Chris Rowan is a geologist specialising in the dark arts of paleomagnetism, and getting people to pay him to travel to exotic destinations for fieldwork. Having drilled up New Zealand during his PhD, and South Africa in his first post-doc, he now works at the University of Edinburgh.
Anne Jefferson has a love of all things water-related and blends hydrology, geomorphology, geology, and climate change in her work. She has a Ph.D. from Oregon State University and is now an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.The Spring Science Showdown is gearing up for the 'Sweet Sixteen' phase, and Highly Allochthonous is hosting the eagerly anticipated match-up between F=ma and Particles. It's no surprise that these two heavyweights of the Orbit bracket have made it this far (see how here and here) - but only one can progress to the final eight.
And, just to make things even more exciting, I can confirm that this is going to be a match-up with a twist*. Particles have been battling against the iron grip of Newton's Second Law ever since the publication of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687, a rivalry which predates not only the invention of basketball, but the United States of America itself. To celebrate the 420th year of this ancient sporting contest, team captains Isaac Newton and John Dalton have decided to re-enact the days when they contested their supremacy on the grass of an English cricket pitch, rather than the basketball court. The added bonus being that these two great cornerstones of Physics get to show these upstart North Americans the skill and excitement of a proper sport.
So, to add to the tension of this already finely balanced contest, we have to ask: who will cope best with the transition from the realm of hoops, rebounds and three-point plays to that of yorkers, cover drives and silly mid-offs? Speculation will no doubt be rife...
*I was going to make it a surprise, but Janet has let the cat out of the bag - thanks to Bob for the suggestion.
Comments
When they break for tea -- and, seriously, what real sports have a tea break? -- will they move to the classroom for an academic debate? Also, will this be a test match or a one day?
Posted by: RPM | March 30, 2007 12:11 PM
It'll be a One-day match, as Dalton won't be able to see the red Test Match ball due to his colour-blindness.
Not that Newton will complain - Newton's great at dealing with seam bowling - fast, straight, no problem for him, easy to work out exactly where it is going. But when swing bowling, particularly reverse swing, comes in, suddenly it'll be hard for him to work out where it is going.
Posted by: DrMaybe | April 3, 2007 6:16 AM
I don't see F=ma having a chance against particle's spin.
Bob
Posted by: Bob O'H | April 4, 2007 3:16 PM