FEYNMAN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 9, 1998
The Exploratorium
Museum floor, noon-4pm
Richard Feynman (1918-1988), winner of the Nobel Prize in physics
(quantum electrodynamics), is also known for his outrageous adventures.
He has traded ideas on atomic physics with Einstein and Bohr and ideas
on gambling with Nick the Greek. His life, as told in his best selling
autobiography, was a combustible mixture of high intelligence, unlimited
curiosity and nerve. A great educator who influenced countless
scientists and science teachers, Feynman was known too for translating
Mayan hieroglyphics, picking locks, for being "into" Tuvan throat
singing and bongo drumming, and for solving the mystery of the
Challenger disaster: frozen O-rings.
In a day long special event for families and for fans of Feynman, we
celebrate his spirit of curiosity, his achievements and his interests.
Hands-on exploration of natural phenomena such as interference patterns
and an explanation of their relationship to Feynman's study of quantum
electrodynamics (QED); investigating mystery objects by touch. an
activity inspired by Feynman and his process of hands-on inquiry, a
process common to discoveries in both science and the arts. Other
activities include lock picking and lock dissection events and
observations of the freezing of a variety of objects in liquid nitrogen
(What happens when you freeze a rose? as well as an O-ring?), and an
actual demonstration of Feynman's classic underwater reverse water
sprinkler. A NOVA program on Feynman screens in the McBean Theater at
noon. Birthday cake and a bongo drumming circle complete the days
activities. $ 2 discount on admission if you bring your bongos!=20
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS =20
Ongoing, from 12 noon to 4 p.m
* The Nova film "The Best Mind Since Einstein" will be presented
throughout the day
* Richard Feynman thought it was great fun to crack safes and pick
locks-particularly when he was at Los Alamos working on the Manhattan
Project. Find out all about locks, lock picking, and lock dissection
With champion lock-picker Joe Rossen, president of the San Francisco Bay
Area
chapter of the California Locksmith's Association and a professional
locksmith for eighteen years.
* Exploratorium Physics of Toys Volunteers host a bevy of activities
that will let you take some surprising science home with you.
* Actor Norman Parker portrays Richard Feynman in a series of
presentations and events.
12:30 Near the Cafe in Our Webcast Studio
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Quantum Electrodynamics with Art Fortgang =3D=3D=3D=
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Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is one way physicists describe how
subatomic
particles interact with each other, providing the underlying theory of
all
electromagnetic phenomena. Presented by Art Fortgang, a high
schoolphysics
Teacher-in-Residence at the Exploratorium.
1:00 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Norman Parker as Richard Feynman =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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Actor Norman Parker is best known for his work as Uncle Rob on the
television series "Family Ties," and to filmgoers as Richard Cappalino,
the
DA in the film Prince of the City. He has adapted the two great books,
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman and What Do You Care What Other
People Think? into a stage play called Feynman Lives..
1:45 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Norman Parker: Why Frozen Stuff? =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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Feynman was asked to join the presidential commission inquiring into the
Challenger disaster. During the hearings, Feynman took a piece of rubber
from an O-ring in one of the shuttle's joints, put a clamp on it to
compress it, and cooled it down to the temperature on the day of the
launch. With this simple experiment, Feynman proved that the O-ring did
not bounce back to its original form, and was probably responsible for
the disaster.
2:00 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Freezing stuff in Liquid Nitrogen with Coral Clark =
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Watch what happens to all sorts of materials when you freeze them to a
temperature of -70=B0 Kelvin. Coral Clark, a Teacher-in-Residence at the
Exploratorium, is developing science activities for classroom use by
California teachers.
2:15 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Norman Parker introduces us to Plate Spinning =3D=3D=
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2:30 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Plate Spinning by Xia Ke Ming =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D
Xia Ke Ming began his career with the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe and
later
joined the Nanjin Acrobatic Troupe. He has been performing for over
forty years and is recognized worldwide. He has appeared in such
circuses as
Circus Knie in Switzerland, the Big Apple in New York, and Cirque de
Tomorrow in Paris. Mr. Xia is an instructor at the San Francisco School
Of Circus Arts.
2:45 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Why Drumming? with Norman Parker =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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3:00 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Drum Building with Zeke Nealy =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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Zeke Nealy has studied African Music and instrument making for the past
twenty five years with masters from Haiti, Cuba, Brazil, Senega, and
the Congo. He has toured with several leading dance companies, and has
taught at universities and public Schools. Zeke has also created
special workshops for the Exploratorium in the past.
3:30 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Tuvan Throat Singing performed by Paul Pena =3D=3D=3D=
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4:00 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Drum Circle =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Join our drum circle. Either use your own drum or one you make with
Zeke Nealy. The drum Circle will be led by Zeke Nealy.
4:30 In the Center of the Museum
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Cutting the Birthday Cake =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Happy Birthday Richard Feynman! Join us for cake after the drum circle.