While I’m sure there will be a lot of chatter around here in the next few weeks about the vacuum (or, God help me, vacua), I feel like I should lay the groundwork by talking about laboratory vacuum. I know I’m here to talk about cold atoms and the hot stuff going in in experimental… Continue reading Consider the vacuum (I)
Month: August 2007
Best. Movie. Line. Ever.
Over at Andrew Sullivan’s place, he’s been presenting candidates for best movie line ever. Since I seem to have control of a blog of my very own, I’d like to present my nomination: Holly Gennero McClane: After all your posturing, all your speeches, you’re nothing but a common thief. Hans Gruber: I am an exceptional… Continue reading Best. Movie. Line. Ever.
Hello, world
Well, I just flew in from DC, and boy, are my arms tired. But seriously, folks…. It’s a fine thing to be asked to guestblog by the eminent Dr. Oilcan, and I’ll do my best to entertain you sporadically over the next few weeks. Like he said, I first met Chad back in his Usenet… Continue reading Hello, world
Stupid Math Tricks
One of the things Chad didn’t mention about me in his introduction is that in addition to being a physics major as an undergraduate, I also majored in mathematics. My research interests these days tend towards the exciting confluence of mathematics and high energy physics. So, in honor of that (but really completely unrelated), I… Continue reading Stupid Math Tricks
Ask a String Theorist
First of all, I’d like to thank Chad for the keys to his internet-house for the next few weeks. If you’re here, you know that one of the things Chad believes in (and is quite good at) is using his weblog for the exposition of science for the general public. While I don’t think I… Continue reading Ask a String Theorist
Meet Your Guest-Bloggers
As mentioned several times hereabouts, Kate and I are headed to Japan on Saturday, where we’ll be spending three weeks touring around and attending the World Science Fiction Convention in Yokohama. We will have at least some Internet access, and I may post the occasional travel update from Japan, but I’m not going to try… Continue reading Meet Your Guest-Bloggers
O’Reilly, Reali, What’s the Difference?
A couple of days ago, Brad DeLong hoisted a proposal from comments (originally suggested by Bernard Yomtov): A reporter should not be assigned to cover subject X unless he has as good an understanding of X as a baseball writer is expected to have of baseball. Kevin Drum isn’t sold on the idea: Man, does… Continue reading O’Reilly, Reali, What’s the Difference?
The Science Fiction of the Gaps
A little while ago, James Nicoll posted about the shifting subject areas of SF: In fact, a fairly consistent pattern in SF is to retreat away from areas that have come under the light of scientific examination. When probes began to visit the planets, SF retreated to the stars (There are very few novels these… Continue reading The Science Fiction of the Gaps
USVI: Love the Hat
One final vacation picture: what with all the snorkeling and boat-chartering and hiking, I was starting to worry that I might seem too cool to be a physicist. There was a chance that I might meet somebody, and not have them realize immediately what I do for a living. At the same time, my Northern… Continue reading USVI: Love the Hat
Fundamental Research Funding
Michael Nielsen, who’s so smart it’s like he’s posting from tomorrow, offers a couple of provocative questions about the perception of a crisis in funding for basic science: First, how much funding is enough for fundamental research? What criterion should be used to decide how much money is the right amount to spend on fundamental… Continue reading Fundamental Research Funding