Blog Post Header Image There’s a glitch at the edge of the universe that could remake physics

There’s a glitch at the edge of the universe that could remake physics

This immutable number determines how stars burn, how chemistry happens and even whether atoms exist at all. Physicist Richard Feynman, who knew a thing or two about it, called it “one of the greatest damn …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image Characterizing the 'arrow of time' in open quantum systems

Characterizing the 'arrow of time' in open quantum systems

Even in the strange world of open quantum systems, the arrow of time points steadily forward—most of the time. New experiments conducted at Washington University in St. Louis compare the forward and reverse trajectories of …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image RECIPE FOR A HOT UNIVERSE

RECIPE FOR A HOT UNIVERSE

Fortunately for the theoretical cosmologist, the same simple relation holds even when we take into account the fact that the radiation was not really expanding freely—rapid collisions of photons with the relatively small number of …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE 2

THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE 2

It was clear that these extended objects are not all the same. Some are obviously clusters of stars, like the Pleiades (M45). Others are irregular clouds of glowing gas, often colored, and often associated with …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE 1

THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE 1

Our knowledge of the expansion of the universe rests entirely on the fact that astronomers are able to measure the motion of a luminous body in a direction directly along the line of sight much …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE 1

THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE 1

I must not offend religious sensibilities, even Viking religious sensibilities, but I think it is fair to say that this is not a very satisfying picture of the origin of the universe.

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image THE STRUCTURE OF SPACE ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY

THE STRUCTURE OF SPACE ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY

But it is conceivable that our universe differs only slightly from a Euclidean one, and this notion seems all the more probable, since calculations show that the metrics of surrounding space is influenced only to …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image EUCLIDEAN AND NON-EUCLIDEAN CONTINUUM

EUCLIDEAN AND NON-EUCLIDEAN CONTINUUM

It is a veritable wonder that we can carry our this business without getting into the greatest difficulties. We only need to think of the following. If at any moment three squares meet at a …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image BEHAVIOR OF CLOCKS AND MEASURING RODS ON A ROTATING BODY OF REFERENCE

BEHAVIOR OF CLOCKS AND MEASURING RODS ON A ROTATING BODY OF REFERENCE

The observer performs experiments on his circular disc with clocks and measuring-rods. In doing so, it is his intention to arrive at exact definitions for the signification of time- and space-data with reference to the …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image A FEW INFERENCES FROM THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF RELATIVITY

A FEW INFERENCES FROM THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF RELATIVITY

Should we be justified in saying that for this reason electrostatics is overthrown by the field-equations of Maxwell in electrodynamics? Not in the least. Electrostatics is contained in electrodynamics as a limiting case; the laws …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image IN WHAT RESPECTS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSICAL MECHANICS AND OF THE SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY UNSATISFACTORY?

IN WHAT RESPECTS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSICAL MECHANICS AND OF THE SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY UNSATISFACTORY?

The objection is of importance more especially when the state of motion of the reference body is of such a nature that it does not require any external agency for its maintenance, e.g. in the …

Read More →
Blog Post Header Image THE EQUALITY OF INERTIAL AND GRAVITATIONAL MASS AS AN ARGUMENT FOR THE GENERAL POSTULATE OF RELATIVITY

THE EQUALITY OF INERTIAL AND GRAVITATIONAL MASS AS AN ARGUMENT FOR THE GENERAL POSTULATE OF RELATIVITY

Relying on his knowledge of the gravitational field (as it was discussed in the preceding section), the man in the chest will thus come to the conclusion that he and the chest are in a …

Read More →

Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young. ---J.K. Rowling , Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”
― Dr. Seuss