ICTP Colloquium Series

The living cell and many of its components as well as artificially energized mimics of motility are examples of active soft matter. An understanding of the individual and collective behavior of active particles is one of the grand challenges of nonequilibrium statistical physics, and holds the key to a physical grasp of the mechanics and statistics of living matter. In this colloquium, Professor Ramin Golestanian of Oxford University's Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics examines how one can use a number of simple ideas to construct nonequilibrium model systems that can self-propel at micro- and nano-scale, and study their collective properties.

The biggest challenge of the 21st century is to provide sufficient food, water, and energy to allow everyone on the planet to live decent lives, in the face of rising population, the threat of climate change, and (sooner or later) declining fossil fuels. In this talk Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith (Director of Energy Research, Oxford University and President of SESAME Council) reviews the nature of the challenge and the portfolio of measures that must be adopted if it is to be met. These include lowering energy demand, through better planning and design and changes of behaviour, using energy more efficiently, the deployment of carbon capture and storage (if feasible and safe), and expansion of the use of renewable energy sources to the maximum extent reasonably possible. Major expansion of nuclear energy will be necessary. In the second half of the century thorium and/or fast breeder reactors, and/or large scale solar power, and/or fusion will be essential: all must be developed as a matter of urgency. The technical challenge is enormous, but the political and economical challenges are even greater.

The global scientific landscape is changing rapidly. New scientific powers are emerging, and international collaboration is growing dramatically. In the first part of this talk Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith (Director of Energy Research, Oxford University and President of SESAME Council) reviews these changes as a prelude to discussing attempts to harness global science to address global problems such as climate change, the spread of diseases and the loss of biodiversity. In the second half of the talk he reviews the status of SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) as an example of a project with the dual aims of building scientific capacity and building bridges between people in diverse countries though scientific collaboration. SESAME, which is modelled on CERN (Smith was also the Director General of CERN from 1994 to 1998 when the LHC was approved and commissioned), is a third generation light source under contruction in Jordan and the Middle East's first major international research centre.

The living cell and many of its components as well as artificially energized mimics of motility are examples of active soft matter. An understanding of the individual and collective behavior of active particles is one of the grand challenges of nonequilibrium statistical physics, and holds the key to a physical grasp of the mechanics and statistics of living matter. In this colloquium, Professor Ramin Golestanian of Oxford University's Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics examines how one can use a number of simple ideas to construct nonequilibrium model systems that can self-propel at micro- and nano-scale, and study their collective properties.

The biggest challenge of the 21st century is to provide sufficient food, water, and energy to allow everyone on the planet to live decent lives, in the face of rising population, the threat of climate change, and (sooner or later) declining fossil fuels. In this talk Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith (Director of Energy Research, Oxford University and President of SESAME Council) reviews the nature of the challenge and the portfolio of measures that must be adopted if it is to be met. These include lowering energy demand, through better planning and design and changes of behaviour, using energy more efficiently, the deployment of carbon capture and storage (if feasible and safe), and expansion of the use of renewable energy sources to the maximum extent reasonably possible. Major expansion of nuclear energy will be necessary. In the second half of the century thorium and/or fast breeder reactors, and/or large scale solar power, and/or fusion will be essential: all must be developed as a matter of urgency. The technical challenge is enormous, but the political and economical challenges are even greater.

The global scientific landscape is changing rapidly. New scientific powers are emerging, and international collaboration is growing dramatically. In the first part of this talk Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith (Director of Energy Research, Oxford University and President of SESAME Council) reviews these changes as a prelude to discussing attempts to harness global science to address global problems such as climate change, the spread of diseases and the loss of biodiversity. In the second half of the talk he reviews the status of SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) as an example of a project with the dual aims of building scientific capacity and building bridges between people in diverse countries though scientific collaboration. SESAME, which is modelled on CERN (Smith was also the Director General of CERN from 1994 to 1998 when the LHC was approved and commissioned), is a third generation light source under contruction in Jordan and the Middle East's first major international research centre.

The emergence of patterns is one of the world’s most durable mysteries. Some patterns (clouds, zebra stripes) form in space, while others (the ebb and flow of tides, cardiac rhythms) form in time. Although there is no general theory of pattern formation in systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium, new analysis techniques enable quantitative comparisons of patterns such as the spirals in a frog egg, a fibrillating heart, and an ocean eddy. Insight into pattern formation in diverse systems of different sizes and different underlying mechanisms can be gained from a common approach, as will be illustrated with examples from chemistry, physics, and biology. -- NOTE: This colloquium was recorded automatically and processed with minimal human intervention.

The emergence of patterns is one of the world’s most durable mysteries. Some patterns (clouds, zebra stripes) form in space, while others (the ebb and flow of tides, cardiac rhythms) form in time. Although there is no general theory of pattern formation in systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium, new analysis techniques enable quantitative comparisons of patterns such as the spirals in a frog egg, a fibrillating heart, and an ocean eddy. Insight into pattern formation in diverse systems of different sizes and different underlying mechanisms can be gained from a common approach, as will be illustrated with examples from chemistry, physics, and biology. -- NOTE: This colloquium was recorded automatically and processed with minimal human intervention.

This lecture summarizes the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station which was caused by the big earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in Japan, 11 March 2011. The focus is on external and internal events which happened in the plant and the lessons we should learn from this accident. At first, fundamentals of nuclear engineering and BWR systems will be explained for those who are not familiar with the nuclear technology. Based on the basic knowledge, the event sequence of each reactor unit will be traced, from which lessons learned will be discussed. Finally, the current status and recovering plans will be introduced. The lecture is intended to provide validated information on the accident as widely as possible. So it is presented not only for nuclear experts but for non-experts who are interested in what happened in Fukushima. -- NOTE: This colloquium was recorded automatically and processed with minimal human intervention.

This lecture summarizes the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station which was caused by the big earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in Japan, 11 March 2011. The focus is on external and internal events which happened in the plant and the lessons we should learn from this accident. At first, fundamentals of nuclear engineering and BWR systems will be explained for those who are not familiar with the nuclear technology. Based on the basic knowledge, the event sequence of each reactor unit will be traced, from which lessons learned will be discussed. Finally, the current status and recovering plans will be introduced. The lecture is intended to provide validated information on the accident as widely as possible. So it is presented not only for nuclear experts but for non-experts who are interested in what happened in Fukushima. -- NOTE: This colloquium was recorded automatically and processed with minimal human intervention.