I am the kind of person who always has to know why things are the way they are so my interests range from genetics and biology to politics and what makes people tick.
For fun I play online mmorpgs, read, listen to a music, dance when I get the chance and landscape my rather large block.
Work is writing. When a story I am working on is going well I'm on cloud nine. On bad days I go out and dig big holes...
View all posts by acflory
Trust me, Pam, what I know about physics or math could fit on the head of a pin! But some of this stuff…it makes me wish I could start over and learn. π
Yes, me too. I thought I had no aptitude for it when a girl (probably because we girls were taught it was a “boy” thing. Then I began to read Madeleine L’Engle’s journals and books and realized that we can combine physics and spirituality and the “humanness” of our characters in amazing ways. [Madeleine L’Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science. Wikipedia ]
-sigh- I think we were conditioned the same way. Biology was ‘acceptable’ but I refused to get interested in physics and math. Then as a mature age student [late 20’s] I started a behavioural psychology course and discovered that I rather liked statistics…and I was good at it. Who knew? Now I can’t help wondering what might have happened if nice girls did math?
Good news: My daughter majored in science in college and teaches 6th grade science. The girl students are enthralled!! And my granddaughter is in honors math. THERE IS HOPE!! π
Marie Curie was born a girl, to grow up to become a Nobel Prize awarded woman. Also, in Uni the boy:girl ration was about 1:1.
What I mean is I’m surprised by the idea of considering maths/science a “boy” thing. I grew up in a different country, so such social ideas might not be the same, but it really surprised me. π€
I don’t mean you are lying, or anything like that, just to be clear.
Ah Yorgos. The difference is generational. I’m 69 and back when I went to school, my best friend had to go to the local Catholic boys school to do physics and chemistry because /our/ Catholic girls school didn’t provide it.
That’s the era I grew up in.
Now bearing in mind that Catholic schools are private schools, imagine what the girls at the co-ed public high schools would have felt.
I’m enormously glad that things have changed for young women of your generation. Maybe now there’ll be some true equality. -fingers crossed-
Oh! Yes, ok, that explains it π
And yes, fingers crossedπ€π€π€
It’s such a shame to lose brains and talents just because of their gender, or whatever.
Not only girls suffer, mind you, but boys too. Want to be a dancer (ballet even worse), hair dresser, make-up artist (and quite a few other things) and you are not gay? Good luck convincing your family and society. π
Yes. π¦ Societal expectations are incredibly powerful. They not only shape what we think we can /do/. They shape how we even see ourselves.
In my case, my Dad /wanted/ me to study the science side of things, especially math, but I didn’t think I was any good at it so I dug my heels in. Only many years later did I discover that there were math-like things that I did enjoy…like stats. But it was too late by then.
It’s never too late to study what you want. Especially if you seek the knowledge for your own satisfaction and not for making a career. And I don’t think you wish to become an accountant, or a maths teacher, do you?
And statistics is maths. Not just math-like ππππ
LMAO! Thank you. See? That’s still the conditioning affecting how I talk about stats even now.
As for learning new things, they do get harder with age. Or perhaps we find the effort required harder. For example, much as I pride myself on being a ‘baby techie’ when it comes to computers, I have to /force/ myself to learn things about smartphones.
At the moment I’m teaching myself how to create and edit videos. The skill ties in with both my gaming and my teaching, and it helps that it’s also very ‘visual’, but I don’t think I could do it at all if I didn’t have a practical use for the skill/knowledge.
How cool was this? I love how a curious mind takes something ordinary and investigates…..and ends up with a pinball maze, as well as, I am sure, lots of other applications.
I wonder how big you could scale it up? Could large quantities of water be moved without a pump mechanism of some sort? Hmm … must think thoughts. π
No idea, Widds, but a fascinating question. I suspect though that you’d spend more energy heating the necessary surfaces than you’d spend on a conventional pump. Unless it were all solar driven or something…
The energy cost for the heating would be much, much greater than the cost for pumping. Creating an ecological disaster, too, just to pump water, even if it was done by a cheap energy source.
Also, the drops cannot become a “body” of water. Much water would vaporise, too, so there would be a lose of water, as well.
As for Venus colonies… for starters the atmospheric pressure is about 100Atm (92? 93? Something like that, if memory serves) which would mean you’d need very different temperatures (higher) to produce the same phenomenon. So, nope. It won’t be a practical solution, there, either.π€
Hehe! I know many odd things, because I have a curious mind and once a question pops in it, I need to find the answer, and then I remember it. π
Knowing the most peculiar facts of the most peculiar planet of our Solar system, though, it’s not that peculiar for me. I’m a Physics scientist with a specialisation in Astronomy π€ (And then studies the Art of Photography π€£)
Incidentally, the other odd facts about Venus are that it rotates around itself the opposite way than all planets (a very difficult to explain thing, given the theory of how the planets were formed), its day is longer than its year (an almost equally “annoying” fact) and its surface temperature is higher than Mercury’s (that’s easy to explain). π€
-hits forehead- I should have realised! I’ve always seen you as artistic. lol Isn’t it odd how we pigeonhole people even when we don’t mean to?
Excuse my ignorance but..does that make you an Astrophysicist?
π€£π€£πππ
I take that you see me as an artist as a compliment. Don’t misunderstand me. I love maths and science. Studied it by my own free will, against my parents’ “better” plans and I don’t regret it. But I prefer to be considered an artist. And, frankly, maths and physics have helped me a lot with that.
It makes me an Astronomer. Astrophysics is a post graduate specialisation of astronomy. I didn’t continue for such a degree and, even if I had done that, I’d go for Observational Astronomy. It’s considered a “dead field”, but I love it. NASA making a huge profit from Humble (and SOHO) must be laughing at all those who call the field dead, I bet π€£
In many countries Astronomy is considered an independent science. Greece still has it as a specialisation of Physics. Which probably is what made you think I’m Astrophysicist. On the bright side, one who studied astronomy in Greece and wants to continue for astrophysics has *a lot* fewer things to learn, as we’ve already taught those. On the negative side, we learn many useless-for-astronomy things. For me, who wanted to learn those things, though, it was only a blessing, so I’m not complaining. π
Aaaaah! Where were you when I needed help on binary star systems!!!!!! As I’ve since found out, I’ve ‘fudged’ some facts rather badly in Vokhtah but it’s too late to change them now. Next time though, I am picking your brains /first/. lol
I like that in Greece the discipline is more ‘generalist’, i.e. not strictly focused on one very narrow part of knowledge. And yes, NASA is probably laughing at the nay sayers now. π
Wow. That was so cool, Andrea Yes, I’ve seen the simple example of this in the kitchen, but who knew that water would speed uphill?? Science is amazing. This world is amazing. Thanks for sharing that.
June 15th, 2022 at 5:23 am
Huh! I am such not a science or math or biology wizard. But I envy those who are!
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 15th, 2022 at 8:17 am
Trust me, Pam, what I know about physics or math could fit on the head of a pin! But some of this stuff…it makes me wish I could start over and learn. π
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 16th, 2022 at 9:56 pm
Yes, me too. I thought I had no aptitude for it when a girl (probably because we girls were taught it was a “boy” thing. Then I began to read Madeleine L’Engle’s journals and books and realized that we can combine physics and spirituality and the “humanness” of our characters in amazing ways. [Madeleine L’Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science. Wikipedia ]
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 17th, 2022 at 9:31 am
-sigh- I think we were conditioned the same way. Biology was ‘acceptable’ but I refused to get interested in physics and math. Then as a mature age student [late 20’s] I started a behavioural psychology course and discovered that I rather liked statistics…and I was good at it. Who knew? Now I can’t help wondering what might have happened if nice girls did math?
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 17th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
Good news: My daughter majored in science in college and teaches 6th grade science. The girl students are enthralled!! And my granddaughter is in honors math. THERE IS HOPE!! π
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 18th, 2022 at 8:05 am
Oh my god…that is fantastic news! Congratulations to both your daughter and your granddaughter!!!!! Hope indeed. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 4th, 2022 at 4:07 am
Marie Curie was born a girl, to grow up to become a Nobel Prize awarded woman. Also, in Uni the boy:girl ration was about 1:1.
What I mean is I’m surprised by the idea of considering maths/science a “boy” thing. I grew up in a different country, so such social ideas might not be the same, but it really surprised me. π€
I don’t mean you are lying, or anything like that, just to be clear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 4th, 2022 at 7:34 am
Ah Yorgos. The difference is generational. I’m 69 and back when I went to school, my best friend had to go to the local Catholic boys school to do physics and chemistry because /our/ Catholic girls school didn’t provide it.
That’s the era I grew up in.
Now bearing in mind that Catholic schools are private schools, imagine what the girls at the co-ed public high schools would have felt.
I’m enormously glad that things have changed for young women of your generation. Maybe now there’ll be some true equality. -fingers crossed-
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 4th, 2022 at 7:23 pm
Oh! Yes, ok, that explains it π
And yes, fingers crossedπ€π€π€
It’s such a shame to lose brains and talents just because of their gender, or whatever.
Not only girls suffer, mind you, but boys too. Want to be a dancer (ballet even worse), hair dresser, make-up artist (and quite a few other things) and you are not gay? Good luck convincing your family and society. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 5th, 2022 at 7:00 am
Yes. π¦ Societal expectations are incredibly powerful. They not only shape what we think we can /do/. They shape how we even see ourselves.
In my case, my Dad /wanted/ me to study the science side of things, especially math, but I didn’t think I was any good at it so I dug my heels in. Only many years later did I discover that there were math-like things that I did enjoy…like stats. But it was too late by then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 5th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
It’s never too late to study what you want. Especially if you seek the knowledge for your own satisfaction and not for making a career. And I don’t think you wish to become an accountant, or a maths teacher, do you?
And statistics is maths. Not just math-like ππππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 6th, 2022 at 9:40 am
LMAO! Thank you. See? That’s still the conditioning affecting how I talk about stats even now.
As for learning new things, they do get harder with age. Or perhaps we find the effort required harder. For example, much as I pride myself on being a ‘baby techie’ when it comes to computers, I have to /force/ myself to learn things about smartphones.
At the moment I’m teaching myself how to create and edit videos. The skill ties in with both my gaming and my teaching, and it helps that it’s also very ‘visual’, but I don’t think I could do it at all if I didn’t have a practical use for the skill/knowledge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 13th, 2022 at 9:48 am
How cool was this? I love how a curious mind takes something ordinary and investigates…..and ends up with a pinball maze, as well as, I am sure, lots of other applications.
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 13th, 2022 at 11:13 am
Totally agree. π I wish I had a mind like those grad students, but at least I can enjoy /their/ achievements.
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 13th, 2022 at 8:45 am
I wonder how big you could scale it up? Could large quantities of water be moved without a pump mechanism of some sort? Hmm … must think thoughts. π
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 13th, 2022 at 11:20 am
No idea, Widds, but a fascinating question. I suspect though that you’d spend more energy heating the necessary surfaces than you’d spend on a conventional pump. Unless it were all solar driven or something…
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 13th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
Might work on the Venus colonies. π
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 14th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
lmao – so true! All that free heat. π
LikeLiked by 2 people
July 4th, 2022 at 4:23 am
The energy cost for the heating would be much, much greater than the cost for pumping. Creating an ecological disaster, too, just to pump water, even if it was done by a cheap energy source.
Also, the drops cannot become a “body” of water. Much water would vaporise, too, so there would be a lose of water, as well.
As for Venus colonies… for starters the atmospheric pressure is about 100Atm (92? 93? Something like that, if memory serves) which would mean you’d need very different temperatures (higher) to produce the same phenomenon. So, nope. It won’t be a practical solution, there, either.π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 4th, 2022 at 7:29 am
-giggles- I didn’t know any of that! Seriously, you know – even roughly – what the atmospheric pressure is on Venus? I am seriously impressed. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 4th, 2022 at 7:06 pm
Hehe! I know many odd things, because I have a curious mind and once a question pops in it, I need to find the answer, and then I remember it. π
Knowing the most peculiar facts of the most peculiar planet of our Solar system, though, it’s not that peculiar for me. I’m a Physics scientist with a specialisation in Astronomy π€ (And then studies the Art of Photography π€£)
Incidentally, the other odd facts about Venus are that it rotates around itself the opposite way than all planets (a very difficult to explain thing, given the theory of how the planets were formed), its day is longer than its year (an almost equally “annoying” fact) and its surface temperature is higher than Mercury’s (that’s easy to explain). π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 5th, 2022 at 7:04 am
-hits forehead- I should have realised! I’ve always seen you as artistic. lol Isn’t it odd how we pigeonhole people even when we don’t mean to?
Excuse my ignorance but..does that make you an Astrophysicist?
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 5th, 2022 at 5:06 pm
π€£π€£πππ
I take that you see me as an artist as a compliment. Don’t misunderstand me. I love maths and science. Studied it by my own free will, against my parents’ “better” plans and I don’t regret it. But I prefer to be considered an artist. And, frankly, maths and physics have helped me a lot with that.
It makes me an Astronomer. Astrophysics is a post graduate specialisation of astronomy. I didn’t continue for such a degree and, even if I had done that, I’d go for Observational Astronomy. It’s considered a “dead field”, but I love it. NASA making a huge profit from Humble (and SOHO) must be laughing at all those who call the field dead, I bet π€£
In many countries Astronomy is considered an independent science. Greece still has it as a specialisation of Physics. Which probably is what made you think I’m Astrophysicist. On the bright side, one who studied astronomy in Greece and wants to continue for astrophysics has *a lot* fewer things to learn, as we’ve already taught those. On the negative side, we learn many useless-for-astronomy things. For me, who wanted to learn those things, though, it was only a blessing, so I’m not complaining. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 6th, 2022 at 9:35 am
Aaaaah! Where were you when I needed help on binary star systems!!!!!! As I’ve since found out, I’ve ‘fudged’ some facts rather badly in Vokhtah but it’s too late to change them now. Next time though, I am picking your brains /first/. lol
I like that in Greece the discipline is more ‘generalist’, i.e. not strictly focused on one very narrow part of knowledge. And yes, NASA is probably laughing at the nay sayers now. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 13th, 2022 at 6:15 am
Wow. That was so cool, Andrea Yes, I’ve seen the simple example of this in the kitchen, but who knew that water would speed uphill?? Science is amazing. This world is amazing. Thanks for sharing that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 13th, 2022 at 8:45 am
-grin- something good in all the doom and gloom. π
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June 13th, 2022 at 9:32 am
Fun at the very least. π
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June 13th, 2022 at 11:17 am
Definitely. π
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June 13th, 2022 at 3:31 am
HI Meeks, it is very interesting to hear this phenomena discussed in this way.
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June 13th, 2022 at 8:48 am
You can almost feel their excitement. π
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June 13th, 2022 at 3:23 am
LOVE IT! Especially the Hall of the Mountain King music. Very well done.
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June 13th, 2022 at 8:49 am
Thank you! I was wracking my brains trying to remember where the music came from. Of course, Peer Gynt!
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June 12th, 2022 at 6:07 pm
Amazing!
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June 12th, 2022 at 8:42 pm
Isn’t it just? π π
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 12th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
Cool! Or maybe hot! Especially the maze.
LikeLiked by 3 people
June 12th, 2022 at 8:53 pm
-grin- very hot! How like grad students to come up with a scientific way of playing pinball. π
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June 12th, 2022 at 12:09 pm
Nice β€οΈ
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June 12th, 2022 at 12:17 pm
π π
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