The lab - for all things sciencey

[mockney piers]

I didn't really know where to post this, so thought a thread for things of scientific interest wasn't a bad thing to do.

Anyway, here it is, time lapse footage from the International Space Station above some pretty dramatic aurora

hmm, embeds no longer work. ho hum, you'll have to click through

[silverfox]

And...Einstein may be wrong - neutrinos may travel faster than light (TBC or to be refuted)

[Loz]

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/neutrinos.png

[katie1997]

silverfox Wrote:

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> And...Einstein may be wrong - neutrinos may travel

> faster than light (TBC or to be refuted)

Refuted. Dodgy equipment.

PS mockney what have you done!! This thread will only encourage those who think that reading the 'New Scientist' makes them sound clever. You know who you are.

*sniffs*

;-)

[maxxi]

katie1997 Wrote:

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> PS mockney what have you done!! This thread will

> only encourage those who think that reading the

> 'New Scientist' makes them sound clever. You know

> who you are.

>

At last! Been waiting for this kind ofhttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRUFoGuJK__IC_DexXA8L1sp9DF63idHRiqJsSIHzxB16ne4ytJ thread...

...Hoyvin, glayvin...

[katie1997]

katie1997 Wrote:

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> PS mockney what have you done!! This thread will

> only encourage those who think that reading the

> 'New Scientist' makes them sound clever. You know

> who you are.

>

> *sniffs*

>

>

>

>

> ;-)

Signed Beaker and Dr Bunsen Honeydew B)

*inserts pic of the Muppet's scientists*

[silverfox]

It did occur to me Mockney you were making a mistake posting this in this section

[mockney piers]

Naaah, science should be fun, like smuggling the magnesium out of science lesson at school and burning it during the lunch hour!

[Alan Medic]

I watched half a programme about nothing the other day. Amazing stuff. Seems there was a lot of it about a long time ago. Certainly before I was born anyway.

[ianr]

When I were a lad, neutrinos didn't have any mass at all. They've obviously put on a bit since then. I reckon this latest escapade is just a bit of adolescent boundary testing.

[karter]

The obsolete satelite will be crashing to earth today NASA says. The odds on it falling on a person are pretty low considering the size of this and the size of the earth. Keep your eyes peeled if it hasn't already landed. hee hee.

[RosieH]

This thread will only encourage those who think that reading the 'New Scientist' makes them sound clever

I read New Scientist for stories about bonobos, chimps at a push. I'd estimate 1 in 3 issues carries such awesomeness. Mockers is right, monkey science IS fun.

Sometimes I'm rewarded with other interesting and exciting and fun stuff. Other times it's full of things I can't and have no inclination to understand.

Rather like Heat magazine.

Hurray for science.

[Huguenot]

John Naughton had an interesting view on this: "Britain is a country in which the word "intellectual" is often preceded by the sneering adjective "so-called", where smart people are put down because they are "too clever by half"

It is a sign of the miserable psychology of modern Britain that people would come on to a thread about the exciting world of science in order to sneer at it.

I read New Scientist because it is inspiring and full of hope, a celebration of the spirit of inquiry and the creativity of our fellow men. Shame on those who would belittle it. ;-)

[maxxi]

I think tbf 'intellectual' (complete with sneer) is usually directed at those who study/teach/discuss one or more of English/History/Politics/Sociology/Art... etc.

Surely sciencey types are still boffins.

Boffins are fun - I don't think many people sneer at Stephen Hawking, and I can't see any evidence on this thread of sneering either. A little light-hearted leg-pulling perhaps but no sneering.

[Huguenot]

Really? I didn't see anyone teasing boffins here, I did see someone mention something about trying to 'sound clever' (implying that they're not clever), which is tantamount to using the phrase 'so-called'. That's what made me recall Naughton's comment.

I'm not cross about it, just resigned to the paucity of enthusiasm for science.

But I'll bow to your better judgment.

[katie1997]

Huguenot Wrote:

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> Really? I didn't see anyone teasing boffins here,

> I did see someone mention something about trying

> to 'sound clever' (implying that they're not

> clever), which is tantamount to using the phrase

> 'so-called'. That's what made me recall Naughton's

> comment.

If you mean me Huguenot, feel free to name and shame me. I don't bite...much.

> I'm not cross about it, just resigned to the

> paucity of enthusiasm for science.

Gotta be one of the funniestr things I have read today :))

> But I'll bow to your better judgment.

Just want to quickly thank mockney for this thread, its made my day. I know sometimes I take myself (and the forum) too serioously. Will respond late r once the WHOOSHING has died down on this thread and Iwhen 'm not on the move. Good day for the plane spotters in ED tho (tu)

[katie1997]

PS rosie got it right!! B)

And yep I agree with mockers too that it should be (and is) fun...x

[RosieH]

Hey Hughie, I didn't think it was sneery on Katie's part. Doesn't strike me as her modus operandi, being the sunny wee thing she is and all. I do actually know a few people who read New Scientist to sound clever. Well, when I say New Scientist, I mean their twitter thread.

But I liked what you said about its being "full of hope". It is that. And I am that today. There are good things to be discovered.

[maxxi]

But sir? If neutrinos are taking a short cut - isn't that cheating? And if not Sir, then was Dr. Who right after all? And why didn't they try an Operetta Collaboration before embarking on the full Ring Cycle?

Yes Sir.

*trudges sulkily out of lab - after leaving gas taps on*

[edhistory]

An Italian kilometer is less than a Swiss kilometer.

John K

[maxxi]

One of the neutrinos was found to have this on him...

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT4qkXjaAmaHmcWJtHIintk8lIDFtRfauyxb590JoidwsukDT-S

[Salsaboy]

But there is more waving of the arms involved in an Italian kilometer.

edhistory Wrote:

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> An Italian kilometer is less than a Swiss

> kilometer.

>

> John K

[Alan Medic]

Installed a new shower head recently. Works fine. However about 2-3 minutes after turning it off there is a once off dribble of water like it's emptying itself. Why? Is it incontinent? Are these drops defying gravity for 2-3 minutes?

[david_carnell]

Science joke of the day:

And the barman says sorry we don't serve neutrinos. A neutrino walks into a bar.

[Huguenot]

I've seen that as well Meds. It's intriguing.

I'm guessing that the supply hose must contract as it cools down. However, I'd expect this to happen gradually - but the dribble is all at the same time.

I can think of a couple of things that may create this effect.

The first is that the contraction causes water to gather at a slow rate in the showerhead, but surface tension prevents this leaving through the nozzles. As the gathered water builds, pressure on the nozzles increases thanks to gravity, and eventually this exceeds the breaking strain of the surface tension, allowing water to escape. Because the surface tension of flowing water is lower, it doesn't reseal, and all the gathered water empties out at once.

Or, it may be that the hose passes some temperature threshold which prompts something to 'ping' back into place.