I caught the last half hour of a Nova episode on the scientific efforts to reach absolute zero. Being a geek that appreciates the science behind it I found it to be extremely interesting. Beyond the science, it was great to see a program featuring people who are very passionate about what they do. It’s especially refreshing considering that my current job is in the corporate world which has a habit of finding passionate people and crushing their souls, er,  I digress….

Additionally, I was amazed that 83 years ago physicists predicted a change in the quantum state of matter at near absolute zero. Ok, one of the physicists was Albert Einstein. Still we’re talking about people that spend their lives thinking about things that will likely never be seen or produced in a laboratory setting. That’s an amazing thing. Especially to a History major where facts are not the focus of study as much as interpretation.

The show went on to cover how this research can be used in the pursuit of quantum computing. Again, something that might never be fully realized during the researchers lifetimes yet the passion they displayed during the interviews is inspiring.

So to all the physicists and theoretical scientists who live in our world but work in realms undreamed of by most, thank you.

Here’s a little slice from another of my favorite scientific documentaries…

Click here to view the embedded video.

For some unknown reason I recently started thinking about what my at-bat song would be, you know the song that’s played when baseball players come to the plate to hit… or when professional wrestlers (wrasslers?) enter the arena.

As a child of the 80′s I’m partial to the songs of my youth. There’s really only one song that consistently stirs my blood though…

AC DC’s Thunderstruck

It’s a great song that I want to turn up loud everytime I hear it. In a previous life when I was in the Army, it was used as the soundtrack for a feel-good video about the unit I was in. AC DC and Howitzers… how can you go wrong?

So what’s your at-bat song?

Came across this image on the BBC’s website and had to share. I’ve always been fascinated with this kind of art, probably because I have no clue how to do it.

Pavement artist Manfred Stader creates a giant coffee cup in Covent Garden, London.

Other examples of his work can be found on Google Image search