Quantum gravity could be observable in the oscillation frequency of heavy quantum states

Observable consequences of quantum gravity were long thought inaccessible by experiment. But we theorists might have underestimated our experimental colleagues. Technology has now advanced so much that macroscopic objects, weighting as much as a billionth of a gram, can be coaxed to behave as quantum objects. A billionth of a gram might not sound much, but it is huge compared to the elementary

Beauty: Holiday Gift Guide

Hope everyone is enjoying this Holiday Season! Monica here from Beauty Parler. If you're like me I tend to wait last minute to buy gifts. But, I seriously need to change that habit as most beauty gifts sell out quick. For any beauty aficionado this is the season to do some serious shopping and I mean for yourself too. Stock up on your favourite makeup products because it's the best time to find deals and kits that aren't normally offered throughout the year.

For example, the Charlotte Tilbury 'The Bombshell' Set is almost a complete full-face set minus a foundation at an exceptional value versus buying the items separately. Items like makeup brushes are another great add to your wish-list. Sigma Brushes (as pictured) are a great gift for a teen or young adult who is looking to start a makeup kit without breaking the bank.

Can't forget those work parties and Secret Santa exchange. Co-workers love hand creams and lipbalms. Kiehl's is my go-to source in that department. Love the Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm, perfect for dry cracked Winter lips. For the lipstick lovers at the office or a great hostess gift, the Clinique 'Days of the Week' Matte lipstick set if a fabulous gift.

Am I the only one that likes to stock up on beauty products this time of year? Do tell. Happy Shopping!

-post by Monica

Kids: Joovy Spoon Walker

My mother has been mentioning the word "walker" ever since our son was born.  I admit, when I heard that word, I went into caution-mode.   I really believed walkers were dangerous & always thought "no one uses those anymore!"   I admit, I was against it.  But after consulting with several moms - it seemed most of them have used either a jumpers or a walkers for their own kids. Everyone had a good experience, but they did tell me to always watch the child & not leave them unattended. Well, mom was right. 

After deciding that I would get a walker - I figured  get something that has clean lines and looks modern and is also functional. Enter Joovy.  A friend of mine (also a mom)  introduced me to Joovy & recommended their Spoon Walker.  I looked it up & it was exactly what I had envisioned if I was EVER going to follow mom's advice about getting one.  So, the people over at Joovy sent one our way & its adorable!! We decided on the Charcoal Spoon Walker  & when we received it here are a few things I noticed:

• It combines two essential products into one (highchair & walker)
• It has a large tray which can be used for eating 
• The design blends perfectly into our home decor (yay!) 
• The tray has a removable insert for easy-cleaning or put in dishwasher
• It's big enough for child to play with their fave toys
• it's a bright high gloss, which cleans easily too.
• It has a wide base for great mobility & stability. 
• The seat pad is supportive & comfortable, machine washable. 
• The wide base ensures that little fingers wont get pinched on the side of the tray if your toddler bumps into a wall.
• It has a soft and padded high seat back.
• It has three height positions.
• It folds flat for easy storage and travel.
• It's entirely BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free

So to be fair, my son is 9 months old & is still getting used to it.  At first he was only moving backwards ha! But recently he finally started moving forward but VERY SLOWLY.  Looking forward to seeing him use it to it's full potential.  I highly recommend the Joovy Spoon Walker for your toddler.



-post by jen ramos
-in partnership with joovy

What Fermilab�s Holometer Experiment teaches us about Quantum Gravity.

The Fermilab Holometer searched for
correlations between two interferometers

Tl;dr: Nothing. It teaches us nothing. It just wasted time and money.
The Holometer experiment at Fermilab just published the results of their search for holographic space-time foam. They didn�t find any evidence for noise that could be indicative of quantum gravity.
The idea of the experiment was to find

Peer Review and its Discontents [slide show]

I have made a slide-show of my Monday talk a the Munin conference and managed to squeeze a one-hour lecture into 23 minutes. Don't expect too much, nothing happens in this video, it's just me mumbling over the slides (no singing either ;)). I was also recorded on Monday, but if you prefer the version with me walking around and talking for 60 minutes you'll have to wait a few days until the

Nespresso 'A Cup Above' Gift Ideas

Everyone knows I love coffee, but I've never received coffee-related gifts for Christmas. Well, then why not just gift my friends some coffee related accessories to enjoy?  My all time favorite is Nespresso.  They offer high quality coffee from the world's finest coffee-producing regions.  It is my to-go place for finding gifts that suit everyone on my Holiday list! 

I love that they offer many of the same accessories they have in their boutiques on their site.  So, if you enjoyed sipping your cappuccino from the VertuoLine Cappuccino Cup at their boutique, you can experience the feeling at home by purchasing the cups from their website!  

This Holiday Season feel free to follow my lead & let your friends 'Experience A Cup Above'.  

What do I mean by that?  Well, Experiencing 'A Cup Above' is more than a gift, it's an invitation into Nespresso's elegant lifestyle.  Here are 7 Nespresso Gift ideas for coffee lovers. 

1. Dark Chocolate Squares with Cocoa Bits  (perfect addition to any cappuccino + chocolate lovers.)

2. VertuoLine Recipe Set  (ideal for serving lattes & latte lovers) 

3. Piano Black VertuoLine Evoluo Machine  (for great tasting freshly brewed coffee & espresso at the touch of a button. Convenient. )

4. Indulgent Pack  (ideal for the first time buyer of a Nespresso machine or for a housewarming gift). 

5. VertuoLine Travel Mug (for the constant traveler who prefers their coffee on-the-go). 

6. Premium Espresso Gold Cups (Impress that stylish friend of yours who loves coffee. Hurry though, limited quantities available!)

7. VertuoLine Cappuccino Cups  (this cup set is for the coffee lover who likes to see their coffee & crema)

On another note, here's a great Coffee Milkshake recipe you can pass on to a friend if you decide to gift the lovely Vertuoline Recipe set . 


Ingredients:

• 1 capsule of Decaffeinato or Vanizio?
• 2 oz of cold milk? (or you can add Soy milk if you're looking for a dairy-free milkshake)
• 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
• Preparation
• Brew Coffee capsule and allow to cool slightly in a cocktail shaker, add ice cream, cold milk and cooled shot. Stir with a whisk or large table spoon. Continue until ice cream is melted and mixture is uniformly thickened and smooth. Pour into VertuoLine recipe glass
• Enjoy & Happy Holidays! 

Did you know that Nespresso capsules are also recyclable? They are!  You can bring them to the Boutiques and retailer drop-offs for recycling + they have a UPS mailback program, which provides pre-paid recycling bags for consumers to mail back used capsules. Drop those off at one of the 88,000 UPS drop off locations across the country. Nespresso recently expanded its program with UPS from 20 to 48 states



-post by jen ramos
-In partnership with Nespresso

Hawking radiation is not produced at the black hole horizon.

Stephen Hawking�s �Brief History of Time� was one of the first popular science books I read, and I hated it. I hated it because I didn�t understand it. My frustration with this book is a big part of the reason I�m a physicist today � at least I know who to blame.
I don�t hate the book any more � admittedly Hawking did a remarkable job of sparking public interest in the fundamental questions

Fashion: Ramy Brook

Hey Fashion lovers, here's a new shop I wanted to introduce you to called, Ramy Brook. They recently contacted me and introduced me to their collection. I fell in love with it! This company was founded in 2010 by Ramy Brook Sharp.  It's based out of NYC and offers a line of contemporary women's wear.  I love that almost every piece can be worn either day or night.  For example, the amazing Jessica Sweater ...(made from 100% Merino wool) that I'm wearing below.  I've worn it out for a coffee meeting as well as date night - it did not disappoint!  Looks fantastic & sooo soft.  This brand is great & I am now going to be keep an eye-out for all the new stuff they launch! 

I've gathered a few more of my favorites below.  Check them all out here.

-post by jen ramos -
- in partnership with Ramy Brook

Away note

I�ll be traveling the next two weeks. First I�ll be going to a conference on �scholarly publishing� in the picturesque city of Troms�. The �o� with the slash is Norwegian and the trip is going to beat my personal farthest-North record that is currently held by Reykjavik (or some village with an unpronouncable name a little North of that).
I don�t have the faintest clue why they invited me, to

Winter Coat Ready

The coolest coats of the season are upon us. As much as I want to buy a coat, I have TOO many!  However, if you're looking to purchase some stylish outerwear - I've got you covered.  My personal pick is definitely the icon Trench coat in wool-cashmere by Jcrew  - and guess what?  It is on SALE right now for 30% off!  It comes in 4 different colors, but I'd choose the all black.  I also included a super cool leather fringe scarf by Mackage that I love! I've never seen anything like that in a winter accessories before. DEF a + 

1. jcrew trench 2. faux fur hooded coat via topshop 3. scarf w/leather fringe via mackage 

4. neat wool blend cape via topshop  5. faux fur animal print coat via topshop 6. black faux fur coat via zara

-post by jen ramos

 

Dear Dr B: Can you think of a single advancement in theoretical physics, other than speculation, since the early 1980's?

This question was asked by Steve Coyler, who was a frequent commenter on this blog before facebook ate him up. His full question is:


�Can you think of a single advancement in theoretical physics, other than speculation like Strings and Loops and Safe Gravity and Twistors, and confirming things like the Higgs Boson and pentaquarks at the LHC, since Politizer and Wilczek and Gross (and Coleman)

The scientific method is not a myth

Heliocentrism, natural selection, plate tectonics � much of what is now accepted fact was once controversial. Paradigm-shifting ideas were, at their time, often considered provocative. Consequently the way to truth must be pissing off as many people as possible by making totally idiotic statements. Like declaring that the scientific method is a myth, which was most recently proclaimed by Daniel

SALE AT MADE BY GIRL

In case you hadn't heard..... we have a sale going on. We are offering 40% off most art prints on MADE BY GIRL - SALE starts today!! - Use the code FALL2015.   Happy shopping!!

-images by jen ramos

I am hiring: Postdoc in AdS/CFT applications to condensed matter

I am hiring a postdoc for a 3-year position based at Nordita in Stockholm. The research is project-bound, funded by a grant from the Swedish Research Council. I am looking for someone with a background in AdS/CFT applications to condensed matter and/or analogue gravity. If you want to know what the project is about, have a look at these recent papers. It�s a good contract with full benefits.

DESIGN: PARISIAN CHIC

Hi guys! this is Monika bringing you some decor this Friday! 

This living room designed by The Design Co is one of my favorite spaces of all time and I thought I put a little inspiration to crate a similar look! I love everything about this room, from the comfy, traditional sofas with carved legs to French inspired chairs and a fabulous marble fireplace mantel. The zebra rug adds a bit of an edge and it's a perfect contemporary addition to mix thing up and contrast with the chic Parisian windows frames and classic accessories. The whole is just perfect!

 

1 Wolf and Badger // 2 Domino // 3 One King Lane // 4 Blue Fly // 5 Overstock // 

6 One Kings Lane // 7 Neiman Marcus // 8 Lamp Plus // 9 Horchow // 10 Amara

-post by monika boruch

 

Mysteriously quiet space baffles researchers

The Parkes Telescope. [Image Source]

Astrophysicists have concluded the yet most precise search for the gravitational wave background created by supermassive black hole mergers. But the expected signal isn�t there.
Last month, Lawrence Krauss rumored that the newly updated gravitational wave detector LIGO had seen its first signal. The news spread quickly � and was shot down almost as quickly.

Experience A Cup Above

Coffee is my thing.

I used to be a coffee-shop fanatic, until I discovered Nespresso.  I realized how much money I was spending on coffee +  time wasted in-line waiting for my tall decaf soy latte with a splash of mocha on top! Oooh, long name!  Nothing wrong with name brand coffee shops but there's something magical about making your own cappuccino in the comfort of your own home.  After receiving my first machine, citiz & milk  as a gift from a friend,  I was HOOKED on Nespresso.  The ease & the taste of the coffee was way better than the coffee shops I had visited.  For the last few years I've been a loyal customer of this amazing brand.  So, Nespresso asked me to share my daily coffee routine & to try out the newest machine in the VertuoLine range, Evoluo.  The new machine launched last month and is featured in their new �Experience a cup above� campaign with George Clooney.

To those who don't know me, I work from home. Working from home is definitely an interesting & challenging experience. I tend to work on turbo-mode and then take a break during the daytime to spend time with my son for a few minutes.  I usually hang out with him while I make myself a (much-needed) cappuccino & pair it with Sprinkles cupcakes or a gluten-free bagel + pumpkin butter spread.  I eagerly look forward to these moments & feel relaxed & at ease being a work-at-home-mom.

During the middle of my work day on my break, I'll  enjoy my coffee with a bagel.  It's one of my favorite things......but my son loves colors, so cupcakes get him EXCITED!  He then goes back to his sitter & I get back to work, checking email, posting photos on social media like instagram & painting.  Being an artist, my home studio can get a little messy.  Even still, I'm not afraid to bring my coffee into the mix... I'll even use it as a prop for photo shoots.  Of course, I'll drink it afterwards.   I love painting & sipping on my cappuccino, I feel like the two things go hand-in-hand.  Working at home has it's challenges & the one day my sitter isn'tt working, it's hard to leave the house & walk into a coffee-shop with a stroller etc. (even if I wanted to).  So having a high-end machine like the Evoluo, which brews espresso and large-cup coffee, is VERY helpful.

Below:  Infant Nuna ZAAZ convertible high chair in Pewter

In the last few days, I've really enjoyed my work breaks, because the new Evoluo machine has been wonderful. You see,  I love milk (soy milk) in my coffee, so I got the bundle with the Aeroccino (milk frother).  This machine is quieter & more beautiful than my previous one.  It also maintains the gorgeous crema, which is what you see in my glass cup in the photo.  Nespresso machines use Nespresso capsules and brew high quality coffee , they are easy-to-clean & offer some great varieties in their Grand Crus like the new Limited Edition Swiss Chocolate for the holidays, yum!!!   One thing I learned while trying the new Evoluo is that Nespresso only selects the top 1-2% of coffee from the finest coffee-producing regions for their Grand Crus! Nice.

I love my coffee at home & drinking an iced version on the weekends with my husband after dinner is like my dessert sometimes.  He'll even add a scoop of coconut milk ice cream on top!  I swear.  So now you know how I  "Experience A Cup Above."

Above: Infant Nuna ZAAZ convertible high chair

-post + photos by made by girl
-this post was created in partnership with nespresso - thanks!

Dear Dr. B: What do physicists mean when they say time doesn�t exist?

That was a question Brian Clegg didn�t ask but should have asked. What he asked instead in a recent blogpost was: �When physicists say many processes are independent of time, are they cheating?� He then answered his own question with yes. Let me explain first what�s wrong with Brian�s question, then I�ll tell you something about the existence of time.
What is time-reversal invariance?

The

Another new social networking platform for scientists: Loop

Logo of Loop Network website.

A recent issue of Nature magazine ran an advertisement feature for �Loop,� a new networking platform to �maximize the impact of researchers and their discoveries.� It�s an initiative by Frontiers, an open access publisher. Of course I went and got an account to see what it does and I�m here to report back.
In the Nature advert, the CEO of Frontiers interviews

World Adoption Day

 

We are celebrating #WorldAdoptionDay along with MANY others today!! All you have to do is draw a SMILEY face on your hand & tag #WorldAdoptionDay. November is adoption month ....YAY!! I FEEL SO BLESSED to be a MOM.

10 things you should know about black holes [video]

Since I had the blue screen up already, I wanted to try out some things to improve my videos. I'm quite happy with this one (finally managed to export it in a reasonable resolution), but I noticed too late I should have paid more attention to the audio. Sorry about that. Next time I'll use an external mic. I have also decided to finally replace the blue screen with a green screen, which I hope

DESIGNER: KELLY BEHUN

Kelly Behun was featured in Elle Decor a couple days ago as designer for a gorgeous Park Avenue home - and boy was it beautiful! I'm only showing you one photo of that gorgeous space, the rest is on Elle Decor. However here is some of her other work which is amazing too. Kelly's studio is based out of NYC & they also design funky pieces of furniture. 

Interesting enough she graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science in Economics - she is now a highly sought after designer. Kelly's design work has been published in numerous magazines including Elle Decor, New York Magazine (cover story of annual design issue), House Beautiful, House and Garden & more! She's designed many homes including Ivanka Trump's NYC apartment.

Feel free to view her portfolio here.

Have a great weekend! 

-post by jen ramos
-images via elle decor

New music video

Yes!



I know you can hardly contain the excitement about my new lipstick and the badly illuminated blue screen, so please enjoy my newest release, exclusively for you, dear reader.
I actually wrote this song last year, but then I mixed myself into a mush. In the hope that I've learned some things since, I revisited this project and gave it a second try. Thought I'm still not quite happy with

My Baby Boy Room Ideas

I've been imagining Noah's nursery for several years now, and although he doesn't officially have his own room, he will one day soon!  Right now he shares a space with us in a side area of our room.  Living in the City requires sacrificing space & oftentimes people will share their space with their children for a several months until they can figure out another (more-convenient) arrangement.

In the next couple of months I hope to CREATE a few digital-nurseries & then choose, execute & start working on it in REAL LIFE. That's my plan.  I've come up with option number (1) below, which includes some of my own new ABSTRACT art. Hopefully as he grows, he'll be inspired to incorporate his own art into the space.  All in all, I wanted the room to feel modern, creative with bright pops of color! One other feature I really want to add is the black- striped teepee from Land Of Nod.  I can already picture myself reading to him inside this cozy little teepee ! 

Another decor item I'm also considering is a neon sign.... in a blue-ish tone.  I love the effect the neon lighting gives off in a space. It adds such a cool effect!  However, I haven't decided what I'd like the neon to say.....hmmmm.  I remember wanting to have a child for as long as I can remember. Adopting Noah was a dream come true, and he is so loved.  But I'm stuck on what the sign should say.... Any ideas??? Maybe his name, Noah? Or maybe something else like 'dreams come true' or "You are Loved".  

I'm currently looking at a company called Endeavour Neon for the sign, so we shall see.   Books are so prominent in my home, I want them to be a BIG part of Noah's life. So, I figure start adding them to his space & that should hopefully generate interest in them! I can literally keep going on decor...but you get the idea. Stay tuned for another nursery down the line!

Curious....what do you think the neon should say?

1. delaney rug in 8"x10" via pottery barn kids
2. teepee via land of nod
3. snow rabbit via ooh noo 
4. set of 2 or 4 blue abstract art via made by girl (coming soon)
5. modern alphabet blocks white letters via ooh noo
6. boys rule print via mini learners
7. custom neon signs via Endeavour Neon 
8. mini zebra print via made by girl 
9. new issue book case via Land of Nod 
10. Andy Warhol's Colors book
11. bow tie blocks via Land of Nod
12. WHERE THE WILD Things Are book via amazon
13. Personalized name kids book via Pottery barn kids
14. sort and tip truck via pottery barn kids
15. rainbow stacker via Land of Nod


-post by jen ramos

Dumb Holes Leak

Tl;dr: A new experiment demonstrates that Hawking radiation in a fluid is entangled, but only in the high frequency end. This result might be useful to solve the black hole information loss problem.
In August I went to Stephen Hawking�s public lecture in the fully packed Stockholm Opera. Hawking was wheeled onto the stage, placed in the spotlight, and delivered an entertaining presentation about