Hi Reddit! I am Steve Maguire, the 2013 winner of the Flame Challenge (video category; http://www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/what-is-time/ ), and creator of the webseries “Science Isn't Scary” (https://www.youtube.com/user/ScienceIsnotScary). I have a broad background in science outreach, participating with “Let's Talk Science” (http://www.letstalkscience.ca/) as the chemistry magic show coordinator for the Ottawa area, as well as other events sponsored by the University of Ottawa. I specialize in speaking to school groups and educators about making science more relevant.
Academically, I completed an M.Sc. at the University of Ottawa for work on the photogeneration of silver nanoparticles. I also did some work towards a Ph.D. into biofuel chemistry.
Currently, I’m a research associate at SNOLAB in Sudbury, Ontario, (https://www.snolab.ca/) where I assist with the chemistry aspects of a large neutrino detection experiment (SNO+). Work on neutrinos at SNOLAB led to the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2015/mcdonald-facts.html). Have a look at how we search for neutrinos at SNOLAB as part of my YouTube series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iyUim_3pdY.
Ask me anything about neutrinos and what it’s like to be a chemist hunting for them, or anything about science outreach.
EDIT: And we are live. I'm currently answering questions. Feel free to also ask about what it's like to go underground.
EDIT: OK, I think I'm going to call it a day. Thanks to everyone who asked questions. These things don't work if nobody participates.
I have an opportunity to tour the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory on Monday, April 3rd and was wondering if people would be interested in what it looks like. If so I will compose an album of whatever pictures I can get.
I am a physics grad student working on the SNO+ experiment at SNOLAB. SNOLAB is a astroparticle physics lab located 2km underground (6800 feet). Where I study places me 20 minutes from SNOLAB so I am constantly underground working on the experiment. Just this week I worked from 4pm to 2am Monday to Thursday cleaning the upper hemisphere of a 12m diameter acrylic sphere. Album o' proof AMA!
Quick update now that I'm back from my trip to SNOLAB. It was a truly amazing and unique experience. I managed to get quite a few pictures. Sadly my camera died close to the end of the tour, so I missed out on a couple things, but managed to get quite a lot of stuff. I should have an album hopefully posted by tomorrow or Wednesday, I would have done it today, however the dramatic change in pressure really tires you out so I'm going to be sleeping for a while.
TL:DR: Pics from SNOLAB tour being posted tomorrow or Wednesday.
Album: http://imgur.com/a/gZoqe
This was a very amazing and unique experience. The day at the lab started above ground, first signing a bunch of papers, then trying on mining gear (consisting of heavy rubber boots, lined with steel around the entire foot, coveralls with a bunch of reflectors, a safety belt, thick gloves, a hard hat and a head lamp) as the lab is in the lowest part of the still active Creighton mine. Once you are fitted with the gear you walk over to the mineshaft elevator part of the above ground facility where you sign in with your name and put one of your 2 number tags on a wall with sign in times. Then we had wait for the 8:20 miscellaneous ride down (there are only about 5 or 6 trips for people down to the mine of the lab everyday, so if you miss one you are kind of screwed for a while). After everyone gets into the elevator it starts its almost free-fall descent of 6800 (~2.1km) at about ~50ft/s (~15m/s). You constantly have to keep your ears from popping as a giant column of air rushes past the elevator (the pressure at the bottom is about 25% more than on the surface). After reaching the bottom you sign in with your second numbered tag and start a 2km trek through dirt, mud, and gravel in a very dirty mine and finally reach the lab. Before going in you must wash off your boots to get all of the mud and dirt off. Then you step inside where you take off your boots, belt, hard hat and gloves. Next, you reach the shower area where you remove the rest the mining gear and all of your clothes so you can shower. After your shower, you are supplied with clothes that stay down in the lab so they do not get contaminated. From there you sign in again and then that is when you can start the tour.
Do your worst!
For context I'm a Refuse Driver (Garbage man) & today I was on food waste. After I'd tipped I was checking the wagon for any defects when I spotted a lone pea balanced on the lifts.
I said "hey look, an escaPEA"
No one near me but it didn't half make me laugh for a good hour or so!
Edit: I can't believe how much this has blown up. Thank you everyone I've had a blast reading through the replies 😂
It really does, I swear!
They’re on standbi
Pilot on me!!
Dad jokes are supposed to be jokes you can tell a kid and they will understand it and find it funny.
This sub is mostly just NSFW puns now.
If it needs a NSFW tag it's not a dad joke. There should just be a NSFW puns subreddit for that.
Edit* I'm not replying any longer and turning off notifications but to all those that say "no one cares", there sure are a lot of you arguing about it. Maybe I'm wrong but you people don't need to be rude about it. If you really don't care, don't comment.
What did 0 say to 8 ?
" Nice Belt "
So What did 3 say to 8 ?
" Hey, you two stop making out "
When I got home, they were still there.
I won't be doing that today!
You take away their little brooms
This morning, my 4 year old daughter.
Daughter: I'm hungry
Me: nerves building, smile widening
Me: Hi hungry, I'm dad.
She had no idea what was going on but I finally did it.
Thank you all for listening.
There hasn't been a post all year!
