Now on ScienceBlogs: Zihlman's 'pygmy chimpanzee hypothesis'
Physics, Politics, Pop Culture
"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.
Category: Academia
I've been a little too busy to participate, but His Holiness and Eric Weinstein on Twitter have gotten into an interesting exchange about the structure of academia, and the appropriate number of Ph.D.'s in science. As usual, I suspect I'm...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:10 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Physics
As every physics-loving dog knows, the idea that electrons behave like waves was first suggested by Loius Victor Pierre Raymond de Broglie (the 7th duc de Broglie) in 1923. The proper pronunciation of his surname is a mystery even to...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:17 AM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Physics
There's been an independent rediscovery of the notion of using dogs to explain physics, as you can see in this YouTube video of Golden Retrievers explaining the structure of atoms: Emmy thinks she should get royalties, in the form of...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:04 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Conferences
Blogging has been light of late because I was in the Houston area for the weekend, at the annual meeting of Sigma Xi, the scientific research honor society (think Phi Beta Kappa, but for science nerds). Every chapter is required...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:33 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Science
Some years ago, I heard Bob Park give a talk about pseudoscience, using "How to get rich and famous abusing your science knowledge" as a framing device. He ran through the deceptions involved in a bunch of high-profile "science" based...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 11:34 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Books
I've gradually gotten used to the idea that as a semi-pro blogger, I will occasionally be sent review copies of books I've never heard of. These are generally physics books, and I have a stack of them sitting next to...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:58 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Politics
Here's a partial list of Important Events from my lifetime that I've heard at least one person use in a "I remember where I was when ______" type essay or discussion. Which of them do you remember that way?
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:47 AM • 44 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Quantum Computing
Today's Quantum Optics lecture is about quantum computing experiments, and how different types of systems stack up. Quantum computing, as you probably know if you're reading this blog, is based on building a computer whose "bits" can not only take...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:50 AM • 14 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Science
It's not getting as much press as the "X Prize" for private rocket launches, but NASA has quietly been running a contest for work toward a "space elevator," offering up to $2 million for a scheme to transmit power to...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:45 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Science
It's November now, which means we're edging into winter, and my morning ritual has been expanded to include scraping the frost off the cars when I get back from walking the dog. I've had to do this half a dozen...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:58 AM • 30 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
