Is everything we know about the universe wrong?

I missed this programme on Tuesday night so I'm watching it on the i-player. I know about dark matter and dark energy, but I've never heard about dark flow. I'm trying to learn something new about physics every day, so hopefully I'll know about dark flow by the end of the day.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rgg31/Horizon_20092010_Is_Everything_We_Know_About_The_Universe_Wrong/

Brian Cox on BBC2 on Sunday night

If you missed the programme last night, you must see Prof Brian Cox on the wonders of the solar system:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rf172/Wonders_of_the_Solar_System_Empire_of_the_Sun/

He covers a lot of stuff about the Sun and the Solar System. I love his enthusiasm. I am going to re-create Herschel's tin can experiment in the summer and I particularly admired the "That's why I love physics" aside at the end of that sequence in the programme.
If it doesn't make you want to become an astronomer, nothing will.

Mist in the valleys

Sorry there haven't been many posts recently. It's the busiest time of year! Still no sunspots, by the way. That's 5 months I've been watching.

At half term, I was up in the hills above Haweswater. There was a reasonably cloud base above our heads but mist kept forming in the valley below and then rising up past us. see photo.

Here's the physics explanation that I came to:

The slopes below us were south facing and catching the warm sun.

This made the snow melt and then evaporate.

The water vapour hit the cold valley air and condensed into mist.

This was warmed by the Sun so it expanded and became less dense, thus rising.

An excellent newspaper article

I was sent a link to this article from The Times newspaper. It explains well what is called the philosophy of science, that we could all have our beliefs knocked over by one impressive experiment or set of results.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article7018438.ece

Campaign for Mass

Today I have founded the Campaign for Mass (CFM). I have become fed up with classes continuing to use the word weight when they really mean mass. This failing is endemic in our society. Remember that your scales really tell you your mass. If you want to lose weight, go to the Moon where the gravitational pull is less. I am sure you will want to join me in fixing this scar on our nation's intellect.

Yet another TV programme

BBC2 next Wednesday (10 February) at 9pm, there is a programme in the Horizon series on the nature of infinity. You should watch it.

Further to the last post

I heard on the radio last night that we are in a historically significant sunspot minimum. Apparently about 250 days since the last one. What an amazing time to start looking for results and the first time in my career that an experimental failure has made me very happy.