What happens to lonely scientists

An interesting effect of rubber bands in thermodynamics is that stretching a rubber band will produce heat (press it against your lips), whilst stretching it and then releasing it will produce an endothermic reaction, causing it to appear "cooler".
- Rubber band: Thermodynamics, Wikipedia

Grace in Small Things: Day 23

I'm going to do things a little different, I'm going to give a bit of a story to go along with the things for which I am thankful for the sake of context:

I couldn't find my bus pass this morning so I missed the bus. I didn't have time to go to my locker before my 8:30am lab:
1. I'm thankful I was still wearing my coat and mittens when the fire alarm went off and we had to stand outside in -2C weather for a half hour.

After we finally started the lab, my water pump broke so I have to come back another time to finish it:
2. I'm thankful for extra time to work on my two assignments due for tomorrow.

The assignments were not going well and my professor was not where to be found
3. I'm thankful for spontaneous airplane making contests, even if I lost. Sometimes you need some silliness to help make it through the day.

4. I'm thankful for Alana because my assignment would have taken way longer if we had not worked together.

I attended a physics lecture this evening at the university
5. I'm thankful for carmel double chocolate chip cookies for snack afterward.
6. I'm thankful for traveling companions for at least part of the bus trip home.

After a very long, frustrating day
7. I am very thankful for having silly people in my life that like nerdy things like I do.
8. I'm thankful I got home before my parents went to bed
9. I'm thankful to watch the last period of hockey (rare occurrence these days)

A Compare & Contrast Exercise at 2 AM

Scenario 1:

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.
"Seven," they replied.

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Mark 8: 1-8

Scenario 2:

Consider a ring charge. Suppose the the charge q is not distributed uniformly over the ring but that the charge q1 is distributed uniformly over half the circumference and charge q2 uniformly over the other half. Let q=q1+q2. Find the component of the electric field at any point on the axis perpendicular to the axis and compare to the uniform case. (Problem 26-3b, Physics (5e), Halliday, Resnick, Krane)

I'm tired, frustrated and slightly biased but #1 seems easier to replicate than solving #2.

Bonus object lesson: Don't put off your E/M assignments until the last minute. You're welcome.

Science Ponders Zombie Attack

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Science ponders 'zombie attack'

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The More You Know....

One of my daily routines includes checking the headlines on Google News and BBC News. I found some strange stories today.
Rat brain 'can smell in stereo'
One gene makes earwax wet or dry Ok, I need to stop procrastinating from housework.

Happy Boxing Day!

Hope everyone found some excellent post-Christmas bargains.

Just a warning: New Year's Day 2006: delayed by a second

A Quick Review of Batman Begins

I had a sleepover last night with Lynnie C and Ky. I guess technically Gina was there to but she was sleeping most of the time. We watched Batman Begins. My quick review of the movie:
* not enough shirtless push ups
* Katie Holmes is a twit. How dare you break Dawson's heart!
* Nice to see Morgan Freeman reprising his role as God in Bruce Almighty 2: Batman Begins, although this sequel was much more somber than the original.

DON'T READ THIS PART IF YOU STILL WANT TO SEE THE MOVIE!
* there is this weapon that is basically is a giant microwave. This microwave evaporates water hundreds of feet away but the people standing right beside it are not effected. What? The human body is composed of 55-60% water. People would become jerky. Which reminds me you have to check out The Daily Show's story about Hufu (click on Flesh in a Pan).

"...and how do you use this technology? To beat King Koopa and save the princess."*

Super Mario Physics Tutorial





*George Feeny from Boy Meets World

Good for what ails you

This morning I was watching a rerun of Daily Planet. There was this story on laughter. The creepiest part was when he was talking about that humans may not be the only animals that laugh. Apparently rats make a squeaking noise when they are tickled. I would like to know who was the one that was tickling rats and discovered this.

Other interesting facts:
* The person speaking is more likely to laugh than the person listening
* Women laugh more than men
* Men are attracted to women who laugh a lot
* Laughing is the only form of communication that is truly spontaneous

Centrifugal Bumblepuppy anyone?

As if I was not freaking out enough that our society was getting closer to a Brave New World when I read this article: British Team grow sperm and eggs from stem cells. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I am freaking out!