#Classical Mechanics Lecture 1

[erbiumspectrum]

1 August 2024

Oh August, you're always a welcome guest! Sure, it can still get as scorching as July, but August feels different, you know what I mean? The sunlight is different, the air is different, the atmosphere is different, you gotta see it too. I can't be the only one.

Went outside despite the headache and the stomachache (no idea why I feel so awful. I'm in the process of lowering the dose of one of my meds though, so maybe that's why) to get some fresh air and escape my hell neighbors. Ended up at the bookstore. They had a renovation a while ago and now there are many more classics, there's a proper popsci section and a whole section in English, so how could I resist its siren call. There was a Sean Carroll book and I was really tempted to make the entire purchase less reasonable, but then I was like, Lena. How many more books on quantum mechanics do you need. And acted responsibly lol.

My plans and goals for this month are under the cut :)

Try to finish the crystallography lectures I've been watching. Emphasis on try bc there's. A lot. 🥲

Continue reading my spectro textbook bc I totally deserted that one

Start preparing for the bachelor's exam. Yes there's a year left, but I won't have much time during the semester, so I want some sort of a headstart

Learn how to draw :) Lately I've been thinking a lot about how I need a new hobby and eventually decided to give drawing a try. I'm starting from the very bottom here, I absolutely cannot draw to save my life, so I hope I won't get discouraged too easily

Do the crystallographic research needed for my thesis (which I can't do from home, only from my uni library)

Remember to make a doctor's appointment and email my supervisor towards the end of the month (he said I can come back to thesis lab in September instead of waiting for the classes to start in October!! :))

[rifki16]

Love is Better the Second Time Around Episode 5

Photo Credit : Love is Better the Second Time Around Promotional Twitter Account | https://x.com/koi_nido/status/1775007525647372784?s=46

Love is Better the Second Time Around Episode 5

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Homophobia and Disownment. I’m not going that deep into the topics which include homophobic and depictions of being disowned, however, I’m just trying to be cautious.

Love is Better the Second Time Around Episode 5 is OUT! Let’s get into the short review right away. SPOILERS DUH.

As expected, of course, the couple broke up even though Haru just admitted that he liked Takashi – as well as agreeing to “go out” with him. I want to talk about four topics from this episode.

First theme: Disownment in Japan

I mean, as it turns out, being disowned in Japan is not only caused by homophobia. I think this has been depicted many times in several Japanese TV medias which I have encountered – I think, in general, not achieving the family’s expectations of you will make you really isolated from the family. However, HUGE DISCLAIMER, this subtopic is not going to talk about whether it is more likely to be disowned in Japan compared to other countries nor is it going to delve into the psyche of Japanese families, as well as their internal dynamics, and why they choose to disown instead of choosing other methods in showing their dissatisfaction or repulsiveness towards their kin. This subtopic will focus exclusively on being disowned in Japan by your family because you have been outed as a cis-gay man through the lens of two Japanese BL works: Love is Better the Second Time Around episode 5, Tokyo in April is… episode… I guess the whole series.

To clarify, I’m talking about the act of disownment of a child or an adult by their family, so it’s not about a baby, newly born or not, being abandoned by their mother because of a myriad of reasons. It’s quite hard for me to find a credible source on the internet about the practice of disownment in Japan, be it the reasons, or mechanism. I found this article about how, in the classical times of Japan, disownment is a form of remedy due to your crimes against your “ancestors” (https://www.japanesewiki.com/history/Fukyo.html).

I also found anecdotes that many Japanese families would disown their offspring because they marry “Internationally”- as the film Life: Love on the Line puts it. The anecdotes are very old, it’s from 2007 (https://ask.metafilter.com/83832/How-does-disownership-of-a-child-work-in-Japan

).

Setting all of those aside, let us dig deep as to what happened in the two series. In Love is Better the Second Time Around, Takashi was outed by, who turned out to be, a distant relative of his. The rumor got spread around. He got disowned. He needed to change his surname from Hoshizawa to Iwanaga. I don’t know how he got his PhD in economics, I assume in Japan, only PhD graduates can be a lecturer. Maybe his new adopted family paid for the tuition fee until his doctorate degree, or maybe he got scholarship all the way up to his PhD studies.

In Tokyo in April is…, Ren was saved by Kazuma from being groomed sexually, not the over-the-internet-incredibly-flirtatious-chat grooming. He was forced to be outed in the hospital to describe what He and Kazuma were doing in the love hotel. Kazuma’s mum slapped and told Ren never to meet Kazuma again. Ren was forced to go to a HS in France, not allowed to inherit the hospital of his grandfather. In the manga, his dad was forced to resign from the hospital, in the live-action series, it was not mentioned about his dad’s status after the rumor of his son’s gay sex act was spread around. He needed to change his surname. He finished his HS and his degree, I think, in France. Then he went back to Japan with his new identity and all.

Now, before going to the analysis. Two things that I have observed to stand out very clearly: 1. The disowned son is still given a future, 2. The disowned son needs to change their surname as he is no longer a member of the family. I still don’t know how Takashi got his degrees, financially, but he still could get those degrees and become a respected economics lecturer. In Tokyo in April is…’s finale, Ren said to his sexual-assault-covering boss that he was grateful to him because he “could repay his family’s tuition” because of the job, which means that his disowning family still paid his tuition in France, just as a loan tho.

It's very unique for me to see this representation, because in many western medias, the disowned son becomes unhoused, a fear which still terrifies me today, and his future really becomes uncertain. In terms of name, I don’t really recall disowned gay men in any western media works to have changed their surname or name completely. I understand that many trans- or non-binary individuals or gender fluid people to have done this, be that they get disowned or not. Let me say before we get deeper into my two cents of this subtopic. I’m not saying that disowned gay sons in Japan have it “easier” compared to other disowned gay sons around the world just because that they are not immediately unhoused in these two BL works. I don’t know the statistics, and I really don’t think we should compare our sufferings amongst us gay men.

A). However, does Japan’s own attitude to the idea of a “state” contribute to these representations? I mean, in western media works, the disowned gay son is completely cut-off because said son is not a member of the family and thus not merited the PRIVATE wealth and comfort of the family. Western idea of ownership, state, and cold-war era propaganda of the “nuclear family” really contribute as to why the representation of disowned gay sons in their media become understandable. But in Japanese, it’s very new for me. Or is it a mere fear of criminal prosecution if the family doesn’t provide means for the future of the disowned gay son? I don’t know.

B). Your family name holds a special place in Japan. I know that it also carries a huge weight in many parts of the world, even here in Indonesia - where most plebian families don’t have a surname - your surname holds such an importance too. In most western media works which I have consumed, the disowned gay son, doesn’t really change his name. He just gets own with his own life, as his surname is the last of his concern. I think this connects well with the first observation I made – in most western media works, the disowned gay son is too focused on surviving, that he doesn’t give a fig about what he is called. If we see it in practical terms, let’s say a disowned gay son is moving from somewhere in the deep south of the states, and he moves to somewhere in New York, new England or somewhere in the west coast, his new start will not really check his name on some federal database, his new semi-blue-collar employer will not check his family background. Unless that he has a criminal record, he is free to use his old name or a new one, his family will not be disadvantaged at all because neither his new life nor his family is connected.

Take these observations with huge grains of salt, as I did not revisit many western media works as a reference, and I have not, and did not, included all Japanese BL works which have this trope, such as Umibe no étranger. I completely forgot as to what happened to the disowned gay son, in that anime film, before coming back to his hometown.

Second theme: Foreigners and Japanese

The second theme I’d like to talk about is Japanese relationship with foreigners. The relationship in a sense of how Japanese see foreigners against/for their patrimony. I will not write a lot about this subtopic because it touches complex topics like Japanese nationalism and the Japanese idea of race – topics which I don’t know much about. To talk about this subtopic, I want to discuss two works, Love is Better the Second Time Around episode 5 and Life: Love on the Line (director’s cut film).

Let’s revisit the chatroom/blog discussion website from 2007 (https://ask.metafilter.com/83832/How-does-disownership-of-a-child-work-in-Japan

). One of the posters said that when, I presumed his personal pronouns are he/hem/his, his Japanese wife married her non-Japanese husband, she got disowned. But then, when her sister got divorced, she was “seen better than her sister”. Setting aside the perception of divorced or spinsterish people, isn’t it crazy that based on that one anecdote, his wife’s family disowned their own daughter just because she married a non-Japanese person. Again, I don’t know the statistics hence I don’t know the prevalence of this behavior. I don’t even know whether the poster of the story on the website was telling the truth or not, however this anecdote is a great jumping point in understanding what happened in the two works I want to present.

In Life: Love on the Line, Ito, the bitch who actually kissed Nishi first, asked to break up with Nishi because he wanted to have “a normal family”. Hold up, I need to vent about Ito, WHAT A BITCH, you really don’t appreciate what you got bro. JESUS, I really cannot contain my anger to Ito. Venting side note over. Ito eventually got a divorce with his wife because he still loves Nishi. And, when he went back to his family’s house to announce his divorce, it turns out his sister is marrying a south Asian person, I forgot whether it was Indian or any other ethnicity. His mother became mad and pointed to his sister that she needed to be more like Ito because he has a normal life and family. His mum’s statement prompted him to stand up and said that he’s getting a divorce, and he has been in love with Nishi all this time and adding “compared to International love, it’s pretty normal right?”, or something to that effect.

In Love is Better the Second Time Around, we don’t really see the family dynamics as to why Takashi is called back to his family, besides the fact that because his sister is marrying a non-Japanese person, he needs to be the one that bears the responsibility of continuing his family’s business. I have not read the manga so I don’t know how Takashi family views their daughter’s “international marriage” compared to their estranged son.

Side note, it seems that Takashi is going to decline the offer to continue the family business because he’s gay… huh? I mean in Restart After Come back Home, Mitsuomi still can continue the family business even though that he’s gay. Well, he has not come out yet. Side note to the power of two, Isn’t it weird that a salaryman can just continue his father’s, long established, carpenter business? Like huh?

I really need to understand more about Japanese view on foreigners marrying their own. I mean, it’s a pretty extreme stance to say that, even a heterosexual, “international marriage” is considered a strange, or deviation from a normal one. Is it just because of the practical matter that the non-Japanese person cannot continue the family business? Is it because that the non-Japanese person hard to assimilate to the Japanese culture?

Side note again, does this mean that BL works with protagonists that used to live in the west like Tokyo in April is… and Senpai, This can’t be Love, to name two, also have “full” Japanese parents, just that they used to live abroad…?

Third theme: Haru mental leap

I think Haru in episode 4 and 5 are very different, “bigly”. We just saw Haru getting comfortable in episode 4 of getting in bed and accepting Takashi as his lover – boyfriend. I think in this episode, Haru became braver in his mannerism as well as drawing the line with Takashi. Yes, I will be having sex with you as lovers, yes, I will be calling you my lover, even in front of my own enemy, but I will not be moving into your place, yet. I think because we have seen how Takashi disappointed, or as it turns out, was smeared to look like he disappointed Haru, Haru’s walls were already up, so it’s not easy I guess for him to draw lines.

Someone on Twitter actually translated the conversation Haru and Takashi on LINE. In the chat, Takashi actually congratulated Haru on being the Deputy Editor, and Haru’s response was just like “okay”. Like wtf. This is another trope that I don’t like in Japanese BL works. I think the biggest offender of this trope is Minato’s Laundromat. It’s the trope of “Oh yes we’re now boyfriends, but I’m gonna act too cool to care about it”. Like what…? I mean Hiro’s mannerisms on digital products, E-Mail and social media are so different with his real-life behaviors, to the people that he knows. Why does he still use his journalist face even with Kyosuke?

Fourth theme: Blackmail – Japan’s most loved trope?

Before talking about this subtopic, let me first take my celebratory dance. I’M SO RELIEVED THAT MY BRAIN ITCH IS NOT WRONG OMG. Haru didn’t overhear some sob in the hall that Takashi bet against him. It was, presumably, Kyosuke that took a picture of a young, I think, Haru, and wrote in the email that Takashi was betting against his appearance in the train station.

What is it with BL and blackmail trope? I mean I know that it’s not uncommon for closeted gay guys to be threatened by blackmail about his sexual orientation, but I already see this plot line used in Help I’m Being Harassed by the Sexiest Man of the Year and The End of the World with You. I think The End of the World with You is such a unique one in using this plot line as the perpetrator of the blackmail is also the one who did the gay sex act with the blackmail victim lol.

Side note: I guess in the finale, Haru is bringing up the fact that Takashi is carrying all the burden by himself – gosh this trope again, I’ve seen it in Tokyo in April is…, let’s see how they execute it next week.

linguistic corner!!!!

I can’t believe how many times “aishiteru” was said in this episode. It seems like the show runners saw my blog post about the Japanese disinclination in using the word “aishiteru” and prefer to use the word “sukida”, made script changes and reshot a lot of scenes – I know it’s the conspiracy and narcissism talking in my head haha. I am genuinely surprised as to how many “aishiteru” was said in the episode, is it because that Takashi loves Hiro that much that he said that? I mean in this episode Takashi actually said it not while they were having sex.

I think this may be true as it is actually a point of rift between the two. I think it was since episode 3? That Hiro has always mentioned that their love intensity is different, is it that he feels that Takashi doesn’t love him enough? That’s why he was sort of lingering with the idea that Takashi still sees him as “an outsider”. Side note: while I’m writing this subtopic, I Love by Official Higedandism is playing HAHAH. The way that Takashi kept secret some of his familial stuff, read the previous subtopic about “carrying the burden all by himself”, I think, made Hiro easier to ask for a break, or rather that he was asking for a break up, but got a break.

Side note: this is the first time that I see when gays break up in a Japanese BL work that his place becomes a mess like in western media works, I mean all I see in other works is the guy failed a class (The End of the World with You), the guy continues his life but still missing his ex (Life: Love on the Line, Although I Love You, and You?, Mr Sahara and Toki-Kun, My Beautiful Man, Pornographer).

All in all, I can’t wait, albeit dread, for the finale next week !

[mayaknows]

Scope of BSc Physics in India: Careers in Research, Tech & Beyond

Scope of BSc Physics in India: Careers in Research, Tech & Beyond

Are you fascinated by the mysteries of the universe? Do equations, experiments, and energy concepts excite you? Then a Bachelor of Science in Physics might be your ideal academic path. With the rapid evolution of science and technology, the scope of BSc Physics in India has expanded tremendously—offering careers that go far beyond the conventional lab coat and blackboard image.

And when it comes to pursuing a BSc in Physics, Alliance University stands out as one of the best BSc Physics colleges in India. With world-class faculty, state-of-the-art laboratories, and a future-focused curriculum, Alliance is shaping the next generation of physicists, researchers, data analysts, educators, and tech innovators.

Why Choose BSc Physics?

A BSc Physics course offers a deep understanding of fundamental scientific principles—covering areas like classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, quantum physics, optics, and solid-state physics. The curriculum builds strong analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving skills that are crucial in a wide range of industries today.

At Alliance University, the BSc Physics subjects are designed not just to impart theoretical knowledge but to ignite curiosity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Students are encouraged to explore both foundational and advanced topics through a well-structured, research-driven approach.

BSc Physics Eligibility and Program Highlights

If you're a science student who has completed 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics as core subjects, you meet the BSc Physics eligibility criteria at Alliance University. The program spans three years, divided into six semesters, with opportunities for research internships, laboratory projects, and interdisciplinary learning.

Key program features at Alliance University include:

Contemporary BSc Physics honours syllabus aligned with global academic standards

Regular workshops, guest lectures, and industry visits

Access to high-tech labs and simulation centers

Opportunities to collaborate on real-time research projects

Soft skill training and career development modules

Personalized mentoring from experienced professors and researchers

Exploring the Scope of BSc Physics in India

Today, physics graduates are no longer confined to academia or government research labs. The scope of BSc Physics in India now encompasses diverse fields such as data science, quantum computing, environmental science, artificial intelligence, energy research, and more.

Here are some exciting career avenues after completing your BSc Physics at Alliance University:

1. Research & Development (R&D)

Join leading scientific organizations like ISRO, DRDO, BARC, or CSIR, where physicists work on cutting-edge research in space exploration, nuclear energy, defense technologies, and environmental sustainability.

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Physics graduates, with their strong mathematical and statistical background, are well-suited for data-heavy roles. You can work as a data analyst, machine learning engineer, or AI specialist in top tech companies and startups.

3. Teaching & Academia

A timeless profession, teaching offers both satisfaction and security. After your BSc, you can pursue an MSc and further specialize in areas like astrophysics or material science to become a lecturer or professor.

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Many BSc Physics graduates transition into fields like electronics, instrumentation, and software development. Your problem-solving skills are highly valued in IT, automation, and semiconductor industries.

5. Government & Civil Services

With the right preparation, BSc Physics students can crack UPSC, SSC, and other competitive exams to join civil services, scientific institutions, or public-sector enterprises.

6. Further Studies & Specializations

Alliance University also offers pathways into postgraduate programs such as MSc Physics, MSc in Quantum Technologies, or interdisciplinary programs combining physics with computer science, mathematics, or engineering.

Why Alliance University Is Among the Best Colleges for BSc Physics in India

Alliance University doesn’t just offer a degree—it delivers an experience. As one of the top BSc Physics colleges in India, it ensures that students are not only academically prepared but also industry-ready. Here’s what makes Alliance the preferred destination for physics enthusiasts:

Experienced Faculty: Learn from renowned physicists, researchers, and academicians who bring both passion and expertise to the classroom.

Innovative Curriculum: The BSc Physics course at Alliance is regularly updated to reflect the latest scientific and technological advancements.

Research-Oriented Learning: Students are encouraged to question, explore, and experiment through hands-on lab work and research collaborations.

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Holistic Development: Beyond academics, students participate in clubs, sports, cultural activities, and leadership programs that shape their overall personality.

Final Thoughts

A BSc in Physics isn’t just about solving equations—it’s about understanding the very fabric of the universe and using that knowledge to build solutions for a better world. With endless possibilities in research, technology, education, and innovation, the scope of BSc Physics in India is broader and more exciting than ever before.

And if you want to begin this transformative journey in an environment that nurtures curiosity and cultivates success, Alliance University is the best place to start. Unlock your potential, fuel your passion for science, and become part of a vibrant academic community that empowers you to go beyond the boundaries of physics.

[nursingwriter]

HDCU004: BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL ETHICS Contact Hours: 30 Credits: 2 Prerequisites: None Unit Purpose This unit is designed to enable the learner demonstrate understanding of psychological, social sciences and medico-legal issues relevant to the practice of clinical medicine. Expected Learning Outcomes By the end of the unit, the learner should be able to: 1. Define principles and concepts used in behavioural sciences 2. Apply the concept of behavioural science in the provision of health services 3. Apply basic counselling skills in health service delivery 4. Participate in the process of promoting behaviour change in the community 5. Demonstrate understanding of medico legal issues, relevant acts of parliament 6. Explain human rights in relation to health and disease. Unit Content Definitions and Terminologies: Branches of Behavioral Sciences (Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology); Branches of Sociology; Relevance of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine: Comparison; Sociology and Psychology; Sociology and Anthropology; Psychology and Anthropology; Anthropology; definition, early background and branches of medical anthropology; Growth and Development: Developmental stages in human life; pre-natal, infancy, pre-college, college going age, adolescence, adulthood and old age; Development; perception, maturation, mental, speech and emotional behavior; Major Perspectives of Psychology: biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral and humanistic; Theories and early background of sociology (historical aspects); Learning and Motivation: Motivation Theories; Types of motives; physiological, social and personal. Learning; Classical conditioning, Instrumental conditioning, Observation/imitating, Cognitive, avoidance and latent learning; Human needs; Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of human needs; Other classification needs as given by other psychologists; Frustration; Defence mechanisms Downloaded by James Mcknight lOMoARcPSD|28323056 Personality Development; theories, factors determining and personality disorders; Definitions; The Concept of Counselling; Steps to counselling; Process/types of counselling e.g. “GATHER”, “SOLER” and REDI; interviewing techniques; Theories: - Behavioral, Psychoanalytic, Humanistic and Eclectic; Psychological tests (Aptitude test, IQ, Achievement tests, Intelligence tests, Personality); Characteristics of a good counsellor, Counselling skills; barriers to effective counselling; Crisis intervention and management; Problem solving process. Human rights; access, continuity of care, right to life, euthanasia, clients’ rights, child abuse Mode of Delivery Learning activities include – interactive lectures, small group discussions and role play. Instructional Materials and/or Equipment Computers, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector; TV, e-learning, Internet, Radio and Audio, periodicals textbooks; Manuals; Handouts; White board; Flip charts. Learner Assessment Continuous Assessment Test (CAT) 30 % End of Trimester Examination 70 % Core Reading Materials 1. Feldman, R.S. (2005). Essentials of Understanding Psychology, University of Massechussets-Amherst: McGraw-Hill Publishers. 2. Lundy, K.S. & Bergamini, A. (2003). Essentials of Community Health Nursing, London: Jones and Barlter Publishers International. Further Reference Materials 1. Larune Allan. (1993). Psychology-The Context of Behavior. Madison Publishers. 2. Stanhope & Lancaster. (2006). Public Health Nursing. (7th Ed.) Mosby Publishers. ISBN: 97803230454. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 Read the full article

[sushii-morganmiller]

Lisa & Vince’s Parenting Styles: The Contrast

Lisa is the calm, measured, empathetic parent. She listens before she speaks, believes in letting kids make mistakes but never the same one twice, and sets boundaries with warmth. She’s big on understanding her kids—why they act out, why they withdraw, why they push back. She never lets Morgan get away with shit, but she also never makes her feel wrong for being who she is. When Morgan was a teen, Lisa was the one who left the door open when she stormed off, the one who said, “I’m not mad, I’m disappointed,” and made Morgan feel that disappointment like a gut punch. She doesn’t believe in yelling—just sharp, quiet words that cut deeper than shouting ever could.

Vince is the loud, energetic, no-bullshit parent. He’s quick with a joke, quicker with a lecture, and if you’re crying, he’s asking, "Okay, but did you learn something?" He doesn’t coddle, but his love is felt in a thousand little ways—pulling up to Morgan’s first apartment to fix something without being asked, slipping Jordan cash when he’s between jobs, teaching Caden how to throw a punch and how to walk away from a fight. He’s the one who made Morgan eat vegetables by saying, “Bet you can’t eat all of them in 30 seconds” (and she fell for it every time). When she was a teenager, he was the one yelling up the stairs, "You ain't grown just ‘cause you taller than your mama!"

Together, they balance out. Lisa stops Vince from being too harsh, Vince stops Lisa from over-analyzing. Vince says, "She just needs to get her ass whooped one time, babe." Lisa says, "Or, we could figure out why she’s acting out." Lisa is the safe space, Vince is the one that makes sure they toughen up enough to face the world. But at the core, they’re both always there, even when Morgan swears she doesn’t need them.

Lisa & Vince: Their Love Story

They met in their early 20s—both foster kids, both carrying wounds that never fully healed. Maybe they met through mutual friends, or maybe it was one of those "right person, right time" moments. Lisa, newly graduated, working her first job in child development. Vince, the ex-football star turned mechanic, still aching from the ACL injury that stole his dreams. He saw her at a coffee shop, and she rolled her eyes when he hit her with a corny pick-up line—but she laughed. And Vince knew then, he was in trouble.

Lisa was the woman who snapped him out of his reckless ways. Vince had been wild—flings, parties, that classic charming but emotionally unavailable man. Lisa made him want to settle down, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t run. He still says she trapped him, and Lisa just raises an eyebrow and says, "You were on one knee before I was."

They got some backlash. Lisa’s church friends, maybe even a preacher, made their judgments known. “You sure about marrying outside the faith?” “A Black man? You know what people will say.” Lisa, as kind as she is, cut that out real quick. Maybe that’s why she drifted from church—she still believes, but she refuses to be somewhere that doesn’t believe in her family. Vince just smirked and said, "If they got a problem, they can fight me."

They fostered so many kids before they had their own. Kids that came and went, some that still call them every now and then. Jordan was their first biological kid, but when Morgan and Caden came along? There was no question—they were theirs. Vince always says, "Blood don’t mean family. Love do." And Lisa? She just tucked those kids into bed, same as she did Jordan, and never made them feel like anything less.

Cute & Chaotic Scenes

1. The Anniversary Kitchen Dance Scene

It’s late at night, their official anniversary plans already over. The fancy dinner, the nice wine, the reminiscing. But Vince and Lisa? They never really needed big things to celebrate their love.

Lisa’s in the kitchen, slightly tipsy, making buns (because why not?). Vince is watching, smirking, already knowing she’s about to mess this up.

The buns burn. Lisa, drunk and stumbling, bursts out laughing. Vince loses it. “Babe, you been baking for 30 years, how the hell you still burning shit?”

Lisa grabs his hand and pulls him into a dance. She’s offbeat as hell, arms flailing, giggling too loud. Vince is just shaking his head, laughing.

He lets her twirl, lets her crash into his chest, and then—slowly, gently, he wraps his arms around her. They sway in the dimly lit kitchen, the smell of burnt bread in the air, Lisa humming against his chest, still giggling.

“I love you,” she murmurs, voice warm, sleepy.

Vince kisses the top of her head, smiling. “Yeah, yeah. I love you too, lightweight.”

2. Parenting Chaos: Morgan vs. Vince

Teenage Morgan sneaks out. Lisa catches her sneaking back in. Instead of flipping out, she just waits. The next morning, Vince is sitting at the table with a full plate of eggs and bacon and zero expression.

Morgan: “Uh… morning?”

Vince: "You have fun?"

Lisa, sipping coffee: "Good morning, sweetheart. How was your little adventure?"

Morgan: "...Y’all creepy as hell."

Vince: "Nah, what’s creepy is how fast you ’bout to lose your damn freedom. You grounded. Phone. Gone. Get comfortable."

Lisa: "Vince, let’s not overdo it—"

Vince: "Nah, she wanna act grown, she can handle grown consequences. Breakfast is ready, though. Eat up."

And that was that. Lisa kept Morgan from being too suffocated, but Vince? Yeah, she wasn’t getting away with shit.

3. Sunday Morning Debates

Lisa, getting ready for church: "You coming?"

Vince, watching football pre-game: "You really gotta ask?"

Lisa: "Vince."

Vince, sighing dramatically: "I’ll go if I can wear sweatpants."

Lisa: "Absolutely not."

Vince, grinning: "Guess I’m staying home."

But when she really wants him there? He’ll grumble, but he goes. He may not be in the pews every Sunday, but when Lisa’s voice gets that soft "It’d mean a lot to me", he’ll be there, tie crooked, grumbling the whole time.

Vince and Lisa are a team. Different styles, different beliefs, but built on an unshakable foundation of love, respect, and understanding. They’ve been through the fire, and they’ve come out stronger. Their marriage isn’t perfect, but it’s real, and their kids—biological, adopted, fostered—are the proof of the love they built.

[rishikeshvinyasayogashram]

Best 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh

Are you ready to deepen your yoga practice and share its transformative power with others? A 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga, might be your calling. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas and bordered by the sacred Ganges River, Rishikesh provides the perfect environment to immerse yourself in authentic yoga practices and traditions.

Why Choose Rishikesh for Your Yoga Teacher Training?

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Authentic Lineage: Home to renowned ashrams and yoga schools, Rishikesh offers teachings rooted in classical yoga traditions.

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Community of Seekers: You’ll meet like-minded individuals from all over the world, fostering connections that go beyond borders.

What to Expect in a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course

A 200-hour yoga teacher training course (TTC) is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in yoga. Here’s an overview of what you can expect:

Curriculum Highlights

Asana Practice:

Daily practice of Hatha and Vinyasa yoga.

Alignment and adjustments for safe practice.

Pranayama and Meditation:

Breathing techniques to enhance vitality and focus.

Guided meditations to develop mindfulness.

Philosophy:

Study of ancient texts like the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita.

Insights into yogic ethics and lifestyle.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Understanding the human body’s mechanics in relation to yoga.

Preventing injuries and enhancing flexibility.

Teaching Methodology:

Sequencing and structuring yoga classes.

Building confidence as a teacher through practice sessions.

Daily Schedule

A typical day during the course starts early in the morning and ends by early evening. Here’s a sample schedule:

5:30 AM: Wake-up call

6:00 AM: Pranayama and meditation

7:30 AM: Asana practice

9:00 AM: Breakfast

10:30 AM: Philosophy or anatomy lecture

1:00 PM: Lunch

3:00 PM: Teaching methodology

5:00 PM: Evening asana session

7:00 PM: Dinner

9:00 PM: Lights out

Benefits of a 200-Hour Yoga TTC

Deepened Personal Practice: Gain a profound understanding of yoga beyond the physical postures.

Teaching Skills: Develop confidence to teach yoga to others.

Spiritual Growth: Experience personal transformation and self-awareness.

Global Opportunities: Open doors to teaching yoga worldwide.

Holistic Wellness: Enhance your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

FAQs about 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh

1. Is a 200-hour yoga teacher training course suitable for beginners?

Yes, most courses are beginner-friendly, though having some prior yoga experience is beneficial.

2. How do I choose the right yoga school in Rishikesh?

Look for schools registered with Yoga Alliance, read reviews, and assess the curriculum and facilities.

3. What is the cost of a 200-hour yoga TTC in Rishikesh?

Prices range from $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the school and inclusions like accommodation and meals.

4. What should I pack for the training?

Comfortable yoga attire, a yoga mat, reusable water bottle, journal, and personal items.

5. Will I be able to teach yoga immediately after completing the course?

Yes, upon certification, you can start teaching yoga classes.

6. Is Rishikesh safe for solo travelers?

Rishikesh is generally safe, with a welcoming atmosphere for travelers.

7. Can I participate even if I don’t want to teach yoga?

Absolutely! Many join the course for personal growth and deepening their practice.

Conclusion

Embarking on a 200-hour yoga teacher training course in Rishikesh is more than just earning a certification; it’s a journey of self-discovery and transformation. Surrounded by the spiritual energy of this sacred city, you’ll not only refine your yoga skills but also cultivate a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.

Are you ready to begin this life-changing adventure? The path awaits in Rishikesh, where yoga meets the soul Contact us Now

[ramrodd]

Is it PAULianity or Christianity?!? (feat Robyn Faith Walsh)

COMMENTARY:

The  overture to the Gospel of Joh, John 1:1 - 18, is basically the Vision Statement of Philo of Alexandira;'s School of Hellenistic Judaism,  According to Rabbi Lawrence Troste, the Jews in the pre-Roman diaspora loved Hellenistic Judaism because, among other things. Greek expanded the linguistic register from the 50,000 word vocabulary of Hebrew to the 250 - 350,000 word vocabulary of Greek, Judging from his on-line lectures on Josephus, Jewis scholars don't being to have the sort of interpretive debate that Christian and anti-theist apologists have regarding Josephus. Mark, Luke and John are profoundly Hellinist, Matthew, not so much. An intersting factoid from a History Valley podcast featureing John MacDonald is that the Iliad and the Odyssey have 24 chapters to reflect the Greek alphabet. In this regards, the Gospel of Luke, a Greek composition, has 24 chapters, which tends to validate Robyn Walsh's Greco-Roman thesis, In this regards, it is useful to remember that the numbers of the chapters and verse of the Bible wasn't added until 1551 as a mechanism for assuring the proof of the text. These numbers, the chapters and verses, are a playground of the Holy Spirit that is unavailable to the anal retentive protocols of Post Modern Historic Deconstruction, The capters of the Gospel of Luke is one example and the number of chapters for Revelation reveals that it was originally written in Hebrew with its 22 chapters, like the 22 stanzes of Psalm 119. Now, in terms of the Hellenizaton of the Gospels, Jesus perfects the Shema of Moses in Mark 12:29 - 31. Dueteronomy posits a 3 legged stool with Heart, Soul and Strengrh, while Jesus adds Plato with Hear, Sould MIND and Strength, makeing a 3 legged stool that is 4 Square with the Earth like in Revelation. Plus, Jesus adds the Free Will clause that embraces the necessicty of atheism in structues of the Kingdom of Heaven, In the process theology of the Bible, the separation between The Kingodm of God of Genesis 1:1 and The World in the process of beconmig the Kingdom of Heaven is matematical probability, There is a domain of the human psyche that is unavailble to Genesis 1:1 until we die, We can invite the Holy Spirit into this personal inner sanctum through meditatio and prayer: the Zen mind is completey available to the universe, which was the cognitive status of Jesus on the Cross. From the time He ws 13 until He was baptized at 35 (which resonates with the appearance of Virgil in Dante's life at the beginning of Divine Comedy(, Jeus is like Cain in Kung Fu, becoming fully delivered in preparation for Mark 15:1 - 38. The subject of the Book of Job is the integrity of this personal inner sanctum which God the Father of the Book of Job doesn't understand until The Satan makes a fool of Him, twice, in the torment of Job. What God the Father doesn't undestand is taht the human mind canno NOT know God once it becomes aware of God in the manner of Job. I know God the Father like Job did 9although by accident rather that Job's righteousness) and the idea of NOT KNOWING God  as an act of Will is purely absurd. Stalin believe he had transcended Good and Evil through Marxism until Hitler invaded the Ukriane, when Stalin discover that, when it came to Evil, he was merely the lesser of two evils. In any event, Jesus is the incarnation of Hellenistic Judaism made manifest by the introduction of Plato to perfect the Shema, In terms of classic Greek thought, the Heart represents Fire. the Soul, the Mind Air and Strenth Earth. Plato reprsents Principle and his Realm of the Forms is an accurate representation of the mathematics of the  Mind of God, the Figures of Euclid embedded in the infinite Field of Topology (the Stars and blue Firmament of Old Glory is a graphic representaion of Plato's theory of the Forms) Aristotly stipulates to Plato's FOrms and reprsents Mehtod (the 13 stripes of Old Glory represents both Aristoltle's Method and Jacob's Ladde. Genesis 15:5 anticipates Plato and Genesis 28:12 anticipates Aristotle). None of this is available employing the critical historic method of Post Modern Historic Deconstruction.

[papaya-inspiration]

Oh! Me! I say this!

I'm 100% sure I'm not the first person to, but I remember something clicking in the middle of lecture during my upper division Classical Mechanics class in college. I literally walked out of class, called my dad, and excitedly told him, "Dad! It all makes sense now! Everything is a harmonic oscillator, or it diverges and goes to infinity!"

I was kind of lumping in 0 and 1 together there (0 is just a harmonic oscillator with negligible amplitude) so you can get down to just two numbers in that schema, but more generally in physics things are either so small you can approximate them away (0), some finite/bounded number (1), or they diverge and blow up your equation (∞).

Yay physics!

Ah yes, the three numbers: 0, 1, and a lot

[physicsexplorer]

Susskind Lecture 1- classical mechanics

Susskind's lecture one on classical mechanics - he's starting out looking at things on the macro scale, not the quantum realm. Classical mechanics is deterministic.

Susskind shows that it has multiple states which always follow a pattern, so running it forwards or backwards you always know where you will be in the future or in the past, because you have a 'map' of the points.

[erbiumspectrum]

hi i dont think you'll read this and answer cause i didnt saw any answers on asks but i really want to ask something to you, also sorry here is may be mistakes english is not my first language, and for very long ask lol

my dream is to be a chemist, when i was a child i was really surprised and excited when i discovered that my dad was working in lab with oil, he is a chemist too. I thought as a joke that i want to follow his steps and be a chemist too. But i grew up, so this is not joke anymore. I hope my father will proud of me :D i love chemistry SO MUCH

What i wanted to ask,

1. i have really bad phobia of planets, galaxy, etc. astrophobia in short. Was you learning about astronomy in lessons? Is there any photos of planets?

2. Who are you studying? Just curious :]

3. Do you need to know biology and physics good?, i am not lover of these sciences, i can be tho

4. Is it hard? Want to connect profession with pharmaceutica(idk how to spell), i heard pharma is hardcore

Hi there! No worries, I answer everything that shows up in my inbox + English isn't my first language either :)

It's great that your dad is a chemist, it seems you're going to get lots of support, so that's definitely something to cherish and appreciate! I'm sure he'll be proud of you. Whenever somebody pops up in my notifications saying they want to study chemistry too, I get very happy, and I'm not even a mom, so I can only imagine how excited scientist parents get when their children want to pursue science too haha.

I didn't study any astronomy at all! I did have to pass a physics course but there was zero astronomy there, save for a picture of Earth during a lecture on gravity.

I'm afraid I don't understand this one, sorry! :(

Biology - no, given that you pick "pure" chemistry. I think it's a common misconception that biology and chemistry are very similar but that's not entirely true. Biologists do need to know some chemistry, chemists don't necessarily need biology. You say you're interested in pharmacy though, so something like medicinal chemistry or biochemistry might be a better choice for you. In that case - yes, there will be quite a lot of biology. I study "just" chemistry, so I can't tell you much about these other majors, but my uni offers a medchem program and I know they have to take courses like general biology, human physiology, microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, cell chemistry, and many more. Physics - well, there is some physics in chemistry (in a way, chemistry is a branch of physics... I think a lot of the time chemistry is just wet physics). Chemists are mostly interested in thermodynamics, some quantum physics and modern physics in general, but some aspects of the other branches pop up here and there occasionally too. Besides, speaking from experience, physics should be learnt in layers: classical mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, then modern physics. Otherwise, it can get hard to understand everything properly. Don't be intimidated though. I think if you're determined and disciplined enough, you'll be fine. I had very little knowledge in physics before uni, but I worked very hard throughout the semester and got pretty decent grades + I definitely saw a lot of progress in my understanding of the field, so that's totally doable.

"Hard" is highly subjective haha. Personally, I think it all comes down to discipline, commitment, and the right priorities; but here where I live chemistry is famously one of those majors that knock out over half of all the students within the first semester, and I'm really not sure how that happens lol. So far, chemistry has been reasonably hard for me, but with consistency and enthusiasm it has not been overwhelming or extremely difficult to get through. Medchem / pharma are a different story, or so I think. I can't really compare though, because I've never been involved in this sort of thing + honestly... I don't like biology, so I wouldn't be objective anyway ahaha. Any pharmacy students on board? Would you like to share your experience?

[iitjamphysicscourses]

Classical Mechanics | Lecture-1 | GATE | IIT JAM | Physics Academy

[mathematical-cheese]

You know that autism thing where you get really frustrated and upset when people get something wrong about your special interest? Half of my degree gets maths wrong

[sadcypher]

Do you have any textbook/book recommendations for math and physics classes?

not sure if you are looking for anything specific so im just going to throw some random book titles at you:

basics of theoretical physics/astrophysics:

the theoretical physics series by Nolting

classical mechanics by Goldstein

Theoretical physics course by Landau, Lifshitz

Theoretical Astrophysics by Matthias Bartelmann

Astronomy: A physical perspective by Kutner

An introduction to modern astrophysics by Carroll and Ostlie

workbook theoretical physics by Fließbach and Walliser

physics in general:

Modern Physics by Tipler

Optics by Hecht

Experimental physics 1-3 by Demtröder (esp. part two)

special relativity for beginners: a book for undergrads by Freund

Introduction to Electrodynamics by Griffiths

fundamental astronomy by Karttunen, Kröger, Oja, Poutanen, Donner

maths/maths for physicists:

linear algebra by Jänich

linear algebra by Beutelsbacher

matrix analysis by Horn

analysis 1, 2 and 3 by Forster

analysis 1 and 2 by Königsberger

real and complex analysis by rudin

foundations of analysis by Taylor

higher mathematics 2: analysis by Strampp

mathematical methods in physics by Lang and Pucker

book of proof by hammack

also something i find really useful is just looking for scripts/lecture notes! you can easily find them on the internet by googling '[class/topic] script [random university]'

[mysteriousquantumphysics]

Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (DIQKD) - a Provider of Secure Communication? Part I

The flourishing field of quantum cryptography might have its roots in the 1980s, approximately when the BB84 protocol was published. While this protocol makes use of quantum 'peculiarities' and provides a way of distributing secret keys between two parties, Alice and Bob; it has been possible to prove its security. In particular the latter point is a decisive advancement in comparison to classical cryptography such as commonly used RSA encryption: the security of classical cryptography is most often based on our trust that technological advancements are a slow process. If there was a large and rapid leap forward in terms of computational power, encryption methods that can be broken via prime factoring, e.g. RSA, would lose their security instantly. Hence, quantum key distribution (QKD) is a promising attempt to provide secure communication: its security is not based on 'naive' confidence in slowness of technological advances, instead it is based on fundamental laws of nature. Quantum mechanics itself provides ways to keep Alice and Bob safe from an eavesdropper, Eve.

Limits of provable security

However, the provable security of QKD only works in theory. As usual the devil lies in the details, hence in the assumptions of such proofs: usually, they do not take into account that the practical implementation of QKD protocols relies on real, flawed devices. Unfortunately, this crucially undermines the practical security of QKD in real life applications. Even commercial QKD systems have been hacked in the past [1]. Research groups such as Vadim Makarov’s Quantum Hacking Lab focus on work of this kind. Thus, the dream of secure communication via quantum mechanics seems to be in danger. The possibility of hacking QKD motivates to develop specific countermeasures and/or new protocols that cannot fall prey to eavesdroppers. Among these new developments one can find the attempt of Device-Independent QKD (DIQKD), that tries to tackle security issues of quantum cryptography in a structural manner.

Key idea of DIQKD protocols

Facing the issue of imperfect devices, one can imagine that the manufacturer of the devices might be identified as Eve with malicious intentions. To be less dramatic and paranoid, the manufacturer might be just careless such that the devices do not work properly, hence causing a lack of security during the key distribution. However, given the possible imperfect/malicious devices makes it necessary to implement some kind of 'self-testing' into the protocol. The key idea of DIQKD protocols is to make use of Bell inequalities, such that the protocol can be aborted if the necessary degree of 'quantumness' is not achieved in a run of the protocol. Creating keys this way requires playing games such as the following Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt game (CHSH-game) [2]:

The encircled plus denotes binary addition (XOR) and the "·" is basically equivalent to a logical AND. The probability (A derivation of these probabilities can be found e.g. in these lecture notes: [3]) of the winning condition of the last line is 75% for a classical device, i.e. if there is no entanglement. Whereas under the usage of maximally entangled states (e.g. the Φ^+ Bell state) the maximal winning probability can be 86%. As a result, Alice and Bob do not need to trust the devices, they can test their reliability by themselfes via checking the correlations using their public channel. Hence, DIQKD protocols do not rely on specifying the internal functionality of the devices. The fact that this self-testing is reliable is based on monogamy of entanglement - a feature of quantum entanglement that ensures that a bipartite state cannot share any of its entanglement with a third system, i.e. in our case Eve. Thus, since Bob and Alice can test whether there is a maximally entangled state shared between both of them, they can be simultaneously sure that Eve cannot obtain information about their shared state.

DIQKD protocols work like the following in principle (see for a similar example e.g. Box 1 in [2]): Both, Alice and Bob possess a device in each of their isolated laboratories such that they can play the CHSH-game. The index i denotes the round in the interval [1,n]. For every round they perform the subsequent steps:

Both parties choose their setting x_i, y_i randomly.

They actually input the settings and record their outputs a_i, b_i.

They share the inputs and outputs of a sufficiently small subset of rounds such that they can test the "quantumness" and abort the process in case the winning probability is too low.

If the "quantumness" is satisfying, they do the usual QKD post processing (as in the BB84 protocol) with the bits of the remaining rounds, i.e. error correction, key sifting, privacy amplification and finally, they successfully distributed a key.

Is such a distributed key necessarily safe in practice? The security of protocols of this kind has been proven mathematically as for the BB84 protocol, but might it be reasonable to expect backdoors that arise once such protocols will be actually practically implemented? We will discuss this question in an upcoming part.

---

[1] Lars Lydersen et al. “Hacking commercial quantum cryptography systems by tailored bright illumination”. In: Nature Photonics 4.10 (Oct. 2010), pp. 686–689. doi: 10.1038/nphoton.2010.214. arXiv: 1008.4593 [quant-ph].

[2] Rotem Arnon-Friedman et al. “Practical device-independent quantum cryptography via entropy accumulation”. In: Nature Communications 9.1 (Jan. 2018). doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02307-4. url: https:doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02307-4.

[3] Ihttp://markwilde.com/teaching/2015-fall-qit/lectures/lecture-06.pd

[kny111]

The Future of Quantum Biology

by Adriana Marais , Betony Adams , Andrew K. Ringsmuth , Marco Ferretti , J. Michael Gruber , Ruud Hendrikx , Maria Schuld , Samuel L. Smith , Ilya Sinayskiy , Tjaart P. J. Krüger , Francesco Petruccione  and Rienk van Grondelle Published:14 November 2018

Abstract

Biological systems are dynamical, constantly exchanging energy and matter with the environment in order to maintain the non-equilibrium state synonymous with living. Developments in observational techniques have allowed us to study biological dynamics on increasingly small scales. Such studies have revealed evidence of quantum mechanical effects, which cannot be accounted for by classical physics, in a range of biological processes. Quantum biology is the study of such processes, and here we provide an outline of the current state of the field, as well as insights into future directions.

1.  Introduction

Quantum mechanics is the fundamental theory that describes the properties of subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, molecular assemblies and possibly beyond. Quantum mechanics operates on the nanometre and sub-nanometre scales and is at the basis of fundamental life processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and vision. In quantum mechanics, all objects have wave-like properties, and when they interact, quantum coherence describes the correlations between the physical quantities describing such objects due to this wave-like nature.

In photosynthesis, respiration and vision, the models that have been developed in the past are fundamentally quantum mechanical. They describe energy transfer and electron transfer in a framework based on surface hopping. The dynamics described by these models are often ‘exponential’ and follow from the application of Fermi’s Golden Rule [1,2]. As a consequence of averaging the rate of transfer over a large and quasi-continuous distribution of final states the calculated dynamics no longer display coherences and interference phenomena. In photosynthetic reaction centres and light-harvesting complexes, oscillatory phenomena were observed in numerous studies performed in the 1990s and were typically ascribed to the formation of vibrational or mixed electronic–vibrational wavepackets. The reported detection of the remarkably long-lived (660 fs and longer) electronic quantum coherence during excitation energy transfer in a photosynthetic system revived interest in the role of ‘non-trivial’ quantum mechanics to explain the fundamental life processes of living organisms [3]. However, the idea that quantum phenomena—like coherence—may play a functional role in macroscopic living systems is not new. In 1932, 10 years after quantum physicist Niels Bohr was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on the atomic structure, he delivered a lecture entitled ‘Light and Life’ at the International Congress on Light Therapy in Copenhagen [4]. This raised the question of whether quantum theory could contribute to a scientific understanding of living systems. In attendance was an intrigued Max Delbrück, a young physicist who later helped to establish the field of molecular biology and won a Nobel Prize in 1969 for his discoveries in genetics [5].

All living systems are made up of molecules, and fundamentally all molecules are described by quantum mechanics. Traditionally, however, the vast separation of scales between systems described by quantum mechanics and those studied in biology, as well as the seemingly different properties of inanimate and animate matter, has maintained some separation between the two bodies of knowledge. Recently, developments in experimental techniques such as ultrafast spectroscopy [6], single molecule spectroscopy [7–11], time-resolved microscopy [12–14] and single particle imaging [15–18] have enabled us to study biological dynamics on increasingly small length and time scales, revealing a variety of processes necessary for the function of the living system that depend on a delicate interplay between quantum and classical physical effects.

Quantum biology is the application of quantum theory to aspects of biology for which classical physics fails to give an accurate description. In spite of this simple definition, there remains debate over the aims and role of the field in the scientific community. This article offers a perspective on where quantum biology stands today, and identifies potential avenues for further progress in the field.

2.  What is quantum biology?

Biology, in its current paradigm, has had wide success in applying classical models to living systems. In most cases, subtle quantum effects on (inter)molecular scales do not play a determining role in overall biological function. Here, ‘function’ is a broad concept. For example: How do vision and photosynthesis work on a molecular level and on an ultrafast time scale? How does DNA, with stacked nucleotides separated by about 0.3 nm, deal with UV photons? How does an enzyme catalyse an essential biochemical reaction? How does our brain with neurons organized on a sub-nanometre scale deal with such an amazing amount of information? How do DNA replication and expression work? All these biological functions should, of course, be considered in the context of evolutionary fitness. The differences between a classical approximation and a quantum-mechanical model are generally thought to be negligible in these cases, even though at the basis every process is entirely governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. What happens at the ill-defined border between the quantum and classical regimes? More importantly, are there essential biological functions that ‘appear’ classical but in reality are not? The role of quantum biology is precisely to expose and unravel this connection.

Fundamentally, all matter—animate or inanimate—is quantum mechanical, being constituted of ions, atoms and/or molecules whose equilibrium properties are accurately determined by quantum theory. As a result, it could be claimed that all of biology is quantum mechanical. However, this definition does not address the dynamical nature of biological processes, or the fact that a classical description of intermolecular dynamics seems often sufficient. Quantum biology should, therefore, be defined in terms of the physical ‘correctness’ of the models used and the consistency in the explanatory capabilities of classical versus quantum mechanical models of a particular biological process.

As we investigate biological systems on nanoscales and larger, we find that there exist processes in biological organisms, detailed in this article, for which it is currently thought that a quantum mechanical description is necessary to fully characterize the behaviour of the relevant subsystem. While quantum effects are difficult to observe on macroscopic time and length scales, processes necessary for the overall function and therefore survival of the organism seem to rely on dynamical quantum-mechanical effects at the intermolecular scale. It is precisely the interplay between these time and length scales that quantum biology investigates with the aim to build a consistent physical picture.

Grand hopes for quantum biology may include a contribution to a definition and understanding of life, or to an understanding of the brain and consciousness. However, these problems are as old as science itself, and a better approach is to ask whether quantum biology can contribute to a framework in which we can repose these questions in such a way as to get new answers. The study of biological processes operating efficiently at the boundary between the realms of quantum and classical physics is already contributing to improved physical descriptions of this quantum-to-classical transition.

More immediately, quantum biology promises to give rise to design principles for biologically inspired quantum nanotechnologies, with the ability to perform efficiently at a fundamental level in noisy environments at room temperature and even make use of these ‘noisy environments’ to preserve or even enhance the quantum properties [19,20]. Through engineering such systems, it may be possible to test and quantify the extent to which quantum effects can enhance processes and functions found in biology, and ultimately answer whether these quantum effects may have been purposefully selected in the design of the systems. Importantly, however, quantum bioinspired technologies can also be intrinsically useful independently from the organisms that inspired them.

3.  Quantum mechanics: an introduction for biologists

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the success of classical physics in describing all observable phenomena had begun to be challenged in certain respects. In 1900, as a means to explain the spectral energy distribution of blackbody radiation, Planck introduced the idea that interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation of frequency ν are quantized, occurring only in integer multiples of hν, where h is the fundamental Planck constant. Five years later, Einstein further developed the notion of energy quantization by extending it to include the photon, a quantum of light. This concept is illustrated by the photoelectric effect where light incident on a material leads to the emission of electrons. It is, however, not the intensity of the light that determines this emission but rather its frequency. Even low-intensity light of a suitable frequency will lead to electrons being emitted whereas high-intensity light below this threshold frequency will have no effect. Einstein explained this by proposing that in this instance light behaves as a particle rather than a wave, with discrete energies hν that can be transferred to the electrons in a material. Bohr’s 1913 model of the hydrogen atom, with its discrete energy states, and Compton’s 1923 work with X-rays all contributed to the beginning of a new era in modern physics. These ways of explaining blackbody radiation and the photoelectric effect, as well as atomic stability and spectroscopy, led to the development of quantum mechanics, a theory that has proved extremely successful in predicting and describing microphysical systems [21,22].

Whereas Planck and Einstein began the quantum revolution by postulating that radiation also demonstrates particle-like behaviour, de Broglie, in 1923, made the complementary suggestion that matter itself has wave-like properties, with a wavelength related to its momentum through Planck’s constant. This hypothesis suggested that matter waves should undergo diffraction, which was subsequently proved by experiments that demonstrated that particles such as electrons showed interference patterns. Schrödinger built on this observation in his formulation of quantum mechanics, which describes the dynamics of microscopic systems through the use of wave mechanics. The formulation of quantum mechanics allows for the investigation of a number of important facets of a quantum state: its mathematical description at any time t, how to calculate different physical quantities associated with this state and how to describe the evolution of the state in time [21,22].

[inmyfxith]

Things are made to happen

Pairing: Frank Randall x student!reader

Words: 1 884

-> Requested

1951 - Cambridge, MA.

Ever since you were a child, you had always loved history and wanted more than anything to make it your profession. That is why, once you graduated, you could only aspire to one thing: to study your favorite subject at one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the country, Harvard.

Among the different subjects taught, two of them attracted you unquestionably, genealogy and English history, but perhaps it was not really the subjects themselves that interested you but rather the professor who, in almost every class, managed to captivate you with the little details and other anecdotes that he disseminated throughout his lectures. You were still at the beginning of your year, and you were still going to discover many interesting subjects, but they would never be as interesting as those taught by Professor Randall.

Strange as it may seem, you felt close to him. And it all started with a lecture in a large lecture hall full of students who were more or less attentive to his monologues. You were attentive, you drank in his words as if the desire to retain each word that came out of his mouth was stronger with each hour. Several times, his big hazel eyes had met yours and, as a defensive mechanism, you had felt obliged to lower your eyes on your paper, already black with annotations on the advantages and disadvantages of life at the court of King Henry VIII. Once the class was over, while the others had hurried out forming two human tides, you were meticulously putting away your papers. You meticulously packed your belongings in your bag, just waiting for the right moment to go out. However, one of your comrades probably didn't have the same patience as you and, as you were gathering your loose leaves, he accidentally dropped your bag and scattered your belongings on the ground. Too busy picking them up, you didn't notice that your teacher had come, like a knight in shining armor, to help you.

"Life ... is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

The sound of his voice startled you, but soon a smile replaced the annoyed expression on your face. Handing you the copy of Macbeth he had just picked up, Frank returned your smile before looking at his watch. Having to quickly excuse himself, he did take the time to congratulate you both for your attention during class and for your reading, which was classic but quite remarkable for a student of your age.

Soon, the first tests and assignments came in and, except for one or two subjects, you didn't have to worry. Your genealogy professor was no exception, and during the third week, he asked you to research your ancestors using the research tools he had told you about.

Your parents lived a little too far from the university for you to get home every day, so like many students, you slept in the dorm. As a result, you had access to the library for most of the day and part of the night. That's where you found yourself, sitting alone at a desk in the Humanities section of the large library, your eyelids heavy after spending your evening working on your paper. A quick glance at your watch told you that it was past time to go to your room.

Holding your books under your arm, you smiled at the custodian as a good night gesture before heading down the main hallway. The university was divided into several separate buildings and the library was in the same building as most of the faculty offices.

You could have walked by without stopping, but one of the doors to an office was open and someone was obviously working there because the light was still on. This was not the first time you had left the library late and you had never met anyone. Your conscience told you not to pay attention, but your curiosity was too strong. Who could have so much work to not go home at such a late hour when the next day was not a day of rest. There was no sound from the room. You tiptoed towards it. The light in the room barely illuminated the plaque on the door, "Professor Frank Randall, Department of History". Poking your head through the doorway, there he was, sitting in a brown leather chair, his glasses still on his nose and a glass of whiskey in his hand. He couldn't have seen you, his back was to the door. The fairest thing would have been to leave him alone, but obviously, you didn't. Randall turned around when he heard the sound of your hand against the door, his eyes met yours and each of you remained silent. After a few seconds, realizing that it was indeed you, he kindly smiled at you.

"Can I help you?" He asked you with slightly furrowed brows without appearing annoyed or upset. Not really knowing how to react, you remained stoic. You started to stammer the beginning of an apology before your teacher came to your rescue. Turning his back to you again, he sat back down in his chair, pointing to the one in front of him. Not wanting to appear rude, you sat down, not really knowing what was going to happen.

You could see different emotions in his eyes. He was upset about something, upset and sad. Randall finished his drink in one gulp before asking his opinion of you again.

"You want a drink?" Even though you could tell something was wrong with him, his voice and especially his body language towards you remained kind and respectful.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, and I don't know either if the principal would be very happy to see one of his students alone with a teacher so late at night." Your remark made him smile as he poured himself another drink.

"You're probably right."

To break the silence that followed his answer, you tried to find the reason he was still in the university.

"I didn't know you lived within the school walls, I thought you owned a house in Boston."

Your professor nodded before correcting you.

"Only students are allowed to live within the prestigious walls of Harvard. I do indeed have a house not that far from here."

"Then why are you still here?" You asked spontaneously as if addressing a friend. Randall raised his eyebrows, surprised by your sudden interest in his personal life without actually resenting it. You looked down as you realized what you had just done, but he responded anyway.

"I've been working and, I think I ended up getting lost in my thoughts." He brought his glass to his lips before taking a sip of whiskey, his mind already foggy from the previous drinks he had before you arrived. As with many human beings, alcohol helped loosen tongues.

"The thing is, I didn't want to go home. You know, Claire..." His expression had changed after he said that name, becoming sadder than it already was. Randall let out a long sigh.

"That doesn't matter. The real question is what were you doing, alone, in the dark hallways at that hour?"

"I was in the library most of the evening, working on my homework...on your homework in particular."

Raising an eyebrow, Frank finally nodded as if he had just remembered he was a college professor.

"And, may I see how your paper is progressing?" He asked with great curiosity and even gently insisted as he saw you clutching the books you were still holding. Only to make sure you were on the right track and hadn't made too many mistakes, you handed him your sheets.

"It's not finished yet... and I wrote too fast..." You found to make excuses for any remarks your teacher might have made, but instead of criticizing, he smiled here and there while reading what you had started to write.

"Interesting, very interesting. No, it's good... very good. Keep it up." Randall handed you back your paper before smiling at you, almost proud to see that at least one of his students was taking his lectures and requests seriously. You had scored considerably that night. But things weren't going to end the way you thought they would. You finally relaxed a little and agreed to have a drink, he didn't ask you again, in fact, he had already put a glass out in case you changed your mind and since the bottle was still on the table, you helped yourself.

You had never really drunk alcohol per se, of course, when you graduated you had allowed yourself a little drop of champagne but, whiskey... straight whiskey... it goes to your head much faster than a glass of bubbly. You got up from your seat and walked around the office under the curious and almost amused gaze of Professor Frank Randall who, still sitting in his chair, had taken his last drink of the evening. Your gaze lingered on the large bookcase that covered one of the four walls of the office. Genealogy, the history of England, of Scotland, many packages of sheets on this or that historical subject, and small African statues probably brought back from a trip.

You then approached the desk before slumping into the teacher's chair. Your fingers caressed the varnished wood of the desk before your eyes fell on two perfectly aligned frames. One frame contained a picture of the professor hugging a young woman with dark, curly hair, and the other contained a picture of a child, a little girl with bright eyes that looked nothing like Randall. Frank had seemingly read your mind and without you even realizing it, he was behind you, the frame in his hands and his eyes glued to the photo.

"That's Brianna."

"Your daughter?" You asked innocently, trying to hide what you had already discovered. In response, he simply nodded before changing the subject as if you had struck a chord. As you were about to take the first frame in your hands for a closer look, your hand then brushed against Frank's who had had the same urge as you.

His hands were surprisingly soft for a man of his age, and the contact between your two skins didn't just affect you. Unable to put into words what you were feeling, you stood up abruptly, not really knowing why maybe because of alcohol or fatigue. Your face came within inches of Professor Randall's. Your heart rate increased dramatically, as did his, you could feel it even though your bodies weren't quite touching. Your hands suddenly became sweaty and before you could realize what was happening, Frank's lips were on yours. It was a brief but intense kiss, with no real feelings on his part. He was drunk and depressed, probably because of his wife. If it was just a way to momentarily ease his grief, for you, that kiss said a lot.

At least that's how you felt the next day when, with your mind still soaked in alcohol, you went to class as if nothing had happened. However, the looks you exchanged with your teacher had changed, for better or for worse.