The Curvature and Topology of Space

Who:  Jeff Weeks - (Canton, NY)
Where:  HI 131 (Hitchcock Hall)
When:  Saturday, August 9, 2003 at 09:30
Type:  Seminar

Description: Recent satellite data are beginning to reveal the curvature and topology of the universe. The first half of this presentation will introduce curved space, using physical models and interactive 3D graphics to build intuition and demonstrate some surprising visual effects. We'll see how measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation are determining the curvature of the universe to unprecedented precision. The second half of the presentation will use computer games to introduce the concept of a finite, multiconnected universe, and we'll see how the same satellite data suggest the real universe may be multiconnected.

For undergraduates in mathematics, physics and astronomy (graduate students and faculty also welcome).

Additional Notes: Note: Jeff Weeks, a freelance mathematician from Canton, NY, is MacArthur Fellow and the author of the book \"The Shape of Space.\" He collaborates with astronomers and cosmologists from around the world as well as the University of Minnesota`s Geometry Center. The talk is part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Conference in Mathematics sponsored by the NSF/VIGRE program of the Department of Mathematics at OSU.