Search
Profile
"Uncertain Principles" features the miscellaneous ramblings of a physicist at a small liberal arts college. Physics, politics, pop culture, and occasional conversations with his dog.
You've read the blog, now try the book: How to Teach Physics to Your Dog will be published December 22nd by Scribner.
"Prof. Orzel gives the impression of an everyday guy who just happens to have a vast but hidden knowledge of physics." (anonymous student evaluation comment)
Emmy is a German Shepherd mix, and the Queen of Niskayuna. She likes treats, walks, chasing bunnies, and quantum physics.

Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Greatest Hits
Chateau Steelypips
Blogroll
Scientists
Academics
Interesting People
Books
Punditry
Categories
Archives
Art:
Category: Publicity
After a long baby-induced delay, we are finally ready to announce the winners of the How to Teach Physics to Your Dog Caption Contest and Poetry Contest. I've obtained a few more copies of the bound galleys from the publisher,...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:51 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Publicity
Just a quick reminder post to note that you can win an advance proof copy of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in one of two ways: By captioning pictures of the dog with physics apparatus By writing short...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 1:43 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Pop Culture
When somebody doesn't like something that you like, there's a powerful temptation to assume that they don't like it because they haven't understood it. But in the end, understanding and enjoyment are orthogonal, and telling people that they don't like something just because they don't understand it just tends to piss them off.
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:21 AM • 19 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Pop Culture
Public appreciation of art is on the decline, provided you define "art" as "art forms that used to be popular more than fifty years ago."
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:49 AM • 35 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Technology
There have been a half-dozen stories in the past few weeks that looked interesting, but didn't even make it into the Links Dump for the day. Why not? Because the stories or studies were only available as PDF files. I...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:50 AM • 24 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Science
There's a nice write-up about the World Science Festival in the New York Times today: The second annual World Science Festival, a five-day extravaganza of performances, debates, celebrations and demonstrations, including an all-day street fair on Sunday in Washington Square...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:07 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: SF
The nominees for this year's Hugo Awards were announced last night. The most important category is, as always, Best Novel: Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK) Little Brother by Cory...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:48 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Pop Culture
In an effort to wrest something positive from the smoking ruins of the fannish precincts of LiveJournal, a number of people (Kate included) have put together a community to raise money to provide financial assistance to fans of color who...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:05 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Science
Two announcements of science-related festivals have turned up in my email in the last week or so: The second annual World Science Festival will be held in New York June 10-14 this year. They feature an impressive array of speakers...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:25 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art
There's a mini media blitz underway promoting Denis Dutton's new book The Art Instinct. He was on the Colbert Report last week, he's reviewed in the Times, and he's featured in this week's Bloggingheads Science Saturday: While it's kind of...
Read on »
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:22 AM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks