tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post3763927784783895182..comments2023-08-06T02:22:31.490-06:00Comments on clarity2009: Speaking of measurement scales: Radioactivity is measured in units called "curies"Relax Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-68247003181878573562009-11-25T19:00:55.953-07:002009-11-25T19:00:55.953-07:00I'm not frustrated with you throwing in zinger...I'm not frustrated with you throwing in zingers - like I said, it's part of your charm - but the zingers often sound so in keeping with the plethora of real stuff you include that it can throw the unwary.<br /><br />I loved this article and, in fact, a number of your pieces, which is why yours is one of my favorite blogs to check as soon as something new is added.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-55181001151985931822009-11-25T18:58:22.515-07:002009-11-25T18:58:22.515-07:00Fair enough, Max. I had never heard of the Parthen...Fair enough, Max. I had never heard of the Parthenon in Nashville and I'm quite impressed. I had never heard of it and it looks fabulous. I was also impressed that it was built back in the 19th century (even if it was reworked later).<br /><br />I'm not saying that it's a greater achievement than the original (which is built of marble to the exact same proportions but with far more primitive tools), but it's certainly cool beans.<br /><br />As for the subject, I've always been interested in nuclear physics - my uncle was a nuclear physicist - but I became fascinated with the history after reading Caulfield's book I cited. I was truly amazed at what I didn't know.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-14535791552253803882009-11-25T16:40:05.688-07:002009-11-25T16:40:05.688-07:00@Stephanie B - You are right, of course. I apologi...@Stephanie B - You are right, of course. I apologize. Curie had two daughters and it was her daughter's husband who won a Nobel. And Irene. She didn't have a son. I will atone by using nothing but metric for 3 days.Relax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-82451664080130956192009-11-25T13:14:18.273-07:002009-11-25T13:14:18.273-07:00I went to the Panthéon, you know. I went with an ...I went to the Panthéon, you know. I went with an American friend of mine when we lived in Paris and I was taken on "slow walks" every Tuesday. At the time the Panthéon was closed for renovation but, somehow, the details escape me, we found ourselves peering through a gap between pillars at the totally deserted place. My American friend was, and presumably still is, bigger than I am, so I found myself being propelled forward for a better look. Does that make her a pushy American? <br /><br />I will go back for a legal look before too long I hope, to see the people honoured by being buried there - because it really is a great honour. The Pantheon in Rome is different if only because it's far more ancient. Even in February it was crowded. Maybe the Paris version is normally crowded too.....<br /><br />P.S. have you looked at the Roman measurement system? You must, because it is totally fascinating. Truly.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04709794851766685322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-84095890805250501212009-11-25T09:09:45.007-07:002009-11-25T09:09:45.007-07:00There is an outside chance you are wrong about the...There is an outside chance you are wrong about the number of children they had. You might want to research it a bit more.Relax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-72826630048719202182009-11-25T09:08:36.672-07:002009-11-25T09:08:36.672-07:00@Stephanie B - Thank you for reading it. Sorry the...@Stephanie B - Thank you for reading it. Sorry the way I tend to blog is frustrating to you. It's just my personality to not be 100% serious. I mean no harm. On the other hand, if you would take the time to google "Nashville - Parthenon", you might not be so dismissive of my "humor". If you do choose to google it, google it on images instead of web so you caan see how beautiful it is.<br /><br />I found your additional facts fascinating! What started out for me as just casual reading, has turned into genuine interest. I hope you will share more with me if you think of some more.<br /><br />You don't want me to comment about bombing Japan.Relax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-69160095490106720482009-11-25T08:43:29.743-07:002009-11-25T08:43:29.743-07:00Also, to the best of my knowledge, the Curies only...Also, to the best of my knowledge, the Curies only had two daughters. It was her son-in-law and her daughter (his wife) that won Nobel Prizes. Two others from the Radium Institute the Curies founded also won Nobel Prizes.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-27993500157788359242009-11-25T08:33:43.377-07:002009-11-25T08:33:43.377-07:00And this, this was fascinating (From Wikipedia
&q...And this, this was fascinating (From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Curie" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a><br /><br />"Due to their levels of radioactivity, her papers from the 1890s are considered too dangerous to handle. Even her cookbook is highly radioactive. They are kept in lead-lined boxes and those who wish to consult them, must wear protective clothing."Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4148507369837201034.post-8630123811103192292009-11-25T08:28:58.820-07:002009-11-25T08:28:58.820-07:00It is a lovely post, but I would suggest that the ...It is a lovely post, but I would suggest that the "fact" about Pierre is not the only one that should be double checked if you're writing a term paper (Nashville indeed!), even though it's up to it's eyeballs in great facts, some of which I didn't know. But one should always doublecheck facts for a term paper. <br /><br />The problem with Max is he likes to throw out zingers for a lark because they're funny in the midst of a fascinating discussion full of good facts. That's also the charm of Max.<br /><br />This is great stuff and, interestingly enough, if you look at many of the founding fathers in radiation and nuclear physics, you'll see that a frightening proportion died of cancer. I don't think it's a coincidence.<br /><br />The effect of radiation on organs, skin and reproduction was frequently discovered the hard way. For instance, we learned a great deal about it from the survivors at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. <br /><br />However, our understanding of radioactive isotopes, however, went misunderstood a long time. For instance, originally glow in the dark watch dials were painted with a small amount of radium. The (mostly) women painting them had no idea that the radium might be harmful. They would like the paintbrush tips to make them small enough to paint the numbers and even paint their own teeth for the effect, with no idea it was risky.<br /><br />Years later, bones would break with surprising ease. One woman's femur broke spontaneously while walking! Kind of puts some credence in the possibility Pierre's death might have been furthered by his work with the same material.<br /><br />Fascinating topic. For reading on this, I strongly recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Multiple-Exposures-Chronicles-Radiation-Age/dp/0226097854/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259162568&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">Multiple Exposures: Chronicles of the Radiation Age</a> (you can buy it from most book sellers; amazon was the easiest link for me to find) by Catherine Caufield. Wikipedia has an excellent list of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_accidents" rel="nofollow">radiation and nuclear accidents</a>. Fascinating! I've independently verified several but no means all of these (just those that interested me).<br /><br />Cu, by the way, is an SI unit, but then you knew that.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.com