Crunch time for physics: What's next?

Crunch time for physics: What's next? (New Scientist)

Editor’s note: Try the options in the previous post Beyond Light – The "flat" science view can easily be upgraded with the curvature addition - a radius of curvature of all natural law.  

At minimum, at least there is some consensus on acknowledging the current stalemate in the standard model of physics. 

(Image: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/GettyImages) 

http://www.newscientist.com/special/physics-crunch
"There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now" was supposedly a common refrain among late-Victorian scientists – shortly before quantum theory and Einstein’s relativity overturned everything. 

There is no such arrogance today. Relativity has produced a supremely accurate model of the cosmos, but to make it work we must supplement the universe we do see with myriad others that we don't. 

Last year’s discovery of the Higgs boson capped decades of sculpting quantum theory into the standard model of particle physics – yet it, too, is found wanting. Meanwhile, melding the two pillars of 20th-century physics into one "theory of everything" remains a dream. 

It may once again be time for a radical rethink, starting with the most fundamental question of all…

MATHEMATICS

The roots of reality?

What makes us so sure that mathematics can reveal nature's deepest workings, asks cosmologist Brian Greene

Read more

BIG BANG COSMOLOGY

The dark void at the universe's heart

Our established picture of the universe is supremely successful – maybe because most of it is completely made up, saysStephen Battersby
Read more

STANDARD MODEL

Higgs smashes into a dead end

The discovery of the Higgs boson completed the most precise scientific model in history – and that's where the problems start, says Matthew Chalmers
Read more

THEORIES OF EVERYTHING

Desperately seeking everything

An ultimate theory that unifies all of physics seems as far away as ever – but that doesn't mean we should stop chasing the dream, says Michael Brooks
Read more

Price Gouging: The Incredible Helplessness of the Consumer

Price Gouging: The Incredible Helplessness of the Consumer

The Helplessness is a Two Edged Sword

• Divided we fall
• Our bread and butter stems solely from supporting the ‘economic/corporate system’ we work for – we willingly cut our own economic throats for paychecks.

The iconic dragon eating its own tail is more than a metaphor; it reflects historic economic errors. 

Initially mass production drastically reduced costs of products previously hand made/custom built. Today, mass production accounts only for costs/budget cuts toward increasing profit; it no longer affects the price, whose dependency now rests only upon manipulated market demand.  

Additional considerations: From the elimination of durable goods - products that lasted a lifetime - to quadruple priced, exquisitely shiny, six month lifespan substitutes………………to ‘lifelike’, size enhanced  packaging, only a quarter to half full of product, triple the price of previous, dull, but full packages. (imagine the promotions and salary increases for these ideas).

The 10 Food Items Seeing The Largest Price Hikes

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/05/15/food-price-hikes_n_5329627.html

Editor's note: From cattle trail drives of old, to massive, colossal, enormous, gigantic concentrated mass production with unprecedented cost savings is the reason for price hikes ….go consumer go, go, go!

65 miles wide and 163 miles long

About 93 per cent of the grocery items that comprise StatsCan’s basket used to compile the rate of inflation each month have risen, with most jumping by double digits, according to StatsCan data from March 2010 to March 2014. Consumers are paying at least 20 per cent more than they were in 2010 for each of the items on the list of top 10 foods with the biggest price jumps.

Editor's Note ………………. the largest cattle ranch in the United States, measuring 65 miles wide and 163 miles long. .... You can smell greeley, Colorado, long before you can see it.

Coming down the pipe in the gas arena

Highest Gas Prices: Countries

Norway reclaims the top spot from Turkey this quarter for the world's most expensive gasoline

Rank	Country	Price of one gallon of regular gasoline	Per capita daily income	Pain at the pumpi	Daily per capita consumption of gasoline	Percentage of income spent on gasoline
1	Norwayt	$10.08	$288.98	3.49%	0.24gal	0.84%
2	Turkeyt	9.55	30.78	31.02	0.03	0.86
3	Netherlandst	8.89	131.76	6.74	0.24	1.65
4	Italyt	8.61	93.24	9.24	0.17	1.56
5	Greecet	8.30	59.30	14.00	0.32	4.48
6	Portugalt	8.27	56.68	14.58	0.13	1.87
7	Francet	8.13	117.81	6.90	0.12	0.83
8	Hong Kongt	8.11	106.29	7.63	0.05	0.40
9	Swedent	8.10	164.44	4.93	0.40	1.97
10	Belgiumt	8.05	125.17	6.43	0.15	0.98
10	Finlandt	8.05	133.44	6.04	0.30	1.84
12	Germanyt	8.01	120.58	6.64	0.24	1.57
13	Denmarkt	7.92	160.73	4.92	0.28	1.36
14	Israelt	7.86	88.35	8.89	0.32	2.89
15	Irelandt	7.79	132.14	5.89	0.32	1.86
16	United Kingdomt	7.75	104.11	7.44	0.24	1.77
17	Sloveniat	7.39	62.07	11.91	0.27	3.23
18	Slovakiat	7.31	49.56	14.76	0.11	1.65
19	Maltat	7.27	60.80	11.95	0.15	1.83
20	Switzerlandt	7.25	220.47	3.29	0.39	1.30
21	Spaint	7.00	82.49	8.48	0.12	1.02
22	Hungaryt	6.91	36.56	18.89	0.13	2.53
23	Czech Republict	6.84	52.72	12.97	0.17	2.15
24	Austriat	6.80	136.56	4.98	0.21	1.05
25	Cyprust	6.78	72.10	9.41	0.35	3.29
26	Croatiat	6.70	37.41	17.91	0.14	2.59
27	Luxembourgt	6.51	307.22	2.12	0.68	1.43
28	New Zealandt	6.50	112.01	5.80	0.51	2.96
29	Latviat	6.49	41.88	15.50	0.12	1.83
30	Lithuaniat	6.44	42.08	15.31	0.06	0.89
30	South Koreat	6.44	68.63	9.38	0.16	1.51
32	Bulgariat	6.40	20.77	30.83	0.08	2.39
33	Romaniat	6.35	24.04	26.41	0.07	1.73
34	Singaporet	6.33	142.96	4.43	0.17	0.76
35	Polandt	6.28	35.82	17.53	0.11	1.89
36	Chilet	6.22	44.58	13.95	0.14	2.00
37	Estoniat	6.10	49.39	12.35	0.20	2.49
38	Japant	5.90	110.80	5.32	0.33	1.76
39	Brazilt	5.58	33.67	16.57	0.08	1.40
40	Argentinat	5.38	32.93	16.35	0.10	1.62
41	Australiat	5.30	188.87	2.80	0.61	1.72
42	South Africat	4.94	19.88	24.85	0.17	4.25
43	Indiat	4.74	4.36	108.65	0.01	1.26
44	Philippinest	4.71	7.99	58.96	0.03	1.73
45	Canadat	4.67	143.10	3.27	0.93	3.03
45	Chinat	4.67	18.16	25.71	0.05	1.30
47	Thailandt	4.65	18.01	25.84	0.08	1.94
48	Colombiat	4.52	22.57	20.03	0.06	1.14
49	Pakistant	3.87	3.59	108.01	0.01	1.37
50	United Statest	3.66	140.41	2.60	1.22	3.18
51	Indonesiat	3.62	10.46	34.60	0.08	2.67
52	Mexicot	3.43	30.11	11.38	0.28	3.18
53	Russiat	3.39	42.88	7.90	0.23	1.82
54	Malaysiat	2.31	29.99	7.69	0.31	2.37
55	Nigeriat	2.27	4.59	49.51	0.04	1.76
56	Irant	2.16	15.25	14.15	0.22	3.18
57	United Arab E…t	1.77	177.48	1.00	0.46	0.46
58	Egyptt	1.00	8.62	11.63	0.06	0.75
59	Kuwaitt	0.80	122.15	0.65	0.83	0.54
60	Saudi Arabiat	0.45	68.94	0.66	0.64	0.42
61	Venezuelat	0.04	31.58	0.13	0.40	0.05