Bursting Bubbles
Two UC Berkeley researchers have now described mathematically the successive stages in the complex evolution and disappearance of foamy bubbles (the images above are based off of a computer-generated video that uses their equations).
What purpose does this serve (besides making for some very mesmerizing GIFS…)? The work has applications in industrial processes for making metal and plastic foams (like those used to cushion bicycle helmets) and in modeling growing cell clusters, which rely on these types of equations.
The problem with describing foams mathematically has been that the evolution of a bubble cluster a few inches across depends on what’s happening in the extremely thin walls of each bubble, which are thinner than a human hair.
I love my school.
Sticking with the truth [Columbia Journalism Review]
How ‘balanced’ coverage helped sustain the bogus claim that childhood vaccines can cause autism.
Trans Scientists
By way of gender-and-science:
Small compilation of trans scientists; however, still important in terms of representation of gender diversity.
Slavoj Žižek’s talk with Charlie Rose [Part 2, Part 3]
After watching that ten minute recreation of David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech, I started watching Charlie Rose’s interview with David Foster Wallace (RIP) when I remembered all about Charlie’s amazing interview with Slavoj. It’s amazing not because I like Slavoj or Charlie, but because it comes across as just two bro’s finishing each others sentences, being real on each others level and laughing honestly at each others jokes. On an individual level they couldn’t be more different but whenever two bros are in the same room, they find a common ground. It’s a law. It’s a property also seen in the activity of fireflies in Thailand. I think it’s some form of emergence (perhaps), though a derivative known as bromergence.
there’s been a huge stir about this heritage foundation paper where the man above, jason richwine, who looks like he might shoot hookers with a bow, king joffrey style, explains the real costs of immigration for the US. what makes it different from the normal abhorrent right wing claptrap on the heritage foundation website is the claim(backed by his research) that black and hispanic immigrants naturally fail to be as smart as the european variety. like, this duide actually says that shit in the year 2013. of course it’s a huge hell nah, cause it’s false. stupid and top tier racist. pseudoscience is just as bad as witchcraft in my book. my apologies to the many witches of tumblr.
what i found most interesting was the amount of political scientists that went out their way to dismantle richwine’s research and methodology(keith hennessy’s take down was the best btw because his last name is hennessy). i’m sure it was fun to do, but was it really necessary? what about the tons of other published claims in political science that reinforce our really fucked up way of living? it took almost 15 years for someone to write against audience costs. we’re still pumping out BS about the resource curse. economists have explained away all the suffering caused by exploitative working conditions, and academia is quiet as a mouse on obama’s drone program. who’s willing to be honest about advice to the hegemon being key to NSF funding right now
From Matt Bors amazing article rebutting Time’s article berating “gen y” or whatever the fuck they’re calling us nowadays: “MILLENIALS AREN’T LAZY: THEY’RE FUCKED”
At least it’s a beautiful trophy.
(via neverendingmyth)
Source: writeswrongs
Ronald Reagan and the fall of UC [LA Times]
Once upon a time, the University of California was a sacred trust, the top tier of a model educational system that helped lift the state to unprecedented prosperity. It was jealously protected from outside political interference.
Much of the rhetoric employed by Ronald Regan in this op-ed is still used today, such a shame.
George Costanza was the first Millennial.
