Monthly Archives: October 2009

Boo! The optics behind “ghost” imaging

Posted on October 31, 2009 by

Halloween seemed like the perfect time to talk about an unconventional sort of optical imaging, referred to as “ghost” imaging.  I should point out at the beginning, however, that I’m not talking about this sort of ghost imaging: Don’t get … Continue reading →

Posted in Optics | 2 Comments

Halloween treats 2009

Posted on October 30, 2009 by

It’s time again for my yearly dose of Halloween chills, courtesy of some classic horror stories!  The 2007 edition can be found here, and the 2008 edition can be found here.  Have a happy Halloween! The Willows, Algernon Blackwood.  This … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror | 4 Comments

The “curse” of success in science

Posted on October 29, 2009 by

(This post may seem like boasting just as much as it seems like complaining, for which I apologize in advance.) Those who are regular readers of this blog may have noticed that things have been a little quiet again for … Continue reading →

Posted in ... the Hell?, General science | 7 Comments

ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: autumn leaves, relativistic rockets, galaxy-size telescopes, and human origins

Posted on October 26, 2009 by

Fall Colors and Autumn Leaves. Before you go out to view the fall foliage this year, take a look at this post by David Bradley at SciScoop Science Forum!  Researchers are seeking an explanation as to why leaves in the … Continue reading →

Posted in General science, Science news | Leave a comment

Lord Rayleigh on Darwin

Posted on October 24, 2009 by

There are lots of fascinating connections one can uncover by browsing the history of science.  In my search for Lord Rayleigh’s invisibility research, I happened across a paper titled, “Insects and the colours of flowers,” published in Nature 11 (1874), … Continue reading →

Posted in General science, History of science | 2 Comments

ScienceOnline 2010!

Posted on October 23, 2009 by

As Bora has noted, registration for ScienceOnline 2010 is now open — and I’ll be there! I was worried for a bit, because interest in the conference is high, and there are limited spots available, but I managed to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal, Science news | Leave a comment

The Man Who Rocked the Earth, by Arthur Train and Robert Williams Wood

Posted on October 21, 2009 by

A few posts ago, I noted that physicist R.W. Wood was one of the earliest scientists to contemplate issues of invisibility.  While researching his work, I noted that he was also a science fiction author, having penned two books with … Continue reading →

Posted in Science fiction | 8 Comments

ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: placebos, climate change, and charge-shift bonds

Posted on October 19, 2009 by

This week’s posts all got me thinking about familiar ideas in a whole new light: Deconstructing the placebo. The placebo effect is so well-known that it is almost taken for granted at times.  However, it is known that placebos have … Continue reading →

Posted in General science, Science news | Leave a comment

Frontiers in Optics: T,W,Th

Posted on October 17, 2009 by

One of the things that happens to me as the years go by is that I spend less time at meetings listening to talks and more time talking to friends and colleagues and planning new research collaborations.  From discussions with … Continue reading →

Posted in Optics, Science news | 4 Comments

The Giant’s Shoulders #16 is up!

Posted on October 16, 2009 by

The sixteenth edition of The Giant’s Shoulders is up at Quiche Moraine!  A hearty thanks to Greg for assembling it! The deadline for the next edition is November 15th, and it will be held at The Primate Diaries.  Entries can … Continue reading →

Posted in General science, Science news | Leave a comment