We all know the Wicked Witch of West Texas has long contended that physics would one day prove her controversial claim that "red shoes make you faster." The theory has been that objects colored red, particularly highly saturated manifestations of the hue, somehow decreased "light resistance." Some people have pointed out, most would say rightly, that this "theory" is nonsense and probably part of a general campaign of disinformation carried out by the Witch for purposes known only to her, but certainly with nefarious intent.
Well, guess what. Today scientists have announced a very surprising finding. Light, it turns out, can effect matter. We'll just quote from LiveScience.com from today, but be warned: you'd better hold on to your britches cause this little gem could bring your skull-filling to a full boil. Here it is:
Light can twist matter, according to a new study that observed ribbons of nanoparticles twisting in response to light.
Scientists knew matter can cause light to bend – prisms and glasses prove this easily enough. But the reverse phenomenon was not shown to occur until recently.
The researchers assembled strings of nanoparticles, which are tiny clumps of matter on the scale of nanometers (one nanometer is one billionth of a meter). In a darkened lab, the scientists linked nanoparticles together into ribbons. At first the nano ribbons were flat, but when a light was shone on them, they curled up into spirals.
The discovery was so novel, the researchers were skeptical of their own results at first.
"I didn't believe it at the beginning," Kotov said. "To be honest, it took us three and a half years to really figure out how photons of light can lead to such a remarkable change in rigid structures a thousand times bigger than molecules."
Okay. I know what you're thinking. This is a long way from proving that red shoes make you faster, and of course you're correct. But that isn't stopping the Wicked Witch of West Texas from claiming victory and total world taco domination because of her belief she's been vindicated.
"They had better credit me when this is published, since I posited this light and matter theory over fifteen years ago, when I hypothesized, or made an educated guess, that red creates less light resistance, and that red shoes would, therefore, make one faster. If they don't credit me, let's just say that Madagascar could use a few more exoticish tree frogs," the Witch was quoted as saying when reporters sought her out in West Texas today.
(above is scientist, Franco Andreone, who co-authored the paper.)
Posted by: Zelda del West
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