Comments on: The curve of binding energy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:42:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Suz http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1658 Suz Fri, 19 Aug 2005 09:00:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1658 "Something tells me that a lot of this research falls in the category of a "thought experiment." Yup. Or so-called "mental masturbation," as a professor at Caltech used to say. (I forgot his name.) Seriously, though, if people are interested in finding out about the theory of love, I highly recommend "A general theory of love" by Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini, and Richard Lannon. It is more about the neurobiology of emotions, and "love" also refers to non-romantic love, like that between parent and child. It's written at a lay audience level. “Something tells me that a lot of this research falls in the category of a “thought experiment.”

Yup. Or so-called “mental masturbation,” as a professor at Caltech used to say. (I forgot his name.)

Seriously, though, if people are interested in finding out about the theory of love, I highly recommend “A general theory of love” by Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini, and Richard Lannon. It is more about the neurobiology of emotions, and “love” also refers to non-romantic love, like that between parent and child. It’s written at a lay audience level.

]]> By: serial catowner http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1657 serial catowner Wed, 17 Aug 2005 23:31:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1657 Dating illustrates the power of physics....for good and evil. Brraaakkk! Does not compute! Does not compute! Dating illustrates the power of physics….for good and evil.

Brraaakkk! Does not compute! Does not compute!

]]> By: Ivy Waller http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1656 Ivy Waller Wed, 17 Aug 2005 17:45:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1656 It's game theory, which is the interaction of humans where the outcome depends on the strategies of two or more players in opposition. Game theory falls into the realm of mathematics, economics, and behavioral science. Who knows maybe there is a mathematical correlation between human behavior and the radioactive decay of atoms. Love = Decay...sounds about right to me. It’s game theory, which is the interaction of humans where the outcome depends on the strategies of two or more players in opposition. Game theory falls into the realm of mathematics, economics, and behavioral science.

Who knows maybe there is a mathematical correlation between human behavior and the radioactive decay of atoms. Love = Decay…sounds about right to me.

]]> By: citrine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1655 citrine Wed, 17 Aug 2005 14:30:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1655 Did he take into account effects of any forces that are attractive at large distances but are repulsive when the separation range is short? Did he take into account effects of any forces that are attractive at large distances but are repulsive when the separation range is short?

]]> By: JillK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1654 JillK Wed, 17 Aug 2005 13:55:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1654 What about the quantum effects??!?! What about the quantum effects??!?!

]]> By: Jenny K http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1653 Jenny K Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:23:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1653 Actually, Quantoken, it's chemistry if the couples are molecules, physics if they are subatomic particles, either one if they are atoms. Either way it's incredibly stupid. Actually, Quantoken, it’s chemistry if the couples are molecules, physics if they are subatomic particles, either one if they are atoms.

Either way it’s incredibly stupid.

]]> By: CapitalistImperialistPig http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1652 CapitalistImperialistPig Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:06:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1652 The popular press never gets the details right. Without superdaters, the running coupling constants don't meet at a point, and the true symmetry of love just can't happen. The popular press never gets the details right. Without superdaters, the running coupling constants don’t meet at a point, and the true symmetry of love just can’t happen.

]]> By: Gordon Chalmers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1651 Gordon Chalmers Wed, 17 Aug 2005 00:22:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1651 I guess this is the love post. Oh, how I love physics. I guess this is the love post. Oh, how I love physics.

]]> By: jepe http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1650 jepe Tue, 16 Aug 2005 23:14:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1650 citrine-- The experimenter meets that perfect theorist and together they reach that global minimum alluded to above... citrine–
The experimenter meets that perfect theorist and together they reach that global minimum alluded to above…

]]> By: citrine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1649 citrine Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:25:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1649 What happends when the experimenter ventures out of the lab and into the singles scene? What happends when the experimenter ventures out of the lab and into the singles scene?

]]> By: erc http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1648 erc Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:19:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1648 Thought experiment? What about love coming from the heart not the head?! Thought experiment? What about love coming from the heart not the head?!

]]> By: LM http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1647 LM Tue, 16 Aug 2005 19:55:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1647 I think the physics connection there is that the "Super-daters" lead to the creation of "Super-partners", and inevitably with enough invocations of the word "super" it will be claimed by Kaku as indirect evidence of supserstring theory. I think the physics connection there is that the “Super-daters” lead to the creation of “Super-partners”, and inevitably with enough invocations of the word “super” it will be claimed by Kaku as indirect evidence of supserstring theory.

]]> By: Athena http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1646 Athena Tue, 16 Aug 2005 19:17:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1646 Aha! I see now, thanks, Clifford. And here I wrongly believed that delicious and mysteriously compelling aroma to be coming from the bottle of zinfandel. Or the basket of french fries. In any case, it seems that working longer at the physics factory would increase the saturation of these fragrances. Quite a lovely paradox, if so. : ) Aha! I see now, thanks, Clifford. And here I wrongly believed that delicious and mysteriously compelling aroma to be coming from the bottle of zinfandel. Or the basket of french fries. In any case, it seems that working longer at the physics factory would increase the saturation of these fragrances. Quite a lovely paradox, if so. : )

]]> By: Quantoken http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1645 Quantoken Tue, 16 Aug 2005 19:08:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1645 Sean said: "This is because they break up weak couples, forcing their victims to find better relationships." It is still chemistry, not physics, Sean. The effect you described above is called <b>catalyst</b>. Read some chemistry book :-) Quantoken Sean said:
“This is because they break up weak couples, forcing their victims to find better relationships.”

It is still chemistry, not physics, Sean. The effect you described above is called catalyst. Read some chemistry book :-)

Quantoken

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1644 Clifford Tue, 16 Aug 2005 17:48:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1644 Oh, they are the key to love. But it might be because they have the smell of physics on them from a hard day at work at the physics factory. :-) -cvj Oh, they are the key to love. But it might be because they have the smell of physics on them from a hard day at work at the physics factory. :-)

-cvj

]]> By: Athena http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-1643 Athena Tue, 16 Aug 2005 17:22:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/16/the-curve-of-binding-energy/#comment-1643 Oh, I must be confused -- I thought it was that "physicists were the key to love." Well, how does that explain my unusual and occasional attraction to physicists? Hmm, another thought experiment. ; ) Oh, I must be confused — I thought it was that “physicists were the key to love.” Well, how does that explain my unusual and occasional attraction to physicists? Hmm, another thought experiment. ; )

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