University of Leicester Open Journals
Not a member yet
2521 research outputs found
Sort by
A1 3 Tonight We Steal The Moon!
No full textIn this paper, we investigate the physical consequences caused by shrinking the Moon, similar tothe plot of Despicable Me. We used reference radial sizes and energy values to explore the varietyof consequences caused by shrinking the Moon, given some assumptions. This resulted in a varietyof outcomes, such as the Moon becoming a neutron star or black hole, due to its new, ultra-densestate
A4 7 Brachistochrone Problem in a Central Force Field
No full textThe brachistochrone problem, which seeks the curve of fastest descent between two points under gravity, is a foundational problem in the calculus of variations. In this paper, we revisit this problem and extend the analysis to a non-uniform gravitational field governed by an inverse-square central force field. A corresponding time functional is constructed for this system and numerically evaluated for four candidate curves. The result identifies the optimal path among these candidates and provides a quantitative assessment of how the optimal trajectory deviates from the cycloid when the accelerating force varies with distance
P4 6 Let it slow: The Terminal Velocities of Snowfall
No full textIn this paper we modelled the falling of snow respective to two different structure models of thesnowflakes themselves. We model the terminal velocities of snowflakes of different density in asolid spherical mass model and compare the values to the terminal velocity of a normalised, D = 1mm and ρs = 30 kgm3, fractal flake. We determine that the fractal nature of snowflakes playsa strong role in suppressing the size dependence of terminal velocity, with max values of ≈ 0.64ms−1 compared to solid model max values of ≈ 1.4 ms−
P2 7 Take Back the Moon - A Minecraft Parody of Tidal Forces
No full textIn this paper, we investigate the Minecraft Moon added in a temporary April Fool’s update, anduse the parameters in the game alongside a new Hill radius regime to find a mass of this Moon tobe MMoon ≈ 1012 kg. We find a formula describing the tidal interaction between this moon and aflat semi-infinite plane at the apparent distance in the Minecraft ’snapshot
A5 6 Superhero Landings: Do Not Try This at Home
No full textSuperhero films often show characters dropping several storeys and landing in a one-knee “superhero pose” without injury. We model a 70 kg human-sized hero in free fall from heights of a few to ∼10 m, landing with one leg taking most of the vertical load. Assuming a rigid surface, a stopping distance of 0.30 m and an effective tibial cross-sectional area of 1.5 ×10-4 m2, we estimate decelerations and compressive stresses and compare them to typical bone failure values. Even under optimistic assumptions, “superhero landings” from more than a few metres appear likely to cause serious injury, and multi-storey drops are inconsistent with normal human bone strength
Other, please state; an insider/outsider account of taking up space
No full textWriting about culture and identity is a painful process for me because of the complexity of my associated feelings and experiences, which are difficult to articulate, and mostly intangible. When I encounter terms and concepts that capture some aspects of my experience, they often fall short of a holistic or encompassing acknowledgement, thereby requiring that I choose between remaining untethered or setting down some parts of myself to enable other parts to be seen and affirmed in restrictive spaces. For example, the UK tendency to gather demographic data about race often lists common racial categories and concludes with ‘other, please state’. It is not a simple exercise for me to complete these forms and evokes discomfort, awakening the dis-ease that I experience as I am always the “other”.
This paper reflects on my experiences of taking up space as a multiracial woman of colour undertaking a doctoral degree in the UK where my research centres a community which I do not belong to, and individuals who are racialised differently to myself. Through the process of writing it, my sense-making changed as outlined herein. The decision that my thesis would centre the experiences of Black, Caribbean people when I do not claim membership of either group is not the focus of this work, as that is interrogated within my doctoral thesis, but here I will share an experience of negotiating how and when to take up space – an ongoing process which has been a site of intense personal reflection throughout my doctoral journey and which became crystalised for me in a revelatory moment whilst presenting my work at The University of the West Indies and University of Leicester International Summer School. The summer school took place in Trinidad in June of 2024, and it was during a presentation of my research for the delegate conference where I publicly laid claim to my relationship to my work and therefore my decision to take up space with my research
How Biodiverse Is Minecraft?
No full textBiodiversity is crucial for ecosystem integrity. The biodiversity of the UK is decreasing rapidly, but can games such as Minecraft be useful in teaching younger generations the significance of this? This paper discusses how biodiverse Minecraft forest and plains biomes are using the Simpson’s biodiversity index
Once Upon a Time – Is it possible to turn straw into gold?
No full textIn Once Upon a Time (OUAT), a series based on fairytale characters and their real stories from another realm, one of the characters, Rumplestiltskin (The Dark One), possesses the magical ability to spin straw into gold. While this is clearly fiction, the concept raises an intriguing scientific question: is it possible to extract gold from straw in the real world? Advances in genetic engineering have made it possible to modify plants for phytoextraction. This paper will explore the process by which plants take up gold from the soil, through phytomining
Does Turk Builder Max Actually Work?
No full textTurk Builder Max is marketed as a leading turkesterone supplement due to its verified Ajuga turkestanica sourcing and third-party testing. It contains 10 mg of turkesterone per capsule, alongside other ecdysteroids and Rhodiola heterodonta extract, claimed to enhance muscle growth and performance. While some studies suggest anabolic potential, scientific evidence remains inconclusive. Label inconsistencies in turkesterone supplements highlight the need for independent testing. Though Turk Builder Max meets its ingredient claims, its true efficacy and safety require confirmation through large-scale, placebo-controlled human trials
Learning From Listening To A Citizen Board
No full textListening is a skill that goes beyond hearing another person’s words. It is an attentive communication process that deeply acknowledges individual backgrounds in making sense of the world. In this paper, we propose a listening approach to museums in their conception as social spaces in the service of society. Departing from the museum’s historic to contemporary concerns for citizen participation, we detail our work with a citizen board in the ‘Right to the Museum?’ project within a comparative study of five Viennese museums. Engaging in intense dialogue through accompanied museum visits and post- surveys, we present our learnings regarding citizens’ situated interpretation strategies in permanent exhibitions and potential discrepancies between museum missions on paper and perceptions on-site. Based on the responses by the citizen board to museum and exhibition scripts, we also reflect on how such a listening approach can be used to pluralise perspectives on cultural heritage and its societal value.
Keywords: museum missions, exhibition scripts, citizen board, listening, identity politics