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Science, Maths & Technology
Space, Time and Consciousness
Is space just another name for nothing? What is time and how does it relate to space? Will we ever understand the relationship between consciousness and the physical brain? Welcome to the world of The Open University’s Professor Russell Stannard where the big mysteries of the universe are made comprehensible and any possibility is considered in ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Fossil Detectives
This event took place on 21st October 2008 and was hosted by Hermione Cockburn, presenter of the brand-new OU/BBC series Fossil Detectives. Hermione, who has also presented Coast and Rough Science, talks about the making of Fossil Detectives and other OU/BBC series, the extraordinary fossils found in Britain, and some of our most surprising ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
The Arch Never Sleeps
It has been said that arches never sleep, that they are almost living in the way they adapt to change. Using case studies of Ely Cathedral in England and Chartres in France, the tracks on this album examine the way in which the design of arches developed in the early middle ages, and use mathematical models to explore some of the problems ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
All the Fun of the Fair
There is nothing quite like the thrill of a ride at the fair. But what is it that creates the thrills - making people actually enjoy the experience of being thrown around? The tracks in this Collection look at the circular motion of 4 fairground rides, and focuses in on 'The Hellraiser', mathematically modelling the forces at work. This material...
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Science, Maths & Technology
The Fourier Series
Fourier analysis encompasses a vast spectrum of mathematics which is often deemed confusing and sometimes frightening to those studying it. The tracks in this album aim to de-mystify the ideas behind the Fourier series and illustrate some of the numerous applications that exist, from telephony to stocking supermarket shelves. This material makes...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Grad, Div and Curl
Have you ever wondered what causes cyclones, and why it's always calm in the centre of the storm? Well, vector calculus holds the key. The tracks on this album introduce you to the scalar and vector fields of gradient, divergence and curl. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Rotating Bodies and Angular Momentum
How does an ice skater rotate so effortlessly on ice? What are the forces at play? How do they keep spinning? And more importantly, how do they stop? The tracks on this album use a variety of sports ranging from Ice Skating to the Highland Games to illustrate the nature of rotating bodies, looking in turn at torques, angular momentum and the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Soaring Achievements
How does an aircraft without an engine stay up in the air? What factors affect a glider's performance and how far it can travel? Scientific experiments with gliders have been carried out since the 1930’s, particularly with relation to design. Mathematical modelling is used to make and refine gliders that perform as well as possible. The 8 video ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Soaring by Design
How do you go about designing an aircraft that has no engine? What forces enable a glider to become airborne and quickly reach high altitudes quickly? The tracks in this album look at the aerodynamics of gliders, ask questions relating to the 'Speed to Fly', and explores the consequences of kinetic and potential energy change, providing a useful...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Modelling pollution
The cleaning up of the North American Great Lakes is one of the great success stories in pollution control. Modelling gives scientists the tools to forecast outcomes in a complex environment: how will the pollution accumulate? what will happen if pollution is stopped all together? The two video tracks on this album demonstrate how modelling ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Getting your Bearings
Learn how an ordinance survey map is produced before following three ramblers on a field trip in the Peak District. This material makes up part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Maths as others see it
Visiting a hospital you'd expect to find doctors and nurses, but what about mathematicians? This album illustrates how mathematics is used throughout the Whittington Hospital in London, as well as in every day life. This material forms part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.