The EM Drive: Fact or Fantasy?

January 12th, 2017

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Because you demanded it … we break down the EM Drive!

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In the first Space Time Journal Club, Matt O’Dowd discusses Eagleworks Labs recent paper on the EM Drive and evaluates what their findings really tell us.

“Measurement of Impulsive Thrust from a Closed Radio-Frequency Cavity in Vacuum”
White, March, Lawrence, Vera, Sylvester, Brady & Bailey 2016
Abstract: http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/1.B36120
PDF: http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/1.B36120

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
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Harlan Kempf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttwl_zH_DZ8&lc=z13sdncwxpzpejj3f23ohxsz5ubds3ppf04

Sun Power Guru
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Richy Rich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttwl_zH_DZ8&lc=z13odxehmyveftz2d22ytbjopunwdvfdo

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Posted in Physics |

How to See Black Holes + Kugelblitz Challenge Answer

January 4th, 2017

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Find out how scientists are mapping the black holes throughout the Milky Way and beyond as well as the answer to the Escape the Kugelblitz Challenge Question. Were you able to save humanity?

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Quasars, X-ray Binaries and Supermassive voids at the center of our galaxies … black holes take many forms. In this episode Matt tells us what these different types of black holes are and how scientists are using VLBI, Very Long Baseline Interferometry, to map the different black holes throughout the known universe.

Resolving Microlensing Events with Triggered VLBI
Karami, Broderick, Rahvar, and Reid, 2016, The Astrophysical Journal, 833, 169
http://phys.org/news/2016-12-black-holes-years-method.html
https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.05801

Last Episode – Have They Seen Us?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttwl_zH_DZ8

The Escape the Kugelblitz Challenge Question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3hd3AI2CAA&t=5s

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Graphics by Grayson Blackmon
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Challenge Winners:
Pete Benzi
Srikanth Reddy
Dominique
Jeremy Elser
Mathieu Pütz
Scott Seaver

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Joe

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Florian Stinglmayr
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Nathan Leniz
Jessica Fraley
Kirk Mathews
Loro Lukic
Carl P. Corliss
Brandon labonte
David Crane
Greg Weiss
David Matteson
Marc Lagarde
Eric Jackson
Will and Sonja Marple

Posted in Physics |

Have They Seen Us? | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

December 22nd, 2016

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Are aliens watching Earth TV? We’d like to credit the SKA Organization for the image used in the thumbnail.

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Sources and further reading:

The Square Kilometer Array
https://www.skatelescope.org/

Eavesdropping on Radio Broadcasts from Galactic Civilizations with Upcoming Observatories for Redshifted 21cm Radiation
Loeb & Zaldarriaga 2007, Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 1, 20
https://arxiv.org/pdf/astro-ph/0610377v2.pdf

Costs and Difficulties of Large-Scale ‘Messaging’, and the Need for International Debate on Potential Risks
Billingham & Bedford 2011
https://arxiv.org/abs/1102.1938
Previous Episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3hd3AI2CAA

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Graphics by Grayson Blackmon
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

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Luca$sino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q&lc=z13vdbfbuu2pthqlt23eg33qpofgxdy5c04

Douglas Oak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q&lc=z133j1mrzkqbiramx22ovtvw0pbccfkna

Grin Reaper Of Trolls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q&lc=z13wsvmhtw2rwlv1e232djyjukicyvf04

viermidebutura3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q&lc=z13lu5cxbuqzjnnvt23scf0a1kzgdntrb04

Cornerrecord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q&lc=z135greojxekfvemq230jvcjuz3bt1ubz04

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John Pettit
Shannan Catalano
Florian Stinglmayr
Yubo Du
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Nathan Leniz
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Loro Lukic
Carl P. Corliss
Brandon labonte
David Crane
Greg Weiss
David Matteson
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Will and Sonja Marple

Posted in Physics |

Escape The Kugelblitz Challenge

December 15th, 2016

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If you know enough about astrophysics you could save the world from alien attack.

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In the last episode Matt discussed how the Penrose Diagram enabled you to map how black holes affect Space Time. In this episode you can use that knowledge to stop an all-too-real threat to our planet. Aliens are trying to destroy the Earth by creating a Kugelblitz under our feet. Will you use a Dyson Sphere to stop them or a satellite based deflector array? Choose wisely and save humanity. Choose poorly and … well, let’s just hope you choose wisely.

Last Episode – What Happens at the Event Horizon?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mht-1c4wc0Q

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Graphics by Grayson Blackmon
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

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Posted in Physics |

What Happens at the Event Horizon? | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

December 8th, 2016

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What really happens when you approach the event horizon of a black hole? What do you see when you actually cross it? Matt shows you an elegant tool for understanding this mysterious region of spacetime. This episode is supported by The Great Courses Plus. Go to http://ow.ly/WPIo306GotR for your one month free trial!

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CUNY Physics (stay tuned for event April 7 event details):
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Doctoral-Programs/Physics

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Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
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Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

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dinosaurfromfuture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlXdsyctD50&lc=z12cw3dapnftev0z104ce5pyzqaejbrwpg0

vacuum diagram
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlXdsyctD50&lc=z13gwn3p1tndfdyuj23md5ipdy2xvb33y

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Posted in Physics |

Pilot Wave Theory and Quantum Realism | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

December 1st, 2016

There’s one interpretation of the meaning of quantum mechanics that manages to skip a lot of the unphysical weirdness of the mainstream interpretations: it’s de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave theory.

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There are some pretty out-there explanations for the processes at work behind the incredibly successful mathematics of quantum mechanics – things are both waves and particles at the same time, the act of observation defines reality, cats are alive and dead, or even: the universe is constantly splitting into infinite alternate realities. The weird results of quantum experiments seem to demand weird explanations of the nature of reality. In this episode, Matt discusses de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave theory, the one interpretation of quantum mechanics that remains comfortably, stodgily physical.

Links to Sources

The Quantum Experiment that Broke Reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-MNSLsjjdo&t=53s

The Many Worlds of the Quantum Multiverse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKWfw68M5U&t=690s

Is This What Quantum Mechanics Looks Like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIyTZDHuarQ

A Suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of “Hidden” Variables. I:
David Bohm, 1952, Phys. Rev. 85, 166
http://journals.aps.org/pr/abstract/10.1103/PhysRev.85.166

Bohms original paper is behind the journal paywall (sorry!), however many other readings on Bohmian mechanics are available here:
http://www.bohmian-mechanics.net/readings_books.html

Previous Space Time Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4RNGRyzt10

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
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Burak Bağdatlı
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Sebastián López
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The757packerfan
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Posted in Physics |

Strange Stars | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

November 16th, 2016

What happens when matter can’t get any denser yet somehow does? The answer – it becomes “strange.” Strange Stars may be the most massive stellar remnant that is just shy of forming a black hole. And they could be even cooler than black holes.

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Neutron stars are made of a substance known as Neutronium. It was thought that this was the densest form of matter possible but some theoretical physicists believe that at the core of some neutron stars the Neutronium breaks down even further, into quark matter. It may even evolve one step further into “strange matter”, the densest and most stable substance in the universe.

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How to Build a Black Hole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4562gesw0

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
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Pixel Girl
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FatFingerJack
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Neil Upfalow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNLgPIiWAg&lc=z12xyhb54qfwvnwdt235wtcx1l3tvn5tr

Loren Supernaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNLgPIiWAg&lc=z12byxkirouqtvup504cdvwxyzawshhosmo0k

Tabularasa0606
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNLgPIiWAg&lc=z12fep0rsv3xwt0an04cdvn5ima5znhiksg0k

One Man Wolf Pack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNLgPIiWAg&lc=z12oyzxxsmiyj1u4c04ccnugsznvsxoqb34

Pipe2DevNull

Posted in Physics |

Did Dark Energy Just Disappear? | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

November 9th, 2016

Did all of dark energy just vanish? A team of scientists have just analyzed new data and claim that we need to completely rethink its existence. This episode is supported by The Great Courses Plus. Go to http://ow.ly/EMoC304OIsh to start your free one month trial.

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Why are we talking about dark energy again? Because another team has just announced a new analysis of updated supernova data. They claim that the data are consistent with there being NO dark energy – no accelerating expansion. They suggest that the universe may just be expanding at a constant rate – never speeding up, but also not slowing down. In this episode, Matt discusses this controversial claim, and whether or not we should throw away nearly twenty years of work on dark energy.

Links to Sources
Marginal Evidence for Cosmic Acceleration from Type Ia Supernovae
J. T. Nielsen, A. Guffanti & S. Sarkar (2016)
http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35596

Statistical hypothesis testing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_hypothesis_testing

Wolfram error analysis tutorial
https://reference.wolfram.com/applications/eda/ExperimentalErrorsAndErrorAnalysis.html

Previous Space Time Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY47bVu-0Bs

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Graphics by Grayson Blackmon
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Comments Answered by Matt

ThunderboltTangerine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKWfw68M5U&lc=z13ogdwyupendxfdo23xtnm5iufdghl4x04

QED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jowVq81AgGw&lc=z132djnarwaywxucv231i5fr0sz1yb2ff

Teboski78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jowVq81AgGw&lc=z12rspaoesqycbwvo22jtte4qqepidd1z

Posted in Physics |

Quantum Vortices and Superconductivity + Drake Equation Challenge Answers

November 2nd, 2016

Scientists studying quantum vortices and their impact on superconductivity just won the Nobel Prize.

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Further Sources:
Nobel Prize in Physics Announcement
https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2016/

Detailed information (PDF):
https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2016/advanced-physicsprize2016.pdf

The Galactic Civilization Challenge Question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAoEnV3Zt_Q

Previous Episode – The Many World of the Multiverse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKWfw68M5U

Did you correctly answer the Galactic Civilization Challenge Question? If you did Matt will take you with him when he sets out to colonize the greater galaxy. And in addition, a few randomly selected winners are getting t-shirts! If you’re listed below please send us your address, American t-shirt size (S,M,L) and your t-shirt preference.

Challenge Winners:

Alexandra Paramor
Timothy Andrews
Lochie S
Edvin K
Dominic Maltais-T
Peter Hallam

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Posted in Physics |

The Many Worlds of the Quantum Multiverse

October 26th, 2016

Is our universe a definitive single reality or is it merely one within an infinitely branching multiverse? Be sure to check out Physics Girl’s Dianna Cowern for more awesome science https://www.youtube.com/c/physicsgirl

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The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics tells us that observation collapses a probability wave into a single definitive outcome, but this isn’t the only interpretation of quantum mechanics. The many worlds theory proposes that the wavefunction never actually collapses. The observer simply follows one of those many possible paths into their present reality while all the other paths continue on independent of the observer. Each of these paths branches off into an entirely different reality. In this episode Matt discusses the details of the many worlds theory and why it’s not so far-fetched to think that our reality is simply one of an infinite number of realities existing within space time.

Links to sources:

The Quantum Experiment that Broke Reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-MNSLsjjdo

Hugh Everett’s Ph.D. Dissertation
http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/manyworlds/pdf/dissertation.pdf

Crazy Pool Vortex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnbJEg9r1o8

Previous Episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jowVq81AgGw

Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Posted in Physics |

On m3i: