With an interest in physics and cosmology for all that time, and now on the verge of retirement, I am independently pursing the study of astrophysics and cosmology. Cosmic Variance has provided valuable information in this pursuit.

Comic Variance allows me to surprise the snooty physics grad students with my knowledge of the “latest” in their fields.

Of course this leaves them lasting psychological scars from which they never recover.(how come *she* knew that before *I* did?) but then life is never fair is it?

Just kidding! I love this blog. I just wish there was something like this for cell biology!

Found this blog-post today, so that tells you how often I really have a look.

By the time I read a post, everything I’d like to comment has usually already been said — and usually better then I could’ve done it. So I lurk, nod my head (or shake it as matters may be) and read on.

In a Sturgeon’ian universe, CV is definitely in the ten percent.

But then not all discussions are heavy duty physics, and perhaps a few posts by amateurs leavens the mix and even encourages more reticent professionals to put in their oar in who might otherwise stay silent, provided we amateurs know our place and have the good manners not to try and hog the limelight (which alas not all do!)

I’m a mechanical engineer who works in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and artist (painter) who reads the posts in this blog quite often. I’ve always been a fan of science in general and physics in particular. I try to learn about it my spare time, which is not much lately due to the fact that I have a 1-year old daughter. I come from South America, live in NJ and work in NYC. Politically my ideas are closer to Libertarian Socialism, so unlike ‘incog the Great” I tend to find the political discussions and endorsements here not very useful and a little naive. The science posts, on the other hand, are brilliant, and this site usually provides me with plenty of food for thought. I read your textbook on General Relativity in the process of teaching myself GR (a very hard subject) and will just say I found it fantastic.

Thank you,
José

I am called Claire.

I am a female person who reads this blog when I can (I may have actually de-lurked a couple of times a few weeks ago, if I remember).

I have a part-time day job and a hobby web-site. I studied physics more formally, along side Human Physiology, at elementary level in the 80’s and 90’s at college. I own about 80 various different types of physics text books, which include a small amount of popular physics. My favourite one this last four years has been, Electromagnetism for Engineers by P Hammond.

I suppose really, I am sort of completely de-lurked now.

Thanks

Claire

If I had tried much much harder at University of Toronto many many years ago, I might have made myself into a mediocre physicist, but at least I retained some interest in maths and physics.

My favourite postings are those which result in long argumentative threads, that you have to close down because they have degenerated into name-calling and bratty behaviour; those crack me up because they remind me of people arguing at the bridge table.

Oh I also like reading reading references to the Perimeter Institute, out of national pride and because I have a friend who is some kind of big deal there.

I rekindled my interest in astrophysics after attending a lecture by Dutch physicist Robbert Dijkgraaf. I think this is just such an amazing time to follow science - particularly cosmology, astrophysics and the like; so much happening, and so accessible to the non-specialist via web resources.

I can recommend Serkan Cabi’s excellent page of links to physics resources on the web. Do see the material available at KITP, and the Perimeter Institute - as ever varying from most accessible to totally arcane.

Is it appropriate to suggest Guest Bloggers? I listened to some excellent cosmology lectures by George Ellis at the ASTI Online Lectures site (lectures there from Joanne Hewett too). George Ellis is a cosmologist, but is also a Templeton Prize winner, so he has things in common with Sean, as well as some significant “opposites”.

My favourite posts are the ones about academic politics and rituals (paper writing, conferences, talks etc.) which require no background reading and are consistently entertaining and enlightening.

My recent fav. was the series on the making of a paper. Some of the posts on CV that have had the biggest impact on me: The God Conundrum (some of the clearest writing I’ve read on the topic of religion), Quantum Interrogation (I agree.. QM is the coolest thing ever invented) and Dark Matter Exists (My jaw dropped open as I finally ‘got it’. Then I promptly tried to explain it to everyone I knew. Believe me, if it can get my mom interested in science, it’s an awesome post!) And of course, the series on getting in to grad school!

Sean, I already own your GR textbook (though I’ve yet to take a class in it), but if you ever get around to writing a book on religion, I’d buy it!

So yeah, thank you guys for taking the time to blow my mind, and for keeping me generally fascinated.

Love Cosmic Variance. Keep up the great work.

I am an economist (Berkeley) with a background in computer science (Rutgers). I love physics. It was a toss up between a PhD in physics and economics. Econ won out because the problems of development are more tractable.

Cheers,
Atanu