Mike Meetz and Sam Wormley team up to provide a lively
discussion with OLLI members about science in the news. A
deep understanding of science is not required to share and
discuss recent science in the news. Neil deGrasse Tyson on
Scientific Literacy.
Being a responsible adult means acceptng the fact that almost
all knowledge is tentative, and acceptng it cheerfully. You
may be required to change your belief tomorrow, if the
evidence warrants, and you should be willing and able to do
so. That, in essence, is what skeptcism means: to believe if
and only if the evidence warrants.
~James Lett
LATEST NEWS
https://www.sciencealert.com https://www.sciencealert.com
https://phys.org https://sciurls.com/?q=phys
https://www.nature.com https://sciurls.com/?q=nature
https://www.nytimes.com/science https://sciurls.com/?q=nytimes%20science
https://www.quantamagazine.org https://sciurls.com/?q=quantamagazine
https://www.sciencenews.org https://sciurls.com/?q=sciencenews
https://www.scientificamerican.com https://sciurls.com/?q=scientificamerican
WEBPAGES FOR PREVIOUS CLASSES THIS TERM
Sep. 18, 2025
Sep. 25, 2025
Oct. 02, 2025
Oct. 09, 2025
⓵ THIS YEAR'S NOBEL PRIZES ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK.
Nobel Prizes in 2025
https://www.nobelprize.org
⓶ QUANTUM RELM (and the changing climate)
A Thermometer for Measuring Quantumness
https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-thermometer-for-measuring-quantumness-20251001/?mc_cid=ebde744d02
http://edu-observatory.org/olli/Action/Week4.html
"Anomalous" heat flow, which at first appears to violate the
second law of thermodynamics, gives physicists a way to
detect quantum entanglement without destroying it.
The Quantum Mechanics of Greenhouse Gases
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-quantum-mechanics-of-greenhouse-gases-20250915/
Earth's radiation can send some molecules spinning or
vibrating, which is what makes them greenhouse gases. This
infographic explains how relatively few heat-trapping
molecules can have a planetary effect.
Physicists Pinpoint the Quantum Origin of the Greenhouse Effect
https://www.quantamagazine.org/physicists-pinpoint-the-quantum-origin-of-the-greenhouse-effect-20240807/
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad226d/pdf
Carbon dioxide's powerful heat-trapping effect has been
traced to a quirk of its quantum structure. The finding may
explain climate change better than any computer model.
The Greenhouse Gas Effect
http://edu-observatory.org/olli/Climate/Week1.html
⓷ BOUNDARIES & TIPPING POINTS
Humans Have Crossed 7 of 9 'Planetary Boundaries'
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ocean-acidification-threshold-pushes-earth-past-another-planetary-boundary/
https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
In a new report, researchers examined nine geophysical limits
that make up a sort of planetary life-support system; staying
within these limits, they say, is the best hope for
maintaining the climatic conditions humans and other
organisms on Earth have adapted to. As of 2025, humans have
pushed Earth past another of these planetary boundaries:
Levels of ocean acidification have exceeded a critical
threshold, becoming the seventh out of nine boundaries
crossed.
How it works:
Carbon dioxide concentrations reached a record global high of
422.7 parts per million (ppm) last year. Much of that carbon
dioxide gets absorbed by the ocean, increasing its acidity,
which can have profound impacts on marine ecosystems. At low
enough pH levels, corals and shells can begin to dissolve.
These effects could destabilize entire ecosystems and
devastate many commercially valuable species, such as
oysters.
What the experts say:
"The movement we're seeing is absolutely headed in the wrong
direction. The ocean is becoming more acidic, oxygen levels
are dropping, and marine heatwaves are increasing. This is
ramping up pressure on a system vital to stabilize conditions
on planet Earth," Levke Caesar, co-lead of PIK's Planetary
Boundaries Science Lab, said in the new evaluation’s press
statement.
What Extreme Heat Is Doing to Your Body
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02102025/extreme-heat-effect-on-the-body/
Extreme heat, exacerbated by climate change, poses
significant health risks, including heat stroke, mental
health issues, and long-term damage to the body and mind.
Vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and
those with pre-existing conditions, are at higher risk. Heat
also impacts cognitive function, decision-making, and
academic performance, highlighting the urgent need for
increased awareness and infrastructure to mitigate its
effects.
Related Material from some recent OLLI cources
http://edu-observatory.org/olli/classes.html#CURRENT
Alan Lightman On Richard Feynman's Amazing Mind, Or How
"Hawking Radiation" Could Well Be "Feynman Radiation" (6+ min)
https://player.vimeo.com/video/104516539
sam.wormley@icloud.com