Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Woodsey]

In 50 years, tikay will have received his second telegram from Lizzy (or Charles, or Willy).

In 50 years pretty sure that 80% of us will be dead more like! 

My initial target is 90, and I'm gonna make it or die trying.

Really? I have no aspirations to live anywhere near that length of time. Give me a healthy life till I'm 75, and then let me pop my clogs peacefully in my sleep.

[RED-DOG]

In 50 years, tikay will have received his second telegram from Lizzy (or Charles, or Willy).

In 50 years pretty sure that 80% of us will be dead more like! 

My initial target is 90, and I'm gonna make it or die trying.

Really? I have no aspirations to live anywhere near that length of time. Give me a healthy life till I'm 75, and then let me pop my clogs peacefully in my sleep.

Why, assuming that you're fit, active and healthy?

Do you think you will still feel like that at 74?

[Woodsey]

In 50 years, tikay will have received his second telegram from Lizzy (or Charles, or Willy).

In 50 years pretty sure that 80% of us will be dead more like!  

My initial target is 90, and I'm gonna make it or die trying.

Really? I have no aspirations to live anywhere near that length of time. Give me a healthy life till I'm 75, and then let me pop my clogs peacefully in my sleep.

Why, assuming that you're fit, active and healthy?

Do you think you will still feel like that at 74?

Dunno really, I don't live a very healthy lifestyle, so I'm gonna be under the average probably. As soon as I start to be a burden, I want to be gone.

[RED-DOG]

Culled from

'Physics Napkins'
Coffee talk about the universe and other funny stuff






Ferrofluid monsters


Imagine you put a lot of magnetic particles inside an oily substance, so that they get “stuck”, but they can flow. Then you got a ferrofluid. These fluids have very strange behaviour. Look at the almost alive forms in these videos…


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=me5Zzm2TXh4#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XUz1ZI-w6LQ#!


Why do they behave like that? The magnetic particles get attracted by the magnetic field, and they “drag” the oil. Of course, a special kind of mixing is necessary here, but we won’t go into that. But, why the spikes? Because of the surface tension. As in any liquid, ferrofluids want to minimise their free-surface area, so the optimum shape is this array of conical shapes.

They do have practical applications. For example, in your hard drive, they are a good lubricant to the magnetic shafts. They are normally used as seals, since they will attach to any magnetized surface very tightly.

But, despite their name, ferrofluids are not ferromagnetic! The magnetic particles inside are not interacting, so it does not acquire a net magnetization in absence of external fields. I am developing myself some theory regarding possible “truly” ferromagnetic fluids, if they might exist… you know how theorists work, we have the idea, and then we pray the experimentalists to find it out…

[pokerfan]

This is pretty cool, Quantum levitation.

[RED-DOG]

This is pretty cool, Quantum levitation.

That's just totally and utterly fabulous.

[Kev B]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

[dllewellyn]

This is pretty cool, Quantum levitation.

That's just totally and utterly fabulous.

WOW

[EvilPie]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

+1

Every last second. Even the credits. Clever stuff.

Now all they need to do is make a train out of a superconductor, cool it to -260 ish and they can send it anywhere just by giving it a wee nudge.

[RED-DOG]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

+1

Every last second. Even the credits. Clever stuff.

Now all they need to do is make a train out of a superconductor, cool it to -260 ish and they can send it anywhere just by giving it a wee nudge.

They'll have to remove the atmosphere first.

[EvilPie]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

+1

Every last second. Even the credits. Clever stuff.

Now all they need to do is make a train out of a superconductor, cool it to -260 ish and they can send it anywhere just by giving it a wee nudge.

They'll have to remove the atmosphere first.

If they can achieve items 1 & 2 I can't see number 3 being a problem.

No atmosphere might be a problem for the passengers I suppose although they may be preoccupied with being a little bit chilly.

[RED-DOG]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

+1

Every last second. Even the credits. Clever stuff.

Now all they need to do is make a train out of a superconductor, cool it to -260 ish and they can send it anywhere just by giving it a wee nudge.

They'll have to remove the atmosphere first.

If they can achieve items 1 & 2 I can't see number 3 being a problem.

No atmosphere might be a problem for the passengers I suppose although they may be preoccupied with being a little bit chilly.

If they're cryogenically frozen, they won't need to breathe and it won't matter how long it takes to get there.

[pokerfan]

I rarely watch a video to the end, but I did that one. Bleeding marvellous.

+1

Every last second. Even the credits. Clever stuff.

Now all they need to do is make a train out of a superconductor, cool it to -260 ish and they can send it anywhere just by giving it a wee nudge.

They'll have to remove the atmosphere first.

If they can achieve items 1 & 2 I can't see number 3 being a problem.

No atmosphere might be a problem for the passengers I suppose although they may be preoccupied with being a little bit chilly.

Maybe not as far off as you think, if it's real Obv.

[Machka]

Culled from

'Physics Napkins'
Coffee talk about the universe and other funny stuff

Ferrofluid monsters

Imagine you put a lot of magnetic particles inside an oily substance, so that they get “stuck”, but they can flow. Then you got a ferrofluid. These fluids have very strange behaviour. Look at the almost alive forms in these videos…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=me5Zzm2TXh4#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XUz1ZI-w6LQ#!


Why do they behave like that? The magnetic particles get attracted by the magnetic field, and they “drag” the oil. Of course, a special kind of mixing is necessary here, but we won’t go into that. But, why the spikes? Because of the surface tension. As in any liquid, ferrofluids want to minimise their free-surface area, so the optimum shape is this array of conical shapes.

They do have practical applications. For example, in your hard drive, they are a good lubricant to the magnetic shafts. They are normally used as seals, since they will attach to any magnetized surface very tightly.

But, despite their name, ferrofluids are not ferromagnetic! The magnetic particles inside are not interacting, so it does not acquire a net magnetization in absence of external fields. I am developing myself some theory regarding possible “truly” ferromagnetic fluids, if they might exist… you know how theorists work, we have the idea, and then we pray the experimentalists to find it out…

This type of video fascinates me.  The only probem is I then spend the next hour clicking related links in YouTube.

Another one that is slightly lower tech.

[RED-DOG]

Culled from

'Physics Napkins'
Coffee talk about the universe and other funny stuff

Ferrofluid monsters

Imagine you put a lot of magnetic particles inside an oily substance, so that they get “stuck”, but they can flow. Then you got a ferrofluid. These fluids have very strange behaviour. Look at the almost alive forms in these videos…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=me5Zzm2TXh4#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XUz1ZI-w6LQ#!


Why do they behave like that? The magnetic particles get attracted by the magnetic field, and they “drag” the oil. Of course, a special kind of mixing is necessary here, but we won’t go into that. But, why the spikes? Because of the surface tension. As in any liquid, ferrofluids want to minimise their free-surface area, so the optimum shape is this array of conical shapes.

They do have practical applications. For example, in your hard drive, they are a good lubricant to the magnetic shafts. They are normally used as seals, since they will attach to any magnetized surface very tightly.

But, despite their name, ferrofluids are not ferromagnetic! The magnetic particles inside are not interacting, so it does not acquire a net magnetization in absence of external fields. I am developing myself some theory regarding possible “truly” ferromagnetic fluids, if they might exist… you know how theorists work, we have the idea, and then we pray the experimentalists to find it out…

This type of video fascinates me.  The only probem is I then spend the next hour clicking related links in YouTube.

Another one that is slightly lower tech.

Lower tech, but fascinating none-the-less. It's like seeing sound.