I remarked to Kate the other night that it's a shame we don't have any science-themed ornaments for the Christmas tree. She responded that I just wasn't thinking hard enough about what we do have, and she's right-- with a bit of effort, it's not hard to come up with scientific symbolism for the ornaments we've got.
So, this is the first of a series of holiday photo-blog posts (how many there end up being will depend on how long it takes me to become bored with this), showing some of the ornaments we have, and providing explanations for how they're really all about the science. We'll start with an easy one:
The star, of course, stands for astronomy, because I'm in a Department of Physics and Astronomy. And astronomy would be awfully boring without stars.
Of course, real stars tend to not be made of glass lattice-work, tending instead to be roughly spherical blobs of extremely hot gas, but, you know, it's a symbolic star...
Comments
# 1 | Mary Kay | December 11, 2006 9:04 PM
We have a fine collection of astronaut and space vehicle ornaments. When your husband is a rocket scientist, you tend to acquire rockets indiscriminately. And yes, there really are lots of rocket/astronaut themed ornaments.
MKK
# 2 | Kate Nepveu | December 11, 2006 10:26 PM
Real stars also tend not to have microscopic quantities of my blood on them; one of the bits in the middle is broken and stuck my finger but good.
But it does catch the light very nicely.
# 3 | Bob Oldendorf | December 12, 2006 1:30 AM
We're actually celebrating Newton's birthday on Dec. 25th.
The entire "tree" ritual is nothing more than allegorical worship of the Greatest Physicist on the day of his birth.
The round ornaments are symbolic apples, symbolizing His work on gravitation.
And the tree is decorated with colored lights, to represent His work on Opticks....
# 4 | chezjake | December 12, 2006 2:01 AM
If we're celebrating Newton's birthday, shouldn't the tree be a fig tree? ;-)
# 5 | Brad Holden | December 12, 2006 2:23 AM
Nothing says Christmas like thermonuclear fusion.
# 6 | Carl Brannen | December 12, 2006 3:49 AM
One day I walked into a store that sold art glass for stained glass and fusing. I thought to myself, "my mother would tell me that this is an easy way to get cut", but the people there didn't seem at all worried, so I didn't worry either.
The beauty of glass is very entrancing, and to shape it is a delight I cannot express. It was only after I became addicted that I realized that my first impression was correct. The carpet pattern had been chosen to hide blood stains.
A common complaint among glass people was that when their psychologist looked carefully at their hands, they were automatically classified as "suicidal".
# 7 | Chad Orzel | December 12, 2006 7:56 AM
Nothing says Christmas like thermonuclear fusion.
That's the comment of the week, right there.