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Physics is a fundamental science and provides the foundations for solving both cosmic mysteries and practical problems. In 1995, the University of Michigan Department of Physics began sharing some of the latest ideas in the field with the public in the Saturday Morning Physics lecture series. Designed for general audiences, the lectures are an opportunity to hear physicists discuss their work in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. The multimedia presentations include hands-on demonstrations of the principles discussed, along with slides, video, and computer simulations.

The Winter 2008 Saturday Morning Physics series is sponsored by the Physics Department and gifts from friends of the program. For ways to view the talks after the lecture date, please click here.

We regret to announce that Dr. M. Lois Tiffany passed away on Monday, December 25, 2006. More information about her life and love of physics can be found here.

You may view Saturday Morning Physics talks on-line by visiting the Web Lecture Archive Project website.

Various presentations from previous SMP talks including the Fall 2007 talks may be found on the Previous Years section of this website.

Each talk begins at 10:30 A.M. in 170 Dennison
All lectures are free and open to the public
Please see the updated important information section for more details
including parking procedures.
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If you would like updates about this series, please click here for the
Saturday Morning Physics mailing list.

Upcoming Events for 2008: Saturday Morning Physics

Saturday Morning Physics Adventitious Machinery: Our Heritage as Amplified Noise Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 2/2/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Professor Gus Evrard, Physics (UM) The Earth is in a seemingly ordinary disk galaxy lying in a strand of a cosmic web that stretches as far as the telescopically-aided eye can see. How was this web imprinted in our Universe? How did the structures in it, like black holes, stars and galaxies, form and evolve? Professor Evrard will explain how recent developments in theory, observation and numerical simulation are revealing answers to these far-reaching questions. In short, current evidence paints a picture in which we are essentially amplified noise.

Saturday Morning Physics What is String Theory Anyway? Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 2/9/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Professor Sera Cremonini, Physics (UM) What are the basic building blocks of nature? What holds the key to unifying the four fundamental forces of nature? Learn the basics of string theory, the leading candidate for a theory of quantum gravity. Click here to download the presentation (ppt format).

Saturday Morning Physics String Theory: What is It Good For? Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 2/16/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Professor Sera Cremonini, Physics (UM) In this talk we will explore some of the most exciting recent developments in String Theory. What have we learned about the connection between large scales and small scales, between Einstein's theory of gravity and quantum mechanics? What has String Theory taught us about black holes and the early moments of the Universe?" Click here to download the presentation (ppt format)

Saturday Morning Physics Modeling the Cosmos—Observations and Simulations Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 3/8/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Dr. Elena Rasia, Physics (UM) Cosmology has been "the study of the Universe in its totality". Both sky observations and simulations have taken huge steps forward in the recent past. Dr. Rasia will explain the most important successes achieved in our understanding of the Universe and its main components: dark matter and dark energy. She will discuss the future of this field, and UM’s involvement in one of the biggest future sky surveys.

Saturday Morning Physics Encounters with Modern Physics Location: RACKHAM AUDITORIUM (1st floor) 3/15/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 pm Speaker: Professor Samuel C. C. Ting, 1976 Nobel Laureate (MIT) Physics is an experimental science. A theory, however elegant, is only meaningful if it can be verified by experiment. Experiments can disprove theories but theories can never disprove experiments. Advancements in physics occur when experimental results contradict a prevailing theory creating a new theory. In this talk I will tell five stories about my personal encounters with experimental physics since I left Michigan.

Saturday Morning Physics Cosmic Rays Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 3/29/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Emeritus Professor Lawrence W. Jones, Physics (UM) Cosmic rays are nuclear particles from outer space. We will review the discovery, study, and understanding of these particles, as well as the unknown problems and challenges in this lively field of study. Some current (mountain elevation) and future (satellite) research activities will be described.

Saturday Morning Physics Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 4/5/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Professor Dragan Huterer, Physics (UM) The discovery that the expansion of the Universe is speeding up has generated waves in the field of cosmology and presents us with a grand mystery: what is the origin and nature of Dark Energy, the stuff that causes the accelerated expansion?

Saturday Morning Physics Taking the Plunge: The Physics of Roller Coasters Location: 170 & 182 Dennison 4/12/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am Speaker: Professor David Gerdes, Physics (UM) Roller coasters are thrill factories: the heart-stopping plunge, the g-forces that press you into your seat, the feeling that you will float away as you crest the hill, the rush as you circle the loop-the-loop. This talk will describe how the thrills you experience at the amusement park originate with Newton's laws of motion, and how the physiological limits of the human body govern the design of the rides.