#di mainstone

[lila-kriegerin]

A pitch drop experiment is a long-term experiment which measures the flow of a piece of pitch over many years. "Pitch" is the name for any of a number of highly viscous liquids which appear solid, most commonly bitumen, also known as asphalt. At room temperature, tar pitch flows at a very low rate, taking several years to form a single drop.

The best-known version of "the pitch drop experiment" [pictured above, in summary] was started in 1927 by Professor Thomas Parnell of The University of Queensland demonstrates the viscosity of bitumen to students in order to show that some substances which appear solid are actually viscous fluids.

The pitch drop experiment is on public display on Level 2 of Parnell building in the School of Mathematics and Physics at the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland.

Professor Parnell poured a heated sample of the pitch into a sealed funnel and allowed it to settle for three years. In 1930, the seal at the neck of the funnel was cut, allowing the pitch to start flowing. A glass dome covers the funnel and it is placed on display outside a lecture theatre.

Large droplets form and fall over a period of about a decade, depending on atmospheric conditions such as temperature and barometric pressure.

The University of Queensland pitch drop experiment, featuring its custodian, Professor John Mainstone is seen in the images above, taken in 1990, two years after the seventh drop and 10 years before the eighth drop fell.

The experiment was not originally carried out under any special controlled atmospheric conditions, meaning the viscosity could vary throughout the year with fluctuations in temperature.

The seventh drop fell at approximately 4:45 p.m. on 3 July 1988, while the experiment was on display at Brisbane's World Expo 88. However, apparently no one witnessed the drop fall itself because Professor Mainstone had stepped out to get a drink at the moment it occurred. Sometime after the seventh drop fell (1988), air conditioning was added to the location where the experiment takes place. The lower average temperature has lengthened each drop's stretch before it separates from the rest of the pitch in the funnel, and correspondingly, the typical interval between drops has increased from eight years to 12–13 years.

The experiment eventually began to be monitored by a webcam. Hundreds of thousands of Internet users check the live stream each year. The eighth drop fell sometime on 28 November 2000, allowing experimenters to calculate the pitch as having a viscosity of approximately 230 billion times that of water... but only after the outrage that followed when a brief interruption in power turned off the webcam and no one saw the drop fall.

In October 2005, John Mainstone and the late Thomas Parnell were awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in physics (a parody of the Nobel Prize) for the pitch drop experiment. Mainstone subsequently commented:

"I am sure that Thomas Parnell would have been flattered to know that Mark Henderson considers him worthy to become a recipient of an Ig Nobel prize. Professor Parnell's award citation would of course have to applaud the new record he had thereby established for the longest lead-time between the performance of a seminal scientific experiment and the conferral of such an award, be it a Nobel or an Ig Nobel prize."

Professor John Mainstone died on 23 August 2013, aged 78, following a stroke. Custodianship then passed to Professor Andrew White.

...The other pitch drop experiment, at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, was started in October 1944 by an unknown colleague in the physics department of Trinity College. This experiment, like the one at University of Queensland, was set up to demonstrate the high viscosity of pitch. This physics experiment sat on a shelf in a lecture hall at Trinity College unmonitored for decades as it dripped a number of times from the funnel to the receiving jar below, also gathering layers of dust.

In April 2013, about a decade after the previous pitch drop, physicists at Trinity College in Ireland noticed that another drip was forming. They moved the experiment to a table to monitor and record the falling drip with a webcam, allowing all present to watch. The pitch dripped around 17:00 IST on 11 July 2013, marking the first time that a pitch drop was successfully recorded on camera.

Based on the results from this experiment, the Trinity College physicists estimated that the viscosity of the pitch is about two million times that of honey, or about 20 billion times the viscosity of water.

As for The University of Queensland pitch drop experiment, the ninth drop was observed on webcam to have touched the eighth drop on 17 April 2014; however, it was still attached to the funnel so everyone online and in the department began arguing that it could not drop if it was already touching the pile of earlier drops.

So, on 24 April, Professor White decided to replace the beaker holding the previous eight drops before the ninth drop fused to them (which would have permanently affected the ability of further drops to form). While the bell jar was being lifted, the wooden base wobbled and the ninth drop snapped away from the funnel. Outraged disappointment ensued.

However, everyone consoled themselves by noting that there is clearly "the other pitch drop experiment", which did record the first time pitch was dropped into a beaker on webcam.

As you can see from the above chart, 12.3 years has been the shortest interval recorded since climate controlled conditions were imposed on the Queensland pitch drop experiment.

So, some people are hopeful that the next drop will form and drop sometime after 12.3-13.4 years after 2014. In other words, they remain hopeful someone (maybe even themselves) may see the drop occur sometime between 2026-2028. Other, more hopeful fools, hope to see it occur before then.

Hundreds of thousands of people continue to observe the experiment online even now, despite the fact that a drip is not due to form for [as of the time of this writing] 3-5 more years.

If you loved reading about this, consider also reading about:

Oxford Electric Bell, which has been ringing nearly continuously from 1840, though twice interrupted;

Centennial Light, a light bulb which has been burning since 1901, though also not without interruption;

& The E. coli long-term evolution experiment (LTEE), a study in experimental evolution which has been running since 1988. (This tale doesn't seem to involve any dramatic interruptions, if that's your thing, you sick little freak.)

Okay, so here’s the pitch.

[loneberry]

The Human Harp

“Human Harp is an instrument that clips to suspension cables, enabling us to hear and play a bridge’s song. Founded by artist Di Mainstone, and now a global collaboration, Human Harp connects engineers, dancers, designers, musicians and bridge lovers from around the world…”

https://humanharp.org

https://vimeo.com/user17916885

[trendingzone]

The Most Disappointing Experiment Ever...

In 1927 Professor Thomas Parnell of the University of Queensland started what is known as the longest continuous laboratory experiment in history.

The pitch drop experiment.

He wanted to prove to his students that bitumen, although it has the appearance of a solid, is, in fact, a highly viscous liquid. So he filled a funnel with some hot asphalt and waited 3 years to let it stabilize and subsequently opened the funnel.

And he waited and waited

And waited.

Very, very slowly a drop was forming…

And waited.

After waiting for more than 8 years the first drop fell.

Unfortunately, nobody saw it, so the professor waited for the second drop.

And waited.

When the prof died in 1948 the second drop was completed, but he never saw a drop fall. His successor, Professor John Mainstone, was determined to be the first person that actually would see a drop fall.

With the emergence of new technology, he installed a webcam to make sure the event was recorded, but due to an unfortunate power failure, the camera did not record the occurrence when, in November 2000, the eighth drop fell.

Prof Mainstone died in 2013.

Needless to say that the next prof, Andrew White, was even more determined to see, or at least record, the next drop. A time-lapse camera was set up, with continuous video of the four most recent days, and two additional video cameras. Nothing was left to a chance.

On 17 April 2014, the 9th drop was about to fall: The drop touched the previous drops that were still in the beaker below the experiment, but it was still attached to the funnel. The previous drops were supporting the drop and it wasn't gonna fall.

Prof White decided to put an empty beaker below the experiment to make room for the drop. He carefully lifted the bell jar that protected the experiment. But he didn't know that there was a degraded seal between the glass bell jar and the wooden platform below the experiment. The wooden base wobbled and disaster struck: the 9th drop came loose.

We are now 2018, more than 90 years after the start of the experiment and nobody ever witnessed or recorded a drop.

It really must be the most unfortunate experiment in history.

Peace!

[johnboymoulton]

Sensory Soundpit from Di Mainstone on Vimeo.

Created by European City of Science Artist in Residence, Di Mainstone, this installation was inspired by the phenomenon of synaesthesia; the crossover of the senses. The artwork brings together sound, visuals, technology and sand, why not come along and experiment? Each Soundpit has its own personality, which will be your favourite? Di collaborated with musicians Mandy Wigby and Howard Jacobs, working alongside creative technologist Paul Miller and gaming duo Wetgenes as well as neuroscientists from the University of Salford and Manchester, we have created a synaesthetic machine that allows visitors to touch and see sound as well as hear it.

[alanfentiman]

Di Mainstone - Roof Shot 1

[sickeningbeauty-blog]

Owl is very important because it shows who lies inside the grave.

Owl is very import free online movies nt because it shows who lies inside the grave. The gravestone says the living feelings towards the dead. The dead will definitely be satisfied if their gravestone looks nice. Understanding the importance of having a beautifully beautiful stone to express respect for the boring person, most people want to design a special gravestone for their loved ones. And many people have prepared for their deaths by designing their own grave stone. There are many different types of tombstone built in the world. However, you will feel incredible with gravestones in the following pictures because they are extremely strange. Let's see and consider what you like! Although this person has died, he still wants to chat with friends. The gravestone looks like a mobile phone. The tomb owner seems to have a humorous sense when he put three crew on his grave with the sentence "Laugh. Do not smile. It feels better" The funny tombstone is located in the New Buffalo cemetery, Michigan The gravestone inspires a light bulb Have you ever seen such a grave stone? A man and wife were buried in the same grave, and they turned into a unique tombstone. The gravestone looks so cute and funny. Automobile fighter turns the car into his gravestone. Hello Kitty's tombstone is sold at $ 1,700 in Tokyo. Related links: What To Be Caring About When Choosing Stonestone Stone The Best Tips for Caring for your Mainstone Creative Ideas for the Regeneration of Your Pet Peninsula

[hiddleswift-fanfiction-blog]

Owl is very important because it shows who lies inside the grave.

Owl is very import free online movies nt because it shows who lies inside the grave. The gravestone says the living feelings towards the dead. The dead will definitely be satisfied if their gravestone looks nice. Understanding the importance of having a beautifully beautiful stone to express respect for the boring person, most people want to design a special gravestone for their loved ones. And many people have prepared for their deaths by designing their own grave stone. There are many different types of tombstone built in the world. However, you will feel incredible with gravestones in the following pictures because they are extremely strange. Let's see and consider what you like! Although this person has died, he still wants to chat with friends. The gravestone looks like a mobile phone. The tomb owner seems to have a humorous sense when he put three crew on his grave with the sentence "Laugh. Do not smile. It feels better" The funny tombstone is located in the New Buffalo cemetery, Michigan The gravestone inspires a light bulb Have you ever seen such a grave stone? A man and wife were buried in the same grave, and they turned into a unique tombstone. The gravestone looks so cute and funny. Automobile fighter turns the car into his gravestone. Hello Kitty's tombstone is sold at $ 1,700 in Tokyo. Related links: What To Be Caring About When Choosing Stonestone Stone The Best Tips for Caring for your Mainstone Creative Ideas for the Regeneration of Your Pet Peninsula

[kellyturner1968]

oliviatobin published ​Tributes pour in for Bob Mainstone - 'One of the best councillor...

East Grinstead stalwart and former town mayor Bob Mainstone has died following a short illness.Tributes have poured in for the grandfather who has been hailed as 'one of the best councillors the town's ever had' after he died yesterday (Tuesday, August 29).The 71-year-old represented the Imberhorne ward on both East Grinstead Town Council and Mid Sussex District Council since 2007, was leader of the town council's Liberal Democrat group and was town may in 2016.Many people in the town will...

from Surrey Mirror All Content Feed http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/8203-tributes-pour-in-for-bob-mainstone-one-of-the-best-councillors-this-town-s-ever-had/story-30499448-detail/story.html

[arthausfl]

oliviatobin published ​Tributes pour in for Bob Mainstone - 'One of the best councillor...

East Grinstead stalwart and former town mayor Bob Mainstone has died following a short illness.Tributes have poured in for the grandfather who has been hailed as 'one of the best councillors the town's ever had' after he died yesterday (Tuesday, August 29).The 71-year-old represented the Imberhorne ward on both East Grinstead Town Council and Mid Sussex District Council since 2007, was leader of the town council's Liberal Democrat group and was town may in 2016.Many people in the town will...

from Surrey Mirror All Content Feed http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/8203-tributes-pour-in-for-bob-mainstone-one-of-the-best-councillors-this-town-s-ever-had/story-30499448-detail/story.html

[speak-your-mind-rdn]

Another example was The Human Harp. 

“I worked with Di Mainstone to help develop the prototypes for her project, Human Harp. The Human Harp is an instrument that can be work by a performer, in this case the talented Hollie Miller, to create sound from motion.

My role was to develop the technology to fit inside each 'harp module' to monitor the movement of the performer and to relay it back to a computer, where the sounds would be generated.  

I worked on the circuitry alongside Becky Stewart from Anti-Alias Labs and on the enclosures with David Blair Ross and Anna Cassidy. The original design for the 'harp modules' was by Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID).”

More details can be found at http://www.humanharp.org/.

[the-body-catalogue]

Human Harp. London artist Di Mainstone is developing an electronic instrument that enables performers to make music from the subtle vibrations of suspension bridge cables

[sound-art-text]

Di Mainstone, artist in residence at Queen Mary University of London, has created a project that enables her to transform bridges around the world into interactive instrumental art.

[bethalexandrabird]

Di Mainstone explaining the Brooklyn Bridge Harp Project.

[alanfentiman]

Di Mainstone - Roof Shot 1

[tinaspacey]

Un'artista ha realizzato un'installazione che permette ai pedoni di suonare un ponte sospeso. Il ponte di Brooklyn, per esempio.