In this newsletter:

- Latest news
- Browse with Plus
- Mathematical moments
- Live maths
- Competition


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Here goes the Sun - News on the solar eclipse in March
http://www.plus.maths.org/latestnews/jan-apr06/eclipse/index.html

Lost in music - How to interact with your music collection
http://www.plus.maths.org/latestnews/jan-apr06/music/index.html

Plus... more news from the world of maths

US law is Euclidean
http://www.plus.maths.org/latestnews/jan-apr05/plusmore35/index.html#taxi

Einstein is proved right 
http://www.plus.maths.org/latestnews/jan-apr05/plusmore35/index.html#Einstein

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Browse with Plus

Chaos, fractals and the Mandelbrot set

Bob Devaney is one of the top researchers in this field. His homepage 
contains various fractal animations and games, as well as a really nice 
introduction to the Mandelbrot set and Julia sets (click on "Dynamical 
systems & technology project" on the homepage).

http://math.bu.edu/people/bob/


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Mathematical moments

Benjamin Franklin - Born: 17 January 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
                    Died: 17 April 1790 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA


Benjamin Franklin would have celebrated his 300th birthday last Tuesday!! 
Franklin is most famous as a statesman with extraordinary intelligence and 
wit. He was one of the Founders of the USA and is often considered to be 
the "first American". More than anyone else he defined the notion of 
"America" and influenced the course of the American Revolution.

Franklin made his considerable fortune as a newspaper editor and printer. 
With his money he founded the first lending libraries and the first fire 
department in the United States. But being a revolutionary, politician, 
leader of the Enlightenment, editor and philanthropist wasn't quite enough 
for him: he was also a scientist and mathematician. His keen interest in 
the physics of electricity led him to invent the lightening rod. 
Mathematically speaking, his most interesting invention were Franklin magic 
squares and magic circles. As in ordinary magic squares, rows and columns 
add up to a constant in Franklin magic squares, but, to add to the magic, 
other interesting patterns add up to the same constant, too. In his magic 
circles, it's the radii and concentric circles that add up to the same 
number.

He is quoted as saying: "What science can there be more noble, more 
excellent, more useful for men, more admirably high and demonstrative than 
mathematics."

Find out more about him in this wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

Or more about his maths on this website: 
http://pasles.org/Franklin/index.html

And about his birthday on his official 300 years website:
http://www.franklin300.com/index.php

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Live maths

National Science Week

National Science Week runs from the 10th tom the 19th of March 2006. It's a 
great opportunity for people of all ages to take part in science, 
engineering and technology activities. To find out what's happening near 
you or even to put on your own event visit 
http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/Events/NationalScienceWeek/


How to grow Trees

Trees are not always plants. This free public lectures by Professor Robin 
Wilson explores how they turn up in families and electrical circuits and 
explains how you can deal with them using graph theory. It also promises to 
relieve instant insanity.

When: 1st of February 2006 at 1pm
Venue: Barnard's Inn Hall
       Gresham College 
       Holborn
       London EC1N 2HH
Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/default.asp


Theories of everything

What are these theories? What is "everything"? What do they explain? Are 
physicists and cosmologists about to find any? Professor John D Barrow FRS 
explains in this free public lecture organised by Gresham College.

When: 16th of February, 1pm
Where: The Lecture Theatre, The Museum of London, EC2
Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/default.asp
 

Making sense of the Universe: a history of cosmology

Everything you could possibly want to know about humanity's quest for the 
stars is explained at this half-day seminar at the National Maritime Museum 
in Greenwich. Four different speakers will explore everything from the 
cosmology of the ancient Greeks to Einstein, and from black holes to string 
theory. Tickets are 29 pounds (22 concession) and can be booked by emailing 
[log in to unmask] or by phoning 0208 3128560.


When: 18 February 2006 at 10:30 am 
Where: National Maritime Museum
       Park Row
       Greenwich
       SE10 9NF


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Competition

As part of National Science Week 2006, the BA (British Association for the 
Advancement of Science) and ESRC (Economic & Social Research Council) have 
launched "Illuminate", a photography competition aimed at capturing the 
colour in science.

Entrants of all ages are encouraged to send in images which they believe 
illustrates a colourful aspect of science. This could be anything from 
copper sulphate solution in a test tube to buttercups, blue plaques for 
scientific achievement to neon pink signs for nightclubs. Entries must be 
submitted by the 10th of February and winners will be honoured during 
Science Week.

For more information visit 
http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/Events/NationalScienceWeek/WhatsOnNSW/Illuminate/



Happy reading from the Plus team!

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