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Seminar Abstracts
L. Mahadevan, Harvard University On growth and form: mathematics, mechanics and morphogenesis Abstract:The growth and form of a soft solid pose a range of problems that combine aspects of geometry and physics. I will discuss some examples of growth and form in the plant and animal world motivated by qualitative and quantitative biological observations. The problems include the shape of a freely growing pollen tube, the undulating fringes on a leaf or petal, and the folds in a mammalian brain. In each case, we will see how a combination of physical experiments, mathematical models and simple computations allow us to unravel the basis for the diversity and complexity of form in growing bodies. THURSDAY,April 30, 2009 |
