Notes from the Author! (Yes, me)
You will find many references in The Dream Killer that appear to have a scientific basis. It may surprise you to know that many of these refer to real life discoveries and/or real people.
Below you will find the explanations of these references in roughly the same order as they appear in the book. You will discover real scientific explanations as well as find out which items are completely fictitious. I have also I have also included internet links for you to reference, should you wish to read further.
When it comes to the internet, you will see many references are to ‘Wikipedia’ articles. In my experience these articles often serve as a broad summary, often in just a few paragraphs. Wikipedia can be a great place to start, but remember it can also contain inaccuracies. So as always, when it comes to the internet, use your critical thinking skills to determine if you need more information.
On occasion, you may want to verify the content by looking in multiple places and searching for people or places with authoritative views and opinions—even contacting them, if you are able. They will often respond!
So here we go …
Nathan Rosen and Albert Einstein
It’s very likely you have already heard of the famous Albert Einstein. But who was this person that in the book is portrayed as Nathan’s great-great-grandfather? Nathan Rosen and Albert Einstein were real scientists and both were highly acclaimed and famous in their time. They worked together on occasion, and the wormhole theory was put forward by Nathan Rosen. As far as I am aware, Nathan Rosen does not have a great-great-grandson called Nathan Goldberg!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Rosen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein
Faraday Cage
A Faraday Cage is an enclosure used to prevent travel of electromagnetic radio-waves beyond the perimeter of the structure—for protection, or for radio silence. The cage works in either direction: To protect items or organisms either inside the cage or outside it. They can be constructed in any size or shape, and must only satisfy two conditions: To be electrically conductive across every surface, and for there to be no gaps in the surface (which would allow electromagnetic wave penetration and defeat the purpose!). A Faraday Cage may be constructed from a fine metal mesh and resemble a cage. In the book, Professor Harrison uses two types of Faraday Cage to protect people from exposure to rem-particle spikes: A fixed one built into the ‘cold room’, and a portable one he takes to the warehouse.
A box lined with conductive foil, including the lid, will act as a Faraday Cage. A lift (or elevator) is an everyday example!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage
The Rem-Particle
The Rem-Particle is a complete work of fiction by the author! As far as I know, there is no particle responsible for creativity and creative thought.
Rapid Eye Movement is one of the stages of sleep that ensure that we all get to dream. It’s not our deepest sleep stage but it is the stage where dreaming does occur. As denoted by the name, if you were to observe somebody dreaming you would notice that through their closed eyes their eyes are moving from side to side quite rapidly as if they were awake and fully engaged.
Higgs Boson
The Higgs Boson, or so-called ‘God particle’, was first hypothesised by several groups of research scientists in 1964, and confirmed to exist at CERN in 2013. The particle is named after one of the scientists in one of the groups: Peter Higgs. The particle was hypothesised to exist in order to explain several fundamental ‘problems’ within particle physics, and our wider understanding of how the universe is constructed—hence the attribution of ‘the God Particle’, as “it explains everything!”.
While scientists have been tremendously excited by this breakthrough, there is as yet no immediate consequence to our daily life … but in the future? Who knows!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_boson
Plasma and Cold Plasma
Plasma is one of the ‘states’ of matter. You are probably already familiar with three of them: Liquids, gases and solids. Plasma is a fourth state, and usually occurs when a gas is heated and its molecules become ionised (causing ions and electrons, both positive and negatively charged, to occur and form a plasma). You may be surprised to know that most of our (non-Dark) matter is in the state of a plasma, but this might make more sense when you realise that our sun (and every star) is comprised of plasma.
Plasma can exist in many different forms and at many different temperatures (and also depends on how much of the gas is ‘ionised’). What scientists call ‘Cold’ plasma, if fully ionised, is still many thousands of degrees hot, and not what I would describe as cold to the touch!
Cold plasma as I have described it in the powerful form used by Sarina, Nathan and Paolo in Paolo’s world, does not exist (yet!).
We see plasma in many different forms around us: In the flames of a fire; our sun; the Aurora Borealis; fluorescent tubes; some flat screen televisions (though almost all computer screens are not plasma, but instead are LCD [liquid crystal display]), and lightning.
Unlike gas, plasmas are electrically conductive, which make them very useful in many technical applications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_(physics)
Dark Energy
Dark Energy is thought to make up about 2/3 of the universe, and is hypothesised to be responsible for the expanding nature of our universe. It is not dangerous to us (in the short term!), and the only thing it interacts with is gravity. Even though Dark Energy makes up 2/3 of our universe, it is spread very thinly which makes it difficult to detect in any laboratory experiment. Dark Energy could be increasing as it fills the increased space in our expanding universe. Scientists are still debating its structure and some people postulate that Dark Energy may eventually literally rip our universe apart. (Don’t worry – that would be billions and billions of years in the future!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_energy
Dark Matter
Yes, Dark Matter is different to Dark Energy, and is the most common type of matter in our universe. It comprises about 85% of all matter! Together Dark Energy and Dark Matter account for about 95% of all of our universe. ‘Normal’ matter – the type that you see all around us – accounts for only about 4.9% of the known universe. Dark Matter cannot be directly detected, and presently exists only in theory, developed to help explain our universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_matter
The Chameleon Particle
The strangely named Chameleon Particle is hypothesised to exist. It is suggested to be most powerful in the farthest and least occupied areas of space, and weakest in densely populated areas, such as our own galaxy. Hence the name ‘chameleon’. Scientists have postulated its existence to help explain what might make up Dark Energy and Dark Matter.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090529/full/news.2009.531.html
The Graviton
A Graviton is the particle hypothesised to be responsible for gravity. The theory that postulates them also reveals that detection with current equipment would be virtually impossible, due to the size required, the graviton’s low interaction with general matter, and the extremely low detection rate. So it is no surprise that this particle remains hypothetical!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graviton
The Hadron Collider
One way that scientists study very hard to observe particles, is by accelerating them to very high speeds and smashing them together. I know, it doesn’t sound very sophisticated, does it? But in actual fact the process researchers use and the machines they build to do this is very sophisticated! Some of these devices are exceedingly large, one such being the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The LHC was specifically built to help understand some of the so-far unexplained elements of quantum theory, especially the existence of the Higgs-Boson particle (postulated in the 1960s and confirmed in 2013!). It is comprised of a 27 kilometre ring of superconducting magnets.
It was built by CERN and completed in 2008. CERN is a huge joint research facility located on the Swiss-French border, and was also where the Internet was invented.
http://home.web.cern.ch/about/accelerators/large-hadron-collider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider
Contact Juggling
Contact juggling is the art of moving an object—usually a ball—around the body and in contact with it, and/or with other objects (hence the name!), and often appears to defy gravity. Contact juggling when done well is a beautiful sight. Contact jugglers can be found busking in popular spots all over the world.
But the best way to understand this highly visual skill is by watching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtztrcGkCBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ7MSS9eqFY (this one has multiple examples from the world over)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_juggling
William Forsythe and Spontaneous Improvised Ballet
William Forsythe is a ground breaking choreographer, deconstructing classical ballet and incorporating experimental elements (such as improvisation and experimental music; the spoken word).
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1090933/William-Forsythe
The Neocortex, Limbic System and the Sense of Smell
The Neocortex is a part of the brain responsible for those things considered to be the ‘higher functions’ of the brain: Conscious thought, language, spatial reasoning and sensory perception.
In humans it is well-developed and accounts for three-quarters of the brain’s volume. In all other mammals the neocortex has a much smaller ratio to the rest of the brain matter.
The Limbic System is the name given to a group of anatomical parts of the human brain that are mammalian in origin. Among other things, the limbic system was thought to be more responsible for functions such as emotional reactions, memory (short- and long-term), and smell. This strict definition is now being challenged by the relatively new science of neuroplasticity (as well as advances in neurophysics) which shows that the brain may be able to take over functions from other damaged parts, when given the correct training.
The fictional rem-particle affects creative thought, which is controlled by the neocortex. The more primitive limbic system is unaffected, which is why the Professor and Sarina are able to use memory and smell as useful tools in the race to halt the rem-loss!
Since the neocortex is also responsible for ‘motor control’ (the physical control of our body’s parts and its movement), the fictitious rem-particle spikes can also cause a temporary loss of control over the body’s movements in highly creative people. This is why The Hedge, Ivanya Vereskov, ‘Alf’, and Sarina all experience difficulties in physical control of their body movement in the book, and in Sarina’s case, the temporary loss of consciousness (‘blackouts’).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neocortex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_system
Robert Scott (‘Scott of the Antarctic’) and Lawrence Oates
Lawrence Oates was a member of Robert Scott’s doomed expedition to the South Pole in 1912. Though the two were not friends, it is Scott who recorded in his diary Oates’ (now famous) last words: “I am just going outside and may be some time.”
The group were on their return journey, having set out to ‘claim’ discovery of the South Pole, but were beaten to it 35 days prior, by a Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen.
Oates suffered from frostbite and scurvy and became quite ill, causing the party to fall behind schedule and move slowly.
It is suggested Oates was aware that he had caused the group to risk death by moving too slowly and by failing to return the team to get supplies and help. It is believed that one morning, perhaps aware he was dying anyway, Oates left the tent, uttering the famous words above. He didn’t even bother to put on his boots.
Sadly, the remaining three men, including Scott, all of them also weak and malnourished, perished a further 30 kilometres onwards, only 18 kilometres from food and help.
Lawrence Oates’ body was never found.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Oates
Occam’s Razor
Occam’s Razor is a fascinating scientific philosophy—and something I encourage you to explore! The most simple explanation is this:
If two or more explanations exist to explain a phenomenon (or an event), then the simplest explanation, containing the least assumptions, is most likely to be the correct one.
To be a little more lyrical: Nature is elegant and artful in the way it evolves simple solutions to quite complex problems; yet human beings seem to continue to insist on fantastically complex explanations requiring the suspension of belief and long strings of assumptions for almost anything.
If you are willing to sniff out the most simple and direct explanation, then you are likely to be on the right track!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam’s_razor
Wormhole Theory
Yes, there is such a hypothetical phenomenon! A wormhole is a cute name for a connection between two parts of space, possibly allowing travel through it between otherwise distant points in our universe. But not for humans unfortunately, as they would likely come out the other end rather mangled. The existence of such a thing was hypothesised by Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen in 1935, and is also known as an ‘Einstein-Rosen Bridge’. Rosen also postulated that a wormhole would have a ‘resonance’. Remember that Nathan Rosen is portrayed as the character Nathan’s great-great-grandfather in the book!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wormhole
Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics (or Quantum Mechanics) was developed to help scientists explain phenomena in our universe. It brought a new awareness that things we previously thought of as ‘waves’ could also be made up of ‘particles’. Light for example was always considered to be a ‘wave’. With quantum physics, particles of light called photons can now actually be measured.
The world of Quantum Physics is a deep and confusing rabbit warren of abstract ideas and scientific arguments that are hard to apply to our very ‘real’ and tangible world. However this confounding science may well have astounding implications in the development of the future of the human race. In order to simplify it right down for you, I offer you this easy definition: The word quantum in Latin means ‘amount’, and in the case of modern physics, ‘quantum’ means “the smallest ‘amount’ that makes up the matter in question”. In other words, scientists are trying to determine the very smallest building blocks of our universe!
All I can say with respect to Quantum Physics is: “Watch this space!”
http://physics.about.com/od/quantumphysics/p/quantumphysics.htm
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9930-introduction-quantum-world.html?full=true#.UsOPmPQW0lo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_quantum_mechanics