“Making Hyperbolic Space” Workshop at Deakin University, Melbourne Australia.
The rooms we inhabit, the skyscrapers we work in, the streets we drive on, speak to us in straight lines. But outside our boxes nature teems with swooping crenelated forms. From the curling structures of corals and kelps, to the frilled surfaces of lettuces and cacti, nature has a love affair with hyperbolic geometry – an alternative to the Euclidean variety we learn about in school. While nature has been playing with hyperbolic forms for millions of years, human mathematicians spent centuries trying to prove they were impossible. The discovery of this “pathological” geometry ushered in a revolution that led to the mathematics underling general relativity and hence the structure of the universe. In this playful event, IFF director Margaret Wertheim discusses the history of hyperbolic math, then leads a hands-on workshop where participants construct their own models of hyperbolic space out of paper.
All materials supplied. No prior experience needed. Event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required.
Book ticket here.
Deakin Event webpage and Facebook event page.