Einstein’s relativity,optical atomic clocks, and November’s Perimeter Institute public lecture from David Wineland. With some added geek nostalgiaA while ago the Independent asked me, and others,to share some science books that have excited us. My choice was “Science and the Universe” from the Mitchell-Beazley Joy of Knowledge library. In a pre-wikipedia (and for me pre-O level) age, this book opened up a whole landscape of fantastic ideas - ideas backed by facts.
The page I remember best is the one on the “Idea of Relativity”¹, and which amongst other things shows cosmic muons lasting longer than normal because of the time-dilation effects of their high speeds. I deem that must have been the first time I came across muons,or cosmic rays. But the illustration that stuck in my intellect most strongly was that of a light clock, in which a ray of light is reflected between two mirrors.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com