explanation

Ringing the changes

The sophisticated basis of old technology

bellOur astronomer spent a few years in England, where he learned something of the arcane art of ringing church bells.  In the belfries of that country are wonderful examples of essentially Medieval technology that also demonstrate advanced mathematical and physical ideas.

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The yellow zone vs. the idiot light

What information are you given as an operator?

Much about automobiles has changed greatly over the past decade or two.  Part of it comes from different ideas of what the driver should be doing.

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If it’s worth doing. . .

Why bother with tentative research?

tandwOur astronomer ponders the state of the science in the middle of the last century, when things were so different and difficult.

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What are tests for?

Several possible answers (and an essay)

One of our consultants has begun tutoring, which has brought him into contact with the world of standardized tests after many years away.

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It doesn’t look like that

The universe is photoshopped

Our astronomer points out that that pictures of outer space don’t actually show what you’d see if you went there.

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Unhappy with success

The Standard Model works too well

An enormous apparatus for scientific research is finding only what was expected.  This bothers scientists.

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The scientific cult of personality

Do electrons care about Feynman?

Our chief consultant explores an unexpected feature of scientific magazines.

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The distance to the stars

A matter of small and big numbers

parallaxHaving mentioned the difficulty of finding the distances to stars last week, our astronomer tries to put some unfamiliar numbers within your grasp.

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A plausible assumption

It’s reasonable and makes sense, but it’s wrong

mapOur astronomer describes how an assumption widely made in his science in past years turned out to be completely erroneous.

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Why an f-stop?

It’s all the astronomers’ fault

fstopOur photographic consultant is reminded how complicated things are for beginners, no matter how straightforward it all seems to the professionals.

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