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First "Observation" of Hawking Radiation

Posted by kdawson on from the simulation-or-experiment dept.

KentuckyFC writes "Italian physicists are claiming the first observation of Hawking radiation, but not from a black hole. Instead they've spotted it streaming from a sonic horizon in a Bose Einstein Condensate (abstract on the arXiv). That's consistent with previous predictions but they're claiming the 'first' even though the experiment was only a numerical simulation. Does that really count?"

14 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe they read /. by JeepFanatic · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... and they wanted to get First Post?

  2. reverse engineer it by OrochimaruVoldemort · · Score: 2, Funny

    and you get a black hole. but, don't feed it.

    --
    If people can get past, can they get future? Best way to confuse a stoner
    1. Re:reverse engineer it by TheMadcapZ · · Score: 2, Funny

      Especially after midnight. Keep it our of the rain too.

  3. Only numerical simulation by jayhawk88 · · Score: 4, Funny

    That accurately describes about 90% of theoretical physics doesn't it?

    1. Re:Only numerical simulation by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

      That accurately describes about 90% of theoretical physics doesn't it? Yes, the other 10% actually test empirically all their theories. They just keep the TP name because chicks dig it.
    2. Re:Only numerical simulation by TeknoHog · · Score: 2, Funny

      They just keep the TP name because chicks dig it.

      I am Cornhawkio! I need TP for my blackhole!

      --
      Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
  4. First Observation of The Meaning Of Life by Thanshin · · Score: 2, Funny

    6 * 7

    It's just a numerical simulation, but everybody knows it counts anyway.

    1. Re:First Observation of The Meaning Of Life by Selfbain · · Score: 3, Funny

      I think you mean 6 by 9.

      --
      Well, it has never been successfully tested.
    2. Re:First Observation of The Meaning Of Life by bugnuts · · Score: 2, Funny

      I think you mean 6 by 9. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with my universe, thank you very much. Same thing, it's just base 13.
  5. What an interesting question by idontgno · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...though the experiment was only a numerical simulation. Does that really count?

    If so, then many slashdotters are no longer virgins.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  6. Streaming from a what!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Instead they've spotted it streaming from a sonic horizon in a Bose Einstein Condensate
    Eh? Is that some kind of new MP3 player?
  7. What's next? by AbsoluteXyro · · Score: 2, Funny

    How long until they "observe" a Fry, er, Hawking Hole? I could have swore I "observed" one on TV.

  8. Re:Thinking in circles anyone? by CmdrGravy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not quite, if you imagine the theory as a car then the scientists suspected it might have been a Porsche Cayenne 4x4 and once they had built their simulation ( imagine that as a carwash ) it turned out that it was indeed a Porsche Cayenne 4x4. However the amazing thing was that even though they hadn't considered the driver specifically in their simulation it did indeed turn out the simulated driver was a enormous wanker thus proving beyond doubt the truth of their simulation.

  9. God Exists! by serutan · · Score: 4, Funny

    We've got millions of highly vivid simulations!