Local Students Way Smarter Than Seattlest
The year 2005, despite being the "Year of the Natural Disaster," has also been designated the "World Year of Physics" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Einstein's "Miracle Year." In 1905 Albert Einstein published papers on the Photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the Stairway to Heaven of scientific theory: Special relativity. We're not going to geek up Seattlest by trying to explain Brownian motion here, but feel free to follow the links if you're into that particular flavor of digression.
All year there have been special celebrations of physics in honor of Einstein's accomplishment, and frankly, Seattlest is getting a bit tired of it. Alright, enough with the physics! Man, physics celebrations are everywhere you look this year! Time to crawl back into your labs already and start preparations for the "Year of the Biological Disaster" or whatever. A particular event with ties to a local high school should be pointed out, though. Students and faculty from Roosevelt High will soon be scanning boarding passes for NASA's "Vomit Comet" otherwise known as a Boeing KC 135a, a plane that flies to high altitudes and then dives to simulate the weightlessness of space.
The Roosevelt High students will be bringing with them a ball shaped robot that will turn itself towards a lightsource while floating in space. Please, like that isn't a total rip-off of the floating baseball that Obi Wan uses to teach Luke the ways of the lightsaber. Really unoriginal, guys. Actually, a lot of hard work went into the robot and the Roosevelt team is one of only six selected nationally for the event, so they are of course to be commended. The test flight was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but because of issues with the plane has been postponed. Make sure to check back with Seattlest for future "World Year of Physics" celebratory events.
