Walking the dog and particle physics - mmm! Unusual subject to muse upon on a clear sunny Saturday morning (virtual) stroll. Virtual because I am actually sitting at my netbook with Four-legged-friend sprawled at my feet, coffee on the hob, toast ... burning! You get the picture.
Anyway, and in advance of what follows, I apologise to any particle physicists for my ignorance of their subject and tardiness at keeping up with the headlines in particle-physics-world. Until now, that is! As if the news that particles have been discovered that appear to travel faster than the speed of light -I thinks that means they get to their destination before they left their point of departure - is not enough to addle the average brain, a physicist, on what I had always assumed was a reputable TV programme, Newsnight, last night offered as explanation that the neutrinos in question may have travelled through a worm hole from another dimension.
Now, I know it was late and I was tired, but I am positive that was what he said. The worlds of Philip Pullman and Inception are upon us. Maybe, I'm walking the dog in a parallel universe. Maybe, the other me is fitter, healthier, less procrastinating. Maybe, I exist in thousands of other dimensions. Mind boggling!
To make it worse, he went on to suggest that in order to explain certain aspects of physics, scientists had hypothesized about the existence of extra dimensions for some years now! Isn't that news worthy of the non-physicist press? Is no-one else interested in this?And he casually added, if the neutrinos were from another dimension, it was simply an interesting anomaly -not devastatingly amazing! - because they don't carry any information, so can't tell us anything.
Wow! Need to rest my brain now. Fresh air, apples, brambles, crumble making and six-year-old friend's first ever birthday party (hospitalised for all previous ones) - these kind of put this world back into perspective. At least for now ... whatever the concept of now is.
Anyway, and in advance of what follows, I apologise to any particle physicists for my ignorance of their subject and tardiness at keeping up with the headlines in particle-physics-world. Until now, that is! As if the news that particles have been discovered that appear to travel faster than the speed of light -I thinks that means they get to their destination before they left their point of departure - is not enough to addle the average brain, a physicist, on what I had always assumed was a reputable TV programme, Newsnight, last night offered as explanation that the neutrinos in question may have travelled through a worm hole from another dimension.
Now, I know it was late and I was tired, but I am positive that was what he said. The worlds of Philip Pullman and Inception are upon us. Maybe, I'm walking the dog in a parallel universe. Maybe, the other me is fitter, healthier, less procrastinating. Maybe, I exist in thousands of other dimensions. Mind boggling!
To make it worse, he went on to suggest that in order to explain certain aspects of physics, scientists had hypothesized about the existence of extra dimensions for some years now! Isn't that news worthy of the non-physicist press? Is no-one else interested in this?And he casually added, if the neutrinos were from another dimension, it was simply an interesting anomaly -not devastatingly amazing! - because they don't carry any information, so can't tell us anything.
Wow! Need to rest my brain now. Fresh air, apples, brambles, crumble making and six-year-old friend's first ever birthday party (hospitalised for all previous ones) - these kind of put this world back into perspective. At least for now ... whatever the concept of now is.
Comments
Post a Comment