Adam Ickler
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
8:30 am in Olin 141
Application of Physics in Archaeology
In the study of Archeology, the focus resides on material remains of the past. As such it is especially benefited by technologies that can help analyze the physical. In this talk I describe three key areas in which the application of physics has greatly benefited the study of archeology with three technologies that remain at the forefront of new developments. I will discuss the various methods of mass spectrometry used to identify materials, the radioactive carbon dating techniques used to determine the age of materials, and the use of LIDAR to survey and image large areas.
Zack Johnson
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
3:10 pm in Olin 141
Reaching for the Stars: The Physics of a Space Elevator
From the biblical “Tower of Babel” to the new TV series Foundation, people have always dreamed about building structures connecting the Earth and the heavens. But how would it work? Is it even possible? These are the questions considered in this talk. We will explore the freestanding cable-in-tension design from both the macro, planetary scale and the nano-scale. Covering some of the physical requirements of such a system and the ability of our current materials to achieve them, we will evaluate this particular way to reach for the stars from a more grounded perspective.
No talk today!
Friday, February 18, 2022
3:30 pm in Olin 141
Vincent He Monday, February 14, 2022
8:30 am in Olin 141
What’s the matter with antimatter? (Samples of antimatter provided!)
“Why is there anything at all?” – a question which baffled generations of philosophers, now takes on a new perspective with the advancement of physics. It manifests in physics as the unsolved mystery of matter-antimatter asymmetry: If antimatter is truly the exact opposite of matter, shouldn’t everything annihilate into pure energy, leaving nothing behind? This asymmetry reveals the flaws in our current physical paradigm. This talk intends to give the audience an overview of the problem and current developments in addressing the problem. Along the way, we will also learn about some theoretical and experimental foundations for antimatter.