1603 hours. Amazing what toasters can do these
days – this is probably the best toaster we have ever had. We lightly toasted a
bagel and it was exactly that, lightly toasted with retained moisture, and
quickly done also.
You also placed the ten best physics breakthroughs on Facebook. Add
them here as well as your comments.
SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
12 December
2014 Last updated at 08:53 ET
Top 10
physics breakthroughs listed
Landing on a
comet, nuclear fusion with lasers and a tractor beam are among the 10 physics
breakthroughs of 2014, as chosen by a leading science magazine.
The Philae
spacecraft's touchdown on comet 67P was named as the year's most significant
advance by Physics World.
It was
singled out for its "fundamental importance to space science".
The first
detection of neutrino particles from the main reaction that powers the Sun and
a new holographic memory device also made the shortlist.
Dr Hamish
Johnston, editor of physicsworld.com, said: "As well as looking forward to
the fascinating science... we also acknowledge the technological tour de force
of chasing a comet for 10 years and then placing an advanced laboratory on its
surface."
Philae landed on its quarry on 12 November: following a seven-hour descent to
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Of the
runners-up, Dr Johnston explained that each "represents an important step
forward made by a team of creative and talented researchers". In no
particular order, the nine other breakthroughs chosen by Physics World are:
Light on the cosmic web: (January):
Researchers used the radiation emitted by a quasar as a "cosmic
flashlight" to illuminate the hidden tendrils of dark matter that underlie
the visible Universe.
Neutrinos from the sun: (August):
The Borexino experiment in Italy detected neutrino particles from the main
nuclear reaction that powers the Sun. The number of neutrinos it saw agrees
with theories, suggesting we do understand what's going on inside our parent
star.
Laser fusion milestone: (February):
Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California made a
breakthrough in the long road to self-sustaining fusion when they managed to
get more energy out of fusion reactions than was deposited in the fuel by NIF's
powerful laser.
Acoustic tractor beam: (May): Once
the preserve of science fiction, tractor beams are now a reality - at least in
the lab. Physicists built a device that can pull objects by firing sound waves
at them. The beam could have medical uses, such as manipulating objects within
the body.
Supernovas in the lab: (June): The
Vulcan Laser Facility in Oxfordshire was used to recreate miniature star
explosions, offering a window into some of the most powerful and unpredictable
events in the cosmos.
Electron magnetism: (June):
Researchers in Israel were the first to measure the extremely weak magnetic
interaction between two separate electron particles.
A better fibre for images: (March): Scientists in the US used a physical effect called
Anderson Localisation to develop a better optical fibre for transmitting
images.
Holographic memory: (February):
American and Russian physicists built a new type of holographic memory device
that stores data in the form of magnetic "bits".
Quantum compression: (September):
The ability to compress quantum information was demonstrated for the first time
by physicists in Canada and Japan.
From -
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30415007?
My FB comments: Most cool. Awesome to think on and to consider their uses. Helps
make this a good Friday for me, and perhaps you too. After all, where would
hope be without imagination?
** **
You are at Hallmark at the VOA Centre. Carol is looking for Xmas
present ‘sacks’ for the boys’ and Kim’s presents. No one had commented on your
added FB article, but you do not expect many or any responses. – Amorella
1653 hours. I put the science articles on my
page for friends who may be interested. I love science. Who knows what can come
from these and other breakthroughs; hopefully to help make human lives more
interesting, socially positive and/or comfortable, healthier or just more
challenging. I sit here in the lot and the sun is about five degrees above the
horizon -- at least it is not
cloudy.
Tonight
you and Carol watched an episode of “Elementary” and “White Collar” as well as
NBC News. You and Carol usually find something to chuckle about aloud while
watching both shows – usually it is the wit and return wit of Sherlock and Dr.
Joan Watson; and, with “White Collar” the smiles come from the jibes from
Mozzie and Neal. – Amorella
2149 hours. We do listen to the scripts.
Do you hear my voice, orndorff? – Amorella
2135 hours. This is unexpected. I remember the
first time I thought I heard a quiet well metered voice in my head. It sounded
like a soft-spoken human voice but it was from inside my head. My eardrums did
not receive the sound. This was after dinner on an evening in the 1980’s and I
was taking my daily walk on the sidewalks of our old neighborhood. The ‘voice’
appeared to say, “Who are you?” I did
not know if it was a ‘real’ voice or not, but the question was a good one.
After thinking about this for some time and with some consideration I felt I
should first answer, “What are you?” That is, “What is a human being?” The
voice was real enough to me that thirty some years later, today, I am still
working on that question.
The pronoun ‘I’ is a
misnomer in this context. From my inner perspective human beings are inner
connected via heart and soul if not mind. We spring from the same physical
earthy environment. We are connected physically through genealogy. We are all
cousins in one degree or another. I am made of generations of ‘I’s’. We are not
timeless but in context our species is much, much older than we are
individually. This is not metaphysics. Blood is blood. This is true as long as
our material species exists in time and space. The species has traits and
behaviors that classify us (at least to ourselves). We have no choice but to
develop the traits that allow our species to continue to survive. This is what
I know about human beings and as such I know this about myself. I understand
this better than I did thirty years ago. This is not about pride or humility it
is about being, existing. (2223)
2226 hours. I am surprised the time it took to write the above two paragraphs. It didn't seem any time at all yet. It took time -- 48 minutes. That seems unreal yet it is true.
It was all in your head, boy. That should tell you something else about being human. - Amorella
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