Dr Kevin McGuigan: The Human Body is the Ultimate Physics Laboratory: Part 2
Channel: Institute of Physics
Date: 2009-05-12

You can watch the full lecture at http://www.iopireland.org/activity/education/Tyndall_Lecture_for_Schools/page_19039.html The Tyndall Lecture by Dr Kevin McGuigan: 'The Human Body is the Ultimate Physics Laboratory' toured Ireland from 20 January - 12 February 2009. Physics is the Cinderella of the sciences when talking about Human Body function. This lecture shows how its role is taken for granted and often under-valued compared to its two ugly sisters Chemistry and Biology. We will explore how the same physical principles determine the size of an aneurysm, the characteristic tone of flatulence or the curvature of a David Beckham free-kick. Using the latest images, movies and demonstrations we will see why perspiration is much more socially acceptable compared the cooling methods used by other animal species. A forensic examination of road traffic collisions and the injuries they produce will reveal that the physical cause for these is often closely related to one of the roles played by saliva!