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"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler", Albert Einstein
Browsing All Posts published on »October, 2011«
Electromagnons
Electromagnons open up new opportunities to control electric and magnetic properties. Michel Kenzelmann This week, the Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona. This article takes a look back on the discovery of electromagnons, and how it influenced the search for materials with coupled electric and magnetic properties. Physical phenomena living in […]
LHC proton run for 2011 reaches successful conclusion
October 31, 2011
Geneva, 31 October 2011. After some 180 days of running and four hundred trillion (4×1014) proton proton collisions, the LHC’s 2011 proton run came to an end at 5.15pm yesterday evening. For the second year running, the LHC team has largely surpassed its operational objectives, steadily increasing the rate at which the LHC has delivered […]
China prepares for unmanned space launch
October 31, 2011
By Michael Bristow BBC News, Beijing China says it will launch a unmanned spacecraft on Tuesday that will dock with a capsule already orbiting the Earth. A rocket carrying Shenzhou 8 will blast off early in the morning from the Gobi Desert and rendezvous with the Tiangong 1. The space capsule was launched in late […]
Video: China’s Space Station Snapped….
October 31, 2011
…. by Amateur’s Security Camera While watching a fly-over of Italy’s SkyMed-2 satellite, a second brighter satellite – China’s Tiangong 1 – flew across the view of amateur astronomer Kevin Fetter’s low light security camera. The Chinese module was launched on September 29th. http://youtu.be/lhen-b1FVVg
Large peculiar motion of the solar system from the dipole anisotropy
October 31, 2011
…. in sky brightness due to distant radio sources Ashok K. Singal According to the cosmological principle, the Universe should appear isotropic, without any preferred directions, to an observer whom we may consider to be fixed in the co-moving co-ordinate system of the expanding Universe. Such an observer is stationary with respect to the average […]
New Thermodynamic Paradigm of Chemical Equilibria
October 31, 2011
B. Zilbergleyt The paper presents new thermodynamic paradigm of chemical equilibrium, setting forth comprehensive basics of Discrete Thermodynamics of Chemical Equilibria (DTd). Along with previous results by the author during the last decade, this work contains also some new developments of DTd. Based on the Onsager’s constitutive equations, reformulated by the author thermodynamic affinity and […]
Double Beta Decay
October 30, 2011
Steven R. Elliott At least one neutrino has a mass of about 50 meV or larger. However, the absolute mass scale for the neutrino remains unknown. Furthermore, the critical question: Is the neutrino its own antiparticle? is unanswered. Studies of double beta decay offer hope for determining the absolute mass scale. In particular, zero-neutrino double […]
About sine and cosine functions
October 30, 2011
Correspondence between geometrical and differential definitions of the sine and cosine functions and connection with kinematics Horia I. Petrache In classical physics, the familiar sine and cosine functions appear in two forms: (1) geometrical, in the treatment of vectors such as forces and velocities, and (2) differential, as solutions of oscillation and wave equations. These two forms […]
Mass of the universe in a black hole
October 29, 2011
Nikodem J. Poplawski If spacetime torsion couples to the intrinsic spin of matter according to the Einstein-Cartan-Sciama-Kibble theory of gravity, then the resulting gravitational repulsion at supranuclear densities prevents the formation of singularities in black holes. Consequently, the interior of every black hole becomes a new universe that expands from a nonsingular bounce. We consider gravitational […]
Companies are lining up to mine the Moon for water, fuel …
October 28, 2011
… and an element that could revolutionise energy production It’s been nearly 38 years since man last walked on the moon – but it’s recently become a hot destination once again, because several companies are vying to return to Earth’s satellite to mine it. It’s known that the Moon contains huge amounts of water-ice […]
NPP Launch
October 28, 2011
NASA’s National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft was launched aboard a Delta II rocket at 5:48 a.m. EDT today, on a mission to measure both global climate changes and key weather variables. http://youtu.be/cg9Z0-WEQIQ NPP is the first step for NASA in building the next generation Earth observing satellite system. The EOS […]
Solving the Dirac Equation
October 28, 2011
Alternative Discrete Energy Solutions to the Free Particle Dirac Equation Thomas Edward Brennan The usual method of solving the free particle Dirac equation results in the so called continuum energy solutions. Here, we take a different approach and find a set of solutions with quantized energies which are proportional to the total angular momentum…… Read […]
What if they don’t find the Higgs?
October 28, 2011
So, the 2011 run of the LHC is coming to a close, I mean the interesting part . A 5 inverse femtobarn stash of data has been collected by each ATLAS and CMS. These data will by fully analyzed and scrutinized by the late winter 2012, while rumors should start popping up on blogs before […]
Most pristine known asteroid is denser than granite
October 28, 2011
Asteroids are generally regarded as the solar system’s scrap heap, the battered bits that broke off and were left behind when the planets were forming. But the lumpy asteroid 21 Lutetia may be a whole, unbroken building block left nearly untouched since the solar system’s birth. “We think planets were built of things like Lutetia,” […]
Laser gyroscope measures the Earth’s ‘wobble’
October 28, 2011
An international team of researchers have developed a new type of gyroscope that is the first to measure the “wobble” in the rotational axis of the Earth from a ground-based laboratory. Astronomers normally track this wobble by continuously monitoring the position of distant objects, such as quasars. But this new method will provide a much […]
Faster-than-light neutrino experiment to be run again
October 28, 2011
Scientists who announced that sub-atomic particles might be able to travel faster than light are to rerun their experiment in a different way. This will address criticisms and allow the physicists to shore up their analysis as much as possible before submitting it for publication. Dr Sergio Bertolucci said it was vital not to “fool […]
Astronomers Pin Down Galaxy Collision Rate
October 27, 2011
A new analysis of Hubble surveys, combined with simulations of galaxy interactions, reveals that the merger rate of galaxies over the last 8 billion to 9 billion years falls between the previous estimates. The galaxy merger rate is one of the fundamental measures of galaxy evolution, yielding clues to how galaxies bulked up over time […]
Transistors are made from natural cotton fibers
October 27, 2011
Smarter, more functional clothing incorporating electronics may be possible in the near future, according to a study co-authored by Cornell fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza. Hinestroza, associate professor of fiber science, was part of an international team that developed transistors using natural cotton fibers. “Creating transistors from cotton fibers brings a new perspective to the seamless […]
Nanotube springs make skin-like sensor
October 27, 2011
Researchers at Stanford University in the US have discovered a type of highly elastic, transparent thin film that conducts electricity extremely well. The film is made of wavy, spring-like carbon nanotubes and could be used as the electrode material in “skin-like” pressure and stretch sensors. Such devices might one day be used to help restore […]
Conceptual Problems in Cosmology
October 27, 2011
F. J. Amaral Vieira In this essay a critical review of present conceptual problems in current cosmology is provided from a more philosophical point of view. In essence, a digression on how could philosophy help cosmologists in what is strictly their fundamental endeavor is presented. We start by recalling some examples of enduring confrontations among […]
Astronomers discover complex organic matter in the universe
October 26, 2011
In today’s issue of the journal Nature, astronomers report that organic compounds of unexpected complexity exist throughout the Universe. The results suggest that complex organic compounds are not the sole domain of life but can be made naturally by stars. Prof. Sun Kwok and Dr. Yong Zhang of the University of Hong Kong show that […]
Faraway Eris is Pluto’s Twin
October 26, 2011
Dwarf planet sized up accurately as it blocks light of faint star Astronomers have accurately measured the diameter of the faraway dwarf planet Eris for the first time by catching it as it passed in front of a faint star. This event was seen at the end of 2010 by telescopes in Chile, including the […]
Comet Elenin Gone and Should Be Forgotten
October 26, 2011
Comet Elenin is no more. Latest indications are this relatively small comet has broken into even smaller, even less significant, chunks of dust and ice. This trail of piffling particles will remain on the same path as the original comet, completing its unexceptional swing through the inner solar system this fall. “Elenin did as new […]
Hurricane Rina from ISS
October 26, 2011
External cameras on the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Rina at 2:39 p.m. EDT on Oct. 25, 2011, as the complex flew 248 miles over the Caribbean Sea east of Belize. http://youtu.be/P4N1EX8i1CU
Archimedes Palimpsest…
October 26, 2011
….reveals insights centuries ahead of its time Thirteenth-century manuscript, overwritten with prayer book, deciphered after years of painstaking work Years of painstaking work by scientists to expose a manuscript hidden for nearly a thousand years have shed new light on the genius of Archimedes, antiquity’s greatest mathematician. Known as The Archimedes Palimpsest, the manuscript is […]
Internet responsible for 2 per cent of global energy usage
October 26, 2011
How much energy does the internet use? It’s hard to know where to start. There’s the electricity consumed by the world’s laptops, desktops and smart phones. Servers, routers and other networking equipment suck up more power. The energy required to manufacture these machines also needs to be included. Yet no one knows how many internet-enabled […]
11/11/11, Portal to Another Universe?
October 26, 2011
According to World News Forecast, 11:11am on 11/11/11 could, if Uri Geller is right, be a portal to another universe. This is from Geller’s web-page on the subject: String theory is said to be the theory of everything. It is a way of describing every force and matter regardless of how large or small or weak or strong […]
Agreement to tie kilogram and friends to fundamentals
October 25, 2011
After decades of worry, toil and argument, metrologists have officially begun the process of tying the definitions of four basic units to nature’s fundamental constants. The General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in Paris, France, has unanimously agreed on a proposal that would lead to reform of the mole, kilogram, kelvin and ampere, according to the international system […]
Yesterday’s geomagnetic storm caused some great auroras
October 25, 2011
A CME hit Earth’s magnetic field on Oct. 24 at 1800 UT, sparking a strong (Kp=7) geomagnetic storm. Auroras were sighted in the United States as far south as Arkansas and California Video 1: The SOlar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) captured this “coronograph” – so-called because the images block the sun, and only show the sun’s […]
The Early Universe and Planck’s Radiation Law
October 25, 2011
Rainer Collier The classical Friedmann-Lemaitre equations are solved using a corrected version of Planck’s radiation law. The function curves of the scale parameter a(t) and the variations with temperature a(T) and t(T) are given. It is shown that a reasonable cosmological evolution is only possible in case of flat spatial slices (k=0). The initial singularity […]
Universe’s expansion may be understood without dark energy
October 24, 2011
Least-time paths of light by Arto Annila ABSTRACT The variational principle in its original form á la Maupertuis is used to delineate paths of light through varying energy densities and to associate shifts in frequency and changes in momentum. The gravitational bending and Doppler shift are in this way found as mere manifestations of least-time […]
NASA Telescopes Help Solve Ancient Supernova Mystery
October 24, 2011
A mystery that began nearly 2,000 years ago, when Chinese astronomers witnessed what would turn out to be an exploding star in the sky, has been solved. New infrared observations from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, reveal how the first supernova ever recorded occurred and how its shattered remains […]
Maxwell’s Demon and Data Compression
October 24, 2011
Akio Hosoya , Koji Maruyama , Yutaka Shikano In an asymmetric Szilard engine model of Maxwell’s demon, we show the equivalence between information theoretical and thermodynamic entropies when the demon erases information optimally. The work gain by the engine can be exactly canceled out by the work necessary to reset demon’s memory after optimal data […]
Mathematical Physics: Problems and Solutions
October 24, 2011
The present issue of the series <Modern Problems in Mathematical Physics> represents the Proceedings of the Students Training Contest Olympiad in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics and includes the statements and the solutions of the problems offered to the participants. The contest Olympiad was held on May 21st-24th, 2010 by Scientific Research Laboratory of Mathematical Physics […]
A new kind of superconductivity
October 24, 2011
Physicists unveil a theory for a new kind of superconductivity In this 100th anniversary year of the discovery of superconductivity, physicists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology have published a fully self-consistent theory of the new kind of superconducting behavior, Type 1.5, this month in the journal Physical Review […]
Highlights of the MAGIC Telescopes
October 24, 2011
Juan Cortina for the MAGIC Collaboration The MAGIC two 17 meter diameter Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray telescopes have now operated for two years in stereoscopic mode. The performance of the instrument has been evaluated: the integral sensitivity for an energy above 300 GeV is 0.76% crab units (10% Crab units differential sensitivity below 100 […]
ROSAT satellite- latest news
October 23, 2011
(update) From bbc/news: “…Just as for Nasa’s UARS satellite, which plunged into the atmosphere in September, there was high uncertainty about the final moments of Rosat. But if the timings are correct, any wreckage would probably have dived into the Indian Ocean – although no eyewitness reports have yet come in. If anything did manage […]
Supercapacitor electrodes go for a dip
October 22, 2011
A new and simple “dipping” technique that can significantly improve the performance of supercapacitors has been developed by researchers at Stanford University in the US. The method, dubbed “conductive wrapping”, could be applied to a range of electrode materials. It might even be used to improve next-generation electrodes made from sulphur, lithium manganese phosphate and […]
Inside the fusion furnace of California’s star chamber
October 21, 2011
Tiny stars are being created by the world’s largest and most energetic lasers in the hope of tapping what could be a relatively clean energy source – nuclear fusion. The National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California is at the forefront of efforts to harness the power of fusion. It is also […]
If Germany’s Satellite Falls on Your House, Who Pays for Repairs?
October 21, 2011
The defunct 2.7-ton German ROSAT satellite is slated to make a fiery, uncontrolled re-entry to our atmosphere sometime Saturday or Sunday (Oct. 22 or 23). Experts say the broken-up bits of ROSAT have a roughly 1-in-2,000 chance of hitting someone somewhere on Earth, though they won’t know where until a few hours before it enters […]
Video: The Secrets of Raindrop Seed Dispersal
October 21, 2011
High-speed video photography reveals how flowers exploit the kinetic energy of raindrops to disperse seeds The plant world has evolved numerous ingenious ways to distribute seeds. But one of the least known and least celebrated is raindrop dispersal. Just a couple of dozen plants are known to exploit the kinetic energy of rain drops to […]
Global warming ‘confirmed’ by independent study
October 21, 2011
The Earth’s surface really is getting warmer, a new analysis by a US scientific group set up in the wake of the “Climategate” affair has concluded. The Berkeley Earth Project has used new methods and some new data, but finds the same warming trend seen by groups such as the UK Met Office and Nasa. The project […]
Herschel Finds Oceans of Water in Disk of Nearby Star
October 20, 2011
Using data from the Herschel Space Observatory, astronomers have detected for the first time cold water vapor enveloping a dusty disk around a young star. The findings suggest that this disk, which is poised to develop into a solar system, contains great quantities of water, suggesting that water-covered planets like Earth may be common in […]
The Ozone Hole: Summer 2011
October 20, 2011
NASA, NOAA Data Show Significant Antarctic Ozone Hole Remains The Antarctic ozone hole, which yawns wide every Southern Hemisphere spring, reached its annual peak on Sept. 12. It stretched to 10.05 million square miles, the ninth largest ozone hole on record. Above the South Pole, the ozone hole reached its deepest point of the season […]
Something Curious at the Large Hadron Collider
October 20, 2011
Matt Strassler From the CMS talk at Berkeley; I’ve added the red dots and excised the low-statistics four-lepton results. Table of numbers of events at CMS in various categories. MET is a measure of whether invisible particles are present; HT is a measure of how much energy is in visible particles. No-OSSF means that if […]
Ergodic theorem passes the test
October 20, 2011
For more than a century scientists have relied on the “ergodic theorem” to explain diffusive processes such as the movement of molecules in a liquid. However, they had not been able to confirm experimentally a central tenet of the theorem – that the average of repeated measurements of the random motion of an individual molecule […]
String theory finds a bench mate
October 20, 2011
The exotic theory of everything could shed light on the behaviour of real materials, thanks to an unexpected mathematical connection with condensed-atter physics On one side,” says Jan Zaanen, “you have this refined, almost other-worldly intellectual — the perfectionist obsessed with detail, barely interested in earthly pleasures. On the other, you have the loud, boisterous, […]
Lectures on Cosmology and Particle Physics
October 20, 2011
by Sean Carroll Lecture One: Introduction to Cosmology http://youtu.be/vUNtO2r_-eo Lecture Two: Dark Matter http://youtu.be/Gq-lGX2PRrc Lecture Three: Dark Energy http://youtu.be/cYVj2RhXxeU Lecture Four: Thermodynamics and the Early Universe http://youtu.be/178mMnGvWs0 Lecture Five: Inflation and Beyond http://youtu.be/M1PeXaMqKto
Pi enthusiast calculates its ten trillionth digit
October 20, 2011
Shigeru Kondo is a seriously committed guy. Ever since discovering he had an interest in calculating pi (aka π) back in his college days, he’s been following the results achieved by others using massive supercomputers. Now, in his late 50′s, with some help from Northwestern University grad school student Alexander Yee, he’s succeeded in calculating […]
New planet, the youngest ever found
October 20, 2011
…is revealed by cosmic trick photography US and Australian astronomers cancel out light from solar cloud to reveal new planet LkCa 15 b forming in swirl of stardust A University of Hawaii astronomer has captured the first direct image of a planet forming around a star. Dubbed LkCa 15 b, it is the youngest planet […]
October 31, 2011
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