Comments on: Extraordinary measurements http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements Paul Cook's blog Fri, 18 May 2012 18:46:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Paul F http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-982 Paul F Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:46:52 +0000 http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-982 I'm not sure if this really falls into this category, but it still strikes me as almost spooky. A quantum computer than returned an answer without actually being turned "on". Full story here! Science is amazing :) http://www.newscientist.com/channel/info-tech/mg18925405.700.html I’m not sure if this really falls into this category, but it still strikes me as almost spooky. A quantum computer than returned an answer without actually being turned “on”. Full story here! Science is amazing :)
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/info-tech/mg18925405.700.html

]]> By: Jonathan http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-909 Jonathan Sat, 28 Jan 2006 10:05:28 +0000 http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-909 Wonderful. I was struck by some words of Einstein, referring to the intuitive process of discovering the laws of physics. He talks about these leaps of the imagination arising from intuition, "based upon something like an intellectual love". and elsewhere, "a sudden illumination, almost a rapture". It seems that to be a great scientist (rather than just a good one), it may be helpful to cultivate a sense of wonder and excitement about one's work, to be in love with the sheer awe-inspiring grandeur of it. The modern era has encouraged cynicism and the dismissal of enthusiasm. How sad. Maybe the post-modern era will re-engage with wonder. So thanks for celebrating the extraordinary universe we have the privilege of discovering, the incredible tools that open up these discoveries, and the remarkable people who invent and use the tools. They lift us beyond the ordinary. Wonderful. I was struck by some words of Einstein, referring to the intuitive process of discovering the laws of physics. He talks about these leaps of the imagination arising from intuition, “based upon something like an intellectual love”. and elsewhere, “a sudden illumination, almost a rapture”. It seems that to be a great scientist (rather than just a good one), it may be helpful to cultivate a sense of wonder and excitement about one’s work, to be in love with the sheer awe-inspiring grandeur of it. The modern era has encouraged cynicism and the dismissal of enthusiasm. How sad. Maybe the post-modern era will re-engage with wonder. So thanks for celebrating the extraordinary universe we have the privilege of discovering, the incredible tools that open up these discoveries, and the remarkable people who invent and use the tools. They lift us beyond the ordinary.

]]> By: paulcook http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-895 paulcook Thu, 26 Jan 2006 05:04:58 +0000 http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-895 Of course, my comment is kind of ironic -- I just realised that the whole point of this post was a back-of-the-envelope calculation involving, well, numbers. Oh well. Of course, my comment is kind of ironic — I just realised that the whole point of this post was a back-of-the-envelope calculation involving, well, numbers. Oh well.

]]> By: paulcook http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-894 paulcook Thu, 26 Jan 2006 05:02:11 +0000 http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-894 Ok, so I under-estimated. Basically, I couldn't be bothered to look it up. In fact, I'm happiest when you lot just tell me the results. All these numbers are so ... practical. Useful even. Uuugh. Ok, so I under-estimated. Basically, I couldn’t be bothered to look it up. In fact, I’m happiest when you lot just tell me the results. All these numbers are so … practical. Useful even. Uuugh.

]]> By: pix http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-893 pix Thu, 26 Jan 2006 04:04:39 +0000 http://langabi.name/blog/2006/01/25/extraordinary-measurements#comment-893 ~600 million (inelastic collisions) per second. not too bad for a theorist ;) of course, if you count the number of particles in the beam it is far more exciting! (1.67 * 10^11 per bunch) ~600 million (inelastic collisions) per second. not too bad for a theorist ;)

of course, if you count the number of particles in the beam it is far more exciting! (1.67 * 10^11 per bunch)

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