In which physics tackles a burning question from the world of computing, a famous biologist says something idiotic, and the world’s smallest violin plays for frequent fliers. ———— Does Your Download Progress Bar Lie to You? | Wired Science | Wired.com Different browsers do this differently. Some show a little bar to indicate how much […]
Month: June 2012
Graduation 2012
I just realized that I forgot to do the annual congratulatory post for our graduates this year. I plead jet lag– my flight back from DAMOP didn’t get in until after midnight, and graduation was first thing Sunday morning. I didn’t march in the procession for only the third time– instead, I snuck around back […]
Ten Years Before the Blog: 2005-2006 (Part II, the Start of ScienceBlogs)
In which we look at the end of the Steelypips era and the launch of ScienceBlogs. ———— Before the Great Upgrade derailed things completely for a month, I was working on a recap of this blog’s history, and had gotten up through the end of 2005, which marked the end of my time as an […]
How Did the arXiv Succeed?
In which we look again at the question of why, despite the image of physicists as arrogant bastards, biologists turn out to be much less collegial than physicists. ———— While I was away from the blog, there was a spate of discussion of science outreach and demands on faculty time, my feelings about which are […]
Links for 2012-06-12
In which we look at a great commencement speech, the oversupply of mediocrity, the nominees for a science blogging award, and Facebook games distilled to their essence. ———— Wellesley High grads told: “You’re not special” | The Swellesley Report Yes, you’ve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to […]
Relativity for Bay Area Dogs, Among Others
Two How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog items: First and foremost, I’ll be appearing at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park, CA, this Thursday, June 14 at 7:00pm. I’ll probably read a bit of the book, so if you’ve ever wanted to hear me do the silly dog voice live, here’s your chance. Provided, of […]
Single Photons Are Still Photons: “Wave-particle dualism and complementarity unraveled by a different mode”
In which we do a little ResearchBlogging, taking a look at a slightly confusing paper putting a new twist on the double-slit experiment. ———— I’m off to California this afternoon, spending the rest of the week at DAMOP in Pasadena (not presenting this year, just hanging out to see the coolest new stuff in Atomic, […]
Links for 2012-06-04
In which we look at a prize for science blogging, a new book club, and the unhappy situation of associate professors. ———— 3quarksdaily: Sean Carroll to Judge 4th Annual 3QD Science Prize As usual, this is the way it will work: the nominating period is now open, and will end at 11:59 pm EST on […]
Green Speckled Frogs
In which we look at the very latest in amphibian science. ———— The embedded video shows one Prof. S. Kid describing her latest observations in detail. It’s a very comprehensive study.
Links for 2012-06-03
In which we look at one of the great spoofs of all time, a clever twist on a viral physics video, one of the great cartoons of all time, the puzzling lack of relationship between violence and the NFL’s popularity, the new approach of the US National soccer team, one of the greatest musicians of […]