1

The Environment / Are insect species dying out?

« on: 16/02/2019 08:27:03 »

Studies appear to show a worrying decline in many insect species. Is this a far more existential threat than any change in climate?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/relay.nationalgeographic.com/proxy/distribution/public/amp/animals/2019/02/why-insect-populations-are-plummeting-and-why-it-matters

2

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / What field gives rise to the Van Der Waals forces?

« on: 16/02/2019 07:27:49 »

Since forces can be associated with fields I am wondering what this one is.

3

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Can two protons differ in mass?

« on: 17/01/2019 21:52:24 »

All external environmental conditions being equal can there be a difference in mass between two protons? I am thinking in terms of small differences in gluon binding energy because of indeterminacy.

4

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is there a possible Killing vector?

« on: 31/12/2018 21:29:27 »

Is it possible to define a killing vector at the north or south pole of the event horizon of a Kerr black hole?

5

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Does SR have it's own asymptotic freedom?

« on: 28/12/2018 21:40:38 »

In QCD (quantum chromodynamics) there is the concept of asymptotic freedom. Where, as the energy increases and spatial separation decreases, particles are able to move more freely. When the spatial separation is increased and the energy decreased the reverse is true. In SR the faster an object moves it gets progressively harder to move it even faster. This assumes an increase in inertia. Can anything be learned from this similarity?

6

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Has there always been a constant number of photons?

« on: 26/12/2018 19:11:24 »

Since the big bang has the number of photons remained constant? If not then what kind of interactions changes this number?

7

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Can the vacuum be affected by gravity?

« on: 21/09/2018 19:04:22 »

To be honest I am not sure if this question has any validity. I am thinking of what state would the vacuum be in before the big bang. Did it exist?

8

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Are we missing sources of renewable energy?

« on: 17/09/2018 14:02:34 »

The question is prompted by this article. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/13/rain-or-shine-new-solar-cell-captures-energy-from-raindrops. Are there other sources of energy that anyone can think of?

9

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Can vacuum energy be calculated in a better way?

« on: 27/08/2018 15:26:50 »

I may have misinterpreted this but is the calculation of vacuum energy in qft based on the Planck mass?

10

Just Chat! / Hair farce one

« on: 22/07/2018 22:47:52 »

No, Donny isn't getting a new wig. He wants to give air force one a paint job. It is now going to say Trump One. In big yellow letters to match the rotting haystack on his head.

11

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is this formula valid?

« on: 01/07/2018 15:38:01 »

So I have kλ/(2π) = 1. Does this make sense with respect to atomic orbitals. Here k is wave number and lambda is wavelength.

12

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Did Einstein make quantum mechanics less accessible?

« on: 01/07/2018 15:22:13 »

Einstein preferred the Schrödinger picture of quantum mechanics over the Heisenberg picture. Did favouring one form over another make quantum mechanics less accessible?

13

Just Chat! / STOP THE FASCIST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

« on: 25/06/2018 12:24:05 »

There comes a time in life when you must speak out. Trump is now suggesting the suspension of due process for immigrants crossing the southern border. It is only going to get worse from here on in. Trump is now in a race for his life against Robert Mueller and Mueller's approval ratings are falling sharply. Trump is also in a race against the mid term elections. That means he is cornered and it makes him extremely dangerous. Be under no illusions. This guy will do whatever it takes to protect himself. Including throwing his whole family under the bus. If he doesn't care about his own family he certainly has no concern for anyone else's.

14

Just Chat! / Is the USA becoming a fascist state under Trump?

« on: 17/06/2018 14:46:29 »

There are very disquieting things happening in America. Children being separated from parents at the border. All immigrants immediately being prosecuted whether seeking asylum or not. The free press being called enemies of the state by the president. The republicans are scared to criticise Trump for fear of losing nominations. Isn't this how fascism takes hold? Trump is now attacking allies and praising brutal dictators. How will this all end?

15

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is there a kitchen science experiment to measure the energy of a vacuum?

« on: 11/06/2018 23:00:04 »

Can we design a simple experiment to show that there is energy in a vacuum?

16

Technology / If I have a quantum car do I need a quantum mechanic?

« on: 11/06/2018 22:45:24 »

If my vehicle is fully operational and broken down at the same time do I need a quantum mechanic?

17

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Does general relativity encompass quantum mechanics?

« on: 09/06/2018 10:49:30 »

Quantum mechanics can be reconciled with special relativity. Since special relativity is a special case of general relativity, is quantum mechanics contained within the theory of relativity?

18

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is there such thing as inertial rotation?

« on: 05/06/2018 12:56:50 »

So that unless acted on by an external force an object would continue rotating with a constant angular velocity.

19

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Does time dilation affect temperature?

« on: 02/06/2018 12:28:01 »

You may be asking yourself "What the hell does that mean?" Well, from a stationary observer's point of view, time slows down for an object in motion with respect to themselves. Since temperature depends upon the kinetic energies of the collection of objects being measured, what temperature would the static observer record, when compared to the moving observer's measure?

20

Technology / Are we heading for a driverless car disaster?

« on: 13/05/2018 18:46:25 »

If a car leaves the road then looking at the tree ahead is not the best thing to do. It makes the tree a target to aim for. In the same way, focussing attention on the existential threat of A.I. is also making that a target to aim for. There has just been an accident with a Tesla vehicle. It crashed into a fire truck stopped at a red light. It was travelling at 60mph when it collided. This is not a good reflection on the developers of this system. How much of the failure was because of a focus on the negative?