2004-02-16 - 12:49 p.m.

I read an article today from the NASA mailing list: new form of matter discovered. It was a really interesting article, describing a complex fragile procedure than can be used to line up atoms a certain way.

Particularly interesting was the side discussion of a "new form of matter" discussed in a NASA mailout from a few years back. The reason that one was interesting is that they specifically said "Fermionic condensates are related to BECs. Both are made of atoms that coalesce at low temperatures to form a single object." Just after I got that mailout, I wrote to the lead scientist mentioned in the article and asked him if what they were seeing was, and I'm paraphrasing very coarsely here because this was a long time ago, basically atoms losing their individuality and appearing to pass through one another. The reply was terse and to the point: there is no such concept discussed in the literature.

Well of course not, I just wrote to him what it seemed was happening. It turns out that - as it appeared from their description at the time, and this confirmation years later - the matter making up the atoms themselves can meld together like two drops of water joining. This makes perfect sense, since an atom is simply a pattern of energy that happens to have fallen into a particular shape that represents the local minimum of complexity and energy expenditure. (think of a ball bearing spiralling down into a funnel)

There is no magical boundary at the outside of these patterns of energy, so they can flow into each other if the conditions are right. You still have the same amount of energy, and so when the temperature changes or whatever and the lump drops down into its component patterns again, you have the same atoms you had when you started. Cool.

Anyway, this new article got me to thinking. Why in the world, especially in the 21st century, are people still talking about "forms" of matter like they are discrete things. We are going to confuse future generations into thinking that ice and steam are different things when in reality they are both the same substance, just exhibiting different properties.

Think of it this way: say I wake up grumpy and am a bitchy person for 1 hour. Then I have some coffee, a wonderful breakfast, and I win the lottery. In the afternoon I am the happiest person you've seen all year. Was I two completely different people? No, and thinking of me that way will just confuse any study of my personality. The truth is that the behaviour of a liquid is full of information about the behaviour of a solid, and that at some levels they are behaving in the exact same way.

Oooh. "Aeon" just came on. I still get chills whenever I hear the haunting melody. I wonder what instrument that is. It sounds exactly like a theremin.

ps I submitted my hours to Tom today...still no cheque from last month >:-( and I worked 58 hours! Woot! That = $1,450. My goal is to work 4 hours per day and make $2,000 a month. For a while I was thinking I wanted to work 6 hours average but doubling it seems like plenty. I would be happy making $24,000 a year. For now ;)

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