In school we all learned that there are 3 states of matter; solid, liquid and gas. It turns out that we have been lied to. Most people will have heard of plasma which is sometimes called the 4th state of matter but there are many more. Have you ever heard of the Bose-Einstein Condensate phase of matter? Prepare yourself for some truly mindblowing stuff.
More info: Wikipedia - Bose-Einstein condensate
This clip was taken from a two part BBC series called absolute zero. Part 1 is called "The conquest of cold" and part 2 "The race for absolute zero". PBS has cut down that material to a single episode called absolute zero (1h40, HD) but I would recommend watching the longer BBC version.
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
November 19, 2011
October 7, 2011
Mathematical beauty
Why are numbers everywhere? Why does math produce patterns? Why does order emerge out of chaos? Why do we live in a rational logical universe?
October 1, 2011
The unseen eye
"When you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Here we see the iris contracting and expanding, regulating the diameter of a gaping black hole, the pupil, and thus controlling the amount of light that enters the eye.
Bonus Pictures: An Extreme close up of the human eye.
Here we see the iris contracting and expanding, regulating the diameter of a gaping black hole, the pupil, and thus controlling the amount of light that enters the eye.
Bonus Pictures: An Extreme close up of the human eye.
September 23, 2011
How long is a piece of string?
How long is a piece of string? It sounds like a ridiculous question... but it isn't. This hour long journey to find out the length of a certain piece of string will blow your mind. This trip takes you from the classical to the quantum and leaves you with more questions than answers. Easily one of the best episodes from BBC's Horizon. I know that an hour of your time is a lot to ask for, but believe me, it's worth it.
September 22, 2011
A cosmic voyage
A voyage through the scale of the universe narrated by Morgan Freeman. HD, full screen, open your mind and feel the chills crawl up your spine.
September 21, 2011
Voyager 1
After 33 years, the Voyager 1 is nearing the edge of our solar system. This ambassador to the stars carries with it the historic golden record on which the following hopeful message was recorded.
September 20, 2011
Is reality a mathematical structure?
Is math the foundation of our universe? Max Tegmark seems to thinks so.
When ideas have sex
"At TEDGlobal 2010, author Matt Ridley shows how, throughout history, the engine of human progress has been the meeting and mating of ideas to make new ideas. It's not important how clever individuals are, he says; what really matters is how smart the collective brain is."
September 19, 2011
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