Alan Alda started the Flame Challenge in 2012 to get scientists and science enthusiasts to explain complex topics to 11-year-olds. “What is a Flame?” was the first question, followed the next year by “What is Time?” The winner of this year’s question, “What is Color?” was Dianna Cowern, aka Physics Girl, and we’re talking to her on this week’s podcast.
She’s done a whole series of science videos. From Chladni plates, an old favorite…
… to the physics of the World Cup…
… and the mystery of dark matter.
Cowern graduated from MIT with a bachelor’s degree in physics, and in addition to her science videos, she’s also produced a bunch about what to do with that degree. It’s an important discussion because while physics on its own is cool, being able to turn physics into a career is even cooler.