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/sci/ - Science & Math

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File: 35 KB, 313x298, BrianCox_01.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6098273 No.6098273 [Reply] [Original]

who is the finest living physicist?

>implying it's not this guy
>implying that effectively communicating difficult concepts to laypeople does not require god-tier intellect
>implying he didn't work at CERN, and isn't ridiculously young to make professor (Yuro-type professor - i.e. a real prof.)
>implying this man is not this generation's Feynmann

>> No.6098291

as well as being smarter, he's more handsome than you and gets all the bitches.

jelly, /sci/?

>> No.6098312

isn't he in his 40s?

>> No.6098347

Finest looking with the nicest Cox more like.

>> No.6098351
File: 64 KB, 500x667, brian_cox_musician_keyboards.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6098351

>> No.6098359

Unfortunately nobody can explain the higher level math, because it is like a different language. It is like trying to understand french with out knowing french.

>> No.6098362

>>6098273
You can't just compare Cox to Dick, OP. No matter how big of a faggot you are.

>> No.6098368
File: 333 KB, 541x415, agahaffdg.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6098368

>> No.6098408

He's a pretty chill guy. But I feel that he's trying too hard to be like Sagan.

>> No.6098415

Thread asserting objectivity in aesthetics.

>Good chance you may be cox

Reported.

>> No.6098440

I'm a sucker for Cox.

>> No.6098480

>>6098368
Instant hatred inspired.
Its like he didn't even do A-levels

>> No.6098512

>>6098368
he didnt really say that, did he?

also, wtf is going on with his cheeks?

>> No.6098524

>>6098273
>effectively communicating difficult concepts to laypeople
source? ive never seen him do this. ive only heard things from him which are so simplified they are just plain wrong.

>work at CERN
what did he do?

>> No.6098529

>>6098524
>work at CERN
>what did he do?
they let him come in and tour the facility, and he got to do a determinant and a quadratic with them. i think he won a contest or something.

>> No.6098560

So im looking through his papers, and has he ever published anything that isnt just a report on findings from a collider?

>A Measurement of the Branching Ratio of $K_L \to e^+e^-\gamma\gamma$
>A New measurement of the radiative K(e)3 branching ratio and photon spectrum
>First measurement of form-factors of the decay Xi0 --> Sigma+ e- anti-nu(e)
>A Measurement of the K(L) charge asymmetry
>Measurement of D*+- meson production and F2(c) in deep inelastic scattering at HERA

dont get me wrong, we need plebs to catalog the findings from these places, but its never really anything groundbreaking, just stamp collecting.

I cant find a single theoretical physics paper he wrote.

>> No.6099853

JOE
or good old eddy

>> No.6099857

>Hating on cox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30ruBtLIvJM

Please tell me this isnt among the finest science film you have seen

>> No.6099859

>>6098273
He's an experimentalist, it's pretty cool stuff what he does I guess, if you're really into the stuff. I don't know that he's a Feynman. Feynman was a major theory developer...

>> No.6099864

>>6098560
>experimental physicist
>making theoretical physics papers
>???
>profit

>> No.6099868

>>6099864
>experimental physicist
>any kind of physicist
>not lab technician

>> No.6099882

>>6098273
>he still can't say world

>> No.6099885

>>6099857
absolutely amazing

>> No.6099893

>>6099885

I watch it each time I take LSD

His other works are great too

>> No.6099901
File: 224 KB, 640x428, carlo3.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6099901

Carlo Rovelli
I like this guy a lot. I've been reading his book Quantum Gravity and... wow. I'm not sure about loop quantum gravity yet, but the preliminars on GR, classical and quantum mechanics are amazing.

As for experimentalists, I'd go Alain Aspekt. That dude deserves the next nobel prize.

>> No.6099903

>>6098480
It's one of the /sci/'s fake quotes. It's kinda terrifying to see that you people are falling for your own troll - just imagine what must be going on among not scientifically literate folks when they see one of those.

>>6098273
He is not Feynman-tier and he'll never be.

He's a poor man's Sagan.

>> No.6100384

He's rly hot

>> No.6100620
File: 70 KB, 450x600, 450px-John_Ellis_2008-02-01.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6100620

Brian Cox's a mental midget. Publicity seeking physicists usually do so because they suck at research and thinking. So they try to find other ways to pad their CVs. Cox hasn’t published a single thing worth the paper it was printed on.

>>6099901
>Carlo Rovelli

Finally the first non-troll candidate. Carlo's awesome.

>>6098273
>who is the finest living physicist?

However, the greatest living physicist today is John Ellis. Him and Leo Susskind are the top two. But Ellis is the greatest right now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ellis_(physicist)

>> No.6100702

>>6099857
>TFW he is your lecturer
>TFW youre a scumbag from manchester
>TFW you got fucking wrecked LSDing at a Sigor rós concert at Joderall bank
>TFW this video is my reality.

>> No.6100718
File: 1.49 MB, 2608x2608, Edward Witten.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6100718

>>6098273

Edward Witten is without a doubt the greatest living physicist today. He's the only physicist ever to win the fields medal.

>> No.6100728
File: 273 KB, 2197x1463, jacob_barnett.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6100728

>who is the finest living physicist?

>> No.6100729

But who the fuck is he?

>> No.6100730

>>6100718
>Edward Witten

>that award section

Holy shit. Why is it that some guys who are clearly brilliant have won almost nothing and this guy seems to have won the whole house?

>> No.6100742

>>6100718

This guy is married to my professor. Time to go meet him.

>> No.6100745

>>6099903
Something like "huh?" I'd wager.

>> No.6100748

>>6100730
Because he deserves it?

>> No.6100783

>>6100748

Yeah but there his awards section on wikipedia is longer than the section on his accomplishments.

Does the guy have a biography that you could recommend?

>> No.6100790

>>6100730
have you even read Wittens shit?

>> No.6100803

>>6100729
He's that smart, young, good looking scientist with just the perfect amount of grey in his hair and the perfect amount of a British accent to make him the media's wet dream.

>> No.6100809

>>6098512
>he didnt really say that, did he?
No, I made it up. Never thought someone could actually fall for it.

>> No.6100820

>>6098512
>also, wtf is going on with his cheeks?

It's called Benedict Cumberbatch syndrome, were your cheekbones look really weird some of the time, but really good other times.

>> No.6100822

>>6100620
The only way to seek publicity in physics is to shrink your concepts down into something the public can comprehend and are therefore generally useless.

>> No.6100840

>>6100718

> Witten received his Bachelor of Arts with a major in history and minor in linguistics from Brandeis University in 1971.
> He returned to academia, enrolling in applied mathematics at Princeton University in 1973, then shifting departments and receiving a Ph.D. in physics in 1976 under David Gross.

Wow. That's actually incredible. Great motivation for people who wonder if it's too late to get into math and physics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Witten

>> No.6100850

>>6100742

His wife is pretty brilliant too. Get them both to sign you favourite physics book.

>> No.6100854

>>6100783

There's an interesting interview with him here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06yXsnTFF-U

>> No.6100862

>>6100718

Problem with Witten is that he's done most of the research in ST which is complete nonsense and no one will ever get a Nobel for it.

>> No.6100863

>>6100840
>>6100730

samefaggot

>> No.6100866

>>6100840
Motivation? The guy had a fucking phd at the age of 25.

>> No.6100869

>>6100862

Do you have the qualifications to even begin to judge the merits of string theory, loop quantum gravity, or any other current contender for quantum gravity? Or are you just regurgitating what your favourite pop science book claimed?

Anyway, even if string theory turns out to be completely incorrect, Witten has a Fields medal, which is arguably more prestigious than the Nobel prize. His contributions to mathematics will not be forgotten.

>> No.6100880

>>6100869
>Do you have the qualifications to even begin to judge the merits of string theory


I'm a grad student in phenomenology who has published a paper on particle physics with a bunch of other well-known physicists. So I guess I have some right to judge it.

ST will never be tested. It cannot be falsified. It will fade away over the next few decades.

>> No.6100882

>>6100880
>phenomenology

So you're a philosophy grad student? lol.

Cite your paper then. Let's see what your arguments against string theory are.

>> No.6101000

>>6100882
>So you're a philosophy grad student? lol.

ugh.

>Cite your paper then. Let's see what your arguments against string theory are.

right after you give me your name/email/Facebook.

>> No.6101006
File: 662 KB, 384x216, i0UYVdW94cX3E.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6101006

>>6098273
Based Brian

>> No.6101018

>>6101000

So you don't want people to read your paper? Isn't that the fucking point of getting published?

>> No.6101019
File: 3 KB, 238x195, 1212221410689.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6101019

>>6098480
>Instant hatred inspired.

>>6098512
>he didnt really say that, did he?

Jesus fuck, /sci/

Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's true. What era did you grow up in?

>> No.6101605

>>6098273
My old physics teacher used to work with this guy, but when he became famous he stopped returning his calls.

>> No.6101992
File: 12 KB, 217x217, heston.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6101992

>>6101019
I don't know what's more amusing. Their reaction, or your dismay.

>> No.6102048

>>6100620
Just a question, how do you rank Edward Witten??

>> No.6102075

>>6100620
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin_diagram

Nice.

>> No.6102117

>>6099868
You have no idea how actual research works, do you ?

>> No.6102127

>>6100880
>ST will never be tested. It cannot be falsified. It will fade away over the next few decades.
except that is has already been tested. but we'll gloss over that detail and pretend you know what you are talking about.

>> No.6102130

>>6102127

How was it tested?

>> No.6102134

>>6102130
any test of SUSY is also a test of ST
strength of gravity tests at the LHC
particle trajectories influenced by the curled up dimensions at the LHC

>> No.6102135

It's obvious...
Jacob Barnett

>> No.6102158

>>6100702

He showed you how magnificent drugs really are

I watched that video while high as fuck on LSD and it was the most enlightening pop sci documentary I have ever seen

>> No.6103598

>>6098347
>>Finest looking with the nicest Cox more like.
>> nicest Cox

im afraid....th

>> No.6103606

>>6102134
>any test of SUSY is also a test of ST

… and so far SUSY hasn’t faired well.

to test ST you need a particle accelerator the size of a SOLAR SYSTEM!

we can safely assume that ST will never be properly tested or falsified. and given that it gives very few predictions that are testable and that actually mean something to us, it's as useless as tits on a bull.

>> No.6103631 [DELETED] 
File: 111 KB, 545x417, cox moon.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6103631

>> No.6103650

>>6098312
He's 45, he appears much younger than he is.

>> No.6103723

>>6100866
Isn't the normal age for getting a phd 26 ?

>> No.6103759

>>6103606

> ST will never be properly tested or falsified

People work on string theory to try to come up with testable predictions. Even if the technology isn't here yet, hopefully it will be in the future.

Hell, Einstein's general relativity was controversial for a long time.

>> No.6103804

>>6102048
>stringtheory/10

>> No.6103904
File: 101 KB, 545x417, cox particles.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6103904

This guy comes out with some amazing quotes

>> No.6103907

>>6103759
His theory was tested and validated, to the exclusion of Newtonian gravity, within his own lifetime.

>> No.6103918

>>6103907
And fairly quickly. It successfully described the precession of Mercury, which was observed before GR and was a major failing of Newtonian gravity as well as confirmation of gravitational lensing of the sun 4 years after GR was first proposed.

>> No.6103925
File: 1.57 MB, 320x169, 1376408044753.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6103925

>>6103759
>People work on string theory to try to come up with testable predictions. Even if the technology isn't here yet, hopefully it will be in the future.

Yeah dude… pigs will fly and solar system-sized particle accelerators are just around the corner. I hear CERN will build one just before 2020.

>so damn clueless/10

>> No.6103927

>>6100718
This is absolutely correct.

>> No.6103961

>>6103723
27-29

>> No.6104016

>>6098273
>>implying that effectively communicating difficult concepts to laypeople does not require god-tier intellect
you're just trolling now

>> No.6104021

>>6100803
except for the part where he feeds them inane shit like Einstein

>> No.6104023

>>6101018
he doesn't want to get doxed by fuckheads like you

>> No.6104353

>Implying this isn't the smartest scientist in the world
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvLpXIYLrec

>> No.6104376

>>6103961
> tfw 26 and starting my PhD
> tfw I won't make it in time

I'm a failure.

>> No.6104380

>>6104353
> sedimentary layers
> "sticks and things"
> "secrets"
> "liquid sun"
> "electrons"

> scared water
> brave water
> we now know that Universe contains literally a lot of water

toppest of keks

>> No.6104426 [DELETED] 
File: 104 KB, 545x417, bcox.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6104426

He is a mildly annoying TV `pop-science' physicist in the UK.
Actually though, he is annoying cos all the girls like
him and he is Mr. Pop science. He actually prob an OK guy!
I am just jelly.

>> No.6104431

>>6104426
whoever made this is retarded
>pi radians
it's two pi radians

>> No.6104437
File: 9 KB, 175x222, JUAN.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6104437

ITT
some people talking about the original topic
and
a bunch of faggots who hate on the one valid candidate for quantum gravity just because it appears to be non testable any time soon, and despite the fact that, regardless of its status as a "true" theory, it has enriched the both math and physics, especially with ads/cft

>> No.6104442

>>6104431
faggot didn't get the joke

....or is being meta and joking about not getting the joke?

>> No.6104589

>>6104431
nice job getting the joke.

>> No.6104593 [DELETED] 
File: 97 KB, 500x667, mm.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6104593

>>6104431
Thats part of the joke, dingbat.
You obviously have a low IQ.
You need medication to improve it pic related.

>> No.6104601 [DELETED] 
File: 110 KB, 770x360, bdsc.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6104601

>>6102158
yeah like he goes and visits lots of random places and then comes out with over-simplified-to-death pop science. Its kinda funny

>> No.6106517

>implying that effectively communicating difficult concepts to laypeople does not require god-tier intellect
I wont
that shit is hard as fuck
I still dont like the way he pronounces the word cosmos
>cuzmus

>> No.6106717
File: 198 KB, 640x425, John_Ellis_at_CERN.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6106717

>>6102048
>Just a question, how do you rank Edward Witten??

He's a great mathematician but ST is such a mess right now that I don't find his theories or results useful or pleasing. But the guy has a lot of fans and a good PR team, I'll grant him that.

Ellis is the closest thing we have today to someone like Fermi... "the last universal physicist," by which I mean that Fermi knew a lot about all areas of physics.

When I see Ellis' name on a paper, I can't wait to read it and see what he and his collabs are up to. And it's usually groundbreaking stuff that was tested.

>> No.6106722

>>6104593

meth is not science.

>> No.6106727

>>6099857
I haven't laughed in a long time, thank you

>> No.6106757 [DELETED] 
File: 9 KB, 247x135, mmm.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6106757

>>6106722
very good for writing up stuff though... takes all the boredom out of proof reading... unless u have too much then you start cleaning the house or something

>> No.6106813

>>6104442
Nah man there can't be two loci to the joke, the joke can't be about the fact not actually being amazing because that's how radians are defined on top of getting it wrong. cramming multiple punchlines onto jokes just makes them convoluted and less funny, and it's not something people do, so I'd guess the maker just got it wrong.

>> No.6107013
File: 1.53 MB, 1863x2368, Michael_Faraday_Millikan-Gale-1906.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6107013

>>6099868
This man would like a word.