No cigar

Not even close! But no surprise there.

The results of the FQXi Time Essay competition are now in and as expected the luminaries shone bright. Julian Barbour's essay won the (well deserved) first prize; Ellis and Rovelli and other recognisable names also scooped prizes but there was also recognition etc. for many other interesting submissions from researchers I was previously unfamiliar with (I particularly liked What Makes Time Special by Craig Callender)

The only downside here (well, I say the only downside... $$$ would have been handy!) is that I am still none the wiser about whether the issues I perceive with wormhole time machines are valid or not. That's actually a double-bummer really.

So... should you be a random relativist unexpectedly suckered in by a Google search for FQXi, Julian Barbour, etc. and have a few minutes to spare do feel free to disabuse me - I would be very grateful.

They do say it's the taking part that counts, but if no one can even tell you whether you completed the course...

Obviously I have unresolved issues.

[And to coin a neofranglaisism, a propos pantological science essays... "Le tat, c'est moi!"]

A bientot, Stuff Seekers!