Who says astrophysicists have brains?

[Alison2805]

I was sent this link this morning and the article had me a little stunned.
They are proposing to have a new type of "planet" called a "pluton" after Pluto. Gologists pointed out that the word was already taken and is used to describe quite a large proportion of the earths crust, and might be a little confusing.

Now Ive got no problem with one word being used to describe more than one thing (welcome to the english language). If they want to use it, fine.

BUT - have a read of the article and see the reasoning they use to justify why they thought the word wasnt common. My jaw dropped.


http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060821/full/060821-4.html

[ahmed61086]

MS word spellchecker has the final say, shit, if that is the case, I guess my name doesn't exist.

[Ignatz]

Another reason to have a Mac. Looked it up in Sherlock and it gave me the proper definition.
Boy o boy, don't wanna get those geologists hopping mad.:laugh:

[Paikea]

What's a Gologist? :scared:

[Mr. T.]

deleted my post.

[kpmooney]

I just wanted to point out that there were no astrophysicists or physicists mentioned in that article. Only astronomers and geologists. As a physicist, I don't want to be associated with those twinks who spend all night looking at the sky or those freaks who study rocks all day. :)

[Darknails]

Well, I'm personally a freaking geek spending the whole day typing "int", "const double" and "if else" all that shit, so can't say life of a theoretical physicist sounds more exciting than rock collecting or looking into the sky. In fact, it'd be nice if I can just stare at the sky for the whole day...

But the thing is.. from my professional opinion( :tired: ).. if a word is used by another field of science which means something different, it's holy-schmokyly irritating. A definition is not to be created to confuse people. And also... Pluton.... sounds to me like some sorta sub-atomic banana.

My geek part speaking up. heh heh

[kenwakokoro]

I just wanted to point out that there were no astrophysicists or physicists mentioned in that article. Only astronomers and geologists. As a physicist, I don't want to be associated with those twinks who spend all night looking at the sky or those freaks who study rocks all day. :)

When you refer to astronomers as twinks, are you using this definition for twink?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=twink

As a trained astrophysicist (PhD Astronomy), I'm curious to know how you arrived at this classification. What area of physics are you researching?

Michael

[Darknails]

When you refer to astronomers as twinks, are you using this definition for twink?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=twink

As a trained astrophysicist (PhD Astronomy), I'm curious to know how you arrived at this classification. What area of physics are you researching?

Michael
google search: Kevin Mooney Buffalo

I love internet.

Geek power, yo.

[Paikea]

I just wanted to point out that there were no astrophysicists or physicists mentioned in that article. Only astronomers and geologists. As a physicist, I don't want to be associated with those twinks who spend all night looking at the sky or those freaks who study rocks all day. :)Not the USN Commander Mooney, I presume?

[ne0r]

I just wanted to point out that there were no astrophysicists or physicists mentioned in that article. Only astronomers and geologists. As a physicist, I don't want to be associated with those twinks who spend all night looking at the sky or those freaks who study rocks all day.

"People don't like things like geographics or meteorology, and that's not only because they stand on one and are soaked by the other. Such phenomenons don't have much to do with true science* in their opinions. But geographics is nothing more than slower physics with some trees on it and meteorology is full of exciting fancy chaos and complexity. Summer actually is no time but more a location. Summer is a mobile creature and loves overwintering in the south.

*True Science can equip something with three extra legs and then make it explode."

- Terry Pratchett, "Feet of Clay"

Sorry, I couldn't resist. That was just fitting in so nicely, I thought...

(Translated back into English from German by me, so please don't mind the mistakes!)

XD

[kpmooney]

As a trained astrophysicist (PhD Astronomy), I'm curious to know how you arrived at this classification.

It was a joke and just typed the first word that popped into my head. No offense was intended.


What area of physics are you researching?
I did my Ph.D. work in quantum fluids.

[kpmooney]

Not the USN Commander Mooney, I presume?
No. Different guy.

[Ignatz]

As a trained astrophysicist (PhD Astronomy) . . .
So Mike, did they name the planet after Mickey's dog or was it the other way around?
And do you do horoscopes? What do the stars say for Austin?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[Alison2805]

I just wanted to point out that there were no astrophysicists or physicists mentioned in that article. Only astronomers and geologists. As a physicist, I don't want to be associated with those twinks who spend all night looking at the sky or those freaks who study rocks all day. :)


HEEEEEYY!!! As a freak who studies rocks myself, I have to say that as far as professions go, you got the rough end of the pineapple. I get to run around outside getting dirty :] And who didnt dream as a kid of finding dinosaur bones?

Besides, astrophysicists, physicists and so on are all the same anyway. *runs away giggling*

[Alison2805]

I did my Ph.D. work in quantum fluids.

I saw a quantum fluid once. I had a really bad head cold, and sneezed before I could grab a tissue....

[Paikea]

No. Different guy.That good, the other guy did good to bring his boat home and the Navy screwed him hard for it.

[Paikea]

HEEEEEYY!!! As a freak who studies rocks myself, I have to say that as far as professions go, you got the rough end of the pineapple. I get to run around outside getting dirty :] And who didnt dream as a kid of finding dinosaur bones?

Besides, astrophysicists, physicists and so on are all the same anyway. *runs away giggling*All that big nasty math and stuff. Gimme sediment and salt water any day. Just clean the biology off first, 'cause it stinks.

[Alison2805]

rocks are ten times easier than biology, thankfully! Although it can be cool, a book I was reading the other day had a line in it that made me piss myself -

"The *something-or-other* worm however, has been blessed with both a mouth and anus."

[Ignatz]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Planet-Mutiny.html

There you have it, Pluto is officially a dog and not a planet.

[kenwakokoro]

It was a joke and just typed the first word that popped into my head. No offense was intended.


I did my Ph.D. work in quantum fluids.
No offense taken. From your original post, I thought you might be in particle physics or maybe cosmology. :smiley:

Cheers,

Michael

[Ignatz]

No offense taken. From your original post, I thought you might be in particle physics or maybe cosmology. :smiley:

Cheers,

Michael
What does cosmetology have to do with this?

[kenwakokoro]

So Mike, did they name the planet after Mickey's dog or was it the other way around?
And do you do horoscopes? What do the stars say for Austin?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!
According to the Pluto Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto), the announcement of the ex-planet Pluto's discovery was made on March 13, 1930, based on images obtained 1/23/30 and 1/29/30. The dog Pluto (http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/characterstandard/pluto/pluto.html) first appeared as a bloodhound in 1930 and then as Mickey's dog in 1931. Fortunately, the planet came first, otherwise a lawsuit by Disney could have shut down observational astronomy. You're the lawyer, John. would Disney win?

My time as an astronomer/astrophysicist was spent studying heavenly bodies, not prostitutes. I have no experience operating horoscopes. :glasses:

The stars say the horns will hopefully come back to NYC. Are you going?

Michael

[kenwakokoro]

What does cosmetology have to do with this?
Just trying to make-up.

[Ignatz]

The stars say the horns will hopefully come back to NYC. Are you going?
That's the plan. You guys shouldn't have any trouble against our team, couple of girls and and an old crippled guy.
Looks like you got the all-jodan team lined up.

[Hank]

Holy crap, the newspapers are full of stories proclaiming amazement that Pluto is catagorized as a dwarf planet now. I'm an engineer - I like science in general and consider astronomy a minor hobby of mine, and I really couldn't care less about this. Is it just me? I mean, call a tomato a vegetable or fruit, it still tastes the same. Bah.

Hank.

[euclid]

So Mike, did they name the planet after Mickey's dog or was it the other way around?
And do you do horoscopes? What do the stars say for Austin?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!



ha, I bet he has NEVER heard that one before.

:p