- #1
- 24,775
- 792
Informed public interest in scientific research is part of what keeps the enterprise healthy, and merits some attention. As an index of public interest in string, expressed in the book market, I have been tracking the "string Dow"
This is the average at noon (mountain time) of the standings of the five most popular string books on the Amazon physics bestseller list. I have recorded this each day and have averaged the series over several 12-day intervals.
WHAT DO YOU PREDICT THE AVERAGE WILL BE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY?
Here's the record.
"String Dow" averaged over successive twelve day intervals:
17-31 oct average 20.5
01-13 nov average 20.4
14-25 nov average 23.8
26 nov-07 dec average 25.4
08-19 dec average 15.6
20-31 dec average 20.3"String Dow" so far in January:
01 jan Monday noon* 19.8
02 jan Tuesday noon 23.0
03 jan Wednesday noon 24.4
04 jan Thursday noon 31.4
05 jan Friday noon 35.8
06 jan Saturday noon 52.4
*mountain time
If the string Dow index stays in the range 15-25, I would call that STEADY popularity. But if the average rank goes below 15, that would signify a big GAIN in public interest in string. On the other hand, going over 25 would seem to indicate a loss of interest, at least if the shift is sustained over time.
This is the average at noon (mountain time) of the standings of the five most popular string books on the Amazon physics bestseller list. I have recorded this each day and have averaged the series over several 12-day intervals.
WHAT DO YOU PREDICT THE AVERAGE WILL BE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY?
Here's the record.
"String Dow" averaged over successive twelve day intervals:
17-31 oct average 20.5
01-13 nov average 20.4
14-25 nov average 23.8
26 nov-07 dec average 25.4
08-19 dec average 15.6
20-31 dec average 20.3"String Dow" so far in January:
01 jan Monday noon* 19.8
02 jan Tuesday noon 23.0
03 jan Wednesday noon 24.4
04 jan Thursday noon 31.4
05 jan Friday noon 35.8
06 jan Saturday noon 52.4
*mountain time
If the string Dow index stays in the range 15-25, I would call that STEADY popularity. But if the average rank goes below 15, that would signify a big GAIN in public interest in string. On the other hand, going over 25 would seem to indicate a loss of interest, at least if the shift is sustained over time.
Last edited: