Fall 2021

10/23/2021 | The Physics of Music -- Christine Aidala (U-M Physics)

Music is a universal language that has the power to influence our moods and inspire. All music is ultimately due to the physics of different kinds of vibrating objects. Professor Aidala will discuss how natural modes of vibration lead to musical tones and timbres.

11/06/2021 | On Deciding the Next Big Science Projects -- James Wells (U-M Physics)

The advancement of science requires decommissioning old experiments and pursuing new experiments. But which new experiments? How should we decide? Professor Wells will show answering these questions necessarily goes well beyond scientific considerations and lays bare philosophical, economic, and political viewpoints. He will illustrate these principles in action for large-scale experiments such as particle colliders, nuclear research reactors, and missile defense tests.

11/20/2021 | Physics of "The Bends" - or - The Mechanics of Decompression Sickness -- Jens-Christian Meiners (U-M Physics and Biophysics)

Decompression sickness is a disease that affects scuba divers when they ascend too rapidly from depth. It is caused by gas bubbles that form in the blood and tissue when the pressure drops. Professor Meiners will discuss the physics of gas bubble formation, their effects on our body with a special emphasis on the spinal cord, and how we can treat them.

12/10/2021 | How Ultrasound May be Useful to You -- Oliver Kripfgans (U-M Applied Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiology)

Ultrasound is a mechanical wave. In medical imaging sophisticated implementations of this physical phenomenon allow us to look inside the human body and obtain useful information. This lecture will highlight recent advances in clinical ultrasound.