Over at Cosmic Variance, Sean has a post highlighting some physics blogs that he’s adding to the blogroll. Which reminds me that I’ve been remiss in updating my own links– I’ve recently started reading Swans On Tea regularly, and he’s got some great science content. Via Tom, I’ve also discovered Skulls in the Stars which… Continue reading Pimp Me New Blogs
Month: March 2008
Lab Visit Report: Cavity QED
While Kate was off being all lawyerly at her NAAG workshop, I spent my time visiting my old group at NIST, and some colleagues at the University of Maryland. This wasn’t just a matter of feeling like I ought to do something work-like while she was workshopping– I genuinely enjoy touring other people’s labs, and… Continue reading Lab Visit Report: Cavity QED
A User’s Guide to Vacuum Pumps Part 1: Noisy Pumps
A great many physics experiments need to be conducted at low pressures, in order to avoid sample contamination, thermal effects, or dissipative forces produced by interaction with air. Some experiments don’t require all that much in terms of vacuum, while others require pressures so low that they’re limited by the diffusion of gasses through stainless… Continue reading A User’s Guide to Vacuum Pumps Part 1: Noisy Pumps
Sloth-in-a-Box
A picture from the Small Mammal House at the National Zoo. This is a two-toed sloth (according to the sign on the cage, anyway) that has wedged itelf into a box mounted near the ceiling to take a nap. Tbey had two sloths, actually– the other had also stuffed itself into a box to sleep.… Continue reading Sloth-in-a-Box
links for 2008-03-10
Math Suggests College Frenzy Will Soon Ease – New York Times Changing demographics make admissions offices nervous (tags: academia education society culture)
Imperturbable Ducks
Mandarin ducks at the National Zoo’s bird house. These guys were perched on a railing in the fligt area, and didn’t move, even though people were passing no more than a few feet from them, taking pictures. (Picture by Kate.)
Art and Animals
Kate was attending a workshop run by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG, a wonderful acronym) in Washington, DC this Wednesday and Thursday, and when she told me that, I said “Hey, I’m not teaching this term, why don’t I tag along?” So, we extended the trip a little bit, and made it a… Continue reading Art and Animals
Score One for Physics
Physics comes through at the ballot box: Stunning many who considered the district west of Chicago reliably Republican territory, Bill Foster, a physicist and Democrat, won a special election on Saturday to fill the Congressional seat that J. Dennis Hastert, the former speaker of the House, held for two decades. […]Mr. Foster defeated James D.… Continue reading Score One for Physics
links for 2008-03-09
Let’s Play a Game, Part 2: Game Trees and Totally Finite Games « Intrinsically Knotted Classifying games based on possible moves and winning strategies. (tags: math science academia games) …yet I’ll hammer it out The Mentally Scarring Public Service Announcement Tournament. With YouTube links, so you can experience the trauma yourself. (tags: youtube video television… Continue reading links for 2008-03-09
Magazine Etiquette in Medicine
Dave Munger has been spending a lot of time in waiting rooms: When it comes to waiting rooms, it turns out, eye doctors wipe the floor with everyone else’s ass. Not only does the eye doctor have the least shabby interior decor, it also arguably offers the best selection of reading material and visual entertainment… Continue reading Magazine Etiquette in Medicine