Physics without mathematics?

Yes, there is a book out there with that very title, but that's not what this is about. There are reference materials coming, though, no worries there, and maybe they'll be helpful to someone. I think it's a great find, a terrific public service, and yes I am pretty proud of myself for my web searching prowess.

The real point here is trying to figure out just how deep into the world of Physics, be it Quantum or Classical, someone can go and understand without having the background in the complex mathematics that are used. The math really isn't something there to support the concepts, as you'll know if you've done a lot of looking and digging, the math actually IS the concept, and pretty much the basis everything works from. So, one would think, it's not possible to understand the theories without grasping the equations.

With all that in mind, the University of Toronto Physics Department has made available classroom materials and lessons in their Physics Virtual Bookshelf. Very many of these courses are aimed at teaching pretty advanced physics to people without the intensive math, and from what I've read so far, it works very well. One of note is a course called The Magic of Physics, a great overview of everything else. Give it a try if it interests you at all, there is some good reading and a lot of knowledge right there at our fingertips.

Newest desktop image

New for me, since I change every so often. This one is courtesy of Hubblesite, and it is STUNNING. There are dozens of this quality there- go take a look!
Man, I love the Hubble Space Telescope.

How do people like this even manage to exist?

Seriously, I just don't understand it. Are we so desperate for any thread of control, so scared that things happen outside the tiny context of our lives and minute piece of existence, that things like this can honestly be believed?

I was looking around the BAUT forum (pretty much a daily exercise for me. I am an absolute expert at forum lurking) when I came across a link to this amazingly insane article. Well, it's not the article that's insane, but the subject is so far out of the realm of common sense that I am stunned. it's a reprint from a 1980 issue of Science Digest, about a guy named Charles K. Johnson, head of the International Flat Earth Research Society. I just can't comprehend anyone going so far out of the way to deny everything that our eyes, ears, and common sense tells us is true. A short excerpt:

"The sun and moon, in the Johnson version, are only about 32 miles in diameter. They circle above the earth in the vicinity of the equator, and their apparent rising and setting are tricks of perspective, like railroad tracks that appear to meet in the distance. The moon shines by its own light and is not eclipsed by the earth. Rather, lunar eclipses are caused by an unseen dark body occasionally passing in front of the moon."

Occam's Razor, anyone? But there is more than that:

"Wherever you find people with a great reservoir of common sense," he says, "they don't believe idiotic things such as the earth spinning around the sun. Reasonable, intelligent people have always recognized that the earth is flat."

The irony is so thick it would float a neutron star.

I guess this goes a long way toward explaining why there will always be a market for miracle weight loss and hair growth pills. Humanity......sigh.

When are the brain implants coming?

Seriously soon, I hope. It would save me a tremendous amount of trauma.

I'm trying to reacquaint my brain with the world of mathematics. It's been a while since I've had to do anything beyond the calculations required for doing my taxes, so yeah- I'm a bit out of form. So I'm doing all right (not great, but...yeah. I'm remembering things) and all of a sudden I'm faced with this:

a(0) / 2 + [Sigma](sum)(k=1..inf) (a(k) cos kx + b(k) sin kx)

Fourier series, right. The problem is, I remember the name, but have NO memory at all of what it's representing, or how to plug anything in to make it mean squat.

Sigh. Back all the way to the roots and beginning algebra, I suppose. Maybe I can find a 12 year old to tutor me.

Happy Thanksgiving, at least to the Yanks

I know it's not a holiday anywhere else but the U.S. I also know that I don't do anything much to commemorate it myself, but I hope those of you that do have a great day.

New Moon evidence proves existence of Easter Bunny!

(Note: No, I am NOT serious. But seeing all this garbage makes me think I'm on to something)

I am not an expert, an astronomer, a butcher, baker, or anyone who knows much of anything. But the photos below will provide undeniable proof that the Easter Bunny is REAL, and that the ancient race of Moon dwellers knew it.

Image I: Untouched image from Google Moon.


You can see the bunny carved from the lunar surface quite clearly. But it becomes clearer....

Image II - Modified image


With a little expert image enhancement, you can now see that I am NOT seeing things. It's there. That, my friends, is a rabbit. Shaped by intelligently guided hands, very possibly a sure sign that maybe there were Moon dwellers in the past! This is very exciting and edgy science!

Image III- Final evidence

Clearly the Moon dwellers' attempt to recreate, in grand scale, a pot of boiling water and some eggs. There you have it- PROOF OF THE EASTER BUNNY! ON THE MOON! I think I'll write a book or brochure about it. I'll let you know when it's for sale.

Give a laptop to a child who needs one- and get one yourself!

Now this is an interesting program- and one I can fully support and agree with. Until November 26th, people in the US and Canada can purchase an XO Laptop and not only will they get one, but so will a school age child in a developing nation. Check the link out- the XO is a unique little machine, running a Linux-derived OS. While you're there, have a look at the program, too, and consider lending a hand.

How's your geography?

Give this a try and see how you do- maybe I'll divulge my score later. I did better than expected on the world map, I'll admit, and find this to be a pretty neat little test.

Paranal Observatory Escapes Damage

Luckily, the recent earthquake in northern Chile didn't damage ESO's telescopes at Paranal- everything is reported up and running normally according to the release found here. Not that there's anything 'lucky' about an earthquake of this magnitude (7.7 on the Richter), but I think it's a relief that there was no damage to any of the facilities used by ESO. Best wishes to all of those who were affected.

Beauty in the invisible spectrum

Time for another introduction to an amazing site, full of great educational material and spectacular imagery. Pay a visit to the Chandra X-Ray Observatory - part of NASA's "Great Observatory" fleet, Chandra has been providing data on the unseen universe since August of 1999 and is still going strong. A good example is the image seen here, a spectacular representation of the Tycho supernova remnant. This is just one of hundreds of images this amazing machine has provided us; pay a visit to the site and see for yourself.

On a completely unrelated note, Barry Bonds was indicted on charges related to his testimony concerning steroid use. Is anyone surprised? And on yet another tangent, Jonathan Lee Riches filed another insane lawsuit, which is about as surprising as the prior item. I think I'll stick to happenings outside our local atmosphere from now on.

Speaking of Cassini

After mentioning the Cassini probe in my little rant yesterday, I thought it was right to make note of the amazing photos of Saturn and it's moons (and rings!) that we're getting back. I particularly liked this one, showing the very clear ice-filled canyonlike features on Dione, Saturn's 12th satellite. There is an archive of shots like this one, complete mission profile documentation, and a host of other great information available at the Cassini-Huygens page.

Something that really bothers me...

...and it's been on my mind a lot these past few days.

I fully realize that we live in a very entertainment-driven society here in the US. I further understand that the pursuit of knowledge isn't exactly the most popular exercise. But even with these things in mind, I have to vent a little- an expression of frustration more than anything, I suppose.

Do this for me, and maybe you'll see why I'm feeling that frustration. Go find a dozen of your friends, family, or co-workers. Ask each of them who Britney Spears' ex-husband is. Ask who the stars of Sex and the City are. Maybe even ask them who's on the cover of People magazine this issue, or when the new season of House starts. Odds are, you'll get correct answers about 75% of the time, if not more.

Now ask these same people any or all of these questions: What is the Hubble Space Telescope, and where is it located? What's the Huygens Probe? What country launched the orbiter that is currently sending us beautiful HDTV shots of the lunar surface? How are stem cells harvested? What and where is the Ionosphere? What does E=MC^2 really mean? I imagine you'll be very lucky to get a correct response to 1/4th of those queries. I find that pretty damned disturbing.

I don't claim to be a genius. I don't even claim to be educated. What I do claim is at least some awareness of the REAL world. Things that matter, both to our present and our future. So, please- do something I try to do every day- visit one of the links over to the top right, and share something you learn with someone around you. Viruses spread this way, and just maybe awareness and knowledge will, too.