Breakthrough in physics may lead to new view of magnetism An artistic representation of a ‘polaron’ – a new quantum state, or a ‘quasiparticle’. The potassium atom in the middle (blue) repels the smaller lithium atoms (yellow). This creates a complex state, which physically can be best described as a quasiparticle (Illustration: Harald Ritsch) Ferromagnetism is a phenomenon we encounter everywhere in nature. Society is heavily dependent on this form of magnetism, although its causes and effects are far from being understood. But soon physicists will be able to look deep into the soul of ferromagnetism, thanks to a scientific breakthrough by a team of Austrian experimental physicists and a Danish theoretical physicist. Together they have brought a special kind of gas into a state which has hitherto been thought to be non-existent. The findings have just been published in the scientific journal Nature. Unknown quantum state Our result shows that atomic gases can be used as ‘quantum simulators’, which can crack otherwise unsolvable problems.
Carl Sagan's essay on marijuana If you don't know who Carl Sagan is, hes one of the most influential astronomers of the 20th century and known for having possibly the largest influence in popularizing science. I just started reading , which is essentially a layman's guide for the introduction of astronomy, cosmology, and the way its evolved through the ages. Anyways, it was announced after his death that he was a cannabis user, and he detailed his experiences under the pen name Mr X. Heres one of his essays: This account was written in 1969 for publication in Marihuana Reconsidered (1971). The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Instant We love the convenience of streaming movies on Netflix Instant, but we don’t always love the navigating through the countless films in the service’s ever-expanding catalog to find something to watch. So we’ve compiled our list of recommended titles for you—whether you love classics, comedies, documentaries or just good ol’ fashioned kung-fu. The genres vary greatly here—and range in age from brand new to 87-years-old—but all 50 of these films come with the Paste stamp of approval. The list is up to date as of February 2013, but we’ll continue to update the list from time to time as Netflix Instant changes its offerings. 50. In the LoopYear: 2009Director: Armando Iannucci If clever verbal humor were easy, we’d have more comedies like In the Loop. 49. 48. 47. 46. 45. 44. 43. 42. 41. 40. 39. 38. 37. 36. 35. 34. 33. 32.
- StumbleUpon A Theory on the Deja Vu or Déjà vu Phenomenon During the time while this web-page has been on the Internet, more than three thousand people (up to Nov 2009) have e-mailed to say that they have Déjà Vu experiences. That is interesting, but their descriptions have virtually always described some different phenomenon. If a person has any pre-knowledge of something that is yet to happen, like in a dream, it cannot be Déjà Vu, and is likely to be some type of Precognition. This last part effectively eliminates credible Deja Vu from occurring in any place that the person has already been! Now, YOU certainly believe that you can remember ALL the experiences you have ever had, and that there could not possibly be any forgotten memories in you! So our minds are definitely CAPABLE of absolutely eliminating some memories from our consciousness. Here is a hypothetical example of Deja Vu, assuming that you are not an Eskimo! Here is another potential example of what an actual deja vu might be.
Consumable Youth Rebellion Over the past 30 or so years, most people have chosen to pursue the rewards of conformity instead of the fruits of revolt. What they have been left with are ugly and stupid lives, ugly and stupid places and a planet pushed to the very edge of destruction by capitalism’s efforts to keep feeding them new promises of consumable happiness. But the thought that one is wasting one’s life is not a cheerful one, and respectable citizens everywhere have gone to considerable lengths to avoid it. They cling to these illusions with ferocious desperation; but the whole house of lying ghosts and grim parodies is a fragile one, and it is threatened by the depredations of delinquency. To the extent that delinquency prevents respectable citizens from misperceiving themselves as happy and free people who are blessed with rich experiences and who continue to grow as individuals, it provokes their fury. “It probably had a little to do with the gangster films we saw.
Quantum physicists show a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit Once again quantum physics gives us philosophical implications: physicists showed how a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit. Classical physics is deterministic: for example, we can determine the position and velocity of a particle at any time in the future. Quantum theory, on the other hand, states that there exist processes which are fundamentally random: for instance, the outcomes of measurements of quantum particles seem to be determined entirely by chance. The results, published in the scientific journal Nature Physics, may also have practical applications. Free choice is decisive for a representative outcome Experiments in physics always depend on a large number of variables. How random is a choice of variables? In 1964 the physicist John Stuart Bell developed what is known as Bell's inequality, which in simple terms states that there are measurements whose results are not pre-determined and are thus random. Making use of quantum mechanical laws
taxsolutionsforwriters Not enough hours in the day? Scientists predict time will stop completely The theory of time running out was devised by researchers from two Spanish universities trying to explain why the universe appeared to be spreading continuously and accelerating. Observations of supernovae, or exploding stars, found the movement of light indicated they were moving faster than those nearer to the centre of the universe. But the scientists claimed the accepted theory of an opposite force to gravity, known as dark energy, was wrong, and said the reality was that the growth of the universe was slowing. Professor Jose Senovilla, Marc Mars and Raul Vera from the University of the Basque Country and the University of Salamanca said the deceleration of time was so gradual, it was imperceptible to humans. Their proposal, published in the journal Physical Review D, claimed dark energy does not exist and that time was winding down to the point when it would finally grind to a halt long after the planet ceased to exist.
The Top 10 Relationship Words That Aren't Translatable Into English Here are my top ten words, compiled from online collections, to describe love, desire and relationships that have no real English translation, but that capture subtle realities that even we English speakers have felt once or twice. As I came across these words I’d have the occasional epiphany: “Oh yeah! That’s what I was feeling...” Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start. Oh yes, this is an exquisite word, compressing a thrilling and scary relationship moment. Yuanfen (Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny. From what I glean, in common usage yuanfen means the "binding force" that links two people together in any relationship. But interestingly, “fate” isn’t the same thing as “destiny.” Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone's hair. Ya’aburnee (Arabic): “You bury me.”
Space Time Travel & Relativity Visualized Cult Movies - Top 10 List - Top Ten List Top 10 Films About Nonconformists "This is a world where everybody's gotta do something. Ya know, somebody laid down this rule that everybody's gotta do something, they gotta be something. You know, a dentist, a glider pilot, a narc, a janitor, a preacher, all that . . . Sometimes I just get tired of thinking of all the things that I don't wanna do. All the things that I don't wanna be. "If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed." "Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. "They're not that different from you, are they? "My life, I mean . . . "Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. "I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. "Vice, Virtue. "Anybody here? "And now they're telling me I'm crazy over here because I don't sit there like a goddamn vegetable. Forgotten Movie Classics © 2015 Shelf-Life Productions LLC
Invisible dark matter skeleton of universe detected - Phenomenica The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do. Writing is a muscle. Smaller than a hamstring and slightly bigger than a bicep, and it needs to be exercised to get stronger. Think of your words as reps, your paragraphs as sets, your pages as daily workouts. Procrastination is an alluring siren taunting you to google the country where Balki from Perfect Strangers was from, and to arrange sticky notes on your dog in the shape of hilarious dog shorts. The blank white page. Mark Twain once said, “Show, don’t tell.” Finding a really good muse these days isn’t easy, so plan on going through quite a few before landing on a winner. There are two things more difficult than writing. It’s so easy to hide in your little bubble, typing your little words with your little fingers on your little laptop from the comfort of your tiny chair in your miniature little house. It’s no secret that great writers are great readers, and that if you can’t read, your writing will often suffer. Available in print withThe Best of McSweeney’s Internet Tendency