Science Fortnight: Physics in Action

The sessions were chaired by Lewis Matheson, who is something of a celebrity to Alleyn's physicists, being the creator of the popular ‘Physics Online’ videos.

The day began with a talk from Professor Chris Lintott about the big unanswered questions of our universe: looking at the possibility of life in other solar systems, the formation of black holes, and the invisible mass in our universe.

Next, we heard from Dr Rachel Edwards about the use of ultrasound to analyse flaws in structures such as power stations and railway cracks, and she shared with us the current work her group are doing to improve the technology further, including through use of robots.

Next, in what was arguably the standout talk of the day, Dr Andrew Steele talked to us about the science of superconductors, and brought along some demonstrations of the superpowers these materials can convey when cooled to the temperatures at which they become superconducting. The highlight was his tabletop demonstration of a maglev train!

After lunch, Lewis talked to us about how to achieve success in A level Physics exams. This was followed by Dr Gemma Bale, a medical physicist, who told us about her development of light-based non-invasive technologies to monitor metabolism in the brain, with particular focus on monitoring the brain function of babies in intensive care. It was amazing to learn about how the same physics that explains why your finger looks red when you put a torch behind it can be used to monitor metabolic activity in the brain!

Finally, Brendan Walker (whose job title is officially a "Thrill Engineer") talked to us about roller-coaster physics and the science of what provides thrill. He explained to us why the earliest rollercoasters always needed a nurse on standby, and showcased his research on the combination of VR headsets (and the 6-axis sensors they contain) with more conventional theme park rides (or even as something as simple as a swing) to introduce new and more exhilarating sensory experiences. These headsets can be used on Twister at Brighton Pier!

What some of our students thought:

"It was really interesting to see how physicists are pushing the boundaries of the unknown and to see how the physics we are learning about in our A Level can be applied to different fields such as astrophysics and medicine.” Ipek

"I enjoyed hearing from people who are so passionate about their fields, and it inspired me to find my own passion." George

"It invigorated my scientific wonder and love for the universe." Assad

"I was inspired by the use of simple technologies and principles to make changes and developments to our world, and it gives me hope for the future." Long Chi

"I found it really interesting how very simple physics equations such as speed = distance/time can be followed through to life saving technologies." Clara