Konferenzen  >  Didaktik, Geschichte und Philosophie von Wissenschaft und Technik  >  Öffentliche Vorträge und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Mars is our horizon for human exploration and now more than ever it seems a reality. Space agencies and private companies have their eyes fixed on our red neighbour, but what does it take to go to Mars? Is Mars the holiday-destination paradise of our Solar System? Could Mars have once been habitable? Or will be? This lecture will focus on all these questions and explore the current feasibility of sending humans to the next frontier.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Biological systems avoid equilibrium by taking chemical energy from their surroundings to do work. Cells organise intracellular components into the structures they need to grow and move. Tissues, collections of cells, differentiate locally as they develop from egg to animal. Dense, active systems, for example colonies of bacteria, also exist out of thermodynamic equilibrium. They have complex collective behaviour characterised by turbulence and self-propelled topological defects. Physicists have the theories of nonequilibrium statistical physics, developed to describe large active systems. Which raises the question, can these be used to understand active biological processes? In this talk Prof. Yeomans will answer this question and discuss the processes involved in wound healing and cell motility.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

This lecture will describe the application of fundamental principles of physics to the investigation and modelling of vehicle collisions. When appearing in Civil Court as an expert witness, a Forensic Engineer should have absolute confidence in his or her understanding of the fundamental principles of physics as they apply to vehicle collisions. Any apparent lack of understanding or the inability to explain relevant concepts may be exploited by a barrister working for the ‘other side’ and will not impress the sitting Judge who may ultimately decide the outcome of the case.

Fahrzeugbau. Strassennetz und Eisenbahn,    Recht

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Institute of Physics (IOP)

3MW challenges researchers or project team members working on physics-related problems in academia, business or industry to explain their work in just three minutes; each participant pitching to a panel of established science communicators and an interested but non-specialist public audience. The winner will not only be featured in Physics World but also compete again in the 2024 Grand Final at the Royal Institution in May (final date subject to confirmation) against the victors from all the other IOP national and regional heats.

Kommunikationswissenschaft,    Didaktik in der Wissenschaft

Institute of Physics (IOP)

In order to be effective, a drug must be delivered to the right part of the body, at the correct time, and in an appropriate amount. If any one of these three criteria is not met, then a medicine will be ineffective or even dangerous. To develop potent medicines, pharmaceutical scientists need to find ways to enhance the intrinsic properties of drug molecules, for instance by increasing their solubility in water. There are a number of technologies which have been adopted to achieve these goals. One emerging approach which is attracting significant interest is electrospinning, which applies an electric field to generate nano-to-micro sized fibres from a polymer solution. Electrospun fibres have been very widely explored in the context of drug delivery.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Physicists take for granted the universality of the laws of physics - the laws of thermodynamics, gravity and quantum mechanics work just as well in Mumbai as they do in London, and for that matter - we believe - in the Andromeda galaxy. But are there universal laws in biology? Surely, life is too contingent, context dependent, and just too messy to be described simply by the laws of evolution — and just "What is life?" anyway. Tea and coffee will be available from 6 pm in the Lennard-Jones foyer. Talks start at 7 pm and are followed by Q&A.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

3MW challenges researchers or project team members working on physics-related problems in academia, business or industry to explain their work in just three minutes; each participant pitching to a panel of established science communicators and an interested but non-specialist public audience. The winner will not only be featured in Physics World but also compete again in the 2024 Grand Final at the Royal Institution in May (final date subject to confirmation) against the victors from all the other IOP national and regional heats.

Kommunikationswissenschaft,    Didaktik in der Wissenschaft

Institute of Physics (IOP)

In 2015 over 1 billion people (14.3% of the world’s population) lived within 100 km of a volcano that has erupted during the Holocene. However, those living further away are not immune from volcanic effects. For example, the 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano had a huge impact on air travel, with over 300 airports in approximately 25 countries, and a correspondingly large airspace, closed in Europe during 15-21 April 2010. Over 100,000 flights were cancelled over that week, affecting 7 million passengers, and resulting in $1.7 billion USD in lost revenue to airlines. This joint Institute of Physics ‘Environmental Physics Group’ Day and Royal Meteorological Society event will bring together experts in the impacts of volcanic eruptions; including local air quality, atmospheric composition, aviation and climate change. Through a series of talks the day will provide valuable insights and observations regarding the impact of volcanic eruptions on the environment. The day will start with an overview of volcanic processes and effects before three focussed sessions on: Local Volcanic Effects; Volcanic Changes to Atmospheric Composition and Climate; and Volcanic Effects on Aviation. The day will end with a look at the future of volcanic monitoring and hazard warning.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Explosives have been part of our lives for many years with the first recording of an explosive powder being used in China in 220 BC. Nowadays they are part of our everyday life: in airbags, ejector seats and fireworks as well as propulsion for space shuttles and demolition aids. Professor Jackie Akhavan will introduce the various types of explosions and explain the conditions under which a chemical reaction becomes explosive.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

Energy savings figures: scientific fact or made-up nonsense? We will hear from Professor Richard Fitton on the way that energy savings measures are quantified in a unique set of labs at the University of Salford. The Energy House facilities allow scientists to recreate climates from across the globe, including temperatures from -20 to +40 degrees Celsius, with rain, wind, solar gain and even snow. Join us to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Ökosysteme, Umwelt und nachhaltige Entwicklung,    Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Geotechnik

Institute of Physics (IOP)

A marvel of human engineering, the James Webb Space Telescope has already provided us with a wealth of stunning imagery, new data and new discoveries. From rogue planets, imaging the most distant black hole discovered, and directly imaging exoplanets to discovering small stars with sand clouds, Webb is re-writing the space books. In this talk, we will take a look at some of the breathtaking images and the science behind them, and look at the plans and challenges of the next decade of unlocking the secrets of our Universe.

Institute of Physics (IOP)

ICMS - International Centre for Mathematical Sciences

This lecture series for the general public on high-level topics at the interface of mathematics and other domains of inquiry commemorates the work and life of Mary Somerville.