Do we really need to assume Gravity is a quantum phenomenon?

 For many decades, the assumption in physics has been that all the forces, including gravity, must be quantized - that is, we must look and find the quantum theory for gravity. And that the key to the "theory of everything" rests on that great discovery waiting to happen. 

But decades of work by the top theoretical and mathematical minds of multiple generations have not resulted in any testable theories. A good question to ask is: does gravity have to be quantized? Maybe, just maybe, gravity in this universe is 'classical' and continuous, and really just the result of warps in spacetime as Einstein proposed in general relativity! Some physicists are asking just that type of question, and developing theories based on gravity being classical with the others - electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces - follow quantum field theories. Maybe, just maybe, this is the reason gravity is SO different from the others and so difficult to link into the Standard Model. I am really interested in seeing how this evolves, and may very well create testable experiments in the near future...something that has not happened yet for quantum models of gravity. In the end, experimental results will determine how things really work. 

Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to Harvard professor, for pay differences for women

 The last Nobel, for economics, was awarded today to Claudia Goldin, a Harvard professor, for her groundbreaking work in understanding the historical reasons and consequences of the gender gap in payment for work. She went through a study of 200 years of data to understand how women's roles in the labor market have evolved, and the reasons why they evolved the way they did. To this day, this is a topic of much debate and political and economic activity, as record numbers of women are becoming educated and are working on careers. 

This is also historic, since Dr. Goldin is just the 3rd woman to win the Nobel in economics. 

Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Quantum Dot discovery

 Three scientists are sharing the Nobel in Chemistry for their discovery and applications of quantum dots. 

Moungi Bawendi (MIT), Louis Brus (Columbia U), and Alexei Ekimov (industry, NY), discovered these tiny bits of matter in their nanotechnology work. When materials shrink in size, at some point the laws and weirdness of quantum mechanics take over. Quantum dots are nanomaterials that are so small, this happens - effectively they are the smallest particles in nanoscience. 

Researchers and doctors use these for everything from television images on flat screens to LED lighting to surgeons using them to help remove tumors. 

Nobel Prize in Physics for attosecond laser pulses - and only 5th woman to win a Physics Nobel!

 Here's a metric unit one does not see very often - atto. This is one quintillionth (10^-18)! Three physicists figured out how to create attosecond pulses of light in order to study and measure electron activity and processes. It revolutionized how scientists can view and measure the shortest processes one can imagine, and that occur in the quantum realm on a regular basis. 

The winners are Pierre Agostini (French, at Ohio State), Ferenc Krausz (Hungarian), and Anne L'Huillier (French). This is historic, as well, since Dr. L'Huillier is only the 5th woman to ever win a Nobel for Physics...in 117 years! The technique of creating attosecond laser pulses opened a new type of physics and can be used to observe and measure chemical reactions, molecular and atomic processes in new ways.

Nobel Prize in Medicine & Physiology, 2023

 The Nobel Prize was jointly awarded to a Hungarian-American and an American for their work in developing messenger RNA vaccines. Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman will share the Prize for their groundbreaking work that was used to develop the COVID-19 vaccines, which have been credited for saving millions of lives the past 3 years. Both are professors at the University of Pennsylvania, and will split the nearly $1 million prize. 

If you have any sort of high-speed camera for video, USE IT IN RESEARCH! Example of Rupert's Drop

 Here is a fascinating video about Rupert's Drop, a really interesting piece of glass with a certain shape attained when molten glass is cooled rapidly in cold water. The structure and strength is amazing, but even more curious is how it EXPLODES - not break or shatter, but truly explodes in fine pieces of glass! 

The thing to take away from it as far as research is concerned, is how valuable high-speed photography and video can be for watching details of time evolution of a given system and interaction or event! If you have high-speed video capabilities at any level, please consider using that technology in research projects. If you have a project where something is changing, try to capture it with video for analysis purposes! Many cameras now have speeds of 120 fps, 240 fps, 480 fps, and even 1000 fps (with reduced resolution the faster it gets), where the cost is within the $400 or so range...something that might be affordable within a science department budget. Give it a try if possible! Most schools or individuals won't be able to afford the camera being used in this video, but the gist holds true.

Increasing diversity in STEM professions

 When one sees photos or pictures of the scientists who made discoveries years ago, they are overwhelmingly white men. Many believe this is still the case among professional STEM workers, but consider that things have been changing over the past ten years in particular. Here are some links to show how STEM is becoming more diverse - slowly at times, but many feel this is a really positive step! 

500 Queer Scientists (https://500queerscientists.com/) 

500 Women Scientists (https://500womenscientists.org/)

1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America (https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/1000-inspiring-black-scientists-in-america)

100 inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientists in America (https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/100-inspiring-hispanic-latinx-scientists-in-america)