Astro aesthetics

Astro Teller

Most interesting problems do not have solutions that are simple mappings from the inputs to the correct outputs; some kind of internal state or memory is needed to operate well or optimally in these domains. Traditionally, genetic programming has concentrated on solving problems in the functional/reactive arena. This may be due in part to the absence of a natural way to incorporate memory into ...

Engineering Aesthetics and Ergo-Aesthetics:

Human factors researchers and practitioners have been focusing research attention on the easeof-use, productivity, safety, comfort, and effectiveness aspects of product and system design. This article argues that it is time that we add another important dimension to the fields of human factors research and practice—the aesthetic dimension. This article discusses the need for the establishment o...

Darwinian Aesthetics Informs Traditional Aesthetics

Comment on astro-ph/0507588 and astro-ph/0508483

Guidorzi has now written two papers (astro-ph/0507588 and astro-ph/0508483, both accepted to MNRAS) on the GRB variability-luminosity correlation in which he finds that expanded samples of L vs. V data are not well described by a power law because the scatter of the data around such a model is more than can be accounted for by the data’s statistical errors alone (sample variance) – “in contrast...

Visible wavelength astro-comb.

We demonstrate a tunable laser frequency comb operating near 420 nm with mode spacing of 20-50 GHz, usable bandwidth of 15 nm and output power per line of ~20 nW. Using the TRES spectrograph at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, we characterize this system to an accuracy below 1m/s, suitable for calibrating high-resolution astrophysical spectrographs used, e.g., in exoplanet studies.