Thursday, August 26, 2010

Collider Physics

There is currently much excitement in physics due to the LHC, the huge new European particle accelerator. This preprint explains the theoretical analysis of such experiments: Introduction to Collider Physics.

Insertion of the vacuum-tank of the CMS detector in the LHC

Fire Tornado


Fire Tornado in Wikipedia.

More Quantum Inequalities

Quantum mechanics: The usefulness of uselessness in Nature.
Bell pointed out that quantum mechanics violates certain inequalities that are true in classical physics. This article discusses other inequalities that even quantum mechanics respects but which distinguish it from "super quantum theories" that would be able to violate these inequalities.

How big is the Proton?

The proton shrinks in size: Tiny change in radius has huge implications - in Nature.

Problems with Quantum Mechanics

Might I say immediately … we always have had a great deal of difficulty in understanding the world view that quantum mechanics represents … I cannot define the real problem, therefore I suspect there’s no real problem, but I am not sure there’s no real problem.

Richard Feynman
Jeremy Bernstein in FAPP and Non-FAPP: A Pedagogical Essay discusses the foundations of quantum mechanics. Bernstein is a very good writer and he explains some aspects of this problematic field quite well. In the end, however, it still seems just as problematic as ever.

FAPP - For All Practical Purposes

Once Bernstein happened to visit physicist Erwin Schroedinger in his Vienna apartment.
There was no cat. He did not like cats.