DocBill

I am in the process of gathering materials for my next book. I am seeking a new Graphics person with Artistic abilities for the design of the cover. This is an excellent opportunity for a new/young/burdgeoing artist to be published. If you are interested in more details, please contact me. Thanks; Bill

Shnorhagallem Shterakravetsun Multsãnjescu Dankschen Mèrczi Thank you Bill

Well, from what John has told me, all uniform patterns fall into mathmatical constructs, for example the bridges in a town as seen from a satelite photo, the placement of roads, the interactions of people in a crowded room. This all breaks down into "known laws" (funny--I did not know them). His "forte" so to speak is Bargaining theories, but when he was at MIT he got caught up in patterns, etc. Geometry, taken to a 4-d ideology seems to be the basis. Bill

I really don't look like Albert, so I would like to upload my own avitar. How can this be accomplished? Thanks Bill:confused:

I have Win2000 It is dreadfull. I would love to run Linows (as I have friends who do and swear by it) UNIX or Apple OS X. Unfortuantelly, most of the software I need to run is windows based, and when people I know try to run windows on Macs--they crash. If I were much brighter I would use linux or unix. But alas, I am stuck in the Bill "Gates of hell." Bill

According to some (myself for example) life in it's earliest stages got a start before the Hella Planatia event. If there is any life now, it would be very very simple bacteria living in the permafrost just beneath the surface. Is there intelegent life somwhere else in the cosmos? Of that I am certain. My only question is: can we prove the existence of intellegent life on Earth? Bill

I for one see science as learning what is "out there" as well as what's "down here." As my friend Carl used to say, "we are looking out at the cosmic ocean. So far we have only wadded ankle deep, and the water looks inviting." Another friend says that "we can not know what lies beyond our borders until we learn all we can about our own land." One was an astronomer; the other is a biologist. I guess we probably know about 10% of our own planet amd about .0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% of everything else--but that is of course, just a quess. Bill

Compared to half of what you listed, Richard's lectures ARE light reading. I would recomend Mike Kaku's work (not the popularizer books) as an excellent place to start. Good luck Bill

Actually, the asteroid LM2002 came from the direction of the sun, as do many, so we never saw it until AFTER it missed us. A "Planet killer" would be large enough to see several days before striking, and so anyone who looked up would see it. I am sure many would not think too hard on it. Just as well. If it is that close...we are best to know nothing. It would cause panic, and would accomplish nothing. However, despite the fact that I would rather not know, my past affiliations almost certainly guarantee I would be told by someone. Bill

Hmm. I have velcro fasteners and a cook. Where would that place me in the grand order? Not far along I am afraid! Bill

I can only speak from first hand experience, or that of my friends. I am not sure if there is a "best" school--however there are a few "great schools." It really depends on what area of cosmology you are interested in. Arizona State- California School of Technology- Massachusetts Institute of Technology- University of Chicago- Cornell University- There may well be others that I am not familiar with. If you will tell me preciselly what are of Cosmology you are interested in, I can check with friends and can give you a much better answer. Bill

I am a doctor..twice. Or did you mean a Physician? The rem "Doctor" comes from the Greek "Doctorais" which means to "Teach or enlighten." Most of the MD's I know hardly fit into this catergory. Bill

Topologists are mathematicians who study qualitative questions about geometrical structures. We do not ask: how big is it? but rather: does it have any holes in it? is it all connected together, or can it be separated into parts? Bill

Simply put, the Light Year is fine for very short distances. However, when meassuring the vissiblke universe, the number of light years becomes ungainly. It is much easier to meassure in Mega Parsecs (Mpc) than in billions and billions of LY's. Bill

Blackhole formation is inevitable if the remnant of a Type II supernova which leaves a core of greater than 3 solar masses. Generally (although not always) a star that is large enough to form heavier elements (via Proton capture) will begin "onion skin" burning, expand, collapse and then, if the outer shell retains a mass of more than 2.99 solar masses it becomes a black hole. If the solar m,ass is less than 1.4 solar masses, you get a white dwarf. 1.5 and you get an unstable star that will detonate as a Type I novae leaving begind a Neutron star (ussually as a pulsar until all angukar conservation has been depleted). Bill

Beyond 600 mpc, the cosmos is both uniform and homogenious. Hence it is seen as "smooth and uniform." At least that is what the latest data implies. Bill

I have a friend who started out many years ago studying mathmatics, game theory and topology. It has always interested me, however as a Dyslexic I have some obvious issues to work around. Is anyone here a fan of Topology? Bill

Perhaps this cut out from a biophysics program will be more assistance than any explanation. Don't expect miracles--this is only a Masters lever program. "Currently, the Graduate Program in Biophysics has a core curriculum of five recommended courses (each student normally will take at least three of these core courses): Biochemistry 601 (2 cr) Protein and Enzyme Structure and Function Biochemistry 612 (2 cr) Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics Chemistry 665 (4 cr) Biophysical Chemistry Physiology 615 (3 cr) Cellular Biophysics-Transport Physiology 616 (3 cr) Cellular Biophysics-Excitability and Contractility Specialty courses available to students in the program include: Biochemistry 530 (2 cr) Principles of Biomolecular Structure Biochemistry 651 (2 cr) Biochemical Methods Biochemistry 652 (1 cr) Biochemical Techniques Biochemistry 653 (1 cr) Biochemical Techniques Biochemistry 666 (1 cr) Biochemistry and Biophysics of Viruses Biochemistry 669 (1 cr) Analysis of Nucleic Acid Structure and Function by Physical Methods Biochemistry 724 (3 cr) Mechanisms of Enzyme Action Biochemistry 729 (3 cr) X-ray Crystallography Biochemistry 800 (2 cr) Practical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Theory Biochemistry 801 (2 cr) Biochemical Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Biochemistry 872 (2 cr) Topics in Biophysical Chemistry Chemistry 605 (3 cr) Spectrochemical Measurements Chemistry 621 (3-4 cr) Instrumental Analysis Chemistry 641 (3 cr) Advanced Organic Chemistry Chemistry 662 (3 cr) Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Spectroscopy Chemistry 664 (3 cr) Introduction to Macromolecular Chemistry Chemistry 872 (2 cr) Topics in Biophysical Chemistry Chemistry 873 (3 cr) Introductory Quantum Chemistry Chemistry 874 (3 cr) Intermediate Quantum Chemistry Comp Sci 513 (3 cr) Numerical Analysis I Comp Sci 514 (3 cr) Numerical Analysis II Comp Sci 540 (3 cr) Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Comp Sci 562 (3 cr) Expert Systems: Design and Implementation Comp Sci 731 (3 cr) Advanced Artificial Intelligence Comp Sci 766 (3 cr) Computer Vision ECE* 430 (3 cr) Random Signal Analysis ECE 431 (3 cr) Digital Signal Processing ECE 459 (3 cr) Analysis of Pulse and Digital Circuits ECE 462 (3 cr) Medical Instrumentation ECE 532 (3 cr) Theory and Applications of Pattern Recognition ECE 533 (3 cr) Image Processing ECE 625 (1 cr) Neural Mechanisms and Models Mathematics 701 (3 cr) Mathematical Methods in Physics and Engineering I Mathematics 702 (3 cr) Mathematical Methods in Physics and Engineering II *Electrical and Computer Engineering B. Research Biophysics graduate students who participate in laboratory rotations sign up for research (990 course) in the department of the chairman of the Advising and Orientation Committee. The number of research credits is chosen to bring the total to 12 (normally this is 3 or more 990 research credits). Upon choosing a laboratory, 990 research is taken in the department of the major professor. Note that it is to the student's advantage to sign up for a full load during each semester (and 5 credits during the first two summers) so as to establish residency after completion of five semesters (see H. and I. below). C. Seminar Requirements All biophysics graduate students are required to attend a seminar course each semester in an area relevant to biophysics and to give at least one oral presentation each year in these courses." As one can see--biophysocs covers a great deal of ground rather well. Bill

I did not know how to answer this poll. I am currently finishing a second Ph.D, but in a completely different field. Both Masters degrees are in seperate fields as well. So I will leave it blank. Bill

My favorite is the Drake Eq. N = R* × fp × ne × fl × fi × fc × L My 2nd is favorite is Einstiens most missunderstood eg. E= M X 1.15/ .99 Bill

We are presently capable of the trip. In fact, we are far more capable of going to Mars today than we were of going to the moon in 1969 (as was evident by Appollo 13). We should have been there had the last administration slashed funding to NASA by nearly 72%. Bill

I am no expert on schools. However, I have travelled around a bit on the speaking circut, and have attended five colleges and graduate schools for a number of various fields. Any limited direction I may be able to give, I offer so. Bill

"the actual speed of a signal along the nerves depends on amongst other things, the diameter of the axon, and whether or not the axon is myelinated. (ours are)" Well..most, but certainly not all. Axions that have their cell bodies and axon terminals within the brain (such as those for ofactory senses) are not mylenated. As a past SETI researcher, I think perhaps we might be 1/2 way between type III and single celled prototsts. Bill

And your thinking would be most correct indeed. Bill

Thank you. I will check on Wednesday with Dr. Deb Kreiss at the biology department where I work. Her speciality is brain neurochemistry. I have a good idea, but would want you to get correct information. This is not my line--merely something I have studied off and on for the past 12 years. I am hardly an expert. I can e mail your questions to her, and will post her reply asap. Thanks Bill