Comments on: Why Study Physics? – The Results http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:18:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: A Bit Tasty » Blog Archive » Why study physics http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17670 A Bit Tasty » Blog Archive » Why study physics Mon, 17 Jul 2006 22:02:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17670 [...] A list made at Cosmic Variance [...] [...] A list made at Cosmic Variance [...]

]]> By: roman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17669 roman Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:52:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17669 hay i am physics lover. i love physics morethan i love myself . is this my madness or my thirst to learn nature. hay i am physics lover.
i love physics morethan i love myself .
is this my madness or my thirst to learn nature.

]]> By: Bob E. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17662 Bob E. Thu, 29 Jun 2006 16:48:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17662 Why study physics? A personal perspective... I have returned to physics grad school after a 30 year hiatus attempting to complete my PhD (previously attended UofC Sean, way before your time). Why? Obviously a career change in this latter third of my life is highly improbable. I have no economic motivations. Why go through the self-imposed stress?. Why study late into the night to the point of exhaustion? Why divert attention from my wife (who is totally supportive BTW)? One word not mentioned in the list is LOVE. Why do I study physics? Simply, because I love it. It excites me. It makes me feel young(er) and more alive. I HAVE to do it. Do others view me as an older man just trying to resolve a mid-life crises in a most strange fashion? I don't care. Physics is my extra-marital affair. Great blog. I keep stumbling on all these incredible physics Internet resources. Why study physics? A personal perspective…
I have returned to physics grad school after a 30 year hiatus attempting to complete my PhD (previously attended UofC Sean, way before your time). Why? Obviously a career change in this latter third of my life is highly improbable. I have no economic motivations. Why go through the self-imposed stress?. Why study late into the night to the point of exhaustion? Why divert attention from my wife (who is totally supportive BTW)? One word not mentioned in the list is LOVE. Why do I study physics? Simply, because I love it. It excites me. It makes me feel young(er) and more alive. I HAVE to do it. Do others view me as an older man just trying to resolve a mid-life crises in a most strange fashion? I don’t care. Physics is my extra-marital affair.

Great blog. I keep stumbling on all these incredible physics Internet resources.

]]> By: Mark http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17668 Mark Sun, 25 Jun 2006 17:12:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17668 What's your point Don H.? What’s your point Don H.?

]]> By: Don H. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17667 Don H. Fri, 23 Jun 2006 13:30:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17667 "...When the metal meets the road,..." If the metal is meeting the road then it is time to stop and change your tire. “…When the metal meets the road,…”

If the metal is meeting the road then it is time to stop and change your tire.

]]> By: Amara http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17656 Amara Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:48:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17656 8/9, Edi/MarK: The PhD as a device to help one land a job is dependent on country/economic conditions however. For example, it is an argument that wouldn't work in Italy, in fact it would work against you. If you meet an Italian older than about 45 years old with a PhD, then that means that they were educated outside of the country, because the PhD degree was only begun in the middle 1980s to try to match the educational conditions abroad (Note that the assignment of title: <a href="http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dottore" rel="nofollow"> 'Dottore'</a> or 'Dottoressa' can be used for anyone who has earned a Laurea degree, the equivalent of the Masters.) The general population's nonacceptance / misunderstandings about science and technology persist today; the PhD is not considered important or useful in Italy; it's a common idea that if one has a PhD, then one didn't want to work during those years of earning the degree (I discovered this view even among people who should know better, such as the upper management of Italy's largest aerospace company.) Young people in Italy who know that the PhD degree is important have many obstacles to overcome when choosing science as a career path, their love of their respective fields is what gets them through it. 8/9, Edi/MarK: The PhD as a device to help one land a job is dependent on country/economic conditions however. For example, it is an argument that wouldn’t work in Italy, in fact it would work against you. If you meet an Italian older than about 45 years old with a PhD, then that means that they were educated outside of the country, because the PhD degree was only begun in the middle 1980s to try to match the educational conditions abroad (Note that the assignment of title: ‘Dottore’ or ‘Dottoressa’ can be used for anyone who has earned a Laurea degree, the equivalent of the Masters.) The general population’s nonacceptance / misunderstandings about science and technology persist today; the PhD is not considered important or useful in Italy; it’s a common idea that if one has a PhD, then one didn’t want to work during those years of earning the degree (I discovered this view even among people who should know better, such as the upper management of Italy’s largest aerospace company.) Young people in Italy who know that the PhD degree is important have many obstacles to overcome when choosing science as a career path, their love of their respective fields is what gets them through it.

]]> By: Dilip D http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17666 Dilip D Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:10:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17666 Well ... am I thinking clearly or writing clearly here? What a delightful list, anyway. Well … am I thinking clearly or writing clearly here?

What a delightful list, anyway.

]]> By: tomorrow elephant » Blog Archive » Confessions of a PhD survivor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17665 tomorrow elephant » Blog Archive » Confessions of a PhD survivor Mon, 19 Jun 2006 22:16:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17665 [...] In spite of all this, my PhD is likely to remain the defining intellectual experience of my life for a long time. In the end it was worth it, for all the reasons for studying physics that I mentioned earlier, and more: I think I would always have wondered if I could really do it or not. And in the end there was only one way to find out. [...] [...] In spite of all this, my PhD is likely to remain the defining intellectual experience of my life for a long time. In the end it was worth it, for all the reasons for studying physics that I mentioned earlier, and more: I think I would always have wondered if I could really do it or not. And in the end there was only one way to find out. [...]

]]> By: QUASAR9 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17664 QUASAR9 Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:36:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17664 Physics & Engineering. Understanding the world around us, the world we are in and the world we are building. From cutting the stone & marble (stonemasons) to raising the tallest spires. From extinguishers for Towering Inferno, to double hulls for the Titanic & Exxon Valdez. From silent/safe lifts for skyscrapers, to maglev and bullet trains. From energy generation to energy transmission to energy use. From jet engines to Boeing and Airbus. From smooth silent & safe road surfaces to optimum wheels and tyres. Everything around you is physics, even your laptops, your communications & satellite systems. And the future: well imagine, and then imagine some more. Applied Physics & Material Sciences, Geophysics, Particle physics, Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics ... ad infinitum. Q Physics & Engineering. Understanding the world around us, the world we are in and the world we are building. From cutting the stone & marble (stonemasons) to raising the tallest spires. From extinguishers for Towering Inferno, to double hulls for the Titanic & Exxon Valdez. From silent/safe lifts for skyscrapers, to maglev and bullet trains. From energy generation to energy transmission to energy use. From jet engines to Boeing and Airbus. From smooth silent & safe road surfaces to optimum wheels and tyres. Everything around you is physics, even your laptops, your communications & satellite systems.

And the future: well imagine, and then imagine some more. Applied Physics & Material Sciences, Geophysics, Particle physics, Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics … ad infinitum. Q

]]> By: Rae Ann http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/comment-page-1/#comment-17663 Rae Ann Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:51:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/06/18/why-study-physics-the-results/#comment-17663 A late entry just for kicks, thanks to Cynthia for complimenting my answer at CIP's blog. My answer was: Isn't physics basically the study of bodies (or particles or strings or whatever) in motion and their interaction? What's more interesting than that? ;-) A late entry just for kicks, thanks to Cynthia for complimenting my answer at CIP’s blog. My answer was:

Isn’t physics basically the study of bodies (or particles or strings or whatever) in motion and their interaction? What’s more interesting than that? ;-)

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