On smashing protons and Lisa Randall
March 31, 2010
Professor Lisa Randall was on Charlie Rose last night and my GOD – she’s awesome!!! She was talking, rather excitedly, about the Large Hadron Collider – about smashing protons and discovering new laws of physics. I want her to come and talk about protons while I play the piano. (Lisa Randall is a professor of theoretical physics at Harvard University and a leading theoretical physicist and expert on particle physics, string theory and cosmology.) I don’t pretend to understand everything she was saying but she was in awe, bubbling with wonder!!! I love this woman. Here’s a sample of her awesomeness!!!
“We’re trying to understand what stuff is made out of. Where does it come from, what is at its inner core, and what are the forces that drive their interactions as the smallest possible energies?”
“Although it seems so complicated, we’re trying to get to the point where matter is at its simplest. What are the fundamental elements and how do they interact? What is it that underlies what we know about the standard model, that is to say what we know about particle physics today?”
“…Protons are in some sense big messy objects. The great thing about them is you can accelerate them to higher energy, and the great thing about high energy is it allows us to study small distances, smaller substructure. But because protons are big, messy objects, that means the collisions are messy, which is why it’s so important to anticipate what’s going to be there…”
Oh Lisa. This is so sexy!!! Sigh…come to Edmonton and talk about protons and let me play the piano while you talk…
4 Comments
1. Elena Ray had this to say: Apr 02, 2010 ~ 20:03 ~ #
kept thinkin about this. it’s a good idea. schedules permitting I bet she would go for it. it would be a beautiful video. keep the legend going.
2. Paulette had this to say: Apr 06, 2010 ~ 19:10 ~ #
Coincidentally – I was talking with a friend/physicist and asked him, “into what exactly is the Universe expanding?” and he turned me onto dark matter. Besides fountain pens, which I love and do not understand, now there is quantum physics!!! Scientists and writers are closer than most would think. Both so taken/ led by imagination AND mostly unafraid of the gorgeous abyss of our own ignorance…we are graciously shown genius, everyday,
3. thomas had this to say: Apr 07, 2010 ~ 08:28 ~ #
You know, I almost removed this post because in retrospect, it’s a bit out there. But I left it, and I’m glad I did (I actually told my friend Gail, and on top of the laughter, I think she thought it was kind of a stupid idea). I hope this offer doesn’t sound arrogant. But I really would love to play the piano while Professor Randall talked about string theory and smashing protons…
“…Scientists and writers are closer than most would think….” LOVE THIS. Agree with this.
4. deb had this to say: Apr 15, 2010 ~ 11:41 ~ #
Happy Birthday Thomas.