TASI 2012 Lectures on Astrophysical Probes of Dark Matter

What is the connection between how the dark matter was produced in the early universe and how we can detect it today? Where does the WIMP miracle come from, and is it really a "WIMP" miracle? What brackets the mass range for thermal relics? Where does come from, and what does it mean? What is the difference between chemical and kinetic decoupling? Why do some people think that dark matter cannot be lighter than 40 GeV? Why is b\bar b such a popular annihilation final state? Why is antimatter a good way to look for dark matter? Why should the cosmic-ray positron fraction decline with energy, and why does it not? How does one calculate the flux of neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in a celestial body, and when is that flux independent of the dark matter pair-annihilation rate? How does dark matter produce photons? Read these lecture notes, do the suggested 10 exercises, and you will find answers to all of these questions (and to many more on what You Always Wanted to Know About Dark Matter But Were Afraid to Ask).Comment: 41 pages, 6 figures, 10 exercise

Nancy Bonvillain

Selected excerpts from the Oral History Project interview. The full transcript may be restricted. To request access please contact the Simon’s Rock College Archives. People who struggle and don’t give up, those are the people I most admire. Whether they’re 52 year old social activists or whether they’re 16 year old college freshmen. That’s what really counts. Not just what you’re given or what you have easily, but what you struggle with. You know, and nobody struggles 100% of the time and nobody achieves what they wanted 100% of the time, but that’s a quality in people that I really admire. Between 16 and 20 is a tremendous change. I see it from the thesis students. From the beginning of the fall to the spring, the ability to write and the way that they’re really able to explore the depth and complexity of a topic of their choosing, it’s really rewarding. When you see change in a person, growth in a person, it’s something to admire --to see a person, their way of thinking, grow emotionally and personally. It’s not just about teaching and the classes. It’s about thinking. When I’m not teaching...I’m always curious. Like, what on earth? It’s not just what are they doing, but what are they thinking about? To me, being an academic is thinking about things intellectually, things that are intellectually engaging. I refuse the horrible ballet. And I said this to the sem 3 faculty and I doubt mine was the only negative voice, but I said that I didn’t think it was good. And I said this, I’m no judge of whether-- what’s it called, Rites of Spring?-- is innovative music, but if you want to do dance and you want to do innovative dance in the 20th century and you don’t do Martha Graham, what are you doing? You’ve got to start with Martha Graham. So there’s that point. And the other point I made was that I’m kind of tired of young girls getting sacrificed. It’s not a topic I really want to spend time thinking about.https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/sr-oral_hist/1005/thumbnail.jp

Big Bang & Co.

For a number of years already I’ve been absolutely fascinated, no, hypnotized, yes, hypnotized, by the Big Bang theory. What a fantastic theory that is. Have you heard of that one? It’s a big one. It’s a popular one. It was everywhere and still is as far as I know. Books, articles, documentaries, lectures, TV programs, and much more – it’s all there. Oh, how much I wanted to be there, at the beginning, witnessing it all. I wanted to see the Big Bang and whatever happened right after but it was so long ago, well before my time. I bet I am not alone with my dreams and what a dream that is. What really happened back then and there? How much do we really know and how much is a pure speculation? Keywords: Big Bang theory; Universe; stars; sun; planets; energy; magnetic field; gravitation; Edwin Hubble; Galaxies; Mobius strip; black holes; Doppler; matter; antimatter; Hoyle; Hawking; Perpetuum Mobile; pulsating

“Where are you really from?”: nationality and ethnicity talk (NET) in everyday interactions

The article examines the significance of questions such as “where are you really from?” in everyday conversational interactions. Defining this kind of talk as nationality and ethnicity talk (NET), i.e. discourse that either explicitly or inexplicitly evokes one’s nationality or ethnicity in everyday conversation, the paper discusses what constitutes NET, how it works through symbolic and indexical cues and strategic emphasis, and why it matters in the wider context of identity, race, intercultural contact and power relations. The discussion draws on social media data including videos, blogs, on-line comments and the authors’ observations, and focuses on NET around Asian people living outside Asia. It argues that the question “where are you really from” itself does not per se contest immigrants’ entitlement. However, what makes a difference to the perception of whether one is an “interloper” - someone who is not wanted - is the “tangled” history, memory and expectation imbued and fuelled by power inequality

Letter Written by Edith Speert to Victor A. Speert Dated January 11, 1944

[Transcription begins] Wednesday Night 11 January 1944 Bubsie Darling-- Sure wish you’d keep one address. Again, I’m mailing this letter to A.P.O. 84, because I rec’d a V-mail (form blank) today saying that that is where I should send your mail until I’m notified further. The form had no date on it, but the envelope was postmarked Oct. 30th, so I guess those are the latest orders. Huh? Since I got that form blank (it also contained your code for a cablegram) I shall try & cable you tomorrow--I certainly want you to know as soon as possible that I’m more madly in love with you than ever! Mom & Dad picked me up at work today & then we went to get the little car. Gosh, they “soaked” Dad $100.00 for the car & honey, I hate to say this, but the car doesn’t sound too different! It sounds as if someone might have done a little for it but not too much. Well if it holds out for the winter, I’ll be very happy! Called your folks tonight & they wanted to know if I’d like to go to an Open House for Irv Lader tonite. I said “no” cause I was uninterested, & secondly, I had alot [sic] to do. I spoke to Sanf & told him I’d be over tomorrow night. I promised to bring him some of your letters. He got a “kick” out of your adventures and observations, & I don’t mind sharing certain parts of your letters with him. I’m sure Sanf’s “all for me”--cause, the other night he paid me a really high complement [sic]--”[I]f there was another girl like you, I’d get married.” Honey, I’m having a hell of a time locating a play for my dramatic group because of their varied ages, plus the fact that the kids want to put little or no time into it, plus the lack of costume’s [sic] & scenery. Don’t know what I’m going to do! Enclosed article interested me & I think you can see why. I quite agree with Ruth Mellett & really believe both of us have a new idea of what things matter--I believe we are alot [sic] more realistic because of the war, the insecurity & the need of adapting ourselves to varied circumstances at a moment’s notice. You are the most adorable & wonderful person I know--& the very best husband I could ever want! Yours truly Edith [Transcription ends

“Slenderman: the Middle School Film”

Lucy: Okay, well I first heard about him at school, cause all the kids were playing it, Me: Playing what? Lucy: (on computers) Me: Oh? Lucy: (playing Slenderman.) Lucy: Yeah, and the school blocked it, but they found out how to, download it anyway, just like they did with minecraft. But, I only played the game like one time. ‘Cause I was too scared. Also--[I chuckle] I was twelve at the time. [She laughs] Umm, I haven’t heard, a ton about folklore. Just, uh, those, girls, stabbing that other girl. And I guess Abbey’s story, but. [I chuckle] Yeah. Um, we did a youtube video about it. Me: Tell me about that. Lucy: Well, it wasn’t, it wasn’t too much about him we wanted to make a horror movie ‘cause Hailey was, and, is, still, uh, like, really, kind of, very into making, movies, so she wanted to do a horror movie and that was the hot topic at the time, so that’s what we did, but. Yeah, but it’s not too much about Slenderman, or the folklore or anything. Me: So, you don’t know anything about like, what he looks like, what he does, those kinds of things? Lucy: (Well, yeah,) I know what he looks like. No face, and very tall, and, yeah. He kills ya, if he sees you, his mouth, you like look at him. I don’t know. Like that

„Der Krieg sind wir“ –: eine vielschichtige Debatte um den Ersten Weltkrieg in Notre Mère la Guerre

“Only if you understand war, will you find the murderer“, said Kris, the author of Notre Mère la Guerre. The comic tells the story of a serial killer who brutally murders four young women in the winter of 1915 in the French Champagne region. The comic is at first appearance a crime story. However, the authors Kris and Maël offer the reader a well-researched, manifold and terrifying panorama of World War I. During extensive research in archives and museums, the authors have studied the main historical works about World War I, as well as research works about the brutalization of politics between the wars. “We wanted to make war comprehensible to the readers; we wanted the readers to immerse themselves slowly and deeply into the question of what war really is. For us, the question is not only who is the murderer, but, most essentially, why does he kill?” (Übersetzung Anja Fulle

Letter from C[harles] S. Sargent to John Muir, 1897 Feb 26.

ARNOLD ARBORETUM, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. Jamaica Plain, Mass., February 26, 1897. My dear Muir: I happened to see the editor of The Atlantic Monthly yesterday who talked to me about Forest Reserves, etc., etc., and wanted the subject treated in his journal. I told him that there was but one [illegible], in the United States who could do it and that his name was John Muir. He is going to write you today on the subject. I should be glad to see you a contributor to that venerable and rather dull periodical. The circulation is not large out it carries weight in many good quarters and Still maintains its reputation What is now wanted is a general discussion in as many places as possible of the Reserves and the necessity of some general forest management. You can do this better than any one else because you know the subject and how to put in attractive form what you have to say. We have an got to do a rot of hustling in the next year if anything really is to be accomplished, for unless some wise aid. comprehensive scheme is adopted it well be impossible to hold the Reserves &, and if they are allowed to go, the total destruction of the western forests is merely a question of time. Mr. Page, the editor of the Atlantic, said he would write you today and I sincerely hope that you will consider his proposition favorably. Faithfully yours, [illegible] 0225