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| Tubicle... |
So, it felt all the nicer to find another permission request for usage of one of my images (the one to the left) in my e-mail inbox. It turns out, the Editorial assistant at Routledge Francis & Taylor Group, in particular the philosophy section of the publishing house, is asking permission to use this image as cover illustration for an upcoming book. AND - they are offering compensation. So... this is nice and I don't see any reason to decline that.
On a different note, I was most impressed with the cover story in Spiegel 27/2008, titled s.th. like "The Initial Moment" (rough translation of the German title "Die Sekunde Null") and reporting on the Atlas at CERN, an experiment and part of what is going to be the fastest and biggest particle accelerator of all time, the Large Hadron Collider at Cern. It will do no less than emulate the beginning of the universe and emulate conditions at the "time" of the Big Bang. Initiation of the project is being met with much criticism, as scientists basically can't really say, what's going to happen as soon as they have reached the full amount and speed of particles needed to induce 'controlled' clashes of particles, which then will produce an amount of energy that is likely to produce effects and other particles, which are known as the missing links of the most popular universe theories so far. To put it simply: The collective of no less than 2,700 scientists at CERN create the required conditions and "ingredients" for an event, which they hope to come as close as possible to the real Big Bang. B.t.w. - have I mentioned that CERN invented the World Wide Web, the very same media many of us are using on a near daily basis? But this experiment is so gigantic, so unpredictable in its outcomes and their effects on all universe theories that even the team and board members as well as celebrity bystanders can't help to be in awe (or so says the article).
To me, this means that many ideas being presented in Stanislav Lem's science fiction books, which I loved reading at age 16 and then passionately discussing with my physics teacher, are on the verge of becoming a part of our reality - or will they redefine that very reality by allowing us a true and unmistakable look all the way down the rabbithole? I wish I could be a part of the that experiment or at least be there, when they initiate the project...
Miz J. [ˈmiz ˈjā fə-ˈtä-grə-fē] pro says:
About the Big Bang simulation, I find it crazy we're now able to try and recreate somethig we 'think' happened! See where curiosity leads men? Amazing... In a very utopic way, I wish they'd find a way to create a time machine. On a very humanistic way, I wish they'd find a way to cure aids and cancer and other mortal diseases or a way to feed people...
Very interesting post, danke Werner!
renovatio06 pro replies:
About the Atlas experiment: In a way, it is sort of a time machine - not for humans to travel in general, but for us to discover what's happened until now. As to the cure: I tend to agree, but on the other hand, we mustn't forget that on average our human lives are longer than ever in history, given better sanitary conditions (at least in the so-called 1st world countries) and lots of existing cures. If we remembered to respect nature and live in harmony with our natural environment, I believe we'd see a lot less mortal diseases than we do now.
And again, about the experiment: I am sometimes divided over curiosity and progress vs. conservative behaviour... , but couldn't help to be extremely excited over this upcoming launch of Atlas and the story behind it. Thanks for dropping in, reading and commenting!
Miz J. [ˈmiz ˈjā fə-ˈtä-grə-fē] pro replies:
I see your point Werner ;-)
Totally agree with you on the progress already made in health and nutrition... but deady diseases and hunger should be th first priority somehow, don't you hink? Not that this is unnecessary, just that sometimes you think of the millions/billions invested and you think to yourself that the money could have been used for ugrent purposes... But I like that there are people trying crazy stuff like that in the world. Without them some helpful discoveries wouldn't have been made!
Nothing to thank me for ;-)