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  Topic: Breakthrough in Physics, Could change everything< Next Oldest | Next Newest >  
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,10:04   

Time variation of a fundamental dimensionless constant
Authors: Robert J. Scherrer

Abstract: We examine the time variation of a previously-uninvestigated fundamental dimensionless constant. Constraints are placed on this time variation using historical measurements. A model is presented for the time variation, and it is shown to lead to an accelerated expansion for the universe. Directions for future research are discussed.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.5321

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"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
csadams



Posts: 124
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,15:52   

Quote (Dr.GH @ April 02 2009,10:04)
Time variation of a fundamental dimensionless constant
Authors: Robert J. Scherrer

Abstract: We examine the time variation of a previously-uninvestigated fundamental dimensionless constant. Constraints are placed on this time variation using historical measurements. A model is presented for the time variation, and it is shown to lead to an accelerated expansion for the universe. Directions for future research are discussed.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.5321

Egads . . . this appeared yesterday, right?

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Stand Up For REAL Science!

  
W. Kevin Vicklund



Posts: 68
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,16:32   

Why do I have a sudden craving for dessert?

  
JohnW



Posts: 3217
Joined: Aug. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,16:33   

Quote (csadams @ April 02 2009,13:52)
Quote (Dr.GH @ April 02 2009,10:04)
Time variation of a fundamental dimensionless constant
Authors: Robert J. Scherrer

Abstract: We examine the time variation of a previously-uninvestigated fundamental dimensionless constant. Constraints are placed on this time variation using historical measurements. A model is presented for the time variation, and it is shown to lead to an accelerated expansion for the universe. Directions for future research are discussed.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.5321

Egads . . . this appeared yesterday, right?

Yes, it did:
Quote
More speculatively, one might consider the possibility that the values of the integers could vary with time, a result suggested by several early Fortran simulations.  This possibility would have obvious implications for finance and accounting.

Also, don't miss the caption to Figure 1.

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Math is just a language of reality. Its a waste of time to know it. - Robert Byers

There isn't any probability that the letter d is in the word "mathematics"...  The correct answer would be "not even 0" - JoeG

  
AmandaHuginKiss



Posts: 150
Joined: Dec. 2008

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,18:55   

Footnote 12 is my favourite

  
csadams



Posts: 124
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,20:53   

. . . my favorite bit:

Quote

IV. THE OKLO REACTOR
No discussion of the time-variation of fundamental constants would be complete without a mention of the Oklo natural fission reactor.


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Stand Up For REAL Science!

  
Hermagoras



Posts: 1260
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,21:10   

I really like Figure 2.

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"I am not currently proving that objective morality is true. I did that a long time ago and you missed it." -- StephenB

http://paralepsis.blogspot.com/....pot.com

   
Timothy McDougald



Posts: 1036
Joined: Dec. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,21:21   

I like the randomly selected collection of papers...

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Church burning ebola boy

FTK: I Didn't answer your questions because it beats the hell out of me.

PaV: I suppose for me to be pried away from what I do to focus long and hard on that particular problem would take, quite honestly, hundreds of thousands of dollars to begin to pique my interest.

   
Henry J



Posts: 5786
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 02 2009,22:38   

Maybe if real world geometry isn't Euclidean after all? :p

Henry

  
BWE



Posts: 1902
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 05 2009,23:40   

Quote (csadams @ April 02 2009,13:52)
Quote (Dr.GH @ April 02 2009,10:04)
Time variation of a fundamental dimensionless constant
Authors: Robert J. Scherrer

Abstract: We examine the time variation of a previously-uninvestigated fundamental dimensionless constant. Constraints are placed on this time variation using historical measurements. A model is presented for the time variation, and it is shown to lead to an accelerated expansion for the universe. Directions for future research are discussed.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.5321

Egads . . . this appeared yesterday, right?

Quote
Acknowledgments
A number of colleagues were kind enough to comment
on the manuscript. For some reason they did not want
me to use their names, so I will identify them by their
initials: S. Dodelson, A.L. Melott, D.N. Spergel, and T.
J. Weiler.


That's a pretty subtle april fools. :) Not exactly supergluing the teacher to her chair. :p

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Who said that ev'ry wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it
Look what it's done so far

The Daily Wingnut

   
dheddle



Posts: 545
Joined: Sep. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,10:10   

He needs to look into whether the lifelines of the integers can cross--i.e., will 6 ever be larger than 22? What will this mean for sports records?

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Mysticism is a rational enterprise. Religion is not. The mystic has recognized something about the nature of consciousness prior to thought, and this recognition is susceptible to rational discussion. The mystic has reason for what he believes, and these reasons are empirical. --Sam Harris

   
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,11:58   

Quote (W. Kevin Vicklund @ April 02 2009,14:32)
Why do I have a sudden craving for dessert?

They forgot to mention that Pi=3 had popular support for some time from a well known book (Second Book of Chronicles, chapter 4, verses 2 and 5). In 1897, Representative T.I. Record of Posen County, Indiana introduced a bill defining Pi=3.3, 3.23, or 4. Highly variable indeed.

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"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
sledgehammer



Posts: 533
Joined: Sep. 2008

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,13:57   

April fools notwithstanding, here's an interesting brain fart:

With pi defined as the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle, it's value is 3.1416... only in an Euclidian geometry.  If space-time has a positive curvature (closed universe), then is not pi < 3.1416... (and > in negative curved space) so in principle could we measure the local curvature by a careful measurement of said ratio?
And does that not imply that pi was much smaller shortly after the Big One?

I'll get me coat...

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The majority of the stupid is invincible and guaranteed for all time. The terror of their tyranny is alleviated by their lack of consistency. -A. Einstein  (H/T, JAD)
If evolution is true, you could not know that it's true because your brain is nothing but chemicals. ?Think about that. -K. Hovind

  
Henry J



Posts: 5786
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,14:02   

Sometimes pi is larger before dinner than it is after dinner.

  
Quidam



Posts: 229
Joined: Mar. 2008

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,15:21   

Quote (dheddle @ April 06 2009,09:10)
He needs to look into whether the lifelines of the integers can cross--i.e., will 6 ever be larger than 22? What will this mean for sports records?

Code Sample
call ChangeSportRecord(6)
end
subroutine ChangeSportRecord(i)
 integer i
 i=23
 return
end


That'll do it.  At least in Fortan IV

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The organized fossils ... and their localities also, may be understood by all, even the most illiterate. William Smith, Strata. 1816

  
Gunthernacus



Posts: 235
Joined: April 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,15:39   

Quote
Of course, our model gives the
opposite sign for the time-variation of ?, but this is a
minor glitch which is probably easy to fix.


Was this just an innocent April Fools, or was it specifically a parody of the IDCs?  Seeing the graph of the historical measurements of pi, I couldn't help but think of the crap Sal Cordova (used to?) post about the historical measurements of c to "show" that c was slowing so therefore Earth is YOUNG!!1!Eleventy!

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Given that we are all descended from Adam and Eve...genetic defects as a result of intra-family marriage would not begin to crop up until after the first few dozen generations. - Dr. Hugh Ross

  
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 06 2009,16:46   

Quote (Gunthernacus @ April 06 2009,13:39)
Quote
Of course, our model gives the
opposite sign for the time-variation of ?, but this is a
minor glitch which is probably easy to fix.


Was this just an innocent April Fools, or was it specifically a parody of the IDCs?  Seeing the graph of the historical measurements of pi, I couldn't help but think of the crap Sal Cordova (used to?) post about the historical measurements of c to "show" that c was slowing so therefore Earth is YOUNG!!1!Eleventy!

Aside from creationists like Barry Shetfield, there are a few real physicists that thought that the absolute value of c might have changed. They have been shown wrong.

--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
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