from the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/science/space/28COSM.html
"Called the cosmological constant, it is a number that measures the
amount of cosmic repulsion caused by the energy in empty space. That
empty space should be boiling with such energy is predicted by quantum
theory, and astronomers in the last few years have discovered that some
cosmic repulsion seems to be accelerating the expansion of the universe.
But theoretical attempts to calculate this constant, also known as
lambda, result in numbers 1060 times as high as those astronomers have
measured."
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Geoffrey S. Knauth | http://knauth.org/gsk
·····@knauth.org (Geoffrey S. Knauth) writes:
> from the NYTimes:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/science/space/28COSM.html
>
> "Called the cosmological constant, it is a number that measures the
> amount of cosmic repulsion caused by the energy in empty space. That
> empty space should be boiling with such energy is predicted by quantum
> theory, and astronomers in the last few years have discovered that some
> cosmic repulsion seems to be accelerating the expansion of the universe.
> But theoretical attempts to calculate this constant, also known as
> lambda, result in numbers 1060 times as high as those astronomers have
> measured."
OK, well, one bit of bad news: I'm afraid this constant is a capital
Lambda. Further, I hope that the NYT just hasn't rendered well,
because that 1060 should really be 10^60 (I'd have said 10^120 there,
but that slightly depends on the yardstick you use).
Otherwise, a surprisingly coherent paragraph for the general press :-)
Christophe
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Christophe Rhodes wrote:
> ·····@knauth.org (Geoffrey S. Knauth) writes:
>
>
>>from the NYTimes:
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/science/space/28COSM.html
>>
>>"Called the cosmological constant, it is a number that measures the
>>amount of cosmic repulsion caused by the energy in empty space. That
>>empty space should be boiling with such energy is predicted by quantum
>>theory, and astronomers in the last few years have discovered that some
>>cosmic repulsion seems to be accelerating the expansion of the universe.
>>But theoretical attempts to calculate this constant, also known as
>>lambda, result in numbers 1060 times as high as those astronomers have
>>measured."
>
>
> OK, well, one bit of bad news: I'm afraid this constant is a capital
> Lambda. Further, I hope that the NYT just hasn't rendered well,
> because that 1060 should really be 10^60 (I'd have said 10^120 there,
> but that slightly depends on the yardstick you use).
>
Lambda is 10^120 times more repulsive? This could explain a lot.
So...what does the T-shirt say?
kenny
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