Did you know that single electrons shot from an electron gun through two slits in a screen line themselves up at the end of the day as if they had all gone through at the same time and interfered with each other? If you're observing them they act as if they are totally unmotivated to line up. And at the end of the day they are all scattered. But if you're not in the room, they behave.
This has something to do with the fact that light is both wave and particle, and it's also possible that light just doesn't understand the traditional concept of time. It may also be true that light is a bit oppositional and defiant, and doesn't like your beady little eyes.
But these facts correlate with the well- understood Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle:
which in laymans terms from the Uncyclopedia can be stated like this:
"After being virtually unknown by all humans for about 99.9999999% of their existence, atomic particles have become very shy. If they sense they are being watched, they won't do their usual tricks, just like that frog that simply won't sing broadway show tunes when I show him to somebody else."
Unfortunately for me it is bedtime, and I will probably wake up at 3am with animated frogs singing showtunes dancing around my bed. Wearing new black top-hats of course. In the quantum world, it happens all the time, when no one's watching.
3 comments:
Hello there! Barbara sent me a link to this here blog. If you havent yet, check out a book called The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene, he's also got a book out (which i haven't read) called The Fabric of the Cosmos. Additionally anything that Michiu Kaku writes on quantum mechanics/string theory/M theory is great. Both of these authors write about the physics in a more conceptual way, so that whole "I dont get the math!" thing isn't as much of an issue.
Physics on the particle level is pretty insane. I've tried to explain it to people and have received the most incredulous (ie: dumb) looks you could imagine.
Hope everything is well with the children and hubby and all. Things here in CO are, well, colder than FL.
Hay Chase! I mentioned you in another post about a month ago when I learned that Devotchka was from the Denver area. They would be something to see.
Thanks for visiting my site. I'll check out those books.
Another one you might like is called "The Hidden Face of God". It's really fascinating and makes you wonder about why we're here, and the miracle of existence it's not preachy in the least and very scientific.
nice. i'll have to look into that one, and Devotchka as well.
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