What’s the application? Using lasers to cut and/or cauterize tissue during surgical procedures, instead of the traditional very small very sharp knives. What problem(s) is it the solution to? 1) “How can we do surgery without touching the tissues being operated on?” 2) “How can I get rid of these annoying glasses/contact lenses?” How does… Continue reading Amazing Laser Application 10: Surgery!
Category: Technology
Amazing Laser Application 7: Telecommunications!
What’s the application? Telecommunications, namely, the sending of messages over very long distances by encoding them in light pulses which are sent over optical fibers. What problem(s) is it the solution to? “How can we send large numbers of messages from one place to another more efficiently than with electrical pulses sent down copper wires?”… Continue reading Amazing Laser Application 7: Telecommunications!
Amazing Laser Application 6: LIGO!
What’s the application? LIGO stands for Laser Interferometer Graviitational Wave Observatory, because (astro)physicists feel free to drop inconvenient words when making up cute acronyms. This is an experiment to look for disturbances in space-time caused by massive objects, which would manifest as a slight stretching and compression of space itself. What problem(s) is it the… Continue reading Amazing Laser Application 6: LIGO!
Return of the Laser Smackdown
Several weeks ago, I announced a contest to determine the Most Amazing Laser Application. Personal issues interrupted this, but I want to finish it out in honor of LaserFest Here’s the list of finalists, with links to those already written up: Cat toy/ dog toy/ laser light show Laser cooling/ BEC Lunar laser ranging Optical… Continue reading Return of the Laser Smackdown
Why I Hate Windows Update, Aleph-nought in a Series
Relevant to yesterday’s discussion, I let Windows install its critical updates on my work computer last night. So far this morning, I have: 1) Spent five minutes looking at the blue Vista start-up screen, as the computer was hung up– not a screen with a “Configuring updates” message, mind– an otherwise blank blue screen with… Continue reading Why I Hate Windows Update, Aleph-nought in a Series
The Computer Industry Is Making Us Crazy
We had a meeting yesterday with the chair of the CS department, who wanted to know about our computing needs. Sadly, she just meant that she wanted to know what computing things we would like our students to be taught, because my real computing need, as I said to Kate last night, is “I need… Continue reading The Computer Industry Is Making Us Crazy
Amazing Laser Application 1: Light Show!
What’s the application? The use of lasers to provide an entertaining light show for humans, dogs, or cats. What problem(s) is it the solution to? 1) “How will I entertain my dog or cat?” 2) “How can we distract people from the fact that Roger Daltrey has no voice left?”
Laser Smackdown: The Finalists
A couple of weeks ago, I announced a contest to determine the Most Amazing Laser Application. After a follow-up post listing the likely candidates, we have a final list of candidate applications, an even dozen of them (after consolidating some related topics): Cat toy/ dog toy/ laser light show Laser cooling/ BEC Laser ranging/position measurement… Continue reading Laser Smackdown: The Finalists
Talking to My Dog About Science: Why Public Communication of Science Matters, and How Weblogs Can Help
My talk at Maryland last Thursday went pretty well– the impending Snowpocalypse kept the audience down, as people tried to fit in enough work to compensate for the Friday shutdown, but the people who were there seemed to like it, and asked good questions. If you weren’t there, but want to know what I talked… Continue reading Talking to My Dog About Science: Why Public Communication of Science Matters, and How Weblogs Can Help
The Use of Approved Electronic Devices Is Not Approved
I have chickened out in the face of the Snowpocalypse, and moved my flight up to get out of DC before the storm. I’m too old to sleep in airports any more. In honor of my spending another day on a plane, here’s another airline-themed poll for you: The flight crew insist I turn off… Continue reading The Use of Approved Electronic Devices Is Not Approved