4 ms·
I wish science communicators would abandon the whole “virtual particle” terminology altogether. It creates a lot of confusion.
by antidesitter 8y ago
I wish science communicators would abandon the whole “virtual particle” terminology altogether. It creates a lot of confusion.
- Pharmakon 8y agoMatt Strassler has a good blog post on the subject. https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/virtual-particles-what-are-they/ https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-ph... Part of the problem however is that science communication has become its own “field” typically staffed by miserably unqualified people on a shoestring budget. There are also few laurels and less money to be had in trying to give the public at large a faithful representation of the real science. By contrast rehashing decades old basics about black holes with lots of hand-waving sells papers, clicks, magazines, etc. As long as fiendishly complicated subjects are relentless dumbed down in the name of “inspiring enthusiasm” rather than instilling facts, we’re stuck with this.