PhysicsFM Forums

Physics Frontiers 24: The Island of Stability
Have we discovered all of the possible stable atoms in world? How sure are we of that? Randy introduces Jim to the Island of Stability, a theoretically predicted region of isotopes whose half lives should allow physicists enough time to experiment with them, and possibly even store them for later use.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ility.html

Physics Frontiers 23: Dark Energy
Why is the universe not just expanding, but accelerating in that expansion? What physical options are there in modeling that expansion? Randy and Jim discuss some of the possibilities.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... nergy.html

Physics Frontiers 22: Weyl and Quasiparticles
Does every possible elementary particle exist? If not, can their analogues exist in materials. Jim and Randy discuss recent discoveries of quasiparticle analogues to elementary particles that exist in materials due to the effects of band structure on possible excitations of the materials.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... icles.html

Physics Frontiers 21: The Origin of Inertia
Why do objects in motion stay move in a straight line? Why is some interaction necessary to move them to another reference frame? Randy tells Jim about a proposal that uses Mach's Principle as the basis for understanding the Origin of Inertia.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ertia.html

Physics Frontiers 20: Time Crystals
If space is like time and time is like space, then why aren't there stable periodic structures in time? Frank Wilczek couldn't see any good reason why not. Can you?

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... stals.html

Physics Frontiers 18: The 2T Physics of Itzhak Bars
What happens if four dimensions aren't enough? Jim and Randy discuss the implications of a phase space symmetry proposed by Itzhak Bars of the University of Southern California that requires an additional layer of space and time.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... -bars.html

Physics Frontiers 17: The Physics of Time Travel
What does relativity really tell us about time? In this episode Randy and Jim try to get their heads around it by looking at how Kurt Goedel broke time by showing that closed timelike curves exist in viable solutions of Einstein's field equations.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ravel.html

Physics Frontiers 16: Stochasitc Resonance Energy Harvesting
How can external vibrations and noise be used to do useful work in devices? Jim and Randy discuss energy harvesting with stochastic resonance.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... sting.html

Physics Frontiers 15: Five Proven Methods of Levitation
How is it possible for an object to float above the ground? Randy and Jim discuss five ways that physicists use to levitate obejcts: DC magnetic levitation, Lenz' law, acoustic levitation, optical traps, and the thermophoresis.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ation.html

Physics Frontiers 14: Stochastic Electrodynamics
Is the entire cosmos awash in a sea of energy? Jim and Randy talk about the implications of a sea of quantum particles permeating the universe.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... amics.html

Physics Frontiers 13: Exotic Photon Trajectories in Quantum Mechanics
Everyone knows that light travels in a straight line. Randy and Jim discussthe implications of the observation of the trajectories of photons in a triple slit experiment where some particles of light travel through all three slits successively, making an S-shape.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... antum.html

Physics Frontiers 12: A Gravitational Arrow of Time
What causes the asymmetry of time? What is the difference between East-West and Future-Past? Jim and Randy discuss a theory that purports to find the answer in gravitational physics.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... -time.html

Physics Frontiers 11: Photonic Molecules and Optical Circuits
Can two photons orbit each other? Randy and Jim discuss observations of photonic molecules in ultracold gasses.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... cuits.html

Physics Frontiers 10: Requirements for Gravitational Theories
If you try to modify general relativity, how do you know if your theory is a viable one? Randy and Jim discuss the experiments that your theory has to explain.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ories.html

Physics Frontiers 9: f(R) Theories of Gravity
How can we explain the acceleration of the universe without posting an invisible, negative energy? Jim and Randy discuss a class of theories that modify the gravitational action to mimic these effects.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... avity.html

Physics Frontiers 8: Vacuum Fluctuations and the Casimir Effect
What causes the attraction of two neutral objects to each other? Jim and Randy discuss materials explanations for the Casimir Effect and van der Waals forces.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ffect.html

Physics Frontiers 7: Virtual Gravitational Dipoles
What sort of things would happen if there were a negative gravitational mass? Jim and Randy discuss the implications of the formation of virtual gravitational dipoles.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... poles.html

Physics Frontiers 6: General Relativity for the Experimentalist
How can general relativity be used on Earth? Randy and Jim discuss the ideas of engineer and science fiction author Robert L. Forward.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... orite.html

Physics Frontiers 5: Pilot Wave Hydrodynamics
Can a quantum system be simulated by macroscopic objects? Jim and Randy discuss a classical system that can reproduce the results of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, with possible implications for the interpretation of the quantum world.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... amics.html

Physics Frontiers 4: Phononics
How can sound be used to process information? Randy and Jim discuss the emerging field of phononics.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... onics.html

Physics Frontiers 3: Gravitoelectromagnetism
With the formal similarity between electrostatics and universal gravitation, are there analogous magnetic effects? Jim and Randy discuss the implications of a gravitomagnetic field.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... etism.html

Physics Frontiers 2: The de Broglie-Bohm Pilot Wave Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
Are we limited to saying nothing about a quantum system between its preparation and its measurement? Jim and Randy discuss proof-of-concept theories by Louis de Broglie and David Bohm that say not.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... -wave.html

Physics Frontiers 1: The Gravitational 4-Vector Formulation of Gravity
Does relativistic gravitation need to be a tensor-based theory? Randy and Jim discuss Carver Mead's 4-vector formulation of gravity.

http://physicsfm-frontiers.blogspot.com ... ation.html