US LHC Blog » Can We âPointâ the LHC, Too? "[C]ould we put up some kind of page where people could vote on what kind of physics we would study over the course of some particular week? Maybe a choice between searching for Supersymmetry, or a high-mass Higgs boson, or a low-mass Higgs boson? "… Continue reading links for 2009-01-30
Author: Chad Orzel
Thursday Baby Blogging 012909
Today was a pretty rotten day in a lot of little ways that aren’t worth going into. A smiling, happy baby does a lot to make up for that, though: This week’s picture was actually taken last night by Kate. The height differential between us accounts for the fact that neither SteelyKid nor Appa are… Continue reading Thursday Baby Blogging 012909
Pop Culture Interlude: Least Grammatical Lyrics?
I was thinking of trying to post something really erudite about science today, but a series of minor catastrophes has completely derailed that plan. Now, I’m just hoping to get through my afternoon lab without punching anybody. So, in place of the science stuff, here’s a pop music topic. While on the way to pick… Continue reading Pop Culture Interlude: Least Grammatical Lyrics?
How to Moderate a Discussion of Global Warming?
As noted in the previous post, I’m supposed to be moderating a panel at Boskone the weekend after next, with the title: Global Warming: Facts and Myths, (and all that jazz) This is not my usual line, but then, I don’t have to provide expert commentary, I just need to steer the discussion. Still, it… Continue reading How to Moderate a Discussion of Global Warming?
What I’m Doing at Boskone
Boskone, the Boston-area SF convention that Kate and I go to every year, is the weekend after next. Once again, I’ll be doing a few panels and one talk. For those who might be attending, or who care about this for some reason, here’s my preliminary schedule:
links for 2009-01-29
Astronomers get a sizzling weather report from a distant planet "The researchers used NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to obtain infrared measurements of the heat emanating from the planet as it whipped behind and close to its star. In just six hours, the planet’s temperature rose from 800 to 1,500 Kelvin (980 to 2,240 degrees Fahrenheit).… Continue reading links for 2009-01-29
Ultra-Cold Atoms and Neutrino Masses
Physics World‘s news aggregator had a story yesterday with the headline Chilly solution to neutrino mass problem, and the one-sentence teaser Ultracold atoms could be used to measure the mass of the neutrino. This creates a wonderful image of somehow turning a magneto-optical trap or a Bose-Einstein Condensate into a neutrino detector, which is a… Continue reading Ultra-Cold Atoms and Neutrino Masses
Grading Methods Don’t Matter
Over at Dot Physics, Rhett is pondering grading curves: Should you grade on a curve or not? If you are student, the answer is clear: go by whatever the instructor does. Otherwise, you have a choice. I don’t like to tell other instructors or faculty what to do because I respect their freedom. For my… Continue reading Grading Methods Don’t Matter
Message from APS: Support Science Funding
The American Physical Society has sent out another of its email alerts encouraging people to write to Congress in support of more funding for science. Actually, they’re urging people to send two messages: a thank-you to Speaker Pelosi for the generous science funding in the House stimulus bill, and a letter to your Senators asking… Continue reading Message from APS: Support Science Funding
links for 2009-01-28
Mike the Mad Biologist : To Restore Science to Its Rightful Place, We Need to Redefine Elitism "Our Benevolent Seed Overlords ask "What is science’s rightful place?" which refers to a line from Obama’s inaugural address where he vowed to "restore science to its rightful place." Since ScienceBlogling Jake discussed the importance of basing policy… Continue reading links for 2009-01-28