misciwriterseditors blog, Physics

String Theory: Worth the Wait or Just Stringing Us Along? (Part 2)

Author: Molly Kozminsky

Editors: Theresa Mau, Jimmy Brancho, and Alisha John

In my previous post, I discussed what string theory is, how it has not been experimentally verified, and how the existence of Higgs boson was proved fifty years after it was first proposed. In this post, I will continue to discuss the lengthy process of validating the theory of gravitational waves and where we stand with string theory research.

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misciwriterseditors blog, Physics

String Theory: Worth the Wait or Just Stringing Us Along? (Part 1)

Author: Molly Kozminsky

Editors: Theresa Mau, Jimmy Brancho, and Alisha John

July 2016 was all about taking potshots at string theorists. First, Bryan Moyers pointed out that people questioned if their field is really science. Then they showed up in the Ghostbusters reboot as the villains.

But what is it about string theory that inspires such vitriol? String theory suffers from a number of problems that inspire strong feelings and entire books. Over forty years of research have passed without yielding the promised “Theory of Everything,” with many scientists questioning whether it is even possible to confirm the theory. But before we write off string theory entirely, it might help to think about other long-shot theories such as the Higgs boson and gravity waves, and more generally about string theory itself.

So, what is string theory anyway?

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misciwriters science behind the scenes, Science communication

Communicated, not classified: The importance of collaboration in science (Science behind-the-scenes)

By Molly Kozminsky

Close your eyes and picture a scientist. What do you see?

In 1983, David Wade Chambers published results from a study conducted on 4,807 children as they progressed from kindergarten through fifth grade in the United States and Canada. The test? To draw a scientist. In what must rank as one of the most adorable research experiences ever, the drawings were scored for seven indicators of a “standard image of a scientist:”

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misciwriters Physics

“Thinking fluids” and the science of studying crowds

By Molly Kozminsky

Although we have to wait until December 18 for the next Star Wars movie, some characters have already made an appearance in our lives as toys. Eager fans lined up for the release of the new toys at midnight on Force Friday, September 4, giving retailers a taste of the Black Friday crowds to come. So how should stores prepare for the upcoming sea of shoppers craving Star Wars swag?

Holiday shoppers on the warpath
Image credit

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