arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics最新文献

{"title":"Reysa Bernson, the unconventional head of the first French planetarium","authors":"Yael NazeUliege","doi":"arxiv-2401.02464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2401.02464","url":null,"abstract":"The first modern planetarium was presented in 1923 in Jena, Germany. Very\u0000soon in the subsequent years, planetariums were installed in other parts of\u0000Europe as well as in America. France, however, got its first planetarium only\u0000in 1937, for the World Exhibition organized in Paris. The team that took care\u0000of that planetarium was headed by a female amateur astronomer named Reysa\u0000Bernson. This choice might seem surprising, but it was not made at random,\u0000thanks to her never-ending astronomical activities at that time. This paper\u0000aims to bring back memories of this very active amateur astronomer of the 1920s\u0000and 1930s, and show the many ways in which astronomy was disseminated a century\u0000ago.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139397412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Niel's Chess: A Quantum Game for Schools and the General Public","authors":"Tamás Varga","doi":"arxiv-2405.00677","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2405.00677","url":null,"abstract":"In this article, a quantum variant of chess is introduced, which can be\u0000played on a traditional board, without using computers or other electronic\u0000devices. The rules of the game arise naturally by combining the rules of\u0000conventional chess with key quantum-physical effects such as superposition and\u0000entanglement. Niel's Chess is recommended for ages 10 and above, to everyone\u0000who wishes to play a creative game with historical roots and at the same time\u0000gain intuition about the foundational quantum effects that power cutting-edge\u0000technologies like quantum computing and quantum communication, which are poised\u0000to revolutionize our society in the coming decades. Takeaways from a pilot\u0000educational session that was carried out with 10-to-12-year-old children are\u0000also presented.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Terrestrial Life in Light of the Copernican Principle","authors":"Ian von Hegner","doi":"arxiv-2403.12051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2403.12051","url":null,"abstract":"While other solar systems are now known in abundance, so far only one example\u0000of life is known. Thus, terrestrial life represents just one data point. Thus,\u0000extrapolating from terrestrial life to potential life elsewhere in the galaxy\u0000and beyond is often considered a limitation in the search for different life.\u0000In other words, to extrapolate from terrestrial life to life elsewhere is to\u0000say that terrestrial life represent universal life, this is considered to be a\u0000geocentric approach. However, according to the Copernican principle, it is the\u0000other way around. It is a geocentric view to claim that terrestrial life should\u0000be different from other life in the universe. For if life elsewhere is not like\u0000terrestrial life, then it is ipso facto different life; more precisely, if\u0000terrestrial life does not represent general life, then that life must represent\u0000special life, which the principle states it is not. Thus, in this work the\u0000Copernican principle has been utilized as a measure for probability, as the\u0000criticism is based on the implicit assumptions that different extraterrestrial\u0000life exists. So if there are different fundamental forms of life, then there\u0000will also be differences in the probabilities with which they can arise in the\u0000form of a probability scale. Thus, an example shows that even if it is not is a\u0000given that terrestrial life cannot belong to the less numerous categories, it\u0000is more reasonable that terrestrial life belongs to the most numerous category\u0000due to arising from the simplest conceivable complexity of life. This is\u0000important in that not only can much be known about the majority of life\u0000elsewhere, but boundaries for categories of life as we do not know it can be\u0000set up at the same time. Thus, a Copernican-Darwinian principle offers a\u0000fruitful tool for astrobiology and the search for life elsewhere in the galaxy\u0000and beyond.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140165377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new game with Quark Matter Cards:Interactions of elementary particles","authors":"Ana Uzelac","doi":"arxiv-2401.10260","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2401.10260","url":null,"abstract":"This paper introduces a card game called \"Quark Matter Card Games,\" inspired\u0000by the creativity of a high school student, Csaba T\"or\"ok, and developed in\u0000collaboration with physicist Tam'as Cs\"orgH{o}. The game utilizes a deck of\u000066 cards representing elementary particles and antiparticles, offering an\u0000entertaining way to popularize science and introduce players to particle\u0000physics concepts. The initial edition includes games exploring topics like\u0000baryon formation, mesons, quark colors, and more. The author proposes a new\u0000game focusing on the four fundamental forces. Players must strategically place\u0000cards on a central card, simulating interactions based on strong,\u0000electromagnetic, weak, and gravitational forces. Specific rules for particle\u0000placement, including fundamental forces, annihilation and neutrino oscillations\u0000are elucidated. Additional rules and conditions add complexity and strategy to\u0000the game, ensuring active engagement. The intended audience ranges from\u0000individuals familiar with particle physics to those new to the field. The game\u0000provides an engaging platform for learning about elementary particle\u0000interactions, with varying levels of complexity. The paper discusses the\u0000educational potential, offering suggestions for simplified versions.\u0000Furthermore, all necessary concepts are briefly explained, and the physical\u0000background of the game is provided. The paper concludes with topics for further\u0000discussions, linking game experiences to particle physics concepts. Questions\u0000cover gravitational interaction interpretations, differentiation between quarks\u0000and leptons, explanations of weak and electromagnetic interactions and more.\u0000The acknowledgment section expresses gratitude to mentors and pioneers of card\u0000games with elementary particles for their inspiration and support.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139515783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanical Optimization of Skateboard Pumping","authors":"Florian Kogelbauer, Shinsuke Koyama, Daniel E. Callan, Shigeru Shinomoto","doi":"arxiv-2312.17671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2312.17671","url":null,"abstract":"Skateboarders perform a reciprocating motion on a curved ramp, called\u0000pumping, by moving their bodies up and down perpendicular to the ramp's\u0000surface. We propose a simple mechanical model for this pumping motion and solve\u0000the equation of motion explicitly in angular coordinates. This allows us to\u0000derive an optimal control strategy to maximize amplitude by dynamically\u0000adjusting the center of mass of the skateboarder. This optimal strategy is\u0000compared to experimental results for the motion of a skilled and an unskilled\u0000skateboarder in a half-pipe, validating that a skilled skateboarder follows the\u0000optimal control strategy more closely.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139069379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Popular astronomy and other science articles in glossy magazines -- outreaching to those who do not care to be reached","authors":"Valentin D. Ivanov","doi":"arxiv-2312.15797","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2312.15797","url":null,"abstract":"The target auditory of scientific outreach efforts is often limited to the\u0000small enthusiastic subset of the society that value science and actively seeks\u0000knowledge. However, the vast majority is usually indifferent or in some cases\u0000may even be opposed to sciences. To bring these people around to support\u0000sciences, we have to double and triple our efforts. I describe my personal\u0000experience how I reach out to them by means of popular articles in glossy\u0000magazines - not the most common outreach venue, at least in Bulgaria. Four\u0000years of writing have though me that the key for success is to turn the science\u0000into and engaging human story that will keep the readers curious until the\u0000revelation of the riddle at the end of the last paragraph. Next, come the\u0000spectacular visuals - for the modern reader, spoiled by eye candies of Internet\u0000and Hollywood they are almost as important as the written words. The final\u0000requirement is accessibility - an article should explain well only two or three\u0000concepts; I am not calling for simplicity but for measuring and structuring of\u0000the information content - it is better to give the readers two understandable\u0000pieces that they would enjoy instead one impenetrable article that would turn\u0000them away from popular science for good.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139052958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Evenki accounts of the 1908 Tunguska event collected in 1920s-1930s","authors":"Andrei Ol'khovatov","doi":"arxiv-2402.10900","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2402.10900","url":null,"abstract":"This paper is a continuation of a series of works, devoted to various aspects\u0000of the 1908 Tunguska event. It is devoted to the Evenki accounts of the 1908\u0000Tunguska event collected in 1920s - 1930s. It is important to research accounts\u0000of Evenki who were rather close to the epicenter. The Evenki accounts are\u0000important also, because Evenki are natural hunters and pathfinders - their\u0000lives depend on their memory and vision. Most of the reviewed in this work\u0000accounts were collected at the Evenki conference, when telling a lie was\u0000considered to be a serious misconduct. These Evenki accounts are compared with\u0000other Tunguska accounts. Also weather conditions associated with the Tunguska\u0000event are considered. Some manifestations of the Tunguska event are discussed.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139927166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards a Spectro-Photometric Characterization of the Chilean Night Sky. A first quantitative assessment of ALAN across the Coquimbo Region","authors":"Rodolfo AngeloniGemini Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, Juan Pablo Uchima TamayoDepartamento de Astronomía, Universidad de La SerenaGemini Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, Marcelo Jaque ArancibiaDepartamento de Astronomía, Universidad de La SerenaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Investigación y Postgrado, Roque Ruiz-CarmonaGemini Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, Diego Fernandez OlivaresDepartamento de Astronomía, Universidad de La Serena, Pedro SanhuezaDirección de Energía, Ciencia y Tecnología e Innovación, Ministerio Relaxiones Exteriores, Guillermo DamkeCerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, Ricardo MoyanoDepartamento de Astronomía, Universidad de La Serena, Veronica FirpoGemini Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, Javier FuentesEuropean Southern Observatory, Javier SayagoOPCC, NSF's NOIRLab","doi":"arxiv-2312.10542","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2312.10542","url":null,"abstract":"Light pollution is recognized as a global issue that, like other forms of\u0000anthropogenic pollution, has significant impact on ecosystems and adverse\u0000effects on living organisms. Multiple evidence suggests that it has been\u0000increasing at an unprecedented rate at all spatial scales. Chile, which thanks\u0000to its unique environmental conditions has become one of the most prominent\u0000astronomical hubs of the world, seems to be no exception. In this paper we\u0000present the results of the first observing campaign aimed at quantifying the\u0000effects of artificial lights at night (ALAN) on the brightness and colors of\u0000Chilean sky. Through the analysis of photometrically calibrated all-sky images\u0000captured at four representative sites with an increasing degree of\u0000anthropization, and the comparison with state-of-the-art numerical models, we\u0000show that significant levels of light pollution have already altered the\u0000appearance of the natural sky even in remote areas. Our observations reveal\u0000that the light pollution level recorded in a small town of the Coquimbo Region\u0000is comparable with that of Flagstaff, a ten times larger Dark Sky city, and\u0000that a mid-size urban area door to the Atacama Desert displays photometric\u0000indicators of night sky quality that are typical of the most densely populated\u0000regions of Europe. Our results suggest that there is still much to be done in\u0000Chile to keep the light pollution phenomenon under control and thus preserve\u0000the darkness of its night sky - a natural and cultural heritage that is our\u0000responsibility to protect.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"466 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138743877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Astronomy as a Field: A Guide for Aspiring Astrophysicists","authors":"Ava Polzin, Yasmeen Asali, Sanah Bhimani, Madison Brady, Mandy C. Chen, Lindsay DeMarchi, Michelle Gurevich, Emily Lichko, Emma Louden, Julie Malewicz, Samantha Pagan, Malena Rice, Zili Shen, Emily Simon, Candice Stauffer, J. Luna Zagorac, Katie Auchettl, Katelyn Breivik, Hsiao-Wen Chen, Deanne Coppejans, Sthabile Kolwa, Raffaella Margutti, Priyamvada Natarajan, Erica Nelson, Kim L. Page, Silvia Toonen, Katherine E. Whitaker, Irina Zhuravleva","doi":"arxiv-2312.04041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2312.04041","url":null,"abstract":"This book was created as part of the SIRIUS B VERGE program to orient\u0000students to astrophysics as a broad field. The 2023-2024 VERGE program and the\u0000printing of this book is funded by the Women and Girls in Astronomy Program via\u0000the International Astronomical Union's North American Regional Office of\u0000Astronomy for Development and the Heising-Simons Foundation; as a result, this\u0000document is written by women in astronomy for girls who are looking to pursue\u0000the field. However, given its universal nature, the material covered in this\u0000guide is useful for anyone interested in pursuing astrophysics professionally.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138555314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical strategies to mitigate electrostatic charging during coffee grinding","authors":"Joshua Méndez Harper, Christopher H. Hendon","doi":"arxiv-2312.03103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/arxiv-2312.03103","url":null,"abstract":"The process of grinding coffee generates particles with high levels of\u0000electrostatic charge, causing a number of detrimental effects such as clumping,\u0000particle dispersal, and spark discharges. At the brewing level, electrostatic\u0000aggregation between particles affects liquid-solid accessibility, leading to\u0000variable extraction quality. In this study, we quantify the effectiveness of\u0000four charge mitigation strategies. Our data suggests that adding small amounts\u0000of water to whole beans pre-grinding, or bombarding the grounds with ions\u0000produced from a high-voltage ionizer, are capable of de-electrifying the\u0000granular flows. While these techniques helped reduce visible mess, only the\u0000static reduction through water inclusion was found to impact the brewing\u0000parameters in espresso format coffee. There, wetting coffee with than 0.05 mL /\u0000g resulted in a marked shift in particle size distribution, in part due to\u0000preventing clump formation and also liberating fine particles from sticking to\u0000the grinder. With all other variables kept constant, this shift resulted at\u0000least 15% higher coffee concentration for espresso prepared with darker roasts.\u0000These findings have significant financial and sustainability implications, and\u0000encourage the widespread implementation of water use to de-electrify coffee\u0000during grinding.","PeriodicalId":501348,"journal":{"name":"arXiv - PHYS - Popular Physics","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138545495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}