What are the basic lessons of quantum mechanics? What does quantum mechanics teach us about the nature of reality? How does a quantum worldview differ from a classical one?
Oct 4th: What is the Meaning of Quantum Mechanics?There and Back Again
Who developed quantum theory and why? What experiments motivated the creation of quantum mechanics? How was quantum mechanics a total break from classical physics?
Sep 20th: What is the Meaning of Quantum Mechanics? (Part 2: Quantum Mechanics 102)
How do physicists understand quantum mechanics? What are the postulates and principles of quantum mechanics? How do the foundations of quantum mechanics compare to other theories?
Sep 6th: What is the Meaning of Quantum Mechanics? (Part 1: This Way to the Weird)
Where does quantum theory fit in the larger tapestry of physics? What is the domain of quantum mechanics? And most importantly, what are the limits of quantum physics?
Aug 16th: Wait, Super-Atoms are a Real Thing?
How do you make a super-atom? What can they be used for? What does this mean for quantum mechanics? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Aug 2nd: What is the Principle of Least Action?
What makes the principle of least action so important? Who came up with it? Is it all just a bunch of math or does it actually mean something?
Jul 19th: How Does Pulsar Timing Work?
What is a pulsar? How can we use them to map gravitational waves? What kind of technology does it take? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Jul 5th: What are the Alternatives to Dark Matter?
What are some of the problems with dark matter? What about modified gravity? Are there any other solutions? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Jun 21st: How Big Can Planets Get?
How big can a rocky planet get? Can a rocky planet turn into a gas giant? Why are some planets rocky and others gassy? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Jun 7th: How Do Black Holes Affect Their Galaxies?
How do giant black holes shut off star formation? How do they turn it back on? Which came first, the black hole or the galaxy? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!