catdynamics | December 19, 2006Part 2 of Ye Olde Blog So You Want To Be an Astrophysicist? series.
Lightly re-edited.
Should you do astronomy as an undergrad? (the following is in part shamelessly cribbed from prof Charlton's freshman seminar for our majors):
Do you like stars and stuff? If not, you probably should look for an alternative, on the general principle that at this stage of life you should at least try to do things you actually like.
If you do, good for you. Now, do you have the aptitude?
Professional astrophysics/astronomy is not about looking at stars (except at occasional star parties, for outreach or as a…
catdynamics | December 18, 2006Lightly edited reruns from Ye Olde Blog.
This is part 0, tentatively aimed at US high school students wanted to end up doing an astrophysics PhD.
(rant on US high school system observed from outside deleted - see link above if you care).
So, what should YOU do, wanting to get into a good university and an astro/physics major?
1) Take all the math that is offered, and do well in it.
2) Take all the science on offer, and do well in that.
3) Get good grades overall; preferably straight A, but B+ will do. It will get you far enough to have a chance to see if you can hack it at the next level.
4…
catdynamics | December 18, 2006NASA and Google announce a formal relationship (from NASAwatch)
Google is God.
Do no evil.
Best of all, Google is much prompter and more efficient about disbursing payment...
...hey, that gives me an idea.
Use google rank to allocated PI funds! Dood.
Entirely different ways to game the system!
...Among the details of this new cooperative project, Google will be contributing funding to support NASA employees - and not just at ARC - but at other NASA centers as well...
I wonder if Sergei likes Alien Life?
Maybe his cousin David could prevail upon him...
catdynamics | December 18, 2006Having rolled through the Icelandic cover of Jona Lewie's "Stop the Cavalry" in my random walk through seasonal music, I had the misfortune of hitting a cover of "Merry Xmas Everybody" done by the Smurfs, in Icelandic.
My ears are now bleeding.
PS interestingly, "dub-i-dub-i-dum-dum" translates to "bomborombombombom"
catdynamics | December 15, 2006New SciBling OmniBrain notes a crucial new astrological discovery.
I am skeptical, Ophiuchians were omitted
so what is your sign? and why do police officers hate people born in later winter and early spring?
catdynamics | December 15, 2006
The Big Picture
30 square degree deep sky image taken by the Oschin Palomar telescope, cutting through Virgo.
Now mounted at Griffith Observatory as a single 3000 square foot image.
That is less than 0.1% of the sky.
catdynamics | December 15, 2006Seasonal friday, and we ask the iPod - what is the meaning of the lone top quark discovery at Fermilab?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Cold and Bitter Tears - Billy Bragg
The Crossing: Let It Snow - traditional
The Crown: La serenade interrompue - Claudio Arrau
The Root: Spanish Castle Magic - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Past: Novelty - Joy Division
The Future: Ég hlakka svo til - Svala
The Questioner: Walz of the Snowflakes
The House: Lion Rock - Culture
The Inside: Core N'Grato - Three Tenors
The Outcome: Lil' Jack Slade - Dixie Chicks
Er, it will snow?
As…
catdynamics | December 14, 2006NASA has stopped sending of Microsoft Word Documents to the International Space Station.
Heh.
catdynamics | December 14, 2006ROSES 2006 is amended - might be the last one before ROSES 2007?!
With this amendment to ROSES-2006, NASA reestablishes a proposal opportunity in Appendix C.18 entitled "Astrobiology: Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology."
The goal of NASA's Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology program is to understand the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe. Research is centered on the origin and early evolution of life, the potential of life to adapt to different environments, and the implications for life elsewhere. This research is conducted in the context of NASA's ongoing…
catdynamics | December 14, 2006From Gordon via Chad Fermilab is claiming single top quark decay to b quark + W
ie the accelerator produced a t-quark as part of some quark/anti-quark ensemble, without simultaneously producing an anti-t-quark.
So what does this all mean...
well, there are three generations of quarks - the up and down, from which all normal baryonic matter is made (ie protons and neutrons); strange and charming; and bottom and top (aka beauty and truth) - with top being the heaviest.
The three generations, or "flavours", essentially duplicate each other in key properties, except the successive quark pairs…
catdynamics | December 14, 2006Apparently someone heard that soy has estrogen mimickers and over-extrapolated their conclusion, the Chimp Refugee has all the details you need to know
Got to look on the bright side though, this might significantly boost breastfeeding in a segment of the population which could do with encouragement to do so.
Seriously.
catdynamics | December 12, 2006the Saudi ambassador to the US has resigned suddenly
wazzup with that?
is he going home to spend more time with the family?
is he going back for a promotion and needs to consolidate his position internally?
does he know something we don't? a kossack speculates
if Turki really resigned on Sep 4th 2001 as reported, then it'd be interesting to know more
I don't believe the Saudi's have "dirty bombs" nor that they would want them (I'm sure they could get some if they really wanted, but talk about overrated!)
what is more intriguing is recent reporting that the Saudi's have a pre-arranged contract…
catdynamics | December 12, 2006Grauniad Science Weekly has a Creationism Special podcast this week.
Wolpert, Conway-Morris and Buggs are up.
catdynamics | December 11, 2006Apparently space shuttle Discovery, currently in orbit, had two sensor anomalies from the left wing tip.
Could be thermal flexing, or could be impacts.
EVA planned to inspect for damage.
space.com says first inspection shows no damage
also on NASA shuttle page (dynamic page, updated frequently)
catdynamics | December 8, 2006Thanks to Chad I will now be humming this for the next two weeks.
Stop the Cavalry! With added bonus inadvertent political symbolism!
Jona Lewie
Ah well, maybe it will flush "Silver Bells" from my brain for a while.
catdynamics | December 8, 2006Cold and snowy friday, and we ask the iPod: wazzup with the water on Mars thing?
Are the intermittent outbursts really liquid water, and what does it all mean?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: King Rocker - Generation X
The Crossing: Leysum vind - Stuðmenn
The Crown: The Hunters Arrive - Peter and the Wolf
The Root: Is There Anybody Out There? - Pink Floyd
The Past: Common People - Pulp
The Future: Capital Radio - Clash
The Questioner: A Change is Gonna Come - Billy Bragg
The House: Memories Can't Wait - Talking Heads
The Inside: Wishing the Days Away - Billy Bragg
The…