Gallery: Top Dot Physics Posts For 2011
01orbits-and-the-james-webb-telescope
Tis the season to make top 10 lists. Who doesn't like lists? Here is a list of my top 10 posts for 2011 chosen by a panel of judges. This years panel includes me, me and me. So, what does it take for a post to make it into this list? It isn't a list of the 10 most popular posts. These are mostly posts that I think show something interesting but maybe didn't get as much recognition as some others. L2 Orbits and the James Web Telescope ------------------------------------- The JW telescope is supposed to be the next Hubble telescope. Just like that, but better. One big difference is the location. The JW will be in a Lagrange point. What is a Lagrange point? This posts explains that. __Why this post?__ I like this post in that it tries to offer a simple explanation for something that is fairly complicated. Also, I wanted to bring attention to the James Webb Telescope. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/james-webb-space-telescope-and-l2-orbits/)
02the-cost-of-data
How Much Do You Pay for Data? ----------------------------- This is something that has bothered me for quite some time. Basically, you pay for three things on your phone. Three things that are really all the same thing: voice, data, and messaging. Aren't these all just data? __Why this post?__ I love trying to model something that isn't so clear. Or trying to calculate something in a new way. In this case, I clearly made some mistakes in my calculations. However, I think we can all agree that SMS rates are way too high. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/how-much-does-your-data-cost/)
03jules-vernes-spacecraft
Gravity in From the Earth to the Moon ------------------------------------- Jules Vernes was perhaps way ahead of his time. However, his depiction of gravity in his book shows some common errors that many people have about gravity __Why this post?__ This post is a little different. Rarely do I look at a work of literature. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/07/weight-in-jules-vernes-from-the-earth-to-the-moon/)
04power-balance-demo
Build Your Own Power Balance ---------------------------- I would be happy if you said: "Power Balance? What the heck is that?" Unfortunately, you have probably seen someone you care about wearing one of these things. Well, here is the best trick to show how dumb these things are. Really, it is a great trick for parties. __Why this post?__ Think of it as a public service announcement. It is my job to spread the bogosity of these things. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/02/build-your-own-energy-balance-thing/)
05fuel-efficiency-and-speed
What Would an 85 mph Speed Limit Do To Fuel Efficiency? ------------------------------------------------------- Lots of people want to drive fast. But what would an increased speed limit do to a car's fuel efficiency? __Why this post?__ First, you could consider this another public service announcement. Second, I think any post with fuel efficiency is fun. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/04/what-will-an-85-mph-speed-limit-do-to-your-mileage/)
06nuclear-fission
What Are the Sources of Energy? ------------------------------- Everyone knows that solar energy comes from the Sun. But what about fossil fuels? They are also indirectly from the Sun. Here I go over common energy types and look at their sources. Yes, a couple of these are debatable. __Why this post?__ I think this post gives a simple overview of energy. Don't you think energy is an important topic? [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/what-are-the-sources-of-the-energy-sources/)
07a-trillion-dollar-ball
The Height of a Stack of One Trillion Dollars --------------------------------------------- Someone claimed that a stack of one trillion dollars would go to the moon and back. Is this a good estimate? Let me check. Oh, and what if you take a trillion dollars and make a big ball out of it. How big would that be? __Why this post?__ This post not only has an estimate with a mostly simple calculation, it also uses some experimental data for support. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/09/stacking-one-trillion-dollars/)
08the-future-of-education
The Future of Education as Seen From the Past --------------------------------------------- If you tried to predict the future of education, what would you say? Well, someone from 1910 did this and we can see the answer now. Really, this picture is pretty funny. __Why this post?__ You know I like to talk about learning, right? Plus, this is just a great picture. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/02/the-future-of-education-as-seen-from-the-past/)
09determining-pi
Estimating Pi Without a Circle ------------------------------ I love Pi. That is no secret. When most people think of Pi they think of circles, right triangles and apple pie. The cool thing about Pi is that it shows up in places you wouldn't expect. In this post, I experimentally determine a value of Pi without circles or triangles. __Why this post?__ Clearly, Pi plus data = awesome. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/how-do-you-determine-pi-without-a-circle/)
10speed-of-shots
Could Han Shoot Second? ----------------------- In the original release of Star Wars Episode IV, Han shot Greedo before Greedo tired to shoot Han. Not so in the later releases. So, here is the question: is it possible for Han to shoot in reaction to Greedo first trying to shoot him? You know you want to know. A little bit of video analysis can give us some insight. __Why this post?__ Um....hello? It's Star Wars plus video analysis. [Read the full post.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/05/may-the-4th-be-with-you-could-han-shoot-second/)
