things i don't understand

[T42]

More likely to do with the quantity of rain it receives every year, just like the Emerald Isle.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't understand asteroids. I thought they were lumps of rock orbiting the sun, but apparently they can collide with planets. So I probably don't understand meteorites either, as I thought they were lumps of rock zooming around which occasionally crashed into planets.

“We have ample evidence that asteroids repeatedly hit planets in the solar system and they do catastrophic damage when they do,” he said in the video, recorded for the Science Museum as part of its celebration of Lovelock’s career.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/26/james-lovelock-at-100-asteroids-humanity-gaia-theory-ai

[Pingu]

I don't understand asteroids. I thought they were lumps of rock orbiting the sun, but apparently they can collide with planets. So I probably don't understand meteorites ...

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.

[pcolbeck]

I don't understand asteroids. I thought they were lumps of rock orbiting the sun, but apparently they can collide with planets. So I probably don't understand meteorites either, as I thought they were lumps of rock zooming around which occasionally crashed into planets.

Asteroids do indeed orbit the sun. Orbits aren't perfect circles though they are ellipses. It's possible for either the elliptical orbit of an asteroid and a planet to intersect at some point in time then you get an asteroid crashing into a planet or the asteroids orbit brings it close enough to a planet for the planets gravity to capture the asteroid and bring it spiralling in. Orbits of small bodies dont remain regular either they get nudged all the time by interaction with larger bodies so sometimes they get nudged into the path of a planet.

[Kim]

Basically the solar system is a lot less clockwork than the traditional lies-to-children model would suggest.

[T42]

Yarp. For your average asteroid, the Solar System is an n-body problem.

[Beardy]

Basically the solar system is a lot less clockwork than the traditional lies-to-children model would suggest.

I’d categories the model given to children is s simplification with the basics being reasonably accurate and certainly contains enough detail to be a sufficient to fill the minds of most of them. Those that want more will find that the detail becomes very complicated very quickly and can provide hours of fun or a fulfilling career, but for the rest it is more than ample.

[Kim]

Basically the solar system is a lot less clockwork than the traditional lies-to-children model would suggest.

I’d categories the model given to children is s simplification with the basics being reasonably accurate and certainly contains enough detail to be a sufficient to fill the minds of most of them. Those that want more will find that the detail becomes very complicated very quickly and can provide hours of fun or a fulfilling career, but for the rest it is more than ample.

Yes, that's what lies-to-children means.  Think Conventional Current, or the Bohr model of the atom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children

[Beardy]

Yes, that's what lies-to-children means.  Think Conventional Current, or the Bohr model of the atom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children

TLDR: but I will do when I get on holibobs because it looks like an interesting topic. I’ll be interested to know if they consider it a good thing™ or a bad one.

[caerau]

Unless you want to start bringing in quantum theory and quantum electrodynamic wavefunctions and the concomitant complex mathematics involving complex numbers, advanced matrix representations and/or multiple integral calculus to describe atomic orbitals and then fill them with electrons (and that's really AFTER the truly arcane realm of atomic nuclei) - to children at the age of 6 or whatever - it's potentially a little advanced at age 16 - I would suggest it's *essential* rather than a good thing^TM

[Kim]

I doubt you can get very far into double figures without realising that your understanding of most things is superficial, and that SCIENCE in particular thrives on "turns out that it's a bit more complicated than that".

...But if you can, there may be a place for you as a cabinet minister.

[Gattopardo]

DARK MATTER....or is it DARK ENERGY.  I'm not sure which.

Asteroids and other bits of space stuff work by magic. 

[ian]

Dark matter and dark energy are different things. But neither exist, so don't worry too much, it'll all become clear in the end.

Cool random facts about atoms, gold is gold coloured because its valence electrons have a relativistic velocity (so absorb blue/UV and thus appear gold/yellow) and it's also unreactive for the same reason (faster = heavier, so the inner shell electrons are pulled into towards the nucleus). The only other gold metal is caesium (for the same reason).

Special relativity also explains why mercury is a liquid.

All descriptions of quantum mechanics are really just that – workable descriptions in a similar way to Bohr's atom. Just ask Alice and Bob.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't understand asteroids. I thought they were lumps of rock orbiting the sun, but apparently they can collide with planets. So I probably don't understand meteorites either, as I thought they were lumps of rock zooming around which occasionally crashed into planets.

Asteroids do indeed orbit the sun. Orbits aren't perfect circles though they are ellipses. It's possible for either the elliptical orbit of an asteroid and a planet to intersect at some point in time then you get an asteroid crashing into a planet or the asteroids orbit brings it close enough to a planet for the planets gravity to capture the asteroid and bring it spiralling in. Orbits of small bodies dont remain regular either they get nudged all the time by interaction with larger bodies so sometimes they get nudged into the path of a planet.

Thanks!

[Cudzoziemiec]

I doubt you can get very far into double figures without realising that your understanding of most things is superficial, and that SCIENCE in particular thrives on "turns out that it's a bit more complicated than that".

...But if you can, there may be a place for you as a cabinet minister.

Definitely not just science. The only certainty is uncertainty. Probably.

[essexian]

As part of my plan to rule the World, I was thinking of transport issues and the building of HS4 to the West County and Wales (although after their independence, the new line won’t actually cross the newly rebuilt Offa’s Dike which the Welsh paid for). My plan is to pull down the National Library (after all who needs books anymore) and to build a new station there; selling off Paddington for the building of a people’s fun palace dedicated to me

Which got me thinking of a way to transport people across the massive site which would be the New Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross station, after all it would be far too far to walk given all the riches my rule will bring to the people. My remedy would be rolling roads as described by Isaac Asimov.

While this is a brilliant idea, it took some thinking regarding how on and off ramps would work as there was an issue to be solved concerning transferring from the on ramp onto the normal running lane. I worked out that this would require people to stand on the right of the normal running lane if the road was to run on the left as normal in the UK. 

All of this got me thinking….why do we stand on the right on escalators in London?     

[Jurek]

Most people's dominant hand is the one on the right. Better for holding on to the handrail.

[essexian]

Most people's dominant hand is the one on the right. Better for holding on to the handrail.

Oh.. that seems very likely but I was hoping for something more exciting like being the hand a sword is normally held in so best keep it away from someone who has just pushed in....

[T42]

Most people's dominant hand is the one on the right. Better for holding on to the handrail.

That's how they do it here, so after Brexit BOris will probably change it.

[Beardy]

Which got me thinking of a way to transport people across the massive site which would be the New Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross station, after all it would be far too far to walk given all the riches my rule will bring to the people. My remedy would be rolling roads as described by Isaac Asimov.

Point of order m’lord
I believe it was Heinlein who first posited the rolling roads.

[essexian]

Which got me thinking of a way to transport people across the massive site which would be the New Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross station, after all it would be far too far to walk given all the riches my rule will bring to the people. My remedy would be rolling roads as described by Isaac Asimov.

Point of order m’lord
I believe it was Heinlein who first posited the rolling roads.

You are quite right: in the piece: "Roads must roll." Blimey, it must be 30 years since I last read that!

I guess I was misguided by my recent re-reading of the excellent "Caves of Steel" by the said Asimov. Indeed, if you look at the Wiki picture here you will see such a road... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Caves_of_Steel#/media/File:Galaxy_195310.jpg

[Beardy]

Caves of Steel is indeed an excellent. Ok and the first outing of Elijah Baley if memory serves.

[Kim]

I re-read that series recently.  It's aged better than I expected.

[Zipperhead]

Which got me thinking of a way to transport people across the massive site which would be the New Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross station, after all it would be far too far to walk given all the riches my rule will bring to the people. My remedy would be rolling roads as described by Isaac Asimov.

There was a Never Stop Railway at Wembley in 1925. Don't go falling onto the "track"...

[Basil]

Which got me thinking of a way to transport people across the massive site which would be the New Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross station, after all it would be far too far to walk given all the riches my rule will bring to the people. My remedy would be rolling roads as described by Isaac Asimov.

There was a Never Stop Railway at Wembley in 1925. Don't go falling onto the "track"...

Reminds me of the paternoster lifts at Aston University.
https://youtu.be/Ma4Vnk5Rn8I