Comments on: Photos of physicists' blackboards http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 12:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Mark Davis http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587982 Mark Davis Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587982 If you're a Physics prof, teaching "Introductory Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics" is probably like us teaching, I don't know, long division to an eighth-grader.  Many geeks could do that off the top of their heads. If you’re a Physics prof, teaching “Introductory Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics” is probably like us teaching, I don’t know, long division to an eighth-grader.  Many geeks could do that off the top of their heads.

]]> By: Kees Veling http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587230 Kees Veling Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587230 When filming in the Philips Semiconductor labs in Eindoven we had a person who would follow us around to selectively erase diagrams and equations from whiteboards. I wondered how he could  spot the trade secrets. When filming in the Philips Semiconductor labs in Eindoven we had a person who would follow us around to selectively erase diagrams and equations from whiteboards. I wondered how he could  spot the trade secrets.

]]> By: Clevername http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587138 Clevername Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587138 Chalk is mostly calcium carbonate and binder. I doubt it has much silica but I could be mistaken. Whiteboard dust is probably pretty nasty. Chalk is mostly calcium carbonate and binder. I doubt it has much silica but I could be mistaken. Whiteboard dust is probably pretty nasty.

]]> By: ackpht http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587039 ackpht Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587039 In another life I took a course in "Introductory Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics". The prof was a quiet guy pushing seven feet tall, stooped over, I suppose, from a lifetime of bashing his head on doorways. He filled blackboard after blackboard with equations and diagrams, without using any notes. None. He had it all in his head. In another life I took a course in “Introductory Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics”. The prof was a quiet guy pushing seven feet tall, stooped over, I suppose, from a lifetime of bashing his head on doorways. He filled blackboard after blackboard with equations and diagrams, without using any notes. None. He had it all in his head.

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587007 pjcamp Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587007 I saw David Bohm speak shortly before he died. He *demanded* a chalkboard. Then the only thing he put on it was what looked like 37% of a drunken Kilroy. The grad students had that as a poster in the hallway for years afterwards. I saw David Bohm speak shortly before he died. He *demanded* a chalkboard. Then the only thing he put on it was what looked like 37% of a drunken Kilroy. The grad students had that as a poster in the hallway for years afterwards.

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1587005 pjcamp Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1587005  I used to prefer blackboards because you can see how much chalk you have left. Try that with a marker. Then I left a sheet of paper on the table during class and when I picked it up saw a perfect chalk outline from all the dust in the air. Dreams of silicosis filled my head, and whiteboards began to look pretty good. Plus the colors are ten times better. Until I noticed the black eraser dust that comes off of them. No idea what that is but I'm pretty sure it came out of a refinery. And if you don't erase them today, you have to use acetone to get the crap off. These days I hide in the corner and hope nobody notices.  I used to prefer blackboards because you can see how much chalk you have left. Try that with a marker. Then I left a sheet of paper on the table during class and when I picked it up saw a perfect chalk outline from all the dust in the air. Dreams of silicosis filled my head, and whiteboards began to look pretty good. Plus the colors are ten times better. Until I noticed the black eraser dust that comes off of them. No idea what that is but I’m pretty sure it came out of a refinery. And if you don’t erase them today, you have to use acetone to get the crap off.

These days I hide in the corner and hope nobody notices.

]]> By: Ian Brewer http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586985 Ian Brewer Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586985 Who needs Cy Twombly? These are great. Who needs Cy Twombly? These are great.

]]> By: Luke Butcher http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586801 Luke Butcher Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586801 I think it's legit. You would have to be a theoretical physicist to connect the ideas represented in those diagrams and equations (gravitational entropy, holography, cosmological constant). In fact, it looks uncannily like some of the things I've toyed with in the past year. I'd love to know whose board that is. I think it’s legit. You would have to be a theoretical physicist to connect the ideas represented in those diagrams and equations (gravitational entropy, holography, cosmological constant). In fact, it looks uncannily like some of the things I’ve toyed with in the past year. I’d love to know whose board that is.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586609 Boundegar Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586609 Is that one on top legit?  It looks exactly like a hollywood prop master's idea of a physicist's blackboard. Is that one on top legit?  It looks exactly like a hollywood prop master’s idea of a physicist’s blackboard.

]]> By: rednick http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586610 rednick Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586610 Einstein's blackboard http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~ppzdt/Einstein/blackboard.html It's a bit weird having a meeting in that room and it just being there opposite you. Einstein’s blackboard http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~ppzdt/Einstein/blackboard.html
It’s a bit weird having a meeting in that room and it just being there opposite you.

]]> By: rednick http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586607 rednick Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586607  Really? Don't think I've seen anyone in my physics department who prefers blackboards over white. The blackboards only ever get used once all the whiteboards are full up  Really? Don’t think I’ve seen anyone in my physics department who prefers blackboards over white. The blackboards only ever get used once all the whiteboards are full up

]]> By: James Agenbroad http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586461 James Agenbroad Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586461 An interesting contrast to  http://boingboing.net/2011/10/11/great-moments-in-pedantry-analyzing-blackboards-from-school-themed-porn.html An interesting contrast to  http://boingboing.net/2011/10/11/great-moments-in-pedantry-analyzing-blackboards-from-school-themed-porn.html

]]> By: bzishi http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586392 bzishi Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586392 Ah! One of my favorite things when studying physics was the fact that physicists abhor whiteboards. Beautiful and complicated blackboard equations and drawings made me feel like "I made it". In my old school we had a couple of extra blackboards in the hallways so that students could work out problems or just have fun. Sometimes they were a sight to behold. Ah! One of my favorite things when studying physics was the fact that physicists abhor whiteboards. Beautiful and complicated blackboard equations and drawings made me feel like “I made it”. In my old school we had a couple of extra blackboards in the hallways so that students could work out problems or just have fun. Sometimes they were a sight to behold.

]]> By: Noam DePlume http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586379 Noam DePlume Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586379 But if he knows the momentum, he can't know the position... But if he knows the momentum, he can’t know the position…

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2012/11/19/photos-of-physicists-blackbo.html#comment-1586371 Paul Renault Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=195067#comment-1586371 My favourite is Feynman's last blackboard instructions.  It's the screensaver for my car's GPS. G'head, do a GIS. My favourite is Feynman’s last blackboard instructions.  It’s the screensaver for my car’s GPS.

G’head, do a GIS.

]]>