Student Forever
@agelessstudent.bsky.social
Retired. Now back to my first passion that led me to PhD in physics. Never stop learning, my friends!
Pinned
A year ago, retired as “tech fellow” after moderately successful career in software, I humbled myself to study, to fill in the gaps left over when I got my PhD long ago. More intense that grad school was and the most fun I’ve ever had.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
I sometimes advocate good policy on the basis that it is good policy driven by good data, and criticize bad policy when it is obviously bad or not founded on data.
It is surprising how many people think that this is political.
It is surprising how many people think that this is political.
January 20, 2026 at 2:04 AM
I sometimes advocate good policy on the basis that it is good policy driven by good data, and criticize bad policy when it is obviously bad or not founded on data.
It is surprising how many people think that this is political.
It is surprising how many people think that this is political.
I got blocked by an anti string theory crackpot. Mark of distinction!
January 16, 2026 at 1:15 PM
I got blocked by an anti string theory crackpot. Mark of distinction!
The existential crisis that the human race faces today is whether or not we survive Covid-19. Then it’s whether the human race survives climate change in 2050-2100. Third is avoiding global nuclear war. A distant fourth is all that suicidal woke crap, and bizarre support of terrorist ideologies.
January 13, 2026 at 5:53 AM
The existential crisis that the human race faces today is whether or not we survive Covid-19. Then it’s whether the human race survives climate change in 2050-2100. Third is avoiding global nuclear war. A distant fourth is all that suicidal woke crap, and bizarre support of terrorist ideologies.
Have you ever noticed that when Covid deniers get into positions of responsibility their inability or unwillingness to process factual information never improves, even in matters of life and death?
January 11, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Have you ever noticed that when Covid deniers get into positions of responsibility their inability or unwillingness to process factual information never improves, even in matters of life and death?
The worst flu outbreak in 30 years, deadliest measles outbreak in decades, superbug fungus spreading, a huge COVID spike in the most contagious variant ever, and our leaders are talking food pyramid.
January 9, 2026 at 12:54 AM
The worst flu outbreak in 30 years, deadliest measles outbreak in decades, superbug fungus spreading, a huge COVID spike in the most contagious variant ever, and our leaders are talking food pyramid.
To anyone with scientific training the one unforgivable sin is intellectual and scientific dishonesty. It is not political. I condemn it regardless of politics. But when it is done systematically by those in position of power, misleading people on health care, it should be universally condemned.
January 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM
To anyone with scientific training the one unforgivable sin is intellectual and scientific dishonesty. It is not political. I condemn it regardless of politics. But when it is done systematically by those in position of power, misleading people on health care, it should be universally condemned.
Just for fun, Intensity I for radiation of frequency ν in direction ω obeys:
d𝐼 /ds =-κρ𝐼 + κρ 𝒥
𝒥 = ∫ p(ω,ω')𝐼(ω') dω'/4π
Solve for I with the right boundary conditions and you get the greenhouse effect in a scattering atmosphere.
d𝐼 /ds =-κρ𝐼 + κρ 𝒥
𝒥 = ∫ p(ω,ω')𝐼(ω') dω'/4π
Solve for I with the right boundary conditions and you get the greenhouse effect in a scattering atmosphere.
December 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Just for fun, Intensity I for radiation of frequency ν in direction ω obeys:
d𝐼 /ds =-κρ𝐼 + κρ 𝒥
𝒥 = ∫ p(ω,ω')𝐼(ω') dω'/4π
Solve for I with the right boundary conditions and you get the greenhouse effect in a scattering atmosphere.
d𝐼 /ds =-κρ𝐼 + κρ 𝒥
𝒥 = ∫ p(ω,ω')𝐼(ω') dω'/4π
Solve for I with the right boundary conditions and you get the greenhouse effect in a scattering atmosphere.
Why the interest in AdS/CFT duality? Heard this in a class:
In GR local energy is not well-defined. But if the spacetime far away from matter is AdS and we DO have a conserved energy.
That means a Hamiltonian - and a possible QM.
GR in bulk, QM on boundary. Hm, perhaps it is a duality...
In GR local energy is not well-defined. But if the spacetime far away from matter is AdS and we DO have a conserved energy.
That means a Hamiltonian - and a possible QM.
GR in bulk, QM on boundary. Hm, perhaps it is a duality...
November 4, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Why the interest in AdS/CFT duality? Heard this in a class:
In GR local energy is not well-defined. But if the spacetime far away from matter is AdS and we DO have a conserved energy.
That means a Hamiltonian - and a possible QM.
GR in bulk, QM on boundary. Hm, perhaps it is a duality...
In GR local energy is not well-defined. But if the spacetime far away from matter is AdS and we DO have a conserved energy.
That means a Hamiltonian - and a possible QM.
GR in bulk, QM on boundary. Hm, perhaps it is a duality...
I was doom-scrolling X this morning: it seems that MAGA has decided that Terrence Tao is an idiot, because he worries that he might have to leave the US due to funding issues.
I’m starting to worry myself, but about the future of this nation.
I’m starting to worry myself, but about the future of this nation.
November 1, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I was doom-scrolling X this morning: it seems that MAGA has decided that Terrence Tao is an idiot, because he worries that he might have to leave the US due to funding issues.
I’m starting to worry myself, but about the future of this nation.
I’m starting to worry myself, but about the future of this nation.
A year ago, retired as “tech fellow” after moderately successful career in software, I humbled myself to study, to fill in the gaps left over when I got my PhD long ago. More intense that grad school was and the most fun I’ve ever had.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
October 22, 2025 at 10:06 PM
A year ago, retired as “tech fellow” after moderately successful career in software, I humbled myself to study, to fill in the gaps left over when I got my PhD long ago. More intense that grad school was and the most fun I’ve ever had.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
The journey is beautiful no matter where you are in life.
Another math koan. Left hand side, purely classical probability vector. Right hand side, an inner product of purely quantum quantities: measurement operator μ and density operator ρ
How can this fundamental theorem of quantum information be so simple and yet so subtle?
How can this fundamental theorem of quantum information be so simple and yet so subtle?
October 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Another math koan. Left hand side, purely classical probability vector. Right hand side, an inner product of purely quantum quantities: measurement operator μ and density operator ρ
How can this fundamental theorem of quantum information be so simple and yet so subtle?
How can this fundamental theorem of quantum information be so simple and yet so subtle?
Got my Covid booster today. I’m feeling stronger already.
October 8, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Got my Covid booster today. I’m feeling stronger already.
Has anybody noticed that MAGA has become unbelievably hateful even to apolitical scientist-types like me?
September 26, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Has anybody noticed that MAGA has become unbelievably hateful even to apolitical scientist-types like me?
If you are looking for a nice online intro into general relativity, this one is good.
ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-96...
ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-96...
General Relativity | Physics | MIT OpenCourseWare
8.962 is MIT's graduate course in general relativity, which covers the basic principles of Einstein's general theory of relativity, differential geometry, experimental tests of general relativity, bla...
ocw.mit.edu
May 30, 2025 at 1:41 PM
If you are looking for a nice online intro into general relativity, this one is good.
ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-96...
ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-96...
The universe would make a lot more sense if they confirmed the existence of RR charge. I’m not holding my breath but if it’s out there eventually somebody will figure out a way of detecting it.
May 14, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The universe would make a lot more sense if they confirmed the existence of RR charge. I’m not holding my breath but if it’s out there eventually somebody will figure out a way of detecting it.
Today I checked off a major life bucket-list item. Not a much of an accomplishment and it took ten months. Just a deeper dive into a topic that had not satisfied me in grad school. But satisfying to come back to finish it, even 26 years later.
Sometimes are worth doing just because you want to!
Sometimes are worth doing just because you want to!
May 11, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Today I checked off a major life bucket-list item. Not a much of an accomplishment and it took ten months. Just a deeper dive into a topic that had not satisfied me in grad school. But satisfying to come back to finish it, even 26 years later.
Sometimes are worth doing just because you want to!
Sometimes are worth doing just because you want to!
All vaccines are tested with placebo before being approved by the FDA. Just go to clinicaltrials.gov and see for yourself.
Here is Moderna Covid vaccine:
clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT044...
Here is Moderna Covid vaccine:
clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT044...
ClinicalTrials.gov
clinicaltrials.gov
May 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM
All vaccines are tested with placebo before being approved by the FDA. Just go to clinicaltrials.gov and see for yourself.
Here is Moderna Covid vaccine:
clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT044...
Here is Moderna Covid vaccine:
clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT044...
A physics question. True or false: a functional of quantum fields is the Schroedinger representation of a state.
April 12, 2025 at 1:52 PM
A physics question. True or false: a functional of quantum fields is the Schroedinger representation of a state.
When I took my first physics class in 1978, after test review Dr Lloyd was fond of saying “You could write all the theory on a post card home and still have room to ask your folks for money.”
He was right. That’s still what I love about physics.
Is there any other field where this is true?
He was right. That’s still what I love about physics.
Is there any other field where this is true?
March 17, 2025 at 2:49 AM
When I took my first physics class in 1978, after test review Dr Lloyd was fond of saying “You could write all the theory on a post card home and still have room to ask your folks for money.”
He was right. That’s still what I love about physics.
Is there any other field where this is true?
He was right. That’s still what I love about physics.
Is there any other field where this is true?
Watching the anti-science faction taking over HHS I’m reminded of this:
“How long will you clueless people love your naïveté, mockers hold their mocking dear, and fools hate knowledge?”
— Proverbs 1:22
What can we do? All I can see is to be the voice of reason and hope some of it sticks.
“How long will you clueless people love your naïveté, mockers hold their mocking dear, and fools hate knowledge?”
— Proverbs 1:22
What can we do? All I can see is to be the voice of reason and hope some of it sticks.
March 14, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Watching the anti-science faction taking over HHS I’m reminded of this:
“How long will you clueless people love your naïveté, mockers hold their mocking dear, and fools hate knowledge?”
— Proverbs 1:22
What can we do? All I can see is to be the voice of reason and hope some of it sticks.
“How long will you clueless people love your naïveté, mockers hold their mocking dear, and fools hate knowledge?”
— Proverbs 1:22
What can we do? All I can see is to be the voice of reason and hope some of it sticks.
Just to take my mind of off the stock market crash, here is my entry for the weirdest way to write a second order ordinary differential equation:
March 11, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Just to take my mind of off the stock market crash, here is my entry for the weirdest way to write a second order ordinary differential equation:
I know everybody is freaking out about politics right now and understand why, but physics geeks freak out about other things.
Wanna freak out a phys grad student? Ask about Grassman numbers and Berezin integrals and why can you use them in path integrals. Then suggest to him he’s overthinking it.
Wanna freak out a phys grad student? Ask about Grassman numbers and Berezin integrals and why can you use them in path integrals. Then suggest to him he’s overthinking it.
January 20, 2025 at 12:06 AM
I know everybody is freaking out about politics right now and understand why, but physics geeks freak out about other things.
Wanna freak out a phys grad student? Ask about Grassman numbers and Berezin integrals and why can you use them in path integrals. Then suggest to him he’s overthinking it.
Wanna freak out a phys grad student? Ask about Grassman numbers and Berezin integrals and why can you use them in path integrals. Then suggest to him he’s overthinking it.
A physics riddle. What do you have to fix because it ISN’T broken?
January 14, 2025 at 4:27 PM
A physics riddle. What do you have to fix because it ISN’T broken?
“It is essential that the scientific community — and the public at large — support leaders who pledge to embrace evidence based decision making in science and public health” — Anthony Fauci.
Folks this is an objective fitness test for office. We should insist on it!
Folks this is an objective fitness test for office. We should insist on it!
January 7, 2025 at 2:34 PM
“It is essential that the scientific community — and the public at large — support leaders who pledge to embrace evidence based decision making in science and public health” — Anthony Fauci.
Folks this is an objective fitness test for office. We should insist on it!
Folks this is an objective fitness test for office. We should insist on it!
Someday I really want to understand string theory. Today I was trying to grok ch. 10 of Polchinski but I just could not concentrate. Turns out it was only because my blood pressure was really high like 206/112. What a relief!
January 7, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Someday I really want to understand string theory. Today I was trying to grok ch. 10 of Polchinski but I just could not concentrate. Turns out it was only because my blood pressure was really high like 206/112. What a relief!