Читать книгу Planning and Executing Credible Experiments - Robert J. Moffat - Страница 48

At the time of the first edition, two popular TV shows featured experimental scientists. NCIS featured Abby the forensic scientist and Dr. Mallard (Ducky) the coroner; not only are they scientists, they are the most well‐rounded characters. The Big Bang Theory featured five experimentalists: Bernadette (biology), Leonard (physics), Amy (neuroscience), Raj (astrophysics), and Howard (engineer and astronaut); and one theoretician, Sheldon. The one nonscientist, Penny, was the most well rounded in reality and society.

Finally, a fun yet serious invitation. Physicists dispute a “theory of measurement” concerning mysterious quantum behavior. In certain experiments, if a measurement is made the experiment behaves one way; if no measurement is made the experimental results are opposite. The contrary results are repeatable. Include in the dispute: Is a human required as observer? Can a cat be the observer? If so, would Schrödinger's cat endanger itself? An internet search of this topic results in millions of hits, so we recommend Richard Muller's Now: The Physics of Time (2016).

Since the idea of this book is to equip you, dear Reader, to plan and execute taking measurements in your experiment, this dispute is moot.