Ian McKellen @ Florida State University – 2009
Ian McKellen speaks at FSU about his acting career and some of the fascinating things that he has learned through theater and personal experience.
More details | Watch nowElectron Transfer Theory in Single Molecule Studies of Intermittent Fluorescence of Quantum Dots and in Initial Steps in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Intermittently fluorescing single molecule systems are found in many materials, including semiconductor quantum dots (QD), dyes on crystalline or nanoparticle film surfaces, and biological systems. The QD's show a ~ -3/2 power law for the distributio....
More details | Watch nowFrom Millisecond to Attosecond Laser Pulses
A historical overview is presented of the experimental development of ever shorter laser pulses from 1960 to the present. Already in the early sixties nanosecond pulses were achieved and the entry into the picosecond domain was reached in the late s....
More details | Watch nowFrom Spinwaves to Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) and Beyond
Standing spinwaves and surface waves in layered magnetic structures can be used for the detection and quantitative evaluation of interlayer exchange coupling (IEC). Using this method antiferromagnetic IEC has been found in Fe/Cr/Fe layered structure....
More details | Watch nowAdventures in Nontranslational Research
Professor Martin Chalfie regrets the disproportionately high funding of translational research, defined as applied research for the treatment of human diseases. With examples from the research in his lab he wants to show how important nontranslatio....
More details | Watch nowSingle Molecule Studies of Initial Steps in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells and of Quantum Dots – Examples of Electron Transfers and Relation to Ensemble Studies
We consider two fields of single molecule studies of intermittently fluorescing systems. In both fields the intermittency is assumed to involve diffusion controlled electron transfer. One of these studies involves the initial steps in dye-sensiti....
More details | Watch nowModel Synthesis for Ceramics: Superconductors, Magnets and Others
The discovery of superconductivity in hole doped La2CuO4 was motivated by the interest to find this phenomenon in an oxide. After the discovery near 35 K, copper oxides with transition temperatures of up to 131 K at normal pressure were found, i.e.....
More details | Watch nowThe Royal Society and science fiction
The lone (mad) scientist is a common trope in science fiction, but hidden away is a fascination with secret and semi-secret societies who work for the future of all mankind. This talk will look at the representation of the Royal Society in science fi....
More details | Watch nowIn-situ studies of spin-coating
Jonathan describes the production of thin films of mixed polymers by the spin-coating method. His detection methods include the fluoro-optostrobometer.
More details | Watch nowIs Science Magic?
How does the reality of science reflect its portrayal in films, TV and other popular media?
More details | Watch nowThe Fresnel Lens
Early lighthouses used coil and wood fires before moving on to gas and then electricity powered lights. Massive improvements took place by using a lens system around the light. The development of the Fresnel lens brought what we now regard as the....
More details | Watch nowThe Egg Trick Trailer
A short film starring Ian McKellen www.theeggtrick.com Visit the Facebook page: More details | Watch now
Carbon electronics
From structure and topology, to mechanical and electronic properties, a seemingly simple change in bonding between carbon atoms can conceive a plethora of material types. With diamond and graphite known since antiquity, better understanding of the sy....
More details | Watch nowHow to film the Earth from space
Two University of Sheffield students have recorded a video of the Earth from the edge of space, using homemade equipment and on a shoestring budget.
More details | Watch nowArt Therapy- Women and aging project
The art work shown in this film emerged from a closed interactive-style experiential art group. The women were active in the production of collective knowledge, as well as active in interrogating their own, very particular, feelings about the process....
More details | Watch nowRise of the Russian Cinema
Discusses how Russia now makes its own Hollywood style blockbuster while retaining its cultural identity
More details | Watch nowEngineered by US (University of Sheffield)
A short film including some of the exhibits and interviews with academics involved in the event that took place Summer 2011
More details | Watch nowThe eye and colour vision
The physics of the eye, its performance and colour vision: refraction and accommodation; photoreceptors and resolution; compromises in visual performance.
More details | Watch nowGeometrical optics
On scales much bigger than the wavelength, rays explain the behaviour of interfaces, mirrors, lenses, optical instruments, including telescopes and microscopes.
More details | Watch nowThe nature of light
White light comprises colours in the visible spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum. Speed of light. Young's experiment and waves. Quanta and photons.
More details | Watch nowHuman Sound
Sound is produced in the larynx; filtering it in the vocal tract produces formants and phonemes. The acoustics, mechanics and some neurobiology of hearing. Pitch perception.
More details | Watch nowStanding waves
Reflecting waves gives standing waves, which can be resonances. Standing waves on strings and in pipes and plates.
More details | Watch nowInterference and consonance
Superposing waves with different frequencies gives beats and Tartini tones. Removing beats gives consonance. Tuning consonances gives temperament.
More details | Watch nowQuantifying sound
Frequency, amplitude, envelope and spectrum affect pitch, loudness and timbre. All are discussed and quantified here.
More details | Watch nowHow to film the Earth from space
Two University of Sheffield students have recorded a video of the Earth from the edge of space, using homemade equipment and on a shoestring budget.
More details | Watch nowThe Doppler effect
Moving either source or receiver produces a frequency shift called the Doppler effect, which we measure and analyse.
More details | Watch nowSound
Sound is a longitudinal wave of variations in pressure and density. We derive and measure its speed.
More details | Watch nowTravelling waves II
The wave equation and its physical origin. Power in a wave and its relation to intensity in radiation.
More details | Watch nowTravelling waves I
In an extended medium, inertia and a restoring force can lead to waves, which reflect at boundaries, either erect or inverted.
More details | Watch nowOscillations
Inertia and restoring forces can, with low friction or damping, lead to oscillations and resonance. We analyse the mechanics of vibrations.
More details | Watch nowGravity
The inverse square law explains planetary motion - and apples falling. Newton's law, measuring G, calculating orbits.
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Torques produce angular acceleration, moment of inertia 'resists' it. Rotational kinetic energy and angular momentum.
More details | Watch nowPrehistoric Pin-up
A carved female figurine dating to at least 35,000 years ago has been recovered from caves in the Hohle Fels region of Germany. The figure represents the oldest figurative art yet discovered. In this film the authors describe the importance of their ....
More details | Watch nowMomentum
p=mv. If external forces are zero, momentum is conserved. In collisions, energy may be conserved (elastic) or not (inelastic).
More details | Watch nowCentre of mass
In finite objects, the total external force equals the total mass times the acceleration of a point called the centre of mass.
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The total work done on an object equals the increase in its kinetic energy. For conservative forces, we can define potential energy.
More details | Watch nowWeight and contact forces
Carefully distinguish mass and weight. Hooke's law quantifies deformation. Contact forces have normal and frictional components.
More details | Watch nowShake-a-Gen
This is a simple yet effective demonstration of electricity generation. 500 turns of wire are wound onto a 35mm film can and the two ends are attached to an LED light. A strong magnet is placed in the can and the lid fixed back in place. The generato....
More details | Watch nowWomen in Nanotechnology
The Women in Nanotechnology project (WomenInNano) was a 3 year EU Research Project with the aim of finding out ways to support and encourage women working in Nanotechnology. In 2008 the Vega Science Trust was asked to make a short film documenting th....
More details | Watch nowSizing Things Up
Dr Tara Shears explains that one of Science's greatest achievements is to have accurately measured everything from the width of the universe to the diameter of a quark. This film features an animated zoom in from the universe to the heart of a hydrog....
More details | Watch nowLife in Space
Helen Sharman, the UK's first astronaut, gives a vibrant account of her personal experience of life in space using models and film to illustrate the key scientific concepts involved in spaceflight. Among other things she discusses the way Newton's Th....
More details | Watch nowPathophysiologist
In this video interview Gustav Born jokes that all his life he has been the son of a famous scientist (Max Born) and then later he became uncle to a famous film star (Olivia Newton John), he is also directly related to Martin Luther, Ben Elton and nu....
More details | Watch nowIvar Giaever
Ivar Giaever won the Nobel Prize in 1973 for his investigations of tunneling in semiconductors and superconductors. Giaever worked on metal thin films and tunneling and took a Solid State physics course. Although he knew nothing about Superconductivi....
More details | Watch nowEntomologist
Rob Hutchinson is an entomologist and one of the top mosquito experts in Europe whose work assesses the risk of Malaria returning to UK. He has developed a great interest in mosquito biology and did a masters degree at the School of Tropical Medicine....
More details | Watch nowNewton’s laws of motion
F=ma (laws 1&2). Forces come in pairs that add to zero (3). Newton's laws apply in inertial frames of reference. Some common approximations made in applying them.
More details | Watch nowSimple harmonic motion
In simple harmonic motion, displacement, velocity and acceleration vary sinusoidally with time, but with different phases.
More details | Watch nowCircular motion
Uniform circular motion: angular displacement and velocity are introduced and centripetal acceleration is determined.
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