Category: Science

Who Is the Velvet Underground of Science?

I’m shamelessly stealing this question from James Nicoll, who asked it about science fiction. The question is a play on the famous comment that only of order a thousand people bought the first Velvet Underground record, but every one of them went on to start a band. So, the question is, who is the Velvet… Continue reading Who Is the Velvet Underground of Science?

How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your UK Dog

Between travel and general work craziness, I completely forgot to note that the UK version of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog has gone on sale: The title for this edition is How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog, and the vanity search keeps turning up mentions to it in the Guardian Bookshop,… Continue reading How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your UK Dog

Congratulations to Heck, Negishi, and Suzuki

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2010 goes to Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki for giving people a reason to care about palladium. OK, it might not be the only reason– I’m not actually sure what palladium is used for other than organic synthesis and cold fusion– but it’s the context in… Continue reading Congratulations to Heck, Negishi, and Suzuki

Congratulations to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics goes to Geim and Novoselov for their work on graphene, a material consisting of one-atom-thick sheets of carbon atoms in a hexagonal array. This is one of those prizes that was basically inevitable, as graphene is one of the hot materials of the last couple of years. Hardly a… Continue reading Congratulations to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov

What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics

A quick check-in from Tuscaloosa, where we’re getting ready to head out for the football tailgating. While I’ve got a minute, though, here are the slides from my public lecture, via SlideShare: What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics View more presentations from Chad Orzel. These are probably less comprehensible that some of my… Continue reading What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics

How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

I am in Alabama at the moment, the temporary owner of a ginormous Ford SUV and a hotel room that even I think is a little more air-conditioned than strictly necessary. Which means that it’s time for the How to Teach Physics to Your Dog mini-tour of the Southland. On Wednesday, I’ll be driving to… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

Nobel Prize Betting Pool

It’s that time of year again– the Swedes will be handing out money to famous scientists, with the announcements of who’s getting what starting one week from today. Thus, the traditional Uncertain Principles Nobel Prize Picking Contest: Leave a comment on this post predicting the winner(s) of one of this year’s Nobel Prizes. Anyone who… Continue reading Nobel Prize Betting Pool

How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

One of the things I’ve been stressed about lately is next week, when I’m making a trip to the South, specifically Georgia and Alabama. As I mentioned here earlier, the original inspiration was a get-together with friends from college for the Florida-Alabama football game next Saturday, but it seems a shame to go all that… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

How to Teach Physics to Your Chinese Dog

Got a big box in the mail today, which included author copies of two Asian editions: the Japanese edition, which I had seen before, and this: That is, obviously, the Chinese edition of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog. I say “obviously” mostly because I know that edition was about ready to roll out–… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Chinese Dog