{"id":3140,"date":"2007-06-28T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2007-06-28T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/2007\/06\/philosophia-naturalis-11-powers-of-11\/"},"modified":"2007-06-28T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2007-06-28T09:00:00","slug":"philosophia-naturalis-11-powers-of-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/2007\/06\/philosophia-naturalis-11-powers-of-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Philosophia Naturalis #11: Powers of 11"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Physical Science covers a variety of disciplinary sins: particle physicists, geologists, and astronomers all fall within its remit. So, in the course of seeking out worthy entries for this months edition of <a href=http:\/\/philosophianaturalis.blogspot.com><i>Philosophia Naturalis<\/i><\/a>, I&#8217;d find myself quickly moving from discussions of quantum computing to climate modeling, from string theory, to planetary geology, from thermodynamics to extra-solar planetary systems. As you can imagine, organizing such variety is not an easy task &#8211; so instead, I&#8217;ve decided to celebrate it. Each box on the image below represents one post (accessed by clicking), and its position on the logarithmic scale roughly corresponds to the length scale of the phenomena it discusses. This months&#8217; collection of posts spans than 50 orders of magnitude &#8211; and the keen-eyed will note that I&#8217;ve compensated for the fact that this theme is probably one edition too late.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Powersof11.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/Powersof11.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"674\" usemap=\"#Powersof11\" style=\"border-style:none\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For convenience, below there&#8217;s the more traditional list of links, arranged from the very small scale  to the very large.<br \/>\n<UL><LI> Sean Carrol on <a href=http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/05\/24\/string-theory-not-dead-yet\/>the media battle over string theory<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Joe Polchinski continues his online debate with Lee Smolin about<a href=http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/05\/21\/guest-post-joe-polchinski-on-science-or-sociology\/>strings and the sociology of science<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Bee discusses <a href=http:\/\/backreaction.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/early-extra-dimensions.html> early work on extra dimensions<\/a>.<LI><br \/>\n<LI> Gordon Watts tries to <a href=http:\/\/gordonwatts.wordpress.com\/2007\/06\/05\/enough-already\/> cool down speculation about the detection of the Higgs boson<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> David Guarrera discusses how <a href=http:\/\/web.mit.edu\/guarrera\/www\/2007\/06\/this-article-makes-me-angry.html> the LHC is not being built solely to find the Higgs boson anyway<\/a>.<LI><br \/>\n<LI> Rob explains<a href=http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/interactions\/2007\/06\/on_quantum_mechanics_stochasti.php> how quantum physics can be random, yet still predictable<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI>The Quantum Pontiff gets depressed, amongst other things, about <a href=http:\/\/dabacon.org\/pontiff\/?p=1557> the practical difficulties of quantum computing<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/backreaction.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/bouncing-neutrons-in-gravitational.html>Bouncing neutrons and QM<\/a> at Backreaction.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/virtualcuriosityshop.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/on-micelles-vesicles-and-artificial.html>Thermodynamics and self-assembly<\/a> at The Old Curiosity Shop.<\/li>\n<p><LI><a href=http:\/\/twistedphysics.typepad.com\/cocktail_party_physics\/2007\/06\/running_hot_and.html>Literally cool applications of sound energy<\/a> at Cocktail Party Physics.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Scott Aaranson tackles <a href=http:\/\/scottaaronson.com\/blog\/?p=239>the myth of the ivory tower<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/06\/10\/richard-rorty\/>Some sci-philosophical musings from Sean<\/a> following the death of Richard Rorty.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Clifford explains <a href=http:\/\/asymptotia.com\/2007\/06\/17\/nuts-and-bolts\/> how theoretical theorists <i>really<\/i> theorize<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Harold pines for the <a href=http:\/\/ontario-geofish.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/claptrap-society.html> lost days of proper safety margins<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> As a solar energy plant opens in Nevada, <a href=http:\/\/dwarmstr.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/nevada-solar-one.html>Dean asks why more aren&#8217;t being built<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/www.realclimate.org\/index.php\/archives\/2007\/05\/climate-models-local-climate\/>Why global climate models can&#8217;t describe local climatic changes (yet)<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/catdynamics\/2007\/06\/quantity_has_a_quality_all_its.php>Steinn on why our lifestyles add up to climatic trouble<\/a>. Part of a debate which started <a href=http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/catdynamics\/2007\/05\/>here<\/a> and continued <a href=http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/catdynamics\/2007\/05\/moral_consequences.php>here<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/www.planetary.org\/blog\/article\/00000998\/>Emily points out that purported Martian &#8216;puddles&#8217; are actually on a slight incline<\/a> Bad New Scientist!<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Having sorted out the extended Cassini mission, <a href=http:\/\/joshuacolwell.com\/blog\/index.php\/2007\/moons-vs-rings\/>Josh&#8217;s first thoughts on the extended-extended mission<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/www.centauri-dreams.org\/?p=1308>Eris &#8211; Planet Might-Have-Been-X<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Paul Gilster (rather approriately) discusses the <a href=http:\/\/www.centauri-dreams.org\/?p=1292>possiblity of planets in the Centauri system<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/www.andrewjaffe.net\/blog\/science\/000289.html>Big exoplanet discoveries abound&#8230;<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI><a href=http:\/\/oklo.org\/?p=224>&#8230;and we&#8217;re closing in on the Earth-like ones<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> Phil asks, <a href=http:\/\/www.badastronomy.com\/bablog\/2007\/06\/19\/news-do-black-holes-really-exist\/> can black holes ever actually form? <\/a> And makes everyone&#8217;s head hurt, including his own.<\/LI><br \/>\n<LI> And finally, Cosma Shaliz reminds us that whilst power laws may exist everywhere in nature, <a href=http:\/\/www.cscs.umich.edu\/~crshalizi\/weblog\/2007\/06\/15\/#491> that doesn&#8217;t mean that everything is governed by power laws<\/a>.<\/LI><br \/>\n<\/UL><br \/>\nIn closing, I&#8217;d like to remind you that pedantic comments regarding my chosen length scales will be ignored (pretty easy when you&#8217;re a few hundred miles away from the Internet), and that the next edition of <i>Philosophia Naturalis<\/i> will be hosted by Mollishka at <a href=http:\/\/mollishka.blogspot.com>a geocentric view<\/a>. Get reading, writing, and submitting!<\/p>\n<map id=\"Powersof11\" name=\"Powersof11\">\n<area shape=\"rect\" title=\"Sean Carrol on the media battle over string theory.\" coords=\"0,140,40,180\" href=\"http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/05\/24\/string-theory-not-dead-yet\/\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" title=\"Joe Polchinski continues his online debate with Lee Smolin about strings and sociology.\"coords=\"0,200,260,240\" href=\"http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/05\/21\/guest-post-joe-polchinski-on-science-or-sociology\/\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" title=\"Bee discusses early work on extra dimensions.\" coords=\"0,440,40,480\" href=\"http:\/\/backreaction.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/early-extra-dimensions.html\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"40,260,120,300\" href=\"http:\/\/gordonwatts.wordpress.com\/2007\/06\/05\/enough-already\/\" title=\"Gordon Watts tries to cool down speculation about the Higgs.\"  \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"40,320,120,360\" href=\"http:\/\/web.mit.edu\/guarrera\/www\/2007\/06\/this-article-makes-me-angry.html\" title=\"David Guarrera discusses how the LHC is not all about the Higgs.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"20, 380, 160, 420\" href=\"http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/interactions\/2007\/06\/on_quantum_mechanics_stochasti.php\" title=\"Rob discusses how quantum physics can be random, yet still predictable.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"20, 500, 160, 540\" href=\"http:\/\/dabacon.org\/pontiff\/?p=1557\" title=\"The Quantum Pontiff gets depressed about the practical difficulties of quantum computing.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"140,140, 180,180\" href=\"http:\/\/backreaction.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/bouncing-neutrons-in-gravitational.html\" title=\"Bouncing neutrons and QM.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"200,140, 240, 180\" href=\"http:\/\/virtualcuriosityshop.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/on-micelles-vesicles-and-artificial.html\" title=\"Thermodynamics and self-assembly.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"220,260, 280, 300\" href=\"http:\/\/twistedphysics.typepad.com\/cocktail_party_physics\/2007\/06\/running_hot_and.html\" title=\"Literally cool applications of sound energy.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"240,320 280, 360\" href=\"http:\/\/scottaaronson.com\/blog\/?p=239\" title=\"Scott Aaranson tackles the myth of the ivory tower.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"240, 380, 280, 420\" href=\"http:\/\/cosmicvariance.com\/2007\/06\/10\/richard-rorty\/\" title=\"Sci-philosophical musings following the death of Richard Rorty.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"240,440, 280, 480\" href=\"http:\/\/asymptotia.com\/2007\/06\/17\/nuts-and-bolts\/\" title=\"How theoretical theorists really theorize.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"260, 500, 300, 540\" href=\"http:\/\/ontario-geofish.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/claptrap-society.html\"\ttitle=\"Harold pines for the lost days of proper safety margins.\" \/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"280, 140, 320, 180\" href=\"http:\/\/dwarmstr.blogspot.com\/2007\/06\/nevada-solar-one.html\" title=\"As a solar energy plant opens in Nevada, Dean asks why more aren't being built.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" href=\"http:\/\/www.realclimate.org\/index.php\/archives\/2007\/05\/climate-models-local-climate\/\" coords=\"300, 200, 340, 240\" title=\"Why global climate models can't describe local climatic changes (yet).\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"300, 260, 340, 300\" href=\"http:\/\/scienceblogs.com\/catdynamics\/2007\/06\/quantity_has_a_quality_all_its.php\" title=\"Why our lifestyles add up to climatic trouble.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"280,560, 360, 600\" href=\"http:\/\/www.planetary.org\/blog\/article\/00000998\/\" title=\"Debunking Martian 'puddles'.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"340,320, 380, 360\" href=\"http:\/\/joshuacolwell.com\/blog\/index.php\/2007\/moons-vs-rings\/\" title=\"Josh's first thoughts on the extended-extended Cassini mission.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"360, 380, 400, 420\" href=\"http:\/\/www.centauri-dreams.org\/?p=1308\" title=\"Eris - Planet Might-Have-Been-X.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"400, 140, 440, 180\" href=\"http:\/\/www.centauri-dreams.org\/?p=1292\" title=\"The possiblity of planets in the Centauri system.\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"400, 200, 440, 240\" href=\"http:\/\/www.andrewjaffe.net\/blog\/science\/000289.html\" title=\"Big exoplanet discoveries abound...\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"400, 260, 460, 300\" href=\"http:\/\/oklo.org\/?p=224\" title=\"...and we're closing in on the Earth-sized exoplanets\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"420, 440, 480, 480\" href=\"http:\/\/www.badastronomy.com\/bablog\/2007\/06\/19\/news-do-black-holes-really-exist\/\" title=\"Phil asks, can black holes ever actually form?\"\/>\n<area shape=\"rect\" coords=\"0, 620, 500, 660\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cscs.umich.edu\/~crshalizi\/weblog\/2007\/06\/15\/#491\" title=\"Not everything is governed by power laws.\"\/>\n<\/map>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Physical Science covers a variety of disciplinary sins: particle physicists, geologists, and astronomers all fall within its remit. So, in the course of seeking out worthy entries for this months edition of Philosophia Naturalis, I&#8217;d find myself quickly moving from &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/2007\/06\/philosophia-naturalis-11-powers-of-11\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bloggery","category-links"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3140\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/all-geo.org\/highlyallochthonous\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}