Oxford Physics Society

http://groupspaces.com/ouphyssoc/

"Making light of mathematics" - Prof Michael Berry

Tuesday, 15th January 2008 @ 8:30pm

Event Details

Location: Lindemann Lecture Theatre, Clarendon Laboratory

Cost: Free for members, £2 for non-members.

Contact Details: oups.committee@googlemail.com

Prof Berry is a very distinguished physicist, being awarded amongst many other prizes the 2000 Ig Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on levitating frogs using magnetic fields.

Abstract:
Many 'mathematical phenomena' find application and sometimes spectacular physical illustration in the physics of light. Concepts such as fractals, catastrophe theory, knots, infinity, zero, and even when 1+1 fails to equal 2, are needed to understand rainbows, twinkling starlight, sparkling seas, oriental magic mirrors, and simple experiments on interference, polarization and focusing. The lecture is strongly visual, and nontechnical, though the concepts are subtle.

Added on Thursday 13th December by Peter Watson

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