Pop Culture Metaphors Don't Work For Me

Oddly placed in an article on dark matter:
If dark matter were a pop star, WIMPs would be Beyoncé. “WIMPs are the canonical candidate,” says Manoj Kaplinghat, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine.
What on earth is that supposed to mean?

5 comments:

E Hines said...

Well, it's quite clear.

Beyoncé is a dark singer of massive success who, apparently, only weakly interacted with her fellow dark singers of massive success in Destiny's Child.

And both were pretty canonical in their genres.

See how easy that is? You need to get out more. [g]

Eric Hines

Texan99 said...

Is she still having massive success? I don't actually know what she sounds like, but my impression is that she was plugged constantly a decade or two back.

But you know an article about the sort of topic that makes Neil de Grasse Tyson quiver and simper is going to have some cringe-inducing metaphors.

Grim said...

Even after the explanation, I'm still not sure what this is supposed to have to do with the physics. :)

Texan99 said...

It's not supposed to have to do with the physics. It's supposed to have to do with generating a certain kind of feeling in the reader.

E Hines said...

Even after the explanation, I'm still not sure what this is supposed to have to do with the physics.

You have only to look at her, Grim. She has everything to do with physiques.

Tex, she still is an enormous success; although she performs less often than she used to. She really is a good singer, and she's an excellent performer. Even if she doesn't do the kind of music I like.

Eric Hines