Irish Mensa Lecture & Discussion: Cracking the Whip: Strings, Chains and Dinosaurs

Each month we watch a pre-recorded lecture from Gresham College and follow up with a discussion inspired by what we just learned. This month's topic is "Cracking the Whip: Strings, Chains and Dinosaurs."

ABSTRACT
A cracking whip is invariably surprising. What generates such a stunning sound? In this lecture, through simple demonstrations of whips and chains on a pulley, Professor Alain Goriely builds simple models to explain the extreme acceleration that takes place in the motion of ropes.

In particular, he demonstrates how these models can produce solutions that blow up to infinity and explores how, much like the dinosaurs, we can tame those infinities to reveal a stunning crack.

SPEAKER
Alain Goriely is a mathematician with broad interests in mathematical methods, mechanics, sciences, and engineering. He is well known for his contributions to dynamical systems, mathematical biology, as well as fundamental and applied mechanics. He is particularly well known for the development of a mathematical theory of biological growth, culminating with his seminal monograph The Mathematics on Mechanics of Biological Growth.

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This is a FREE virtual event, with no need to register in advance. Just click on the Zoom link when it is time to join the meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://tinyurl.com/3jk24uxj
Meeting ID: 820 1787 7052
Passcode: 850078

For more information, contact Mary Reilly at mary@craftcottage.ie.