The Surfer's Guide to the Universe: In the Domain of Waves
First presented at the International Big History Conference August 3, 2012
Synopsis: This talk reports on the development of a Little Big History of waves. The project is based on my 90-minute
stage presentation called The Surfer’s
Guide to the Universe which explores the nature of waves as a fundamental
component of the universe. In the Surfer’s
Guide we trace waves back to their source, all the while, referring to the
great equations of physics.
Excerpt: Whether or not
we surf, we live in the domain of waves. I know this because in between the
sets of waves, a surfer has time to ponder them. As a scientist, I have
calculated wave functions, amplitudes, and periods, while as a surfer, I have
simply felt their thrill, power and pummelings. In this project I tell a
"little big history" of the wave as contemplated by a scientist and surfer. It is a performance imbued with quantum physics and photons, meteorology, music, and marine geology. I'll carve a line that reconciles conceptual knowledge with the
lived-experience of waves. It is science, but not above the inevitable poetic
"stoke" that comes with experiencing a wave on its terms; wet.
Coming Soon...
