Relativity on a Cocktail Napkin

image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
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Taught by Keith Koenigsberg

Keith Koenigsberg is a layman in physics, but a very well-read layman with a background in explaining complex (financial) concepts to groups, and a passion for holding a beer in one hand and drawing relativity diagrams with the other.  

This is an old class! Check out the current classes, or sign up for our mailing list to see if we'll offer this one again.

Would you like to be able to explain, without math, on a cocktail napkin, the core concepts of Relativity? In this non-mathematical survey, you’ll learn specific no-math demonstrations that you can reproduce to dazzle your friends. Einstein did much of his work with simple thought experiments, and so can we.

In this introductory class, we’ll cover:

  • What exactly is Relativity?
  • Why exactly does e = mc(squared)?
  • Why does the space-traveller age more slowly than his twin?
  • How can I fit a 100 ft. ladder in a 50 ft. barn?
  • Why can't anything travel faster than light?
  • What is the "shape" of the universe?
  • What is Dark Matter and Dark Energy?
  • What is a gravitational wave?

If you’ve ever read Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time", seen the Cosmos series or the film Interstellar, this class will give you the additional guidance to understand the scientific concepts discussed, even if you haven't been in a science class in years.

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