Stars are born in nebulae. Huge clouds of dust and gas collapse under gravitational forces, forming protostars. These young stars undergo further collapse, forming main sequence stars.
Stars expand as they grow old. As the core runs out of hydrogen and then helium, the core contacts and the outer layers expand, cool, and become less bright. This is a red giant or a red super giant (depending on the initial mass of the star). It will eventually collapse and explode. Its fate is determined by the original mass of the star; it will become either a black dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.
Irene M. Pepperberg is an associate research professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and teaches animal cognition at Harvard University. She is head of the Alex Foundation and author of The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots.
The physicist Albert Einstein did not directly participate in the invention of the atomic bomb. But as we shall see, he was instrumental in facilitating its development.
In 1905, as part of his Special Theory of Relativity, he made the intriguing point that a large amount of energy could be released from a small amount of matter. This was expressed by the equation E=mc2 (energy = mass times the speed of light squared). The atomic bomb would clearly illustrate this principle.
But bombs were not what Einstein had in mind when he published this equation. Indeed, he considered himself to be a pacifist. In 1929, he publicly declared that if a war broke out he would "unconditionally refuse to do war service, direct or indirect... regardless of how the cause of the war should be judged." (Ronald Clark, "Einstein: The Life and Times", pg. 428). His position would change in 1933, as the result of Adolf Hitler's ascent to power in Germany. While still promoting peace, Einstein no longer fit his previous self-description of being an "absolute pacifist".
Einstein's greatest role in the invention of the atomic bomb was signing a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt urging that the bomb be built. The splitting of the uranium atom in Germany in December 1938 plus continued German aggression led some physicists to fear that Germany might be working on an atomic bomb. Among those concerned were physicists Leo Szilard and Eugene Wigner. But Szilard and Wigner had no influence with those in power. So in July 1939 they explained the problem to someone who did: Albert Einstein. According to Szilard, Einstein said the possibility of a chain reaction "never occurred to me", altho Einstein was quick to understand the concept (Clark, pg. 669+; Spencer Weart & Gertrud Weiss Szilard, eds., "Leo Szilard: His Version of the Facts", pg. 83). After consulting with Einstein, in August 1939 Szilard wrote a letter to President Roosevelt with Einstein's signature on it. The letter was delivered to Roosevelt in October 1939 by Alexander Sachs, a friend of the President. Germany had invaded Poland the previous month; the time was ripe for action. That October the Briggs Committee was appointed to study uranium chain reactions.
But the Briggs Committee moved very slowly, prompting Einstein, Szilard, and Sachs to write to FDR in March 1940, pointing again to German progress in uranium research (Weart & Szilard, pg. 119+). In April 1940 an Einstein letter, ghost-written by Szilard, pressed Briggs Committee chairman Lyman Briggs on the need for "greater speed" (Weart & Szilard, pg. 125+; Clark, pg. 680).
Research still proceeded slowly, because the invention of the atomic bomb seemed distant and unlikely, rather than a weapon that might be used in the current war. It was not until after the British MAUD Report was presented to FDR in October 1941 that a more accelerated pace was taken. This British document stated that an atomic bomb could be built and that it might be ready for use by late 1943, in time for use during the war (Richard Rhodes, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb", pg. 377+).
Einstein biographer Ronald Clark has observed that the atomic bomb would have been invented without Einstein's letters, but that without the early U.S. work that resulted from the letters, the a-bombs might not have been ready in time to use during the war on Japan (Clark, pg. 682-683).
The atomic bomb related work that Einstein did was very limited and he completed it in two days during December 1941. Vannevar Bush, who was coordinating the scientific work on the a-bomb at that time, asked Einstein's advice on a theoretical problem involved in separating fissionable material by gaseous diffusion. But Bush and other leaders in the atomic bomb project excluded Einstein from any other a-bomb related work. Bush didn't trust Einstein to keep the project a secret: "I am not at all sure... [Einstein] would not discuss it in a way that it should not be discussed." (Clark, pg. 684-685; G. Pascal Zachary, "Endless Frontier: Vannevar Bush, Engineer of the American Century", pg. 204).
As the realization of nuclear weapons grew near, Einstein looked beyond the current war to future problems that such weapons could bring. He wrote to physicist Niels Bohr in December 1944, "when the war is over, then there will be in all countries a pursuit of secret war preparations with technological means which will lead inevitably to preventative wars and to destruction even more terrible than the present destruction of life." (Clark, pg. 698).
The atomic bombings of Japan occurred three months after the surrender of Germany, whose potential for creating a Nazi a-bomb had led Einstein to push for the development of an a-bomb for the Allies. Einstein withheld public comment on the atomic bombing of Japan until a year afterward. A short article on the front page of the New York Times contained his view: "Prof. Albert Einstein... said that he was sure that President Roosevelt would have forbidden the atomic bombing of Hiroshima had he been alive and that it was probably carried out to end the Pacific war before Russia could participate." ("Einstein Deplores Use of Atom Bomb", New York Times, 8/19/46, pg. 1). Einstein later wrote, "I have always condemned the use of the atomic bomb against Japan." (Otto Nathan & Heinz Norden, editors, "Einstein on Peace", pg. 589).
In November 1954, five months before his death, Einstein summarized his feelings about his role in the creation of the atomic bomb: "I made one great mistake in my life... when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made; but there was some justification - the danger that the Germans would make them." (Clark, pg. 752).
Dr. Vincent Muli Kituku, CSP works with organizations and individuals who want to increase their productivity, stay focused and have a sustained desire to make success a habit, but not an act. A master motivator and a catalyst for unlimited results, Dr. Kituku has been described as a research-based motivational speaker/trainer whose storytelling skills have won awards for both spoken and written words. He is one of the less than 7% speakers to earn the coveted Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) recognition, the highest designation presented by the National Speakers Association.
Wherever he speaks, people from all backgrounds agree that words cannot describe Vincent but that he must be experienced. His ability to captivate audiences with content, interaction and entertainment has made him not only a sought after speaker but an annual presenter for key organizations. No one is ever the same after listening and applying Dr. kituku’s strategies and wisdom into their work and life endeavors.
The impact of Dr. Kituku’s memorable speeches and workshops has propelled him into a league of his own. He has given presentations to Fortune 500 Companies, Workforce Development Agencies and Chambers of Commerce, Realtors, and National and International associations. He has been the motivational speaker for the successful Boise State University Football Team since 1998—the alumni of BSU selected him the 2003 Homecoming Grand Marshal.
A scientific researcher and experienced corporate America student, Dr. Kituku, a native of Kenya, Africa, draws on his rich cultural heritage and his in-depth experience in corporate America to help others apply the strategies of personal and professional success to their lives. Vincent offers individuals and organizations the necessary spears to overcome and thrive beyond their buffaloes. Since establishing Kituku & Associates in 1995, Dr. Kituku has done research on the challenges and expectations of every group he has worked with, whether the project was a 60-minutes keynote or a two-day leadership development camp. He then uses the data/information to develop and present a customized presentation audiences can relate to and apply in whatever they do to make success a continuous experience.
What, however, is unleveled is Vincent’s story of triumph over adversities. He refused to be held back or live a life that is defined by the deaths of five siblings, chronic malaria and stomach illnesses, being forced to spend six years in three grades or growing up in a dysfunctional family. With his signature positive altitude (blessed man), big dreams and hard work, Vincent knew he would be somebody someday. These losses and setbacks made Dr. Kituku believe that each individual has the potential to soar to new heights if only they knew how.
Dr. Kituku is a widely read influential writer in business, inspiration and education. Using his exuberant, concise and riveting style, Vincent has created CDs, books and articles of substance that are eminently readable, with authentic clarity and relevancy. He is an inspirational, family and professional expert whose columns appear internationally in numerous daily, weekly and monthly publications of both traditional and electronic venues. Dr. Kituku hosted “Buffaloes in Our Lives," a weekly radio program that was aired in the Northwest area on KBOI 670 AM. He is chief editor of the “Buffaloes in Our Lives" newsletter.
Dr. Kituku received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nairobi and both his Masters and Doctorate from the University of Wyoming. He has worked extensively with both government and private sectors.
1) Respect “the genius of a place.”
Olmsted wanted his designs to stay true to the character of their natural surroundings. He referred to “the genius of a place,” a belief that every site has ecologically and spiritually unique qualities. The goal was to “access this genius” and let it infuse all design decisions.
This meant taking advantage of unique characteristics of a site while also acknowledging disadvantages. For example, he was willing to abandon the rainfall-requiring scenery he loved most for landscapes more appropriate to climates he worked in. That meant a separate landscape style for the South while in the dryer, western parts of the country he used a water-conserving style
2) Subordinate details to the whole.
Olmsted felt that what separated his work from a gardener was “the elegance of design,” (i.e. one should subordinate all elements to the overall design and the effect it is intended to achieve). There was no room for details that were to be viewed as individual elements. He warned against thinking “of trees, of turf, water, rocks, bridges, as things of beauty in themselves.” In his work, they were threads in a larger fabric. That’s why he avoided decorative plantings and structures in favor of a landscapes that appeared organic and true.
3) The art is to conceal art.
Olmsted believed the goal wasn’t to make viewers see his work. It was to make them unaware of it. To him, the art was to conceal art. And the way to do this was to remove distractions and demands on the conscious mind. Viewers weren’t supposed to examine or analyze parts of the scene. They were supposed to be unaware of everything that was working.
He tried to recreate the beauty he saw in the Isle of Wight during his first trip to England in 1850: “Gradually and silently the charm comes over us; we know not exactly where or how.” Olmsted’s works appear so natural that one critic wrote, “One thinks of them as something not put there by artifice but merely preserved by happenstance.”
4) Aim for the unconscious.
Related to the previous point, Olmsted was a fan of Horace Bushnell’s writings about “unconscious influence” in people. (Bushnell believed real character wasn’t communicated verbally but instead at a level below that of consciousness.) Olmsted applied this idea to his scenery. He wanted his parks to create an unconscious process that produced relaxation. So he constantly removed distractions and demands on the conscious mind.
For example, his designs subtly direct movement through the landscape. Pedestrians are led without realizing they’re being led. If you’ve ever gotten lost on one of Prospect Park’s paths, you’ll understand the point. It’s a strange sensation of feeling lost yet completely confident that you can easily return to your starting point.
5) Avoid fashion for fashion’s sake.
Olmsted rejected displays “of novelty, of fashion, of scientific or virtuoso inclinations and of decoration.” He felt popular trends of the day, like specimen planting and flower-bedding of exotics, often intruded more than they helped.
For example, he contrasted the effect of a common wild flower on a grassy bank with that of a gaudy hybrid of the same genus, imported from Japan and blooming under glass in an enameled vase. The hybrid would draw immediate attention. He observed, but “the former, while we have passed it by without stopping, and while it has not interrupted our conversation or called for remark, may possibly, with other objects of the same class, have touched us more, may have come home to us more, may have had a more soothing and refreshing sanitary influence.”
Ever since childhood, Kim Ung-Yong has shocked the world with his super-genius IQ; an unbelievable 210. At the age of six months, he was able to speak and converse with ease.At twenty-four months - when most children barely begin talking in sentences - he was reading effortlessly in four languages: Korean, Japanese, German and English. To further the impression, he began attending a University two years later, in which he was solving calculus problems the majority of us wouldn't take a stab at. He was gifted from the beginning, and continued to excel from then on with an IQ matched by none other than himself.
Super-Genius invited to NASA.
As the world began to see Kim Ung-Yong's remarkable potential, he began receiving a great deal of attention. He was featured on Japanese television and soon after got invited to work for NASA at the age of 8. Able to solve any problem given to him while working for the company, he continued his education and received a Ph.D. in Physics at the age of 15; the age of a high school sophomore.
It seemed that no matter the difficulty, nothing seemed to hold the super-genius back. It is unknown what gave Kim Ung-Yong this inspiring motivation. Some argue it may have been the simple thirst for knowledge, but none know for sure. These years as a teen, in which life was fast-paced, was a short segment of his life. The next portion was something no one expected.
Kim Ung-Yong and his life goal.
Learning was definitely one of the passions of the Guinness record holder for the "Highest IQ", but there was still something he hadn't accomplished. It was a goal that everyone sets for themselves; the goal of happiness. But this didn't include a career in Physics; the major he first received a Ph.D. in. This consisted of focusing his time to become a Civil Engineer (which he later earned a Ph.D. in) and joining the business planning department at Chungbuk Development Corporation.
Many people who expected Kim Ung-Yong to become something "extraordinary" such as a government elite, felt disappointed. But as the super-genius proved, the act of being "extraordinary" was determined by the eyes of the beholder.
To him, life had been fulfilled. He had found true joy in life. A life in which he followed his own desires, not that of others.
The Heat death is a possible final state of the universe, in which it has "run down" to a state of no free energy to sustain motion or life. In physical terms, it has reached maximum entropy.
The heat death of the universe will occur when all particles of matter ultimately have the same average kinetic energy and exist in a state of maximum disorder.
