Acaban de salir publicadas las actas (proceedings) del encuentro Science & You que tuvo lugar en Nancy el pasado mes de junio.  En las actes (en pdf) hay dos comunicaciones relacionadas con el proyecto, cuyo resumen se encuentra a continuación.

Using magic to teach key items in science

Science is intrinsically fun for science-oriented, science-minded students. However, for most people Science has two main issues: its language (mathematics) and abstract or complex items, like entropy résumé or DNA bases. Our team is gathering a collection of short magic games to better teach those concepts and make Science more attractive and understandable. For instance, we use playing cards to explain the basics of quantum mechanics (Schröndinger’s Card). We use the four card suits and their red/ black characteristic to deal with DNA pair bonding. Another example concerns entropy, both as a physicochemical concept, and an information theory item. This communication pinpoints several examples of the use of conjuring techniques to foster Science learning and making it relevant and attractive enough for students. These games can be related to current mid- and hight school curricula; they are also used in the MOOC “Magic, Science and Confessable Secrets” which is currently under development.

Mathematical magic as a motivational tool

Attracting students into STEM disciplines is a necessary task. Of course demonstrations in physics or chemistry produce interaction and with people and engage them with science. Mathematics, despite its résumé inner beauty, is far away from the main public but mathematical magic performances as the main skeleton of recreational mathematics activities has been proved useful. In this talk we discuss and introduce mathematical ideas by means of magic tricks, all of them with a mathematical background. In that sense we will deal with binary numbers, bipartition method, divisibility, logical decisions, probability, geometrical dissections and topology. So, abstract concepts are brought to general public in a more attractive way. There are deep mathematics in card shuffling and cards have been used to model different concepts. Using red/black properties it is easy dealing with even/odd numbers. Moreover, the position where a card arrives when a ‘perfect’ shuffle is made is related to binary numbers. Cards are also good for introducing coding systems. Finally, the movement on the stage and magician’s presentation techniques are also good for communicating science and getting people attracted to these fields of knowledge.

Science & You fue un excelente encuentro al cual asistieron los miembros del equipo de #magsci  Josep Duran, Pep Anton Vieta, Fernando Blasco y Miquel Duran, donde se puedieron efectuar buenos contactos, conocer interesantes iniciativas, y sobretodo aprender. Entre otras actividades, se llevaron a cabo talleres de La Magia de la Tabla Periódica y de La Matemagia de la Ciencia, además de dos actuaciones de La Magia de la Tabla Periódica con un total de 500 espectadores asistentes. También se llevaron a cabo algunos experimentos espectaculares.

Las fotos de @sciyou2015 se encuentran en https://flic.kr/s/aHskdFGQ5U, aunque deben ser seleccionadas aún.