spontaneous stochasticity

My dad and I have had a lot of conversations about turbulence as it relates to air and flying planes. In the latest issue of the JHU Engineering magazine they had a really cool article about a researcher at Whiting School of Engineering. Using fluid dynamics scientists can predict where a particle will end up in a calmly flowing creek (smooth velocity). But once you introduce turbulence they can't predict where the particle will end up, even when the turbulence is reduced to being almost negligible. That's called spontaneous stochasticity.

Why do you care? Because that's how scientists predict formation of stars and solar flares. Solar flares disrupt power and communication networks. They can also effect the earth's magnetic field, which means we are exposed to radiation from space.

Lead shielding anyone?

I also liked the article because the researcher disproved a theory called flux freezing that never really worked. I like it when someone is proven wrong after they've suggested a theory that doesn't work (makes me feel better when I argue with people at work because what they're telling me makes no sense).

And NPR says that a brain over 45 is already almost past its prime. Hah.