Monthly Archives: June 2017

In the Dark

Posted on June 20, 2017 by midiguru

In the 18th century, physicists were trying to understand what happened when things burned. It was theorized that combustible substances such as wood and coal contained something called phlogiston, which was released during burning. This theory seemed to explain some … Continue reading →

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Long Ago & Far Away

Posted on June 19, 2017 by midiguru

Tonight I’m reading From Eternity to Here by Sean Carroll. It’s another of those books on physics and cosmology for the layperson — no math, just occasional diagrams. The book’s mandate or organizing principle is to attempt to unravel what … Continue reading →

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Phun with Physics

Posted on June 4, 2017 by midiguru

As I suggested yesterday, human intuition gives us a lousy set of tools with which to understand the underlying nature of physical reality. The English language supplies a few pitfalls too. Last night I started reading Black Holes & Time … Continue reading →

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Nuts & Bolts

Posted on June 3, 2017 by midiguru

Books for the interested layperson on the theory of relativity are not in short supply. The local library has a shelf full of them, and I don’t think that’s entirely because I live in Livermore, with an important national laboratory … Continue reading →

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