7 Comments

1. 1. candide08 12:30 PM 4/2/08

   "Now that's one spicy meatball."
   
   What does that quote have to do with science? Get real and quit the "it all has to be fun" LCD stuff.

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2. 2. PhysicsStudent 02:07 PM 4/2/08

   Scientific American isn't a journal, it's a magazine. It exists to both entertain and inform. Don't expect the 'scientific writing' style from it. In fact, SciAm's purpose is to take those journal reports and present them in a manner much more approachable by those not in the scientific community. Anecdotes, humor, even crazy artistic renditions of black holes are more than acceptable in this medium.

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3. 3. JR Minkel 03:15 PM 4/2/08

   @candide08:
   
   I added the spicy meatball bit to this caption, which an intern of ours wrote, and was quite pleased with my wit. (I can't take credit for the saucy spaghetti metaphor, though. *Thanks, Keren!*)
   
   I'm curious why it gave you such indigestion. It's not like there's less information in the text because of it, and I can't help but suspect you'll remember the text better than you would have with a straight ending.
   
   Also, what's LCD? "Live cool or die?"
   
   If so, I choose life!
   
   --
   Edited by JR Minkel at 04/02/2008 10:33 AM

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4. 4. AstroJams1 05:28 PM 4/2/08

   I believe it was the 2003 Nobel Laureates in Physics that typically included humor in their posters-- little funny cows or something. So, contrary to the previously stated assumption, humanity does sometimes leak into the realm of stone cold science. In fact, I think this sort of paradigm shift would greatly benefit innovation.

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5. 5. Solomon 09:45 PM 4/2/08

   I never appreciate "artists conceptions" of physical phenomenon. In a few years, precedent tells us" a real image will be available and it will make the "artist's conception" look stupid, The picture included here has several obvious flaws, the matter orbiting a black hole would, presumably, make a direct view of the hole exhibit radiation phenomenon of some kind, The detail is unrealistic, etc.

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6. 6. ableheart2 02:00 PM 4/3/08

   There is no physical proof that black holes exist. It is only informed speculation.
   Often this is not made clear to the general readership.
   They are invoked to explain all sorts of heretofore unexplained diverse energy sources as if they were actually real physical objects such as a star or planet. This is not the case.
   Black holes are a conjecture similar to "dark matter". An idea that makes sense, but critically without incontrovertible proof.

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7. 7. c.loprete 08:28 PM 4/3/08

   marriam all i love, wy you love me

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