Annabelle Mathers

Civil Engineering // Class of 2022

Down a holographic rabbit hole: Black holes, wormholes, and holes in physics theories

Physics, Space / /

Imagine if science was scrapped and rewritten in an instant. The behavior of phenomena associated with quantum physics, gravity, and black holes has historically challenged our very perception of the universe. The scientific world potentially stands on the verge of enormous advancement through the reconciliation of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity (in part macroscopic gravitational […]

Down a holographic rabbit hole: Black holes, wormholes, and holes in physics theories Read More »

Quantum spin liquids and ices: Challenging universal constants

Physics / /

The world of physics is as much dependent on rules and laws as it is on phenomena that break them. At times, the physical properties and behaviors of particles are characterized as precise and accurate; other times, they are anomalous. Even when particles behave as expected, the answer to why they behave like they do

Quantum spin liquids and ices: Challenging universal constants Read More »

Sea Sponge

Inspiration from One who lives in a pineapple under the sea

Biology, Environment / /

Neck craning, you gaze up at an impossibly tall building, its windows shimmery and surreal against the bright sky. You spin around, eyes focused upward, and realize that all the buildings around you are taller than ever before achieved by structural engineers. What you perceive as a curious weightlessness to the building contrasts the sturdiness

Inspiration from One who lives in a pineapple under the sea Read More »

A waking nightmare: Sleep deprivation and circadian rhythms in the midst of addiction

Biology, Health / /

It is commonly said that a sleep-deprived person has the mental performance of a person impaired by alcohol. However, the relationship between sleep and substances, such as drugs and alcohol, may be deeper than a simple comparison. Sleep itself is a significant factor in physical health and mental performance, yet many aspects of sleep remain

A waking nightmare: Sleep deprivation and circadian rhythms in the midst of addiction Read More »

A sight to behold: Supernovae through the eyes of an artificial intelligence

Space, Technology / /

Only 0.1 percent. Without artificial intelligence (AI), cutting-edge astral observatories around the world may be able to comprehensively classify only 0.1 percent of the approximately 1 million supernovae observed yearly. Ashley Villar of Columbia University, along with many other experts, is aware of the limitations of data collection using human techniques. In response, these experts

A sight to behold: Supernovae through the eyes of an artificial intelligence Read More »

Re-envisioning quantum physics: The curious saga between gravity and superposition

World / /

One of the tenets of quantum physics is the concept of superposition, which, like in the oft-lectured case of Schrödinger’s cat, occurs when a particle exists in multiple states and locations at once. A common misinterpretation of the phenomenon remains that particles seemingly maintain this dual existence until observed. In fact, the particle’s collapse of

Re-envisioning quantum physics: The curious saga between gravity and superposition Read More »

Another one lights the dust: Echo mapping the universe

Space, Technology / /

Black holes are known as eradicators of light and matter, earning a mysterious and destructive reputation. However, these space oddities have behaviors, albeit occasionally baffling, that may help construct the conceptual building blocks of scientific phenomena all across the universe. As is common in the world of science, one discovery can cause ripple effects across

Another one lights the dust: Echo mapping the universe Read More »

Room to breathe: Reinventing urban design to withstand future pandemics

World / /

The idea of transforming cities into ideal, or even relatively effective, urban spaces that accommodate physical distancing and large fluctuations in public behavior can seem overwhelming, especially in the tumultuous wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This task, as a whole, is enormous on an economic, political, and social level, with an innumerable amount of moving

Room to breathe: Reinventing urban design to withstand future pandemics Read More »