Category: Physics
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The Millennium Prize Problems
I ran into this article not too long ago, and I was reminded how cool The Millennium Prize Problems are. These are some of the most difficult problems that mathematicians consider significant. Since the seven problems were announced in 2000, only one has been solved. The reclusive mathematician Grigori Perelman solved the Poincaré Conjecture in…
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The Fibonacci Sequence
Here’s a cool explanation of why the Fibonacci sequence appears in nature. Note: The following assumes that you took the time to read this article by Dr. Katie Spalding. I previously hadn’t considered that there must be a “most irrational” number, and I certainly didn’t know it as “phi”. This is one of the things…
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Galaxy Zoo Now
Like many people, I’ve learned more about Artificial Intelligence (AI), from ChatGPT to Llama. Large Language Models (LLM’s) have become much better at a certain kind of pattern matching. It made me think about a project I participated in several years ago. Galaxy Zoo began as a way for thousands of volunteers to help astronomers…
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Curvature of Earth
If you look at a tall sailboat on open water heading toward the horizon, you’ll notice that the bottom of the boat is no longer visible when you can still see the top of the sails. This is great evidence indicating that the Earth is round. Yesterday, I noticed something interesting, which may also indicate…
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Relative Velocity
Today, I experienced a nice demonstration of classical relative velocity. While driving in the mountains, I started to pass a car that was in the lane to my right. To my left, I noticed a railing that had a lot of evenly spaced struts. I was probably going about seventy miles per hour, with respect…
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Rare Events
We can learn a lot by noticing rare events. This is especially true in physics and astronomy. Examples include the following. Eclipses and conjunctions eventually improved our understanding of gravity, from Kepler’s Laws to Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Supernovas provided insights into the life cycle of stars. Victor Hess won a Nobel Prize in…
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Math Animations
Today, I discovered a new YouTube channel that is absolutely amazing! Check out 3Blue1Brown, developed by Grant Sanderson. It features discussions about mathematical topics and uses visual animations to bring the material to life. Sometimes, math is difficult to grasp. By adding visual animations, Sanderson helps us understand what’s really happening. Consider his discussion of…
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Richard Feynman
For a long time, Richard Feynman has been one of my heroes. I probably first learned about Richard Feynman when I read a couple of his wonderful books. What I love about these books is that you get to know the man. He shares wonderful stories, not just about physics, but also about his life.…
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Sir Isaac Newton
This man’s accomplishments defy understanding! How is it possible for one man to make so many world-changing discoveries? Obviously, he’s one of my heroes. Newton is best known for his laws of motion and universal gravitation. It’s worth stating them each here. Newton’s Laws of Motion Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation Each object attracts every…
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Discoveries
Theoretical physicists “discover” the laws of nature. What I mean by this is that the laws of nature can’t just be made up. Sure, a physicist can make up any theory that strikes her fancy; however, it doesn’t become a law of nature without rigorous experimental testing. Suppose I make up a mathematical model that…