Reference Frames

Reference Frames

By Will Riihiluoma and Ian McKeagTV & FilmScienceEducationPhysics
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Reference Frames episodes

  • #11 Marta's Magnet and the Erased Security Footage

    When Marta Cabrera accidentally kills esteemed mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey, she must outsmart and outmaneuver private investigator Benoit Blanc. In particularly cunning scene, Marta scrambles the contents of a security tape using nothing but a magnet. How can this be? In this episode, we learn about magnets, magnetic fields, and their usage in modern life.

    Topics Include
    A follow up on the stew
    Ian's poor social media execution
    Bobo Fett
    Lord of the Rings (nerds)
    Daniel Craig's accent
    Magnetic domains unified under a leader
    Magnetic lava flows
    Sharks-in-motion

    33 min
  • #10 Archimedes' Preciousss Principle

    When Gollum snatches the One Ring from Frodo (along with a finger to boot), he unfortunately plummets to the liquid rock below. Before his ultimate demise, Gollum hoists the One Ring overhead while he bobs briefly in the lava. But what is bobbing? And how do things float? Will explains to us Archimedes' Principle and we discuss where it is found in the real world through the lens of one of the the greatest novel/movie trilogies!

    Topics:
    Will's Birthday!
    Not doxxing our friends
    Sad lunches and garbage pail sushi
    Nicole's Stew!
    Return of the King, baby
    Car-balloon physics experiments
    Boats and SCUBA
    The Electric Boy Launcher

    29 min
  • #9 Conservation Robot Conserving Momentum

    When the last hope for humanity is ejected in an escape pod, it takes the plucky robot Wall-E to rescue it -- and himself -- by propelling himself through space using naught but a fire extinguisher. Come learn about how Wall-E's understanding of the conservation of momentum got him out of a bind!

    Topics Include
    A significant delay in episode release
    Who is the real Santa?
    Cute robots
    Rocket science
    Nozzles!
    Marvel's usage of real words, not buzzwords

    27 min
  • #8 Into the Spider-Force

    When Doc Ock threatens the good commuters of New York with a dip into the Hudson, it is up to Spider-Man to stop a speeding train from taking a plummet. Will and Ian discuss Newton's second law (some may recall "Fma" from their high school Physics courses) and how it works in everyday life.

    Discussion Topics
    Thanos can't snap with metal gloves?
    Invisible flames and Talladega Nights
    NYC Train conductor snark
    Bad jokes
    A very heartfelt sign-off


    29 min
  • #7 The Physics of Firebending

    The firebending duel between Princess Azula and her exiled brother Zuko is nothing short of scorching. The cold blue flames of the cruel Princess collide with her brother's passionate red-orange flames. But how do flames get these colors? Let's learn about that.

    Discussion Topics Include

    • It's a Dune cast!
    • Should I laser my retina?
    • Green lasers: the complete picture
    • Fire!
    • Why does wifi go through walls?


    Intro/Outro by John Bartman
    Narrative music by xelementumign1s

    29 min
  • #6 Goldfinger, the OG LASER master

    In 1964's Goldfinger, the titular character manages to ensnare agent 007 in a dubious trap. Everyone's favorite secret agent watches as Goldfinger's bright red LASER inches slowly towards him, scorching the gold table he rests upon. But did you know that Goldfinger was really using cutting edge technology? Come learn about the history, principles, and design of LASER beams!

    The scene at hand
    LASER jock discusses the possibility of Goldfinger's laser
    LASER jock part two

    Discussion Topics Include
    Appropriate circumstances for viewing Over the Garden Wall
    How we catapulted to 17th hottest podcast in the Physics subcategory in the USA on Apple podcasts
    Our first corrections!
    Ian's sad impressions of Goldfinger
    Google Fiber
    LASIK
    LASER tag
    Why don't atoms push themselves apart?


    34 min
  • #5 Tim Murphy: The Electric Boy

    Nowadays, much like on Isla Nublar, electricity matters! When the lights go out and the dinos roam free, the only thing that saves young Tim Murphy is the brains, brawns, and electrical understanding of Dr. Alan Grant.

    Topics Include
    Literary discoveries of a bygone age
    Charge, current, and zaps
    Electric fence theory and application
    The best looking Jurassic Park character
    Best practices when confronted with lightning strikes
    Homogenous vs homogenous
    All those videos of flowing but not flowing water
    Our #1 fan: Ian's grandma

    Tweet at us! @PodcastFrames


    "Black Vortex" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
    Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    29 min
  • #4 Fermat of Arabia: A Legendary Entrance Explained

    Whilst resting from a long day riding, TE Lawrence reclines on the hot sand and gazes across the scorching desert landscape. As if riding from the sky itself, a mysterious figure descends upon the British intelligence agent and his guide. Before the he can grasp the gravity of the situation, the mysterious rider is an arms length away and his guide is slain. Ian and Will talk about mirages; what they are, how they work, and where else we see the underlying principle elsewhere in daily life.

    Topics of Discussion:

    • Disney's jungle cruise
    • Lawrence of Arabia's resting position on hot sand
    • The sorceress Morgan le Fey
    • Snakes as siege weaponry
    • Maine based poets

    Helpful Links!
    Scene from Lawrence of Arabia

    A material with an extreme refractive index gradient

    NYT article on 2020 flying snake study

    H. W. Longfellow Poem, Fata Morgana

    27 min
  • #3 Time Dilation and the 51 Year Maneuver

    Tom Cooper's voyage to a distant galaxy results in a strange twist of time. Understood as parts of Special and General relativity, time dilation catapults Cooper years into the future in the span of a few hours. Come learn about it with us!

    Topics Include
    Will's microphone volume
    Mathew M impressions
    How to distinguish yourself from your twin
    US Navy Alarm Clocks

    Links:
    Excerpt of Kip Thorne’s book about the science of Interstellar

    Explanation of why black hole spin affects gravity on the planet

    Explanation of GPS relativity

    Brief explanation of math behind GPS relativity

    Explanation of gold & relativity

    Support this podcast by leaving us a review on Apple and Google podcasts, tweeting us @PodcastFrames and sharing this podcast with the physics and science lovers of your life!

    28 min
  • #2 The Secrets of the Fosbury Flop

    How do Olympic high jumpers make such incredible heights? By manipulating their center of gravity using the famous Fosbury flop, of course!

    In this episode, Will and Ian discuss the concept of Center of Mass/Gravity using the 2020 Olympic Games.

    The video example discussed

    Topics Include:
    Homemade jingles
    Our favorite mascot
    Two incredible sportsmen
    Ian's CRV 2Fast2Furious experiences
    Will's love for novelty toys from Cracker Barrel
    Confirmation of MCU Phase 4 physics???

    30 min

About Reference Frames

From the publisher's feed

Reference Frames is a Physics podcast in which co-hosts Ian and Will seek to educate and entertain listeners about various Physics principles by using easy-to-understand popular media.Tweet at us with…