Final Links Dump for forty days, give or take.
-
“Physicists in the US have observed chemical reactions taking place at such low temperatures that they are dominated by quantum effects, rather than thermal collisions. The researchers showed that diatomic molecules containing potassium and rubidium are much less likely to react with each other, when cooled to just 500 nK, if they are all prepared in the same quantum state. As well as providing important information about the quantum nature of chemical reactions, the technique could also be used to extend the lifetimes of ultracold gases by reducing the rates at which their constituent atoms and molecules react. “
-
“Quarks and gluons interact in interesting ways, and in the many fluctuations that happen in these high-temperature collisions we can get “bubbles” that pick out a direction in space. In the presence of these bubbles, quarks treat left and right differently, even though they treat both directions exactly the same when they’re in empty space. The phenomenon is known as the chiral magnetic effect — “chiral” means “distinguishing left from right,” and it happens when you put the quark-gluon plasma in a magnetic field.
It’s worth mentioning that, while this result is interesting and very helpful to our quest to better understand the strong interactions, it does not represent the overthrow of any cherished laws of physics. On the contrary, it was predicted by the laws of physics as we currently understand them — and by human beings such as Dimitri Kharzeev and others.”
-
“What does it say about your directorial career that your tweets are far more compelling, suspenseful, and emotionally honest than your recent movies?”
-
“The story may sound like something you’ve seen before, but I assure you that a film version of Downtown Owl would surprise you with its wit — and the way all of these stories converge and play out. If there’s anything Hollywood seems to love lately, it is the concept of unique, converging storylines that build to a surprising finish. And while a lot of the efforts we’re seeing make it to the big screen lately are sloppy and uninspired, there are voices out there who are telling these stories in a compact, interesting way.
Chuck Klosterman is one of those voices. And his book is a very funny, inspired effort that captures what is both interesting and excruciating about living in small-town North Dakota. Or more appropriately, small-town America. I don’t see anything wrong with a completely relatable, thoroughly entertaining story making it to the big screen. Do you?”
-
“So I thought it would be interesting, edifying, and, yes, even a little arousing to listen to the entire NOW That’s What I Call Music! series in chronological order to see what the albums say, individually and collectively, about the way music has evolved and devolved, and to explore some of the weirder and more obscure nooks and crannies of pop culture. With that in mind, I’m introducing a new feature called THEN That’s What They Called Music! a.k.a. “NOW That’s What I Call Music Revisited.” Each entry will tackle a disc in the series. We’re about to embark on a journey that will take us from Cherry Poppin’ Daddies to Drake, from Imajin to Lady Gaga. “