One of the things about being a physicist that makes it tough to have any sensible work-life balance is that I’m constantly seeing little things and thinking “Oooh! Physics!” then getting distracted from what I’m actually supposed to be doing. Take, for example, our bathroom sink. I have noticed, from time to time, a weird… Continue reading Fluid Dynamics Is Weird: Bathroom Sink Edition
Category: Science
Quantum Short Fiction, Voting Open Now
The Center for Quantum Technologies is running a “Quantum Shorts” contest, where they solicited short stories exploring some aspect of quantum physics. They cut their large number of applicants down to two short-lists of ten, one for the “Open” category, and one for the “Youth” category. They’ll be giving out a “People’s Choice Award” based… Continue reading Quantum Short Fiction, Voting Open Now
Advice to the Past
Over at Scientific American, Amanda Baker has a story about what scientists say they would tell their younger selves. I reached out to eight of my colleagues who are currently in STEM fields and asked them a series of questions about their childhood interests in science, school experiences, and roadblocks that they faced on their… Continue reading Advice to the Past
132/366: New Phone Test
Having picked up a new phone last week, it seems sort of appropriate to give a photo-a-day to a picture taken with that phone, as a kind of test. Also, I realized while on the way to SteelyKid’s taekwondo class that I had forgotten to take any photos with the good camera, and wanted some… Continue reading 132/366: New Phone Test
The Exotic Physics of an Ordinary Morning
A couple of weeks ago, I gave a talk at TEDxAlbany on how quantum physics manifests in everyday life. I posted the approximate text back then, but TEDx has now put up the video: So, if you’ve been wondering what it sounded like live, well, now you can see…
On Sports Injury Rates, or Today in Why I’m Glad I’m Not a Social Scientist
The topic of sports injuries is unavoidable these days– the sports radio shows I listen to in the car probably spend an hour a week bemoaning the toll playing football takes on kids. Never a publication to shy away from topics that bring easy clicks, Vox weighs in with The Most Dangerous High School Sports… Continue reading On Sports Injury Rates, or Today in Why I’m Glad I’m Not a Social Scientist
The Exotic Physics of an Ordinary Morning: My TEDxAlbany Talk
So, yesterday was my big TEDxAlbany talk. I was the first speaker scheduled, probably because I gave them the title “The Exotic Physics of an Ordinary Morning,” so it seemed appropriate to have me talking while people were still eating breakfast… The abstract I wrote when I did the proposal mentions both quantum physics and… Continue reading The Exotic Physics of an Ordinary Morning: My TEDxAlbany Talk
Physics Blogging Round-Up: Bounces, Literacy, Rule Changes, Lone Geniuses, and Rugby
A longer-than-usual gap between recap posts, but thanks to some kid illnesses and the Thanksgiving holiday, not all that many new physics posts over at Forbes: — Football Physics: Checking The Odds On Wild Bounces: A backyard experiment to see how often a bouncing football takes a big hop. Follows from this rant and prompted… Continue reading Physics Blogging Round-Up: Bounces, Literacy, Rule Changes, Lone Geniuses, and Rugby
TEDxAlbany Talk This Thursday, 12/3
I’ve been a little bad about self-promoting here of late, but I should definitely plug this: I’m speaking at the TEDxAlbany event this Thursday, December 3rd; I’m scheduled first, at 9:40 am. The title is “The Exotic Physics of an Ordinary Morning“: You might think that the bizarre predictions of quantum mechanics and relativity– particles… Continue reading TEDxAlbany Talk This Thursday, 12/3
084/366: Woodpecker
I was headed outside to take a bunch of photos with which I plan to do some SCIENCE!, but that won’t be the photo of the day, because this little critter was energetically banging on the side of our house when I got outside: I think this is probably a female downy woodpecker. Though I… Continue reading 084/366: Woodpecker