News Blog: Quantum weirdness wins again: Entanglement clocks in at 10,000+ times faster than light No matter how many times researchers try, there's just no getting around the weirdness of quantum mechanics. In the latest attempt, researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland tried to determine whether entanglement—the fact that measuring a property of one particle instantly determines the property of another—is actually transmitted by some wave-like signal that's fast but not infinitely fast. Their test involved a series of measurements on pairs of entangled photons (particles of light) that were generated in Geneva (satellite view at left) and then split apart by optical fiber to two villages 18 kilometers (11 miles) apart where the team had set up photon detectors. (In 2007, researchers transmitted entangled light 144 kilometers between two of the Canary Islands.) The idea in the new experiment is that the photons in each entangled pair are hitting the distant detectors simultaneously, so there's no time for them to exchange a signal. What might such a theory look like?
Astronomy | Video Courses on Academic Earth Astronomers use tools like telescopes, cameras and spectrographs to study interactions between materials and energy within the universe. These scientists learn about galaxies, solar systems, planets and stars through careful observation and measurement recording. Astronomers also refer to natural sciences and mathematics to form and test theories. Sample Courses Astronomy majors at the undergraduate level will gain an introduction to this field by taking a survey course that covers the Milky Way Galaxy, the orbital behaviors of planets, telescope basics, star identification and cosmology. Possible Specializations One of the most popular specializations within astronomy is astrophysics, or the study of how physics operates in the universe. Degree Types Students can pursue astronomy at three major degree levels: bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D.. Bachelor’s Master’s Ph.D. Ideal Candidates for Astronomy Career Pathways
Sonoluminescence Single-bubble sonoluminescence - A single, cavitating bubble. Video of synthetic wound cavity collapsing creating sonoluminescence. Long exposure image of multi-bubble sonoluminescence created by a high-intensity ultrasonic horn immersed in a beaker of liquid History[edit] The sonoluminescence effect was first discovered at the University of Cologne in 1934 as a result of work on sonar. In 1989 an experimental advance was introduced by Felipe Gaitan and Lawrence Crum, who produced stable single-bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL). Properties[edit] Sonoluminescence can occur when a sound wave of sufficient intensity induces a gaseous cavity within a liquid to collapse quickly. Some facts about sonoluminescence: Rayleigh–Plesset equation[edit] The dynamics of the motion of the bubble is characterized to a first approximation by the Rayleigh-Plesset equation (named after Lord Rayleigh and Milton Plesset): Mechanism of phenomenon[edit] In 2002, M. Other proposals[edit] Quantum explanations[edit] [edit]
Richard Feynman: The Pleasure of Finding Things Out The Pleasure of Finding Things Out was filmed in 1981 and will delight and inspire anyone who would like to share something of the joys of scientific discovery. Feynman is a master storyteller, and his tales - about childhood, Los Alamos, or how he won a Nobel Prize - are a vivid and entertaining insight into the mind of a great scientist at work and play. In this candid interview Feynman touches on a wide array of topics from the beauty of nature to particle physics. He explains things that are hard to grasp in layman's terms much like Carl Sagan did in the cosmos series. His explanation of the scientific method covers what we know, why we know it and most importantly, what we don't know and the pleasure of figuring it out. While the video quality is less than desirable the content of this program more than makes up for it. Watch the full documentary now -
Home | Practical Physics This website is for teachers of physics in schools and colleges. It is a collection of experiments that demonstrate a wide range of physical concepts and processes. Some of the experiments can be used as starting-points for investigations or for enhancement activities. Many have links to carefully selected further reading and all include information and guidance for technicians. Physics is a practical science. Good quality, appropriate physics experiments and investigations are the key to enhanced learning, and clarification and consolidation of theory. We have published a new set of resources to support the teaching of practical science for Key Stages 3-5.
Space Time Travel – Relativity Visualized The Speed of God : Uncertain Principles Over in Twitter-land, Eric Weinstein is visiting the AMNH at the same time as a bunch of Orthodox Jews, and takes the opportunity for a little Q&A: Me: Excuse me, but how is the phylogenetic tree reconciled with Torah.Modern Orthodox Man: Lorentzian time dilation. It’s a head hurter. This is an interesting attempt to square the six-day creation story with modern science, and raises one obvious question: How fast must God have been moving for the six days of creation to last 13.7 billion years? This is veering into Built on Facts territory, but the relevant formula is: For six days (5.18×105 seconds) to seem like 13.7 billion years (4.32×1018 seconds), the Lorentz factor γ would need to be 8.34×1012. vGod = 0.99999999999999999999999999281254 c That’s only 2.15×10-16 m/s short of the speed of light. Starting from rest, this would require a total energy of 7.5×1029 joules per kilogram of God-mass to get up to speed.
Short Words to Explain Relativity So, have a seat. Put your feet up. This may take some time. Can I get you some tea? Earl Grey? You got it. Okay. Okay. Say you woke up one day and your bed was gone. Now, let's add the bed back. Now, if I took the bed back but gave you the sun -- just you and the sun in the void, now -- I'll bet you'd say that the sun is so big, next to you, that odds are you move and not the sun. In a word, you can't find any one true "at rest". Aha, but now wait! Well, and so we went to test this idea out. To say that we were less than glad to find that out is to be kind. Old Al, he came out the blue and said, "Not only do rays move at c if what puts them out is held fast or not: they move at c even if you are held fast or not." But for that to be true, then time also has to get in on the act. I can hear you say, "No way. So you see, when you give up on the idea of a one true "at rest", then you have to give up on the idea of a one true time as well! What a snag, eh? But old Al's mind was set. A-yup.
Paul A.M. Dirac - Biography Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac was born on 8th August, 1902, at Bristol, England, his father being Swiss and his mother English. He was educated at the Merchant Venturer's Secondary School, Bristol, then went on to Bristol University. Here, he studied electrical engineering, obtaining the B.Sc. (Engineering) degree in 1921. He then studied mathematics for two years at Bristol University, later going on to St. Dirac's work has been concerned with the mathematical and theoretical aspects of quantum mechanics. The importance of Dirac's work lies essentially in his famous wave equation, which introduced special relativity into Schrödinger's equation. Dirac's publications include the books Quantum Theory of the Electron (1928) and The Principles of Quantum Mechanics (1930; 3rd ed. 1947). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1930, being awarded the Society's Royal Medal and the Copley Medal. In 1937 he married Margit Wigner, of Budapest. Paul A.M. Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 1933
5 Really Weird Things About Water Water, good ol' H2O, seems like a pretty simple substance to you and me. But in reality, water - the foundation of life and most common of liquid - is really weird and scientists actually don't completely understand how water works. Here are 5 really weird things about water: 1. Take two pails of water; fill one with hot water and the other one with cold water, and put them in the freezer. In 1963, a Tanzanian high-school student named Erasto B. Thankfully, Mpemba didn't back down - he convinced a physics professor to conduct an experiment which eventually confirmed his observations: in certain conditions, hot water indeed freezes before cold water*. Actually, Mpemba was in good company. But how do scientists explain this strange phenomenon? 2. Everybody knows that when you cool water to 0 °C (32 °F) it forms ice ... except that in some cases it doesn't! Scientist know a lot about supercooling: it turns out that ice crystals need nucleation points to start forming. 3. 4. 5. [YouTube clip]