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January 29, 2006
Particle Physics on Ice: Constraints on Neutrino Interactions Far above the Weak Scale
Abstract: Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and neutrinos probe energies far above the weak scale. Their usefulness might appear to be limited by astrophysical uncertainties; however, by simultaneously considering up- and down-going events, one may disentangle particle physics from astrophysics. We show that present data from the AMANDA experiment in the South Pole ice already imply an upper bound on neutrino cross sections at energy scales that will likely never be probed at man-made accelerators. The existing data also place an upper limit on the neutrino flux valid for any neutrino cross section. In the future, similar analyses of IceCube data will constrain neutrino properties and fluxes at the (10%) level.
Comments from PhysOrg.Com explain.
PhysOrg notes that the current detector has registered about a dozen neutrino events.
PhysOrg.Com provides the following description
In recent decades, new theories have developed – such as string theory, extra dimensions and supersymmetry – to bridge the gap between the two most successful theories of the 20th century, general relativity and quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics describes three of the fundamental forces of nature: electromagnetism, strong forces (binding atomic nuclei) and weak forces (seen in radioactivity). It is, however, incompatible with Einstein's general relativity, the leading description of the fourth force, gravity. Scientists hope to find one unified theory to provide a quantum description of all four forces.
Clues to unification, scientists say, lie at extreme energies. On Earth, human-made particle accelerators have already produced energies at which electromagnetic forces and weak forces are indistinguishable. Scientists have ideas about how the next generation of accelerators will reveal that strong forces are indistinguishable from the weak and electromagnetic at yet higher energies. Yet to probe deeper to see gravity's connection to the other three forces, still higher energies are needed.
Anchordoqui and his colleagues say that extragalactic sources can serve as the ultimate cosmic accelerator, and that neutrinos from these sources smacking into protons can release energies in the realm where the first clues to string theory could be revealed.
Neutrinos are elementary particles similar to electrons, but they are far less massive, have neutral charge, and hardly interact with matter. They are among the most abundant particles in the universe; untold billions pass through our bodies every second. Most of the neutrinos reaching Earth are lower-energy particles from the sun.
Source: South Pole Neutrino Detector Could Yield Evidences of String Theory, Physics : January 26, 2006. http://physorg.com/news10295.html
Original article: Particle Physics on Ice: Constraints on Neutrino Interactions Far above the Weak Scale
Luis A. Anchordoqui,(1) Jonathan L. Feng,(2) and Haim Goldberg(1)
(1) Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
(2) Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
Physics Letters, January 20, 2006.
URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v96/e021101
Posted by sjc at 6:39 AM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2006
Robots for hire
People Staff, of Nagoya, has announced two robot staff members - a receptionist "Hello Kitty" robot (left), and a care-giving "Yori-soi Ifbot" (right). Initially the robots are "hired" as temporary staff, with the option of promoting them to full-time employees. ("Yori-soi" means "to snuggle up to".)
For just under 50,000 yen a month, a fraction of the cost of a human temp, the PeopleStaff agency will despatch Hello Kitty Robo, a robotic receptionist capable of sensing a visitor's presence, greeting him or her and holding simple conversations approximating those of a 5-year old. A human employee would earn 300,000 yen a month.
The elder-care robot is programmed to keep the aged healthy and their minds active, and as a result has a large repertoire of songs, quizzes, basic conversations, and old news stories.
Sources:
akibalive, 2004. The Yori-soi ifbot, Posted November 29, 2004, at 5:22 PM. http://www.akibalive.com/archives/000582.html. The manufacturer of the Yori-soi ifbot is identified as Dream Supply (Japan), a partnership of Business Design and Futaba Industries.
engadget, 2004. The elderly have a friend in ifBot, Posted Dec 2nd 2004 11:00AM by Susan Mernit.
http://www.engadget.com/2004/12/02/the-elderly-have-a-friend-in-ifbot/
homeupgrade, 2004. Snuggling Ifbot - The Elderly Companion Bot, Posted December 02, 2004 by Alexander Grundner. http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/387/snuggling_ifbot_the
Posted by sjc at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
Sony discontinues Aibo, Qrio
Akihabara News spotted a Sony earnings report press release containing the following announcement under the heading Restoring Profitability in Specific Business Categories:
Entertainment Robot
New product development for AIBO has already ceased and production is targeted to stop byy the end of fiscal year 2005. However, after-sales support will continue. There will also beno newd development for QRIO. R&D in the AI area which was developed in the AIBO and QRIO businesses will continue and will be deployed in a broad range of consumer electronics products.
3Yen.Com (who's site furnished the image above), provides a link to a pdf of the report as well as to an analysis by Business Week Magazine How Turned Around Is Sony? (Kenji Hall, Business Week Online, January 25, 2006).
Posted by sjc at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2006
Cow A is not Cow B
Reuters has been following an interesting story from the west. A cow, a heifer named Molly, headed for Mickey's Packing Plant in Great Falls, Montana, jumped the fence, broke out of the gate, ran away, swam across the Missouri River, and is seeking asylum. (When good things happen to good cows, Reuters, January 11, 2005, [click])
The article includes a photograph of a cow dated September 9, 2005. Though this is a nice cow, in fact a pretty cow, it's a Vermont Cow, not an Montana cow. When S.I. Hayakawa (Language in Thought and Action, 1955) observed that "Cow A is not Cow B", it was taken as a weakness of human language; I doubt he intended it to serve as a rule of journalistic practice.
Note added as proof. A similar use of generic photographs to illustrate an article appears in the story about a high school student in Missouri who was barred from a school dance for wearing a kilt, hence "violating a dress code." Folks of Scottish heritage voiced objections, and the school board apologized. Kilt-wearing boy wins apology, Reuters, Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:16 AM ET164. URl
Posted by sjc at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
January 7, 2006
Ambient Findability
Ambient Findability : What We Find Changes Who We Become", Peter Morrville, O'Reilly, Sebastapol, 2005.
From the cover: "How do you find your way in an age of information overload? How can you filter streams of complex information to pull out only what you want? Why does it matter how information is structured when Google seems to magically bring up the right answer to your questions?"
From Amazon description: " The book's central thesis is that information literacy, information architecture, and usability are all critical components of this new world order. Hand in hand with that is the contention that only by planning and designing the best possible software, devices, and Internet, will we be able to maintain this connectivity in the future."
Peter Morville's easily findable findability.org is his blog follow-up on this book and his earlier one on Information Architecture
Posted by sjc at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)