What are the six numbers that allow life to exist?

A Goldilocks universe

The values of many fundamental constants appear to lie within narrow boundaries that allow life to exist. In 2000, the UK's Astronomer Royal Martin Rees boiled them down to six in his book Just Six Numbers

 

First number

N, the ratio of the strengths of two fundamental forces, electromagnetism and gravity
Value
about 10³⁶
In what way is it fine-tuned?
N determines the minimum size of sun-like stars. It tells us how big an object must be before its gravity can overcome the repulsive electromagnetic forces that keep atomic nuclei apart, igniting nuclear fusion. A larger value would not matter very much, but if N were lower, stars would be smaller and burn through their fuel more quickly, making the evolution of life unlikely.

 

Second number

ε, the proportion of the mass of a hydrogen atom that is released as energy when it is fused into helium inside a star
Value
0.007         
In what way is it fine-tuned?
The fusion of hydrogen into helium is the first step in forming heavier elements and thus makes complex chemistry, and life, possible. If ε were slightly smaller, nuclear fusion would be impossible and the universe would consist only of hydrogen. If it were slightly larger, all the universe's hydrogen would have been consumed during the big bang and stars would not exist.

 

Third number

Ω, the ratio of the actual density of matter in the universe to the theoretical "critical density" which would cause the universe to collapse eventually under its own gravity
Value
about 0.3         
In what way is it fine-tuned?
Ω is one of the factors that determines how fast the universe expands. If it were higher, the universe would have collapsed long ago; if it were lower, expansion would have been too rapid to allow stars and galaxies to form.

 

Fourth number

λ, the cosmological constant, or the energy that arises from quantum fluctuations of the vacuum
Value
about 0.7         
In what way is it fine-tuned?
λ is the leading contender for the mysterious force that is accelerating the expansion of the universe. A smaller value would not be a problem, but if it were much larger the universe would have expanded so rapidly that stars or galaxies would not have had time to form.

 

Fifth number

Q, the amount of energy it would take to break up a galactic supercluster as a proportion of the total energy stored in all of its matter
Value
about 10^-5
In what way is it fine-tuned?
Q is a proxy measure of the size of the tiny fluctuations in the early universe that were eventually amplified into stars and galaxies. If it were smaller the universe would be inert and structureless; larger and the universe would be dominated by black holes by now. Neither case would support life.

 

Sixth number

D, the number of spatial dimensions
Value
3             
In what way is it fine-tuned?
With four spatial dimensions the orbits of planets would be unstable, while life would be impossible with just two.

• From issue 2822 of New Scientist magazine, page 34-35.

How to make Gazpacho

 

From Betty Wason's cookbook The Art of Spanish Cooking, first published in 1963.

Almost overnight gazpacho, the salad-soup of Spain, has become an American food fashion.  Yet whether gazpacho is really a soup at all is open to question.  And in the southern provinces of Spain itself this wonderfully refreshing summer iced soup was scarcely known until recent years.

Gazpacho had its international following long ago, however.  When thumbing through a copy of Mrs. Mary Randolph's The Virginia Housewife, one of the first American cookbooks, published originally in 1824, I came across a recipe for Spanish gazpacho made much as we make it today.  And in 1840, the French writer Theophile Gautier wrote about having gazpacho during a trip through southern Spain.  He asserted it would "have made the hair of Brillat-Savarin stand on end," though he concluded, "Strange as it may seem the first time one tastes it, one ends by getting used to it and even liking it."

Like most very old dishes, gazpacho recipes are multitudinous and each one different.

The peasant way of making gazpacho, everyone seems to agree, is to mash the tomatoes and other ingredients patiently and tirelessly in a huge wooden bowl, using a wooden pestle.  This, for example, is a peasant recipe for gazpacho sevillano:

     "You must have a large wooden bowl, made from the trunk of a tree, gently hollowed in the center.  In this bowl place some salt, quite a lot of garlic, and a little green pepper.  With a pestle, pound thoroughly until the mixture is a smooth paste.  Then add stale bread which has been grated iunto crumbs---the bread should be five or six days old.  Pound the crumbs gradually into the vegetable mixture until again you have a smooth paste.  Then you begin adding nice ripe tomatoes which have been peeled and seeded, and continue pounding and mashing until the mixrure is thin, without any lumps.  To this you add the yolk of a hard-cokked egg, blend thoroughly, and strir in olive oil---plenty of olive oil.  Finally you add a little vinegar and enough water to make it the right consistency."

In Jerez, Anne Williams de Domecq (whose husband is director of the Williams and Humbert bodegas) told me that gazpacho andaluz should always be made with sherry vinegar.  Jean Dalrymple of the New York City Center, who spent some twenty summers in the Valencia area of Spain when Jose Iturbi was one of her clients, learned to make a gazpacho valenciana from Senora Iturbi.  Her version, Miss Dalrymnple says, always included a pinch of cumin---a most important addition---along wth garlic, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and vinegar, and croutons of bread fried in olive oil served over the top as garnish.

In old cookbooks I found other gazpacho recipes which called for such diverse ingredients as toasted almonds, black and/or green olives, chicken broth instead of water, and even red wine.  Minced cucumber or onions are very often served floating over the top.  Pimientos or paprika in large amounts very frequently will be added.  Sometimes other vegetables are pureed along with the tomatoes.  There was even in one Spanish book a recipe for "gazpacho colorado" (literally red gazpacho), which turned out to be thick hot puree served with big chunhks of bread.

In all these different versions, four ingredients appear without fail:  tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.  The tomatoes must be fresh and sweet, preferably picked from the vine while still warm with the sun and rushed to the kitchen to be scalded, skins peeled off and the seeds extacted at once.  In order to make a perfect gazpacho, the tomato seeds should be removed., for these do add a certain bitterness if left in.  After the tomatoes have been pureed, they can be forced through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.  For those who do not have kitchen gardens, or who wish to make gazpacho before the local tomato season has reached its peak, it is best to use canned tomatoes, preferably the Italian pomodoro variety, or a very fine quality tomato puree.

The olive oil, of course, must be the very best.  The amount of garlic used depends on personal tatse and in general I would advise using less than Spanish cooks call for.

The elimination of bread from gazpacho takes it completely out of the peasant class, where it originated.  The following version of this cold Spanish soup is made with an electric blender.  I learned that even in Spain today those who have electric mixers or blenders make gazpacho this quicker, easier way.

GAZPACHO ANDALUZ

8 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or large can (1 pound 12 ounces) best quality peeled tomatoes

2 or 3 garlic cloves,  minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

Dash of cayenne or Tabasco

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

3 cups clear chicken broth

6 scallions, chopped

1/2 green pepper, minced

Mash garlic cloves. blend with salt, paprika and sugar; combine with cucumber, tomatoes, cayenne, olive oil, and vinegar.  Beat in blender until smooth and thick.  Chill thoroughly.  When ready to serve, combine with chicken broth.  Garnish with minced scallions and green pepper.  Serve an ice cube in each soup plate.  Chopped pitted black olives may also be served as garnish if desired.

Which countries are Americans relocating to the most?

Which countries are Americans relocating to the most?

August 2nd, 2011 by Mike Morabito

 

Recently it was reported that the number of employees taking a relocation has risen to its highest level in the last two years. Where do you think most of these people are moving to?

In July, UniGroup Worldwide put out their “Migration” report that was cited by the Wall Street Journal. This report highlighted which countries American’s relocated to from the US, as well as what countries people are relocating from to the US. The results indicated some interesting statistics which included a rise of 46.7% of the numbers of American’s relocating to China for work over the last 3 years. However, the UK still receives the highest percentage of international relocations from the US at 24%.

What are the top countries to move to from the US?

1. United Kingdom
2. Germany
3. China
4. Australia
5. France
6. Switzerland
7. The Netherlands
8. Japan
9. India
10. Singapore
11. Malaysia
12. Brazil
13. Belgium
14. Italy
15. Israel

What percent of US employees relocate to each country?

Which countries have seen the most relocation growth from the US?

From the Wall Street Journal article:



This chart indicates that although the UK still receives the most assignees, China is quickly growing in the number of employees taking an international relocation to the country. The growth in China is to be expected with an average of 10% growth rates in their economy over the last 30 years which has no signs of slowing down. With this type of growth many employees are interested in taking an international relocation to China because of employees looking for a chance to go global to advance their careers. As these growth rates continue more companies will be looking toward leveraging local leadership in China to advance into other Asian emerging markets as well. Additionally companies will continue to focus on relocating employees to the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as well to expand into their local and surrounding emerging markets. As an indicator of this Brazil made the top 15 list for the first time in the last 4 years.

How to make love, by William Shakespeare

Venus and Adonis

Page 03

'Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie;           151
These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me;
Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky,
From morn till night, even where I list to sport me:
  Is love so light, sweet boy, and may it be
  That thou shouldst think it heavy unto thee?       156

'Is thine own heart to shine own face affected?
Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?
Then woo thyself, be of thyself rejected,
Steal thine own freedom, and complain on theft.      160
  Narcissus so himself himself forsook,
  And died to kiss his shadow in the brook.

'Torches are made to light, jewels to wear,
Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use,         164
Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear;
Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse:
  Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty;
  Thou wast begot; to get it is thy duty.            168

'Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed,
Unless the earth with thy increase be fed?
By law of nature thou art bound to breed,
That thine may live when thou thyself art dead;      172
  And so in spite of death thou dost survive,
  In that thy likeness still is left alive.'

By this the love-sick queen began to sweat,
For where they lay the shadow had forsook them,      176
And Titan, tired in the mid-day heat
With burning eye did hotly overlook them,
  Wishing Adonis had his team to guide,
  So he were like him and by Venus' side.            180

And now Adonis with a lazy spright,
And with a heavy, dark, disliking eye,
His louring brows o'erwhelming his fair sight,
Like misty vapours when they blot the sky,           184
  Souring his cheeks, cries, 'Fie! no more of love:
  The sun doth burn my face; I must remove.'

'Ay me,' quoth Venus, 'young, and so unkind!
What bare excuses mak'st thou to be gone!            188
I'll sigh celestial breath, whose gentle wind
Shall cool the heat of this descending sun:
  I'll make a shadow for thee of my hairs;           191
  If they burn too, I'll quench them with my tears.

'The sun that shines from heaven shines but warm,
And lo! I lie between that sun and thee:
The heat I have from thence doth little harm,
Thine eye darts forth the fire that burneth me;      196
  And were I not immortal, life were done
  Between this heavenly and earthly sun.

'Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel?
Nay, more than flint, for stone at rain relenteth:   200
Art thou a woman's son, and canst not feel
What 'tis to love? how want of love tormenteth?
  O! had thy mother borne so hard a mind,            203
  She had not brought forth thee, but died unkind.

'What am I that thou shouldst contemn me this?
Or what great danger dwells upon my suit?
What were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss?
  Speak, fair; but speak fair words, or else be mute:
  Give me one kiss, I'll give it thee again,         209
And one for interest if thou wilt have twain.

'Fie! lifeless picture, cold and senseless stone,
Well-painted idol, image dull and dead,              212
Statue contenting but the eye alone,
Thing like a man, but of no woman bred:
  Thou art no man, though of a man's complexion,
  For men will kiss even by their own direction.'    216

This said, impatience chokes her pleading tongue,
And swelling passion doth provoke a pause;
Red cheeks and fiery eyes blaze forth her wrong;
Being judge in love, she cannot right her cause:     220
  And now she weeps, and now she fain would speak,
  And now her sobs do her intendments break.

Sometimes she shakes her head, and then his hand;
Now gazeth she on him, now on the ground;            224
Sometimes her arms infold him like a band:
She would, he will not in her arms be bound;
  And when from thence he struggles to be gone,
  She locks her lily fingers one in one.             228

'Fondling,' she saith, 'since I have hemm'd thee here
Within the circuit of this ivory pale,
I'll be a park, and thou shalt be my deer;
Feed where thou wilt, on mountain or in dale:        232
  Graze on my lips, and if those hills be dry,
  Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie.