The Physics of Everyday Life

Fudge and toffee are very similar, sugar-based confections; this talk will explain how the same cooking process with a minor variation can give rise to both, and how the transition between the two is related to one of the main causes of the catastrophic sinking of the Titanic. Physics enables us to perceive deep connections in underlying mechanisms between apparently unrelated phenomena. Those with a sweet tooth may want to know that samples (of fudge and toffee, but not the Titanic!) will be available for on-the-spot experimentation.

PET imaging: observing function of the brain and body using antimatter.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a type of medical imaging used in hospitals, mostly to look at cancer and see how it is responding to treatment. But it can do so much more! PET is a functional, molecular imaging technique which means we can follow molecules such as glucose or caffeine through the body as they travel and interact with cells and receptor systems. We can look at the metabolism of glucose, or how drugs like cocaine affect the dopamine system, and we can also study disease. This talk will be an introductory tour about how and what we can see inside the brain and body using PET imaging!