen it, the Onion article on the Machine that Makes Science:

Scientists ask Congress to Fund $50 Billion Science Thing

   Some scientists are amazing at communicating the utter coolness of science to the public (for example, Brian Greene, whose seminar yesterday was fantastic beyond words and well worth the road trip), yet the majority of presenters in front of scientific audiences are disappointingly un-dynamic. Other than those rare few who could probably deliver a sparkling discourse on the physical principles of drying paint, it sounds from their presentations like most scientists... well... either aren't that interested in what they're doing or don't actually know what they're talking about and are trying to obfuscate that by being esoteric. The exceptions seem mostly to be physics education enthusiasts and students who've just gone through an arduous slog of learning how-and-why-it-works themselves, so they are experienced in explaining it to a novice audience (i.e., themselves).

This blog is not news.

There are a couple of reasons why being a grad student is better than being a professor (and it isn’t the pay). One, I can wear SpongeBob T-shirts without too much flack. Two, I don’t have to be as political, and can speak my mind a bit more freely… something I will take advantage of now.

Let us define the quantity O as the moment of gravitational inertia, O=^m/_r² .

Then the gravitational force will be F_g =
   OMG.

This is by way of saying, Brian Greene is going to give a talk at Hillsdale College (a couple hours south of here) tomorrow afternoon. Road trip!

I'm not venerable yet, but I remember the days when most toys didn't need batteries. What ever happened to children's toys that encourage kids to use their imagination?

    Yesterday, I was reading my quantum mechanics textbook at a coffee shop while it was raining outside. Suddenly, the sun came out, and immediately thereafter, it began to hail. I kept watching the weather just in case a swarm o' locusts was also impending.

The other day, I went to the grocery store and, while standing in line, glimpsed a high-energy postdoc. That is, I sighted a postdoc in high energy physics, not a particularly perky postdoc. When I regained the parking lot, I found that the car parked next to me had a physics license plate. Nowhere's safe from the physics people anymore.

Many may know that my wife Loraine and I are expecting our first child in mid-March. That puts her at around 21 weeks right now and at about 20 weeks, most doctors like mom and baby to have an ultrasound to check how things are going. Well, Loraine and I were treated to this very special glimpse of our son, Samuel Hitt, this past Wednesday! Have a look!

I have to admit that I find this a daunting task, mainly because I don't know who you are (assuming you exist). Generally writers have the luxury of a bit more information about who their readers are likely to be. It's like being a teacher on the first day of class and walking into a room filled with a random selection of students from all grade levels. How do I talk to them about physics?