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shimpsblog [en]

English blog at blog.shimps.org

Cosmic Error Correcting Codes

fmg Thursday May 16, 2024

Professor James Gates detected an algebraic, geometric and graph theory related connection with formulas from quantum field theory. This looks like an error correction code known from computer science. The only other known occurence of error correction codes in nature is within DNA in the field of genetics. The footage is from quantum to cosmos festival, waterloo at october 18, 2009.

TVO S James Gates on Does Reality have a Genetic Basis

A Future of OUR Choosing
Aug 5, 2012

WP: Sylvester James Gates
WP: Adinkra symbols (physics)
WP: DNA

Interview with Peter Woit

fmg Sunday May 12, 2024

Professor Peter Woit discusses another approach to explain the universe from a mathematical point of view. This >3h video is not intended to be understood by beginners. There is a lot of advanced content. However, it's always interesting to enter unknown scientific territory.

Peter Woit: Unification, Spinors, Twistors, String Theory

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
Nov 22, 2023

A minimalistic model of the universe

fmg Friday May 10, 2024

Neil Turok descibes a new model to explain the universe. He has chosen a minimalistic approach which sounds promising. He has got the hope to be able to explain several open questions in modern physics. The model addresses the big bang, vacuum energy, dark matter, the standard model of particle physics and more.

The (Simple) Theory That Explains Everything | Neil Turok

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
Apr 23, 2024

Introduction to dark matter

fmg Friday April 26, 2024

Start with a rap song about dark matter:


Now you're in the mood to enjoy scientific arguments regarding dark matter. Is dark matter only an idea? Or is it a real thing? First observations by Fritz Zwicky and later observations by Vera Rubin established the idea that there is something out in the universe which we cannot see but causes gravitational impact. Nice quote at 7m48s: So in the beginning you have the big bang. Lawrence Krauss has got an opinion about which stories should beginn with those words. Maybe we'll come back to this another day. Meanwhile dive into the evidence which leads to the postulate of dark matter. Bonus: at the end (41m32s) there is a crackpot compass presented.

dark matter is not a theory

Angela Collier
Jun 7, 2023

Retro: SciCafe 2010

fmg Wednesday April 24, 2024

Neil deGrasse Tyson is the host of a cultural highlight for anybody interested in science. He is a great story teller and connects education with entertainment, and he does so with an enthusiasm rarely found elsewhere.

SciCafe: Life the Universe and Everything with Neil deGrasse Tyson

American Museum of Natural History
Sep 10, 2010

Crackpots: Example

fmg Monday April 22, 2024

How can a crackpot be recognized? Angela Collier presents an example as follow-up to the first course in this YouTube video. There is one question left over: do you share the judgement? Is is legitimate to speculate in science? Where exactly is the red line to distinguish scientific avant-garde ideas from blank nonsense? Is string theory a story made up by a community of crackpots? Or is it bleeding edge science in terra incognita?

harvard & aliens & crackpots: a disambiguation of Avi Loeb

by Angela Collier
Aug 25, 2022

The Origins of Quantum Electrodynamics I

fmg Sunday April 14, 2024

Quantum mechanics evolved to describe the electromagnetic field itself. The first field theory is called quantum electrodynamics. It is considered to be a high precision theory and its success is claimed to have started right from the beginning. However, there is a story behind the story. Theoretical results and experimental results came along in good agreement while both being false. This happend more than one time, as Dr. Alexander Unzicker summarizes in this YouTube Video:

Forget about Quantum Electrodynamics

by Alexander Unzicker
May 20, 2021


There are several links found in the video description. It is some background research material published by Oliver Consa:

Career in Academia

fmg Friday April 12, 2024

Sabine Hossenfelder presents some background information about economic constraints in modern academia. The paradigm economy first, science second has been evolving for several decades. Whoever wants to do research in modern science, mathematics, physics or similar, should watch, think about and understand this video. The culture of producing justification rather than knowledge in exchange for low payment has led to a self-enhancing mainstream paper production machinery. If this sounds familiar within a different context: the quick motion version of this is actually hyped as AI. Be prepared and keep a sick bucket in range.

My dream died, and now I'm here

by Sabine Hossenfelder
Apr 5, 2024

Overwork in Academia

fmg Wednesday April 10, 2024

There is more to say about the academic research system. People who hope to get tenure are exploited merciless. The situation is out of control. A second impression is given by the following YouTube Video with focus on the US situation.

the adjunct problem

by Angela Collier
Apr 1, 2023

Underpayment in Academia

fmg Tuesday April 9, 2024

In the past decades something went wrong with the academic research system. It is hard to tell when exactly this happened, but the trend to economic optimization of academic structures is a main driver in this story. A first impression is given by the following YouTube Video with focus on the US situation.

the postdoc exodus

by Angela Collier
Jul 21, 2022