Q: Why do researchers do experiments on university students?A: Because rats are expensive and you grow attached to them. Since 2014 I have helped to teach two astronomy units at the University of Western Australia, Our Universe and Our Solar System. These are relatively basic first-year astronomy units designed to be taken by non-science students … Continue reading The Astronomy Diaries: I did an experiment on my students
Tag: astronomy
With thousands of radio dishes spread over thousands of kilometres, the Square Kilometre Array will be the largest and most powerful radio telescope in the world and able to explore the deepest regions of the cosmos. But only if these thousands of radio dishes, some hundreds of kilometres apart, can be synchronized to within a … Continue reading Getting in Sync with the SKA
Quantum mechanics is weird. To be a physicist you have to accept that the microscopic, underlying reality of nature looks and behaves very differently to the laws of physics we are used to in our every day lives. Many physicists struggle to accept this, including Einstein. Einstein disliked the fact that quantum mechanics, a theory … Continue reading Spooky Action at a Distance
One of the paybacks of being a scientist is that if you create some new thing or discover a new phenomenon, you get to name it. Biologists can name a new species after friends or family, experimenters enjoy finding clever acronyms to call their equipment, and astronomers have the opportunity to etch their choices into … Continue reading What’s in a name?
“Communication is not something you add on to science; it is of the essence of science.” – Alan Alda I consider science communication to be an important part of what I do as a scientist. Science and humanity derive the greatest benefit from research when scientists go beyond the cloistered environment of their fields and … Continue reading Signs of Science
Last week I was interviewed for the always interesting and entertaining Astrophiz podcast. I had a great time talking about my work, astrophysics, and science in general. Check it out: Astrophiz 51: Dr David Gozzard ~ Telescope pilot taking the pulse of the Universe
It seems that, in the public’s perception, scientists are a secretive bunch. As a scientist, I know that is not the case. Communicating ideas and findings to others is an indispensable part of doing science and, especially when overcome by the thrill of discovery, scientists are not very good at keeping secrets. Each gravitational wave … Continue reading Scientific Sleuthing
This post was originally published by Australia's Science Channel on 29th July 2016 but was removed when the website was updated. David Gozzard is a PhD student who has found himself on an interesting journey to remote Australia. In this blog, he shares some of the fun work he's been up to! When I started my PhD in … Continue reading Radio Telescope on Track
We Australians excel at remembering and celebrating our sporting heroes, from cricketers to particularly successful race horses, but are not so good at celebrating the great people who helped build our civilization, particularly when those builders are Australian. Today, I want to celebrate the birthday of a brilliant Australian scientist, Ruby Payne-Scott. Southern Star … Continue reading Great Australians — Ruby Payne-Scott
David Gozzard 