Comments on: World Not Destroyed http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/ The Universe, the Internet, and Academic Life Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:26:10 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chris Lintott’s Universe » LHC thoughts http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6242 Chris Lintott’s Universe » LHC thoughts Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:05:07 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6242 [...] excellent LHC coverage everywhere. Andy has a quick round up for example, and I highly recommend HastheLHCdestroyedtheEarth.com as the best response to the lack [...] [...] excellent LHC coverage everywhere. Andy has a quick round up for example, and I highly recommend HastheLHCdestroyedtheEarth.com as the best response to the lack [...]

]]> By: Michael Merrifield http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6202 Michael Merrifield Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:42:59 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6202 Having witnessed at first hand the outrage when Sir Peter Mansfield got the Nobel prize for MRI, which included full-page advertisements in the New York Times by the wronged party, it is clear that the awards generate irritation that puts my own occasional displays of petulance to shame. However, since allegedly the other likely recipient of the prize in that case was passed over because of his creationist views, perhaps some readers of this blog might not be altogether opposed to some exclusions. Having witnessed at first hand the outrage when Sir Peter Mansfield got the Nobel prize for MRI, which included full-page advertisements in the New York Times by the wronged party, it is clear that the awards generate irritation that puts my own occasional displays of petulance to shame. However, since allegedly the other likely recipient of the prize in that case was passed over because of his creationist views, perhaps some readers of this blog might not be altogether opposed to some exclusions.

]]> By: John Peacock http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6201 John Peacock Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:18:08 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6201 In reply to Mike Merrifield: "giant magnetoresistance was discovered in 1988 and got the 2007 prize. What is impressive about it, though, is that it made it to full commercialization and revolutionized an industry within ten years of discovery", I have to comment on the outrageous fact that 2 people got the Nobel for GMR, leaving a 3rd vacant slot which could so easily have been occupied by the one person who, by common consent, made GMR into a practical technology. Without his work, GMR would never have been considered interesting enough to come anywhere near a Nobel. This man was Stuart Parkin, and I am exremely proud to say he was in my undergraduate class. But instead of self-indulgently dabbling in astronomy, he got on and changed the world. The only comparable injustice perpetrated by the Nobel lot was when they passed over Fred Hoyle. In reply to Mike Merrifield: “giant magnetoresistance was discovered in 1988 and got the 2007 prize. What is impressive about it, though, is that it made it to full commercialization and revolutionized an industry within ten years of discovery”, I have to comment on the outrageous fact that 2 people got the Nobel for GMR, leaving a 3rd vacant slot which could so easily have been occupied by the one person who, by common consent, made GMR into a practical technology. Without his work, GMR would never have been considered interesting enough to come anywhere near a Nobel. This man was Stuart Parkin, and I am exremely proud to say he was in my undergraduate class. But instead of self-indulgently dabbling in astronomy, he got on and changed the world. The only comparable injustice perpetrated by the Nobel lot was when they passed over Fred Hoyle.

]]> By: Dave S http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6196 Dave S Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:24:43 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6196 This iPlayer episode gets another "good grief!" from me. Next question: what is the record for "most important appearance on Newsnight in years" to knight of the realm? I feel moved to start a Downing Street petition to get that young man suitably rewarded, though King was an easy target. Now back to my Daily Mail..... This iPlayer episode gets another “good grief!” from me. Next question: what is the record for “most important appearance on Newsnight in years” to knight of the realm? I feel moved to start a Downing Street petition to get that young man suitably rewarded, though King was an easy target. Now back to my Daily Mail…..

]]> By: Dave Carter http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6195 Dave Carter Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:29:30 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6195 Gosh wasn't David King poor. The problem is that his poor advocacy and lack of ideas is detracting from efforts to understand and ameliorate climate change, which is a real problem which needs real solutions, but not by stopping doing research into fundamental science, but by behaving in responsible ways in all fields (commercial, military arts, and yes, in science). But people like David King are enough to push one into the Lomberg camp, or even further into the far-right Daily Mail reading climate change denialist camp. Gosh wasn’t David King poor. The problem is that his poor advocacy and lack of ideas is detracting from efforts to understand and ameliorate climate change, which is a real problem which needs real solutions, but not by stopping doing research into fundamental science, but by behaving in responsible ways in all fields (commercial, military arts, and yes, in science). But people like David King are enough to push one into the Lomberg camp, or even further into the far-right Daily Mail reading climate change denialist camp.

]]> By: SimonR http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6194 SimonR Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:57:54 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6194 Brian Cox giving Sir David King the aforementioned "firm yet polite face to face spanking" on Wednesday's Newsnight can be viewed on iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dd057/ Skip to 41:05. Brian Cox giving Sir David King the aforementioned “firm yet polite face to face spanking” on Wednesday’s Newsnight can be viewed on iPlayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dd057/
Skip to 41:05.

]]> By: andyxl http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6192 andyxl Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:17:43 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6192 Paul - the Research Fortnight Editorial poses questions that seriously need addressing. Its not "is particle physics a waste of money" - because it isn't - but "have further advances become implausibly expensive" ? How about putting the money into dark matter searches and neutrino astrophysics ? Meanwhile, such worrying is a bit churlish - the LHC is here now, and it will do some great science. Paul – the Research Fortnight Editorial poses questions that seriously need addressing. Its not “is particle physics a waste of money” – because it isn’t – but “have further advances become implausibly expensive” ? How about putting the money into dark matter searches and neutrino astrophysics ? Meanwhile, such worrying is a bit churlish – the LHC is here now, and it will do some great science.

]]> By: Keith A. http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6191 Keith A. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:09:19 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6191 I think high temperature superconductivity has the recent record for shortest time from discovery to Nobel prize. On a slight tangent - was in a discussion today on what was the most boring result the LHC could produce. Apparently the answer is a relatively low mass Higgs and nothing else. If that happens particle physics is stuck. I think high temperature superconductivity has the recent record for shortest time from discovery to Nobel prize.

On a slight tangent – was in a discussion today on what was the most boring result the LHC could produce. Apparently the answer is a relatively low mass Higgs and nothing else. If that happens particle physics is stuck.

]]> By: Michael Merrifield http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6190 Michael Merrifield Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:05:42 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6190 Excellent. Sorry I missed it. Will see what iPlayer can do to make my evening, too. Excellent. Sorry I missed it. Will see what iPlayer can do to make my evening, too.

]]> By: Paul Crowther http://andyxl.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/world-not-destroyed/#comment-6189 Paul Crowther Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:51:35 +0000 http://andyxl.wordpress.com/?p=323#comment-6189 Andy, I suspect the 'general public' were largely left rather bemused by today's events. Still, it was good to see CERN receive such universal media attention, particularly from BBC Radio 4's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/bigbang/" rel="nofollow">Big Bang Day</a>. In addition to the black hole hysteria, there has been widespread adverse publicity about the cost of LHC including an <a href="http://pacrowther.staff.shef.ac.uk/RF10Sep08_3.html" rel="nofollow">editorial</A> in today's Research Fortnight, plus <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7603257.stm" rel="nofollow">criticism</A> by no less than Sir David King (President, British Association for the Advancement of Science!). Brian Cox did a sterling effort facing up to Sir David and Jeremy Paxman on tonight's <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/" rel="nofollow">Newsnight</A>. Andy, I suspect the ‘general public’ were largely left rather bemused by today’s events. Still, it was good to see CERN receive such universal media attention, particularly from BBC Radio 4’s Big Bang Day. In addition to the black hole hysteria, there has been widespread adverse publicity about the cost of LHC including an editorial in today’s Research Fortnight, plus criticism by no less than Sir David King (President, British Association for the Advancement of Science!). Brian Cox did a sterling effort facing up to Sir David and Jeremy Paxman on tonight’s Newsnight.

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