WNYC/NPR's Radio Lab presents Parabolas (etc.)

[wpnt37]

beautiful



[interhalogenetic]

Wrong title, guys!!!! Cantaneries and parabolas are not descendants of the parabola itself. The graph of a cantanery is not a parabola! They actually originate from cone cross-sections. See conics for more information.

Formulas.

Parabolas: y=x()^2 squared func

Cantenaries: y=cosh(X) hyperbolic cosine func

What's really being filmed is the *symmetry* and similar appearance conics have, despite having radically different equations.

Might I suggest "Conic symmetries (etc.)"?

[da27thdeadguy]

Its so true, the shape can be found in everything EVERYWHERE . . .

[cardshark07]

I was slightly disappointed that a few hyperbole made it in that aren't really parabolas, but I forgive them because it's Radiolab.

[fdssg]

@cardshark07 I think they knew it, which is why they named it "Parabolas (and others)".

[TheDarkAngel27]

Actually, the MacDonald's m cannot be modelled as a parabola.... it will never fit...

[splitpierre]

Really wonderful, thanks radioLab, inspire us.

[helloitskatee]

Radio Lab. You inspire me.

[TSquared2001]

Love it. I'll be glad when it comes back to my station.

[arcotsarathy]

The U shape is imperfect in nature. Its used in a veriety of subjects like physics, chemistry, astro physics, and just so many more subjects.

Though we hardly observerve the shape that we see, we may not have an answer because man is always focused on the "me" of life Arcot Sarathy-Writer and Music Composer

[fabiopm]

6 people are not mathematicians or engineers...

[lucygarrick]

A parabola is the set of all points (x,y) that are the same distance from a fixed line (called the directrix) and a fixed point (focus) not on the directrix. See Figure P1 for the view of a parabola and its related focus and directrix.



[PurpleMintSam]

They couldn't remove the pube from the bar of soap before shooting? Come on, guys!

[threelegduck]

law of nature; song of tool

[jmsteinjr]

my first reaction, what i thought he might be getting to, is time being stretched. pendulums record time, though in a vacuum, but when time is measured within particulate environments, it exhibits algebraic qualities. shit..

[ameneg]

You do realize some of those shapes you presented on your video are catenaries, not parabolas.

[sgoldstine]

I love the radio version of this segment, and am using it in a seminar I teach. While the video is pretty and soothing, it's misleading--most of those curves are NOT parabolas (and "etc." doesn't really fix that for me). The audio segment is so much better!

[tuumba]

i for one welcome our new parabolic overlords

[shotguncure]

@tuumba hahhahahahahahahahahahahahahah­ahahahahahaha! that is the best comment on youtube!

[cammameil]

@tuumba and as a well known celebrity you can be "helpful" in rounding up others to toil endless in their underground sugar caves?

[mehwateva1508]

all i gotta say is... happy parabola.... sad parabola :P

(old polish maths teacher.. ha ha ha he was the best)

[archfreakz]

thats pretty cool. never was much of a math person

[xxGOBxxBLUTHxx]

I love this show.. I just recently got into it because my buddy showed me the War of the Worlds episode. So awesome :)

[Katbotz]

Radio Lab is such a wonderful show.

[ubermarklar]

parabolas! PARABOLAS EVERYWHERE!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRgGHHH­H!!!!!!

[gadflypro]

Perfect, you guys are by far the best examples of what Radio/Podcasting/mind expanding are supposed to be!

[RoseAnya]

Gorgeous.

[equinox2712]

Awesome video.

But it seems like a lot of these things are NOT parabolic curves.

[karakickass]

I'm a total mathy and shared this with my friends because I think this would help them understand.

[megananne137]

This is so beautiful!

[mummycaesar]

as always - thought provoking, gentle and charming!

go radiolab!