Since I found myself talking about particle physics yesterday, and since I find myself in the middle of a seasonal allergy flare-up that’s sapping my bloggy motivation, I thought I would dust off and re-post some old articles about particle physics. These date back to 2003, but I think they still stand up reasonably well.… Continue reading Classic Edition: Subatomic Botany
Category: Physics
That, My Liege, Is How We Know the Earth to Be Banana Shaped
The AIP news feed features a story about a paper suggesting that the universe is ellipsoidal. Or at least, that it was, back in the early days. The work is based on the famous WMAP picture of the microwave background (and no, it’s not because the picture is oblong): As you know, Bob, the picture… Continue reading That, My Liege, Is How We Know the Earth to Be Banana Shaped
Precision Machining and Baking Supplies
I end up buying a lot of weird things for my lab– really expensive sand, for example– but the latest purchase was a little strange even by my usual standards: The other day, on my way into work, I stopped by the store and bought a roll of parchment paper, for use in the lab.… Continue reading Precision Machining and Baking Supplies
The Grad School Application Process
I’m teaching our senior major seminar this term, which means that once a week, I’m giving hour-long talks on topics of interest to senior physics majors. This week’s was “How to Pick and Apply to a Graduate School.” I’ve probably written this basic stuff up about three times already, but I’m too lazy to look… Continue reading The Grad School Application Process
Fun With Linear Extrapolations
Alternate title: Imminent Death of High-Tc Superconductivity Predicted. Film at 11. PhysicsWeb has a story about a study of condensed matter papers that has been posted to the arxiv, predicting the imminent death of high-temperature superconductivity: The new study was carried out by Andreas Barth from the FIZ Karlsruhe and Werner Marx from the Max… Continue reading Fun With Linear Extrapolations
Take the Bad with the Good
So, the good news is, Gregg Easterbrook is writing about football for ESPN again. His “Tuesday Morning Quarterback” columns are some of the most entertaining football writing around. Here’s hoping he can make it through the whole season without saying something stupid to get himself fired. The bad news is, Gregg Easterbrook is writing about… Continue reading Take the Bad with the Good
Dorky Poll: Favorite Fundamental Force?
It’s been a while since I did one of these, so here’s a new Dorky Poll for readers to vote on: What’s your favorite of the fundamental forces of nature? As always, vote by leaving a comment. The winning force will be entitled to display a small graphic proclaiming it the choice of ScienceBlogs readers… Continue reading Dorky Poll: Favorite Fundamental Force?
The Next String Theory
The current crop of String Theory Backlash books has a lot of people wondering about what will replace string theory as the top fad in theoretical physics. Other people (well, ok, me) are worried about a more important question: What will replace string theory as the most over-hyped area in theoretical physics? Dave Bacon selflessly… Continue reading The Next String Theory
Philosophia Naturalis
Over at Science and Reason, Charles Daney has launched a new blog carnival, focussing on physical science and technology issues. I rarely remember to participate in these things– the deadlines just go whooshing by, like deadlines do– but the general concept is pretty popular, and we need more physical science blogging on the Interweb. There… Continue reading Philosophia Naturalis
Peter Woit, Not Even Wrong
The two most talked-about books in physics this year are probably a pair of anti-sting-theory books, Lee Smolin’s The Trouble With Physics, and Peter Woit’s Not Even Wrong, which shares a name with Jacques Distler’s favorite weblog. I got review copies of both, but Not Even Wrong arrived first (thanks, Peter), and gets to be… Continue reading Peter Woit, Not Even Wrong