# The Big Bang Theory 10-11-12: The Higgs Boson Observation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411 "2012-10-11T13:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/21 "2012-10-12T18:53:37Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Is one of the guys in space with Howard still being played by an authentic ex-astronaut? I know he was in the episode last season where Howard went into space, but don’t know if he continued in the role. Mike Massimino was in The Decoupling Fluctuation, October 4, 2012 The Countdown Reflection , May 10 The Friendship Contraction , Feb 2 and will be in The Re-Entry Minimization, October 18, 2012 Buzz Aldrin will be on The Holographic Excitation, Oct. 25 Hawking will be on again The Extract Obliteration, Nov. 1 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/22 "2012-10-12T19:02:59Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > I’m betting dollars to donuts that she’s gonna be a love interest for Raj. Hey, that might be fun! We shall see… ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/23 "2012-10-12T19:20:45Z")
thanks for that guest star info, guys. Love it when this show has the geeky guest stars. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/24 "2012-10-13T00:05:25Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Has that ever happened in real life? Do they keep heavy-duty benzos on board the ISS in case somebody goes cabin-crazy and tries to force open the airlock? I’m aware of at least one story from the shuttle era about an astronaut who began to come unhinged to the point that the commander started to think about how to restrain him. It’s touched on in Mike Mullane’s book [Riding Rockets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riding_Rockets). As I recall, it was a scientist who was intended to make just one shuttle flight to conduct an experiment he designed. It malfunctioned and the guy became distraught. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/25 "2012-10-13T03:39:27Z")
Something about this episode felt incomplete to me. It’s like the plot never got started. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/26 "2012-10-13T03:47:32Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > I’m aware of at least one story from the shuttle era about an astronaut who began to come unhinged to the point that the commander started to think about how to restrain him. It’s touched on in Mike Mullane’s book [Riding Rockets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riding_Rockets). As I recall, it was a scientist who was intended to make just one shuttle flight to conduct an experiment he designed. It malfunctioned and the guy became distraught. You can “Look Inside” the book at Amazon. The beginning of that incident is on page 199, but page 200 is not available. Search for “springtime”. Page 199 ends tantalizingly, “If the toilet had functioned normally”. 🙂 [Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut: Mullane, Mike: 9780743276832: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Rockets-Outrageous-Shuttle-Astronaut/dp/0743276833) ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/27 "2012-10-13T18:20:59Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > You can “Look Inside” the book at Amazon. The beginning of that incident is on page 199, but page 200 is not available. Search for “springtime”. Page 199 ends tantalizingly, “If the toilet had functioned normally”. 🙂 [Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut: Mullane, Mike: 9780743276832: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Rockets-Outrageous-Shuttle-Astronaut/dp/0743276833) I’ve had the book for a while but haven’t yet gotten around to reading it. It’s gotten great reviews as an inside look at being an astronaut. here’s the quote: > [@](#): > > Another part-timer story involved a PS [payload specialist] on a mission from hell. First, he fell victim to space sickness. Then, his experiment failed. After years of peer reviews and shuttle delays, he was finally getting his one and only chance to operate the device in space. Its failure severely depressed him and he surrendered to episodes of crying. But this was just the beginning of his torture. He turned out to be a cleanliness freak. What he imagined life would be like aboard the space shuttle for two weeks with possible vomiting, no running water, and few changes of clothes was anybody’s guess. Living aboard the shuttle doesn’t leave its occupants feeling springtime fresh. If the toilet had functioned normally, the part-timer in question might have had a chance. But as luck would have it, the commode suffered a low-airflow malfunction. In his debriefing the commander had explained the situation: “We had to use our glove-wrapped fingers to separate the feces from our bodies.” The already stressed-out PS now faced another significant challenge. His solution was to refuse to allow himself a BM. Over several days he miserably constipated himself, which aggravated his depression. A doctor aboard eventually convinced him to take a laxative, but afterward he refused to eat any solid foods to avoid more BMs. This lack of nutrition further compromised his mental and physical health. In debriefing, the mission CDR summarized the situation he had faced: “I had a depressed, crying, constipated PS on my hands. I thought I was going to have to place him under a suicide watch.” It was only by the grace of God that some of these part-timers didn’t cause problems that would have jeopardized mission success or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/28 "2012-10-13T20:07:32Z")
This might be the first episode I went ‘wtf’ at. During the start, when Sheldon was combing through his old journals, all I could think was “He has an eidetic memory; what does he need to do this for?” Because he WAS going to do it himself, which doesn’t make any sense. Unless people with eidetic memories eventually lose some of their older ones over time, like normal people? They at least carried it over to having someone else to do it so they could be a better judge of what would be Nobel-worthy, but…? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/29 "2012-10-15T18:02:12Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > During the start, when Sheldon was combing through his old journals, all I could think was “He has an eidetic memory; what does he need to do this for?” Sheldon has an eidetic memory? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/30 "2012-10-15T18:08:21Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Sheldon has an eidetic memory? He’s mentioned it several times. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/31 "2012-10-15T18:21:48Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > He’s mentioned it several times. Wow. I’ve seen every single episode of this show and somehow failed to register that. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/32 "2012-10-15T18:38:36Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Wow. I’ve seen every single episode of this show and somehow failed to register that. :smack: This is where having an eidetic memory comes in handy. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/33 "2012-10-15T18:40:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > This is where having an eidetic memory comes in handy. I knew someone would go there. You’re welcome. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/34 "2012-10-15T19:14:03Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I knew someone would go there. You’re welcome. 😉 Think nothing of it. You can rely on me for cashing in on cheap shots and low-hanging fruit. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/35 "2012-10-15T19:50:41Z")
S02E01, _The Bad Fish Paradigm_: > [@Sheldon Cooper](#): > > Forget! You want me to forget? This mind does not forget. I haven’t forgotten a single thing since the day my mother stopped breast feeding me. It was a drizzly Tuesday. Assuming a reasonable timing for weaning (something of a gamble), Sheldon would clearly remember the contents of his old journals. Maybe it’s the “second set of eyes” aspect that he wants. But a “mere” Physics grad student? Regarding this episode: The series has clearly gone downhill. I’ll watch reruns of the early episodes, but the last 2 seasons are worse and worse. I have the reruns of the last part of season 5 on my DVR and I have very little interest in watching them a second time. Howard in space is in particular a drag. The women ruin the dynamic as well. They are setting up Penny and Leonard to break up again. Presumably the new girl is the catalyst. So I doubt she will get involved with anyone else. Stuart seems to have been de-regulared for this episode and the next (if IMDb is to be believed). ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411/36 "2012-10-15T23:41:28Z")
[Space.com](http://Space.com) has the following article up - [How ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Sent Howard Wolowitz to Space](http://www.space.com/17891-big-bang-theory-space-set-design.html) Of note: The ISS set is rented. It’s been featured in an Energizer Super Bowl advert and ‘The Day After Tomorrow’. The weightless effects are done by supporting the actors from underneath rather than hanging them on wires. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-10-11-12-the-higgs-boson-observation/637411.md?page=1)