Sean DownesThe Look Elsewhere EffectStatistics is a hard subject. Evidence based decision making hinges on our ability to understand the evidence. Human intuition often…Nov 22, 2022Nov 22, 2022
Sean DownesThe Perils of Science CommunicationWhere do we draw the line between Outreach and Clickbait?Nov 3, 2022Nov 3, 2022
Sean DownesThe Astrophysics of PlasmasIn our second installment, we connect the physics of electrically charged gases to cosmic rays we observe on Earth.Sep 21, 2022Sep 21, 2022
Sean DownesSome Physics of Muon CollidersLast time we contrasted the performance of lepton and hadron colliders. Hadrons are messy, composite things like protons that enjoy a…Aug 20, 2022Aug 20, 2022
Sean DownesWe Should Build a Muon ColliderThe construction of these behemoth experiments has only gotten more complex. For particle physics to progress, we need to move…Aug 11, 2022Aug 11, 2022
Sean DownesThe Field Guide to Particle Physics: the PositronSome antimatter with serious applications to medical imaging.Jul 23, 2022Jul 23, 2022
Sean DownesDo we really need new particle physics?Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions has made the “paradigm shift” into a trope for scientific progress. While this model…Jul 21, 20223Jul 21, 20223
Sean DownesTwo Recent SupernovaeIt’s hard to exaggerate the explosive power of supernovae. When triggered, a single supernova outshines the brightness of an entire galaxy…Feb 23, 2022Feb 23, 2022