Category: Physics
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Galileo Galilei
Classical physics probably owes more to Galileo than to any other “natural philosopher”. Is it any wonder he’s one of my heroes? Galileo lived from 1564 to 1642. He used experiments to understand kinematics. He learned how objects move, if not why. When the position of an object changes with time, we can say that…
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Simplifying Frameworks
Humans are lazy. We don’t want to work harder than we need to. Especially when it comes to trying to understand something new. Much of what’s interesting in the world is nuanced. Simplifying frameworks help us “cut to the chase”. We use them at the expense of gaining a deeper understanding. For example, we often…
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James Clerk Maxwell
It seems that James Clerk Maxwell is not very well-known outside the physics community. I’m not entirely sure why. His accomplishments are extraordinary! He is mostly remembered for creating the theoretical framework that explains electrodynamics. “From a long view of the history of mankind—seen from, say, ten thousand years from now—there can be little doubt…
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Partial Solar Eclipse
I considered going to Texas to watch today’s solar eclipse. Didn’t happen. Instead, I used a pinhole camera, a colander, and the blinds in my daughter’s room to watch a partial solar eclipse from our home in Colorado. While these photos may not be as awe-inspiring as the ones I could have captured in Texas,…
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Our Expanding Universe
Today, I learned that the first-year results from DESI have been announced. Berkeley Lab and Science have each posted great articles that provide the details. Here’s my understanding. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has been used to create the largest 3D map of our expanding universe. The visuals in the above articles are awe-inspiring!…
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Solar Eclipses
I have a sudden desire to drive to Texas to witness the total Solar Eclipse that’s scheduled for Monday, April 8, 2024. I’ve seen several partial solar eclipses. I vividly remember looking at the shadows of leaves on May 10, 1994, when an annular eclipse happened while I was studying physics at Indiana University. I…
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How Do We Know?
A long time ago, I thought about writing a series of books called How Do We Know? I still think it’s a good idea. However, I think it might work better as a series of books for kids rather than for a general audience. That’s today’s insight. I’m probably better off writing science books for…
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Paul Dirac
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, is another one of my heroes. He helped formulate quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics. He even helped establish the foundations of quantum field theory. One of the things that impresses me most about Dirac is that he developed a powerful bra-ket notation for expressing quantum phenomena. The…
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Imperfection or Not?
Not long ago, I wrote a post about the beauty of imperfection. Do I believe imperfection is beautiful? Yes. Do I believe that perfection is beautiful? Yes. I feel like I need to explain myself. I absolutely LOVE the approach taken by the Greeks as they developed geometry. Furthermore, I LOVE the mathematical models that…
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Resonance
Certain ideas resonate with me. Others do not. I greatly admire the individuals who have done work to ensure that nobody goes hungry in our world. It’s a cause that I believe in with my whole heart. However, the idea of feeding the hungry doesn’t resonate with me. It’s never going to be my life’s…