Place: Chauvenet 216
Time: Wednesday, August 27, 7:00-8:00pm
Speaker John McKay, Concordia University, Canada
Title: The search for symmetry
Abstract: Symmetry is found in nature with many animals having bilateral symmetry. This is one of the simplest symmetries. Symmetries arise in chemistry when one examines the behavior of crystals. It is possible to break down symmetries into "simple" components (simple = complicated!) just as one factors a number into prime factors. This work is known as the classification and has led to some new groups of symmetries which we do not yet understand. The largest of these sporadic groups is known as the "Monster" and it has about 1054 elements. It is remarkable that we are able to study such an enormous object - and discover connections with classical 19th century mathematics! Between bilateral symmetry and the monster lie the symmetries of the Platonic solids - and some more remarkable connections.
Everyone is invited. A reception with refreshments for midshipmen will follow the talk.