Physics is plagued by a problem: things don’t always work the same way. A lone atom might behave one way, but if it joins with countless others to form a solid, that solid might operate very differently from its constituent atoms.
When you can’t figure out how something works, what do you often turn to? A computer! Physicists do that, too. But their computers are far more powerful than your laptop.
To find out how physicists are using computational power to understand the universe’s most fundamental rules, visit this page at 7 p.m. on December 2 and check out the livestream of a Perimeter Institute public lecture by award-winning Argentinian physicist Karen Hallberg. Hallberg has developed state-of-the-art computational approaches to understanding particles and matter. As she describes her work, you may learn a bit about quasiparticles and colossal magnetoresistance – whatever those are – and how her research could lead to practical applications in areas including medical equipment and energy generation.
The Perimeter Institute’s public lectures are usually held once a month. TVO.org is streaming the entire 2020-21 series.
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