Splash Biography

The most famous questions in physics are either unfathomably large (as in astronomy) or smaller than small (as in quantum mechanics). But what about in between, at the scale of objects we see every day? It turns out there's a lot we don't understand here, too. We'll look at a phenomenon that you can explore in your kitchen sink — and learn what connects it to the structure of our solar system.

Ever wonder how mathematicians distinguish between donuts and donut holes? Using the definition- and proof-based approach common in advanced math classes, along with lots of examples, this course will dive into topology. We’ll build up an understanding of one way to classify topological spaces, then use it to prove that donuts and donut holes are not the same thing — but donuts and coffee mugs might be!