Andrew Belmonte: The Mathematics of Strings, Spaghetti, and Splashes

Spring 2012 Michael E. Moody Lecture Series Andrew Belmonte (Pennsylvania State University) If, as Galileo said, the book of the universe is written in the language of mathematics, it is also true that many new chapters in the book of mathematics have been inspired by nature. I will explore this connection through several puzzles from the ordinary experiences of everyday life: why is it difficult to break dry spaghetti in half? Why do things like extension cords, shoe laces, and earbuds always get tangled up in knots? How does a falling droplet splash onto the floor? In each case, careful experimentation leads to mathematical answers, generating interesting new questions in the process.