.
Tag: physics
March 16, 2012
3D nano printed man.
Machines, known as two-photon lithography printers, can produce detailed structures as small as a grain of sand.
Vienna University of Technology researchers Jan Torgersen and Peter Gruber, led by materials science and technology professor Jürgen Stampfl, took the printing process from millimeters per second to five meters per second, a world record.
More at Discover.com.
March 6, 2012
Alessandro Volta invented the battery but also hung out with Napoleon and made methane ignited airguns!
.
In 1800, as the result of a professional disagreement over the galvanic response advocated by Galvani (he of the electricty twitching frog leg’s fame), he invented the voltaic pile, an early electric battery, which produced a steady electric current.[6] Volta had determined that the most effective pair of dissimilar metals to produce electricity was zinc and silver. Initially he experimented with individual cells in series, each cell being a wine goblet filled with brine into which the two dissimilar electrodes were dipped. The voltaic pile replaced the goblets with cardboard soaked in brine. The battery made by Volta is credited as the first electrochemical cell. (via wiki)
Note that Volta is also the first to characterize the gas Methane. In fact, he even devised an air gun contraption that relied on igniting the flammable gas (see this link for pictures). For this and his battery invention, he was made a count by Napoleon.
March 5, 2012
I find it wonderfully amusing that Marie Curie’s papers are still radioactive.
Many library collections use special equipment, such as special gloves and climate-controlled rooms, to protect the archival materials from the visitor. For the Pierre and Marie Curie collection at France’s Bibliotheque National, it’s the other way around.
That’s because after more than 100 years, much of Marie Curie’s stuff – her papers, her furniture, even her cookbooks – are still radioactive. Those who wish to open the lead-lined boxes containing her manuscripts must do so in protective clothing, and only after signing a waiver of liability.
.
.
Via Christian Science Monitor. Image from Wiki.
February 29, 2012
Awesome animated gif of a physics blackboard
Can’t find out the source for this (do let me know if you know).
February 21, 2012
Justin Bieber physics question. #funny
(This is circulating on tumblr, but not sure of the original source).
January 17, 2012
Assorted Rays, Ranked According to Coolness.
An old silly piece of mine originally published at MonkeyBicycle. (Yes, I know Ray Charles wasn’t included, but he’s the one Ray I respect too much to make fun of)
By DAVID NG
6.
Ray Romano
Is it just me or is this guy too funny? I mean, that thing he does with his TV mom and wife just cracks me up. Plus, he once made $50 million bucks in one season, which is totally cool, and is in no way the reason for putting him on this list. Too bad about the TV kid twins, though – I mean, what’s up with their foreheads being so massive? It doesn’t look natural.
5.
Cosmic Rays
These are the rays that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. But even cooler – in astrophysics, they are basically high-energy outer space particles that make their way to the Earth. How awesome is that! It’s like they’re all around all the time. Plus, I did some reading on them and found out that the most energetic recorded was 1020 eV! I don’t even know what an eV is, but its got to be pretty cool. Also, 1020 is one big number – that’s a one with 20 zeros behind it. Once in my car, I even tried counting to it, but only made it to 214. I think I could have made it all the way but True by Spandau Ballet came on the radio and I hate that song.
4.
Ray Bans
These sunglasses are as cool as it gets. Unfortunately, I already wear prescription glasses. This means that when I put on a pair of Ray Bans, I either have to put them right on top of my prescription glasses, or alternatively I take my prescription glasses off first, put the Ray Bans on, and then put my prescription glasses on top of them (I can’t see without them). Anyway, I don’t think this is how Ray Ban intended it, but I suppose this is why it’s not at the number one spot.
3.
Stingrays
How awesome are these fish? They swim with those kick ass pectoral fins and have a nasty serrated sting that – get this – is coated with toxic venom. I’m a bit surprised there’s no TV show for them – you know, like Flipper, except when you piss it off, it might kill you. I mean, if that’s not prime time then I don’t know what is. Or it could even be like a comedy because, did you know a Stingray’s eyes are on the top side and its mouth is on the bottom side? That’s right, people; the poor fish can’t see what it’s eating! Man, that kind of comedy just writes itself.
2
The “Re” in “Do Re Mi”
O.K. so not technically a “ray” – but this one rocks! First, am I the only one who thinks Julie Andrews was pretty hot back then? More so, when you realize that she’s playing the guitar for real in the movie – double score! On top of that, there the whole “drop of golden sun” line, which I’m guessing is in reference to that whole quantum physics wave-versus-particle thing – it’s a shame that whole subplot was edited out of the movie. Some nuclear explosions would have really taken that movie to whole different level.
1.
(Tie) Gamma Rays and X-Rays
I’ve decided that these two rays are tied for first place, because you know what? Sometimes, in physics land, they are actually the same thing! Although, you could probably care less since maybe that, in itself, is not that cool. But how awesome are x-rays? You can see your teeth and bones, for Christ’s sake! Plus, you have to wear lead aprons when you work with the stuff, and nothing say’s “ladies man” like a kicking lead apron. And gamma rays – did you know these are the babies that gave us the Incredible Hulk? Although what’s up with his shirts always ripping to shreds and his pants always staying together? I thought your gluteus muscles are supposed to be the biggest in the human body. Anyway, I’m not actually complaining – it’s not like the Hulk is hot like Julie Andrews or anything, although he does look like the sort of dude who would also have a problem with Spandau Ballet.
January 4, 2012
None of my Science Piñatas are Appropriate for Children.
By DAVID NG
(I always thought that this piece would have been great as a pictorial. First published at McSweeney’s)
– – –
1.
Hydrochloric-Acid-Filled Piñatas
Good: Have the sturdy construction required to ensure no unintended leakage of contents.
Bad: Possible severe burning. Brings the party down.
2.
Endangered-Animal Piñatas
Good: Kids love animals. High potential for very cute-looking piñatas, like baby seals, for instance.
Bad: Beating with a stick sort of sends the wrong message.
3.
Particle-Accelerator Piñatas
Good: Built full-scale and often several miles in dimension. Therefore, young children find them easy to hit.
Bad: Each one worth several billion dollars. Parents generally not keen on damaging them.
4.
Smallpox (Variola major) Piñatas
Good: Cool virus shape.
Bad: Highly contagious and high mortality rate. Would also bring party down—as well as everyone else within a 100-mile radius.
5.
Infinity-Symbol Piñatas
Good: Possibly a way to address the often reported decline of mathematics education.
Bad: Thinking about infinity makes my head hurt. Now imagine having to explain it to a child over and over again.
6.
Piñatas in the Shape of the USA and Filled
With the Greenhouse Gas Carbon Dioxide
Good: Sort of works as a metaphor for the United States’ role in the global-warming crisis.
Bad: Unfortunately, the irony would be totally wasted on a 5-year-old.
December 12, 2011
The Newton Digital Library: His “Waste Book.”
I love the back story to this:
“Much of Newton’s important work on calculus is developed in this large notebook, which he began using in 1664 when he was away from Cambridge due to the plague. Newton inherited the book from his stepfather, Rev Barnabas Smith, who used it from about 1612 to record his own theological notes (see, for example, his notes on adultery, in Latin). Newton was not interested in his stepfather’s jottings: its value to him was the large number of blank pages, which he began filling with his mathematical and optical calculations. Although the bulk of his work in this manuscript dates from the mid-1660s, Newton continued to use into the 1680s and possibly even the 1690s.” (link)
More of Newton’s papers at the Cambridge Digital Library
December 8, 2011
Nothing exists except for atoms and space: Everything else is opinion.
Cool poster design using quote from Democritus (Greek philosopher, 460-370bc)
By Ger Heffernan, via typographyserved.com.
popperfont.net 