Wonder Why

Welcome to my explorations of the natural world, all through the lens of physics. How are broccoli and image analysis connected, or pollination and electric shocks? Read on!

This is Why … Our World Goes Dark on April 8

All fingers and toes crossed for clear skies in southern Ontario on April 8th around 3:20 pm! At that moment, in the skies directly above Niagara Falls, ON, the alignment of the Sun, our moon and our own planet will result in a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle – a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse is…

by joanneomeara April 2, 2024April 2, 2024

This is Why … Size Matters

Cleo, my furry sheepdog (right), eats two scoops of kibble every morning while her smaller sister, Molly, only eats one. That makes sense at first glance when you see them together: Cleo is much bigger than Molly so needs more fuel in the tank. But, if we want to be a bit more precise, Cleo…

by joanneomeara March 9, 2024

This is Why … Bubbles are Round

This time of year in the northern hemisphere, when temperatures drop and the sun is shining, we get the opportunity to take some beautiful photos such as this one of partially frozen soap bubbles taken by Peter von Bagh: The play of light, the ice forming from nucleation points, wave interference effects in the thin…

by joanneomeara January 29, 2024

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About the author:

I’m Joanne O’Meara, a professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Guelph. I’ve been teaching university-level physics for more than 20 years and doing public outreach for even longer! My passion for teaching and learning has been recognized with many awards, including the Canadian Association of Physicists Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2011) and a 3M National Teaching Fellowship award (2019). I’m always looking for ways to share the amazing world of physics – you can also follow me on Twitter (@NeutronJo). Thanks for visiting!