Author: John Healy

You can call me Ray Gamma photons – formerly known as rays – the extreme EM spectrum
Diagram · Language · Problem

Gamma photons – formerly known as rays – the extreme EM spectrum

John Healy

Table of contents IntroductionAbout gamma photonsSolar gamma photons INTRODUCTION Rays, radiation, particles, waves, fields … what’s in a name, eh? There’s a history [1], an evolution of discovery and understanding. So that sometimes a “particle” by another name is something more interesting [2]. While quantum field theory (QFT) has penetrated the way many physicists think… Continue reading Gamma photons – formerly known as rays – the extreme EM spectrum

Diagram · General · Language · Problem

How early did disk galaxies emerge?

John Healy

The universe’s expansion history is one thing; but then there’s its structural evolution. In particular, how early did well-formed galaxies emerge? • Space.com > “Galaxies in early universe were surprisingly diverse, James Webb Space Telescope finds” by Andrew Jones (Jan 16, 2023) – high-redshift galaxies (galaxies as they were around 11 to 13 billion years… Continue reading How early did disk galaxies emerge?

Book · Language · Problem

Unitarity forever? – in an expanding universe

John Healy

[“Quantum foundations” series] I encountered a Wired reprint of a Quanta Magazine article which I’d flagged awhile ago; so, it’s time to write a new post. While reconciling Quantum Theory and General Relativity is an ongoing topic, I found this Quanta Magazine article interesting for its discussion of unitarity and Hilbert space. Although based on… Continue reading Unitarity forever? – in an expanding universe

General · Language · Media

Quarks – extremely inseparable

John Healy

[“Quantum foundations” series] As noted in my post “Proton Soup,” a quark – another so-called elementary point particle – is typically discussed in the context of an atomic composite particle’s roiling quark-gluon dynamic [1] – rather than in a solitary state. Stable matter depends on stable protons, a quantum “soup” held together by quantum chromodynamics… Continue reading Quarks – extremely inseparable

Pillars of Creation – JWST JWST’s Pillars of Creation – a star hatchery
General · Media · Photo

JWST’s Pillars of Creation – a star hatchery

John Healy1 Comment

A portrait of creative chaos, yet so zen – at least from 6,500 light-years away 😉 • NASA > APOD > Pillars of Creation (2022 October 20) Explanation: A now famous picture from the Hubble Space Telescope featured these star forming columns of cold gas and dust light-years long inside M16, the Eagle Nebula, dubbed… Continue reading JWST’s Pillars of Creation – a star hatchery

2022 Nobel Prize – ‘spooky action’ pioneers
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2022 Nobel Prize – ‘spooky action’ pioneers

John Healy2 Comments

[Draft] [“Quantum foundations” series] [“What’s changed in the last ~50 years” series] TABLE OF CONTENTS The buzz Proving that quantum entanglement is real Media articles Takeaways Notes Related posts THE BUZZ Much buzz on Tuesday October 4, 2022, as media marked the 2022 Nobel Prize in physics. So many articles – a hopeful indication regarding… Continue reading 2022 Nobel Prize – ‘spooky action’ pioneers

RIP ‘Big Bang’ singularity?
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RIP ‘Big Bang’ singularity?

John Healy

[“What’s changed in the last 50 years” series] As noted in my January 17, 2019, post “Cosmological fact and fiction,” the Big Bang theory poses questions on “whether terms like ‘origin’ or ‘creation’ even apply; and the limits of language to even discuss the topic.” [1] So, perhaps a rethink was overdue on the topic,… Continue reading RIP ‘Big Bang’ singularity?

Chart QFT – fields and wave packets
Diagram · General · Language · Media

QFT – fields and wave packets

John Healy1 Comment

[“Quantum foundations” series] TABLE OF CONTENTS Quantum field theory (QFT) landscape Is QFT incomplete? Light speed sans mass The math of fields Excitations in cosmic microwave background Questions Visualizing wave packets QUANTUM FIELD THEORY (QFT) LANDSCAPE Some recent articles prompted me to further explore (revisit once again, eh) some key features of quantum field theory… Continue reading QFT – fields and wave packets