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Paul J. Nahin
(26 Nov 1940 - )
American electrical engineer and writer who has contributed science fiction stories to magazines such as Analog, and Omni. He has written over a dozen books on science topics including radio, time travel, curiosities of mathematics, and a biography of Oliver Heaviside.
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Science Quotes by Paul J. Nahin (3 quotes)
If pi wasn’t around, there would be no round pies!
— Paul J. Nahin
Recalling his own comment made at age 10, used as an epigraph in In Praise of Simple Physics: The Science and Mathematics behind Everyday Questions (2016), 11.
One day a math-deficient frog was sitting on a tiny lily pad in a big pond—a lily pad that doubled in size each night—and on this day the pad covered just one-eighth of the pond. The frog still saw the vast majority of his beloved water and so was unconcerned. Then, just three days later, he woke to find the pond had vanished while he slept.
— Paul J. Nahin
Epigraph, without citation, 'A sad cautionary tale for frogs with their heads in the sand.' in In Praise of Simple Physics: The Science and Mathematics behind Everyday Questions (2016), 11.
The Betz limit is the best you can do.
— Paul J. Nahin
Epigraph, without citation, captioned 'A simple-minded way to best remember Betz', in In Praise of Simple Physics: The Science and Mathematics behind Everyday Questions (2016), 25. Note: According to Betz’s law, no turbine can capture more than 16/27 (59.3%) of the kinetic energy in wind.
See also:
- In Praise of Simple Physics: The Science and Mathematics behind Everyday Questions, by Paul J. Nahin. - book suggestion.
- Booklist for Paul J. Nahin.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
