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October 19, 2004
Quantum Cafe
So I found myself watching a strange educational series with my roommate and a few guys on the team the other day. It concerned, among other things, String theory...which is, for the slightly less informed, a bizarre school of thought stating that all things are made from small strands of pure energy that vibrate in many different ways, thus creating the myriad materials of our happy little (big) universe. These strings, although somewhat irrelevant in practicality, would help scientists to unify the forces of Quantum Mechanics (Electromagnetism, Strong Nuclear, and Weak Nuclear) with that of Gravity. Sounds fun, eh?
Well, as I watched this Monty-Python inspired segment of information, we got to a point where the host entered a place called the "Quantum Cafe". After stating that it's a place where people can walk through walls and parallel universes periodically spawn from all events, he tried to order orange juice. The bartender (as I choose to call her, although I don't think mixing Quantum theory with alcohol is at ALL a good idea) responded by saying "I'll try", because apparently nothing in Quantum Mechanics is certain...it's all a bunch of hideously calculated probabilities. I can't even begin to explain how much this makes my head hurt.
Anyway, there are three segments to this string theory educational session, and I saw the second one a few days later. It was no less bizarre, although it did fail to visit the Quantum Cafe again. The third segment, however, was playing while I was sleeping. Upon waking due to a loud noise, I heard the narrator say "It would be just like living inside a piece of bread". How screwed up can theories get? I mean, how would it be like living inside bread? Would everyone get their own little air pocket, or would leftover yeast be planets or something?
As a result of learning about String Theory, I have come to the conclusion that engineers and physics majors are justifiably, but completely, insane. Dealing with a description of reality where nothing is even remotely certain has warped their brains completely, leaving them in a permanently altered reality where Penguins seem to rule unconditionally and unchallenged. It's almost universal, actually...that Linux penguin is going to take over the world before we know it, and then we'll all have to watch penguins racing down snowy slopes instead of baseball. How does one pick a penguin to cheer for, in that case? Yessir, I think we're going to be in for a nasty shock when those penguins take over the world.
"Hey guys...? Whose pants are these?"
-my roommate, after finding a pair of pants outside our door the morning after Swimmer Formal.
Posted by larry at October 19, 2004 10:17 PM
Comments
Before you all ask, those pants were not mine.
Posted by: Larry at October 19, 2004 10:31 PM
So how was that dance anyways?
Posted by: Kate at October 19, 2004 10:47 PM
National TuxRacer championships? I'm game!
-=Russ=-
Posted by: Russ at October 20, 2004 01:35 PM
i would have to agree with you on that they are insane. yes. and i don't know you, well not in person. just online. and you make me laugh. you're one cool kid. :)
Posted by: Courtney at October 20, 2004 08:45 PM
hmmm well that sounded kind of stalker-ish. teehee. i think, i'm not sure, but i think i "met" you on espin. so i still, for some reason, have your sn on my buddy list, and, well, there's a link to your blog. so i decided to read it. yep. that's all. sorry for the confusion. later days!
Posted by: Courtney at October 20, 2004 08:51 PM
I'm sorry you got that imprssion Courtney
Posted by: Man Chick at October 20, 2004 08:55 PM