Friday Flyer - May 3, 2019

Spotlight on the Florida State University QuarkNet Center

The FSU center is one of twelve original QuarkNet centers begun in 1999. Horst Wahl has served as lead mentor over the years and has worked with a supportive cast of teachers (including Brian McClain, an original lead teacher) to plan engaging experiences for teachers. Last year was no exception, with a five-day workshop that included a wide range of activities: a planetarium show, a nuclear lab tour, Arduino-based activities, and talks on topics such as neutrinos, black holes and the Higgs. As the FSU center its 20th year, Horst is stepping down; Ted Kolberg will take on his role. Thanks to Horst for his efforts over the years. We look forward to working with Ted and all of the teachers at this center.

A group photo of the FSU crew in summer 2018.

 

 

News from QuarkNet Central

An important reminder to any teacher with a cosmic ray detector. You may have noticed a glitch in the GPS. This was due to a reset in the GPS system which caused our QuarkNet GPS units to revert to earlier dates. There are three fixes:

  • As a temporary measure, use a text editor or a computer script to replace the "bad" dates in your files with current dates before you upload them to the Cosmic Ray e-Lab.
  • For a more permanent fix, follow these instructions.
  • Alternatively, you can ship your GPS card in its beige box back to Dave Hoppert at Fermilab for a fix there. (Details are in the same instruction set.) Need help? Go the e-Lab and choose the life ring at the upper right for a help form. 

 

 

Physics Experiment Roundup

We often hear of the big discoveries from large experiments, but null results are also important in moving physics forward, even though they often don't make the headlines. Check out progress at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility in South Dakota as preparations continue for the future massive DUNE detectors. Speaking of DUNE, read about our very own Bob Wilson (on Twitter or Facebook), mentor at our Colorado State University center, who was recently featured as one of the Faces of DUNE.

 

Resources

Don Lincoln answers the question, "Why does light bend when entering glass?" in his latest YouTube video. Go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN; no passport needed! Wonder why the LHC has more than one large, general-purpose detector? Physicist Tulika Bose tells why this multiple-detector approach is important. Need a new crossword puzzle for the weekend? Check out this periodic table-themed puzzle from Physics Today.

 

 

Just for Fun

With the recent release of the movie Avengers: Endgame, we thought it appropriate to share an article from the symmetry archives on the connection between superheroes and particle physics. And finally, a recent new addition to a Fermilab family. 

 

 

 

QuarkNet Staff:

Mark Adams: adams@fnal.gov  
Ken Cecire: kcecire@nd.edu
Shane Wood: swood5@nd.edu 

Additional Contacts