I will get back to answering reader questions with my next post, but I wanted to mention some other things...
Free Books by Einstein on Kindle
I love to read (preferably books with vampires or other creatures that go bump in the night) and my Kindle has become something I am rarely far away from. I am also frugal so I like to browse pages that list free or reduced cost ebooks (my favorite is eReaderIQ). Today, I noticed that there are a number of books by Einstein that are free (if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download these books and read them on the Kindle app for your computer/smart phone):
- The Theory of Relativity: and Other Essays
- Essays in Science
- The World As I See It
- Out of My Later Years: The Scientist, Philosopher, and Man Portrayed Through His Own Words
- Sidelights on Relativity
- Essays in Humanism
- Letters on Wave Mechanics: Correspondence with H. A. Lorentz, Max Planck, and Erwin Schrodinger
- Letters to Solovine: 1906-1955
I've only read all of "Out of My Later Years" but I have also read bits and pieces of most of the other titles. I've always been impressed by Einstein's thoughts on a wide range of topics like religion and politics, even when I didn't agree with him. I hope that you check these out to get a unique view of who Einstein was.
A Request by "The Big Bang Theory"
I recently received an email letting me know that the producers of "The Big Bang Theory" requested permission to use the "Gravitational Waves" poster I worked on with the APS. The request went to the APS (as the publisher), they granted it, and forwarded the legal paperwork through channels to me. By and large, the release is what you would expect but regarding how, when, and where the producers can use the poster it states:
"in any and all media whether now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, throughout the universe by Producer or its assignee."
"... Throughout the universe ..." I suppose it makes sense to cover all your bases these days. Evolving technology has made the wording of copyright notices ever more complicated and this kind of generalization seems to take care of that. That's great, but I am not sure that the Earth laws this release is tailored to will hold up in Martian court :)
So, take a close look at the backgrounds on this season's "Big Bang Theory" and look for the "Gravitational Waves" poster. It will be quite a thrill to see something that I worked on glimpsed on television and my favorite show to boot!
