exploratorium

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Exploring math by exploring everything. Contact: tangents@exploratorium.edu

Water Dazed

by Nomar • August 6, 2019

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Exhibits In Extreme Close Up: Dance Of Opposites

by Paul Dancstep • May 9, 2017

We've been looking at some of our exhibits using a scanning electron microscope. In this installment of the series we take a closer look at some styrofoam from the exhibit Dance Of Opposites.

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Exhibits In Extreme Close Up: Spinning Blackboard

by Paul Dancstep • April 21, 2017

We've been looking at some of our exhibits using a scanning electron microscope. In this installment of the series we take a closer look at some garnet sand from the exhibit Spinning Blackboard.

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Exhibits In Extreme Close Up: Black Sand

by Paul Dancstep • April 7, 2017

We've been looking at some of our exhibits using a scanning electron microscope. In this installment of the series we take a closer look at some iron filings from the exhibit Black Sand.

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Exhibits In Extreme Close Up: Through the Looking Glass

by Paul Dancstep • March 28, 2017

We've been looking at some of our exhibits using a scanning electron microscope. In this installment of the series we take a closer look at some chalk from the exhibit Through the Looking Glass.

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The Great Colombian Morse Code Song

by Paul Dancstep • February 8, 2017

In an extraordinary mission to rescue 16 kidnapped soldiers, the Colombian army turned to pop music to send the hostages a secret message.

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What Is Math For?

by Paul Dancstep • February 1, 2017

This talk explores some of the ways we use mathematics to make sense of the world around us. It also looks at some ideas for how the subject could be taught. This was the keynote presentation from the Next Generation Science Standards STEM conference at the Exploratorium. 

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Speaking With Your Eyes | Denton Blinks Morse Code

by Paul Dancstep • January 20, 2017

Jeremiah Denton was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. While still in captivity, Denton appeared in a televised interview during which he managed to communicate with U.S. forces using an ingenious and cleverly disguised code.

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Stadium Waves

by Paul Dancstep • January 4, 2017

Consider the stadium wave: a spontaneous group behavior in which people seated in sporting arenas rise and cheer in a pattern that resembles a traveling wave. In this post we explore what it takes to get a wave started.

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Phyllotactic Spirals and the Art of John Edmark

by Paul Dancstep • December 2, 2016

A certain spiral pattern commonly seen in sunflowers, pinecones, and many species of cacti contains some surprising numerical properties. In this brisk talk, Paul Dancstep investigates this pattern through several kinetic sculptures by artist John Edmark.

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