PHYSICS

When is a solid NOT a solid? 🤯

If we follow the adventure of Bartholomew Cubbins in Dr. Seuss’ 1949 publication ‘Bartholomew and the Oobleck’, we stumble across the answer to our question when the Royal Magicians of the Kingdom of Didd announce that they can make oobleck fall from the sky. However, what actually is oobleck?

Oobleck is a shear-thickening non-Newtonian fluid, meaning the more force that you apply to the material, the more viscous (difficult to flow) it becomes. Because of its non-toxic properties, oobleck is often used in demonstrations of non-Newtonian fluids. Furthermore, it is easy to prepare at home! To prepare it, slowly add cornstarch to water and stir. Keep adding the cornstarch until it becomes difficult to stir with force. Remember, the goal is to reach a state that is both a liquid, yet also a solid. It can get quite messy, but the best way to discover new concepts is by doing!

💡 Things to consider

• Better ketchup: There are many other examples of non-Newtonian fluids. One you may be more familiar with is ketchup! Picture this: you’re making chicken nuggets on a Friday evening, you take them out of the oven, and go to add a dollop of ketchup, but it won’t come out. What do you do? You shake the bottle, of course! Ketchup becomes runnier when shaken, hence it is also a non-Newtonian fluid. However, this time it’s a shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluid, because it becomes runnier as you apply force.

• Try before you buy: Now, it is all well and good making oobleck, but what are some authentic uses of it? Although still experimental, engineers have been using shear-thickening fluids, like oobleck, in various contexts, e.g. as an impact-resistant material or in damping systems. Its ability to change viscosity under different conditions can be advantageous; there has also been some research into the potential uses of oobleck in bulletproof armour for the militaries of the world! Can you think of any other possible uses of oobleck, or even non-Newtonian fluids more generally?

• Name this thing: As we have discussed, the term oobleck was coined by Dr. Seuss, however, the name didn’t become commonplace until the late-70s when it was used in the curriculum publication for Californian High Schools (where-else?) So, it took nearly thirty years for the name to stick. Why was this? Usually, inventions, especially in science, are named after the person who invented them. Think Michael Faraday’s ‘Faraday Tube’, Hans Geiger’s ‘Geiger Counter’, and, of course, William Henry Hoover’s ‘Hoover’. Can you think of any other examples where the naming of an invention or material took some time to catch on?

🔎 Find out more

• Watch oobleck in action

• Listen to this read along of Dr. Seuss’ ‘Bartholmew and the Oobleck’.

PHILOSOPHY

Should we let the Art World define ‘art’? 🖼️

Imagine you're at a museum looking at paintings. How do you know which ones are art and which ones are, well, just old paint on a canvas? That's a tricky question! One theory says that art isn't just about how something looks or what it's made of. Instead, it's about who says it's art! This theory is called the institutional theory of art.

To wrap your head around this idea, you need to understand what philosopher George Dickie describes as the ‘artworld.’ Think of this ‘artworld’ like a big club with special members like museum curators, art critics, and famous artists. These members decide what gets called ‘art’ by putting it in museums, writing about it in newspapers, selling it at auctions, and giving it awards. So, according to this theory, something isn't art just because it's pretty or interesting. It becomes art because the important people in the art world say it is!

💡 Things to consider

• Can we define an artworld?: Our theory positions the art world as the ultimate authority on art. However, can we actually define what the artworld is? At first glance, this task appears easy. “Surely it’s just the museums, galleries, critics, and established artists, right?” Well, what about Ms. Smith, your old GCSE art teacher? Does she count as being part of the artworld, and therefore an ultimate authority on art? Is there a way to define the artworld in a substantial way, and if so, how?

• Circularity: The above question raises one of the biggest challenges to the institutional theory of art: its potential circularity. Critics argue that the theory defines art through the very institutions that require a pre-existing understanding of art to function. In other words, how are we meant to identify the artworld (museums, critics, etc.) if we don't already know what art is? This circular reasoning creates a kind of chicken-or-the-egg dilemma. Is something considered art because the art world approves of it, or does the art world only approve of things that already possess inherent artistic qualities?

• Beyond the gallery walls: Let’s assume we can define what constitutes the artworld. What can we say about the countless artistic expressions throughout history, from cave paintings to folk art traditions, that existed outside the confines of museums and galleries? Does their artistic value diminish because they lacked the official stamp of approval? How about that beautiful piece of art you painted in nursery that’s still stuck on your fridge? Can something possess inherent artistic merit even if it remains unrecognised by the artworld establishment?

🔎 Find out more

• YouTube: The Institutional theory (Art World) - Extract from "What is Art”

• Dickie, George. "Defining art." American philosophical quarterly 6.3 (1969): 253-256.

• Dickie, George. “What is Art? An Institutional Analysis”. Art and the Aesthetic: an Institutional Analysis. 1974.

🍒 The cherry on top

• 🌞 Was our Skin Meant for the Sun?: Our ancestors spent most of their days outdoors, and their bodies responded by producing melanin, a pigment that tans skin and protects it from harmful UV rays. How has modern life affected our skin? Check out this article if you like Biology or Anthropology.

• 🇨🇳 The rise of Xi Jinping: Xi Jinping, president of China and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party since 2012, is one of the most powerful political figures in the world. How did he get there? Find out in this YouTube video, which is a great watch for those of you that like Politics and History.

• 💀 Apocalypse: From blockbuster movies to environmental anxieties, the idea of the world's end is capturing our imaginations more than ever. Is this a healthy way to think about the future? This article delves into the history and psychology of the apocalypse, and how it continues to shape our understanding of the world. Great if you’re interested in Religious Studies or Culture!

👀 Keep your eyes peeled for…

• 14th May:

  • UEA Webinar: Geography/Environmental Science taster lecture (environmental tipping points)

• 15th May:

  • Sheffield Aerospace Engineering Online Taster Session

• 16th May:

  • Sheffield Electronic and Electrical Engineering Online Taster Session

• 18th May:

  • Next Steps for Year 12 Conference

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