Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Cool Science
News From The World of Science...
First Item
The New York Times conducts an interview with renowned mathematician Peter Lax. This guy is the biggest of the big leagues in math and the interview is proof that you should not send a journalist to do the job of someone who actually understands his subject. Consider this question:
Second Item
How long will it be before this shows up in an episode of "CSI?" No doubt they will use it wrong when they do.
Third Item
It appears some scientists are upset that there was no tsunami from Monday's enormously large earthquake. Okay, not really, but apparently they are puzzled. There is no puzzle here, the reporter just wants the scientists to know more than they do. Even in well instrumented oceans like the Pacific, we cannot predict a tsunami based on seismic data -- we need oceangraphic data. I doubt they have gotten all those instruments in place in three months. Come on!
First Item
The New York Times conducts an interview with renowned mathematician Peter Lax. This guy is the biggest of the big leagues in math and the interview is proof that you should not send a journalist to do the job of someone who actually understands his subject. Consider this question:
In Hungary, you were a math prodigy. How did the New York public schools measure up?or this one:
Did you know John Nash, the protagonist of the film "A Beautiful Mind"?This guy is one of the top matematicians of the last century and we're asking him about his public school experience and movies -- oh please.
Second Item
How long will it be before this shows up in an episode of "CSI?" No doubt they will use it wrong when they do.
Third Item
It appears some scientists are upset that there was no tsunami from Monday's enormously large earthquake. Okay, not really, but apparently they are puzzled. There is no puzzle here, the reporter just wants the scientists to know more than they do. Even in well instrumented oceans like the Pacific, we cannot predict a tsunami based on seismic data -- we need oceangraphic data. I doubt they have gotten all those instruments in place in three months. Come on!
