Andrew Jaffe: Leaves on the Line

I realize that I haven’t posted in nearly two weeks. Between marking exams, gardening, attempting to solve differential equations and calculate integrals with several hundred terms, inspiration has been lacking. Here are some things I may yet get to:

• The book launch for Universe or Multiverse, edited by QMW Cosmologist Bernard Carr. Entertaining, for sure, worth talking about in the pub. Beyond that, I have yet to reach the requisite eminence grise status to be allowed to talk about this sort of thing. (Although I am allowed to comment…) It was sponsored by the Templeton Foundation, whom I find slightly creepy, mostly since they’re a bit too careful to not mention their, erm, spiritual side when in a room full of sceptical scientists.
• For some reason, my brain makes a link between the issues surrounding the multiverse, and the fight being on the right wing (at least in America) between neo-social-Darwinists and anti-evolution fundamentalists believe that their biblical beliefs can’t be reconciled with any sort of evolution.
• The fantastic appearance by The Hold Steady on Later with Jules Holland.
• The really big supernova — the explosion of a star the mass of 120 suns — that’s recently been observed.