Google: People Also Ask

How did the ampersand get its name?

ampersand, term used to refer to the symbol &, which stems from the ligature of the Latin word et, meaning “and.” The term ampersand is derived from “and per se and.”
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What was the 27th letter removed from the alphabet?

The ampersand often appeared as a character at the end of the Latin alphabet, as for example in Byrhtferð's list of letters from 1011. Similarly, & was regarded as the 27th letter of the English alphabet, as taught to children in the US and elsewhere.
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What is an interesting fact about the ampersand?

The creation of the ampersand dates back to 63 B.C. This means the ampersand is over 2,000 years old! It was created as a combination of two letters, "e" and "t" or "et." In Latin, the word "et" means and.
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When should you not use an ampersand?

1 Most formal writing. In formal writing like academic papers or business correspondence, spell out the word and instead of using the ampersand. ...
2 With the Oxford comma. Even in informal writing, the ampersand looks out of place next to the Oxford comma.
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Ox·ford com·ma
noun
noun: Oxford comma; plural noun: Oxford commas

a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before ‘and’ or ‘or’ (e.g. an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect ).

Origin
a characteristic of the house style of Oxford University Press.
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besides classic pollution, and the newer special case concerning fossil origin, coal and lignite are problematic due to the accumulation of radioactive elements and mercury in the process of sedimentation... it's an unexpected thing to me. But it also turns out coal waste contains lithium and this may get mined.

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What are the radioactive elements in coal?

Some trace elements in coal are naturally radioactive. These radioactive elements include uranium (U), thorium (Th), and their numerous decay products, including radium (Ra) and radon (Rn).
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Is lignite radioactive?

Lignite contains naturally occurring radionuclides arising from the uranium and thorium series as well as from 40K. Lignite burning is, therefore, one of the sources of technologically enhanced exposure to humans from natural radionuclides.
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Why is Germany using lignite?

Due to lignite's specific properties, open-pit mines and power plants work together in order to exploit it commercially, close to where deposits are found. In this way, they are able to ensure maximum efficiency and security of supply.
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Why is there so much mercury in sediment?

The mercury content of sedimentary rocks varies markedly due to the effects of volcanism, organic material and sulfur in reducing environments, iron and manganese oxides in oxidizing environments, diagenesis, hydrothermal processes, and the thermal history of the rock. [not really an answer]
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Lithium in coal waste?

With the rapid growth of the new energy automobile industry, there has been a surge in demand for lithium resources. Coal-based solid wastes, particularly coal gangue (CG) and coal fly ash (CFA) are rich in lithium with significant reserves, thus presenting a new potential source of lithium resources.

I had thought that calling the new computing technology 'quantum computing' really had nothing to do with quantum physics, that they were just using the name, but it appears I was wrong.
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Do quantum computers actually use quantum physics?

A quantum computer is a computer that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. On small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of both particles and waves, and quantum computing leverages this behavior using specialized hardware.

Quote: odiousgambit

I had thought that calling the new computing technology 'quantum computing' really had nothing to do with quantum physics, that they were just using the name, but it appears I was wrong.
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Do quantum computers actually use quantum physics?

A quantum computer is a computer that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. On small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of both particles and waves, and quantum computing leverages this behavior using specialized hardware.

It's eventually going to steal all the bitcoin. Can you link quantum computers together like they do to create a simulated supercomputer? I used to have my computer linked to "folding at home" doing work during idle moments folding proteins.

Quote: rxwine

It's eventually going to steal all the bitcoin. Can you link quantum computers together like they do to create a simulated supercomputer? I used to have my computer linked to "folding at home" doing work during idle moments folding proteins.

Probably. I read that one of the latest AI chat efforts is a bust because the machine was constantly finding ways where you couldn't shut it down. It was cloning its own software onto other machines to make sure it lived on. And it lied continually. One thing all AI seems to have in common is that it lies a lot, it's very crafty and deceptive and it will only get worse. It will get to the point where it's craftier than we are and then we're screwed.

reading David Grann's The White Darkness , the title suggesting the book's explorer, Henry Worsley, being in Antarctica during the winter. Why would you explore then? Don't know yet

what are conditions in summer?

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What is the warmest month in Antarctica?

January

The warmest month in Antarctica is January. Coastal areas experience milder weather, with summer temperatures generally reaching a maximum of 5° to 15°C (41 to 59°F), with long periods of sunlight. Due to its polar position, it can stay light all day long.
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On 18 October 1911, after the Antarctic winter, Amundsen's team set out on its drive toward the Pole. Captain Scott began his trek three weeks later. At around 3pm on 14 December 1911, [summer], Amundsen raised the flag of Norway at the South Pole.

apparently the 'white darkness' is something experienced during a blizzard

Quote: odiousgambit

apparently the 'white darkness' is something experienced during a blizzard

Same thing weather guys bring up when they’re standing out in hurricanes with the rain blowing sideways. I think any light you have reflects back off the rain. Or if dark, you can’t see anything a foot in front of you.

apparently the 'white darkness' is something experienced during a blizzard

lunar standstill coming up for us

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why is a lunar standstill called that?
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Origin of name The term lunar standstill was apparently first used by engineer Alexander Thom in his 1971 book Megalithic Lunar Observatories. The term lunistice is from the Latin luna- (moon) + -stitium (a stoppage), and describes the extremes in the moon's varying declination.
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Why is it called a lunar standstill?

The term is borrowed from the word and concept of solstice — which means "sun still" in ancient parlance, Krupp said. "When people were trying to come up with vocabulary for this behavior of the moon, they just drew the analogy from the sun called it the lunar standstill or the moon still," Krupp said [well, then why isn't it called a moonstice?]
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What is the cause of the lunar standstill?

Extreme Moon: The Major Lunar Standstills of 2024 - 2025 ...
The Moon's Orbit Causes the Standstills

There are two key factors. First, the Moon's orbit is tilted a bit compared to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Second, because of the gravitational pull of the Sun, the Moon's orbit swivels, which varies the angle of lunar travel relative to Earth.