A vital force

Dr Fahim Chand | Monday February 26, 2024 06:00

As a vital force within the Botswana Meteorological Services, the world of weather was her undisputed domain. She dispensed the forecast with precision, her words foretelling the impending arrival of “El Niño.” Little did we know, her revelation would unleash a scorching tempest of temperatures, a meteorological upheaval we hadn’t witnessed in quite some time.

Entering through the front door, I made a beeline to the refrigerator. Opening the fruit drawer, my eyes locked onto the prize I cherished – a red, smooth, and shiny delight, wonderfully cold to the touch. The apple released its delectable juice as I indulged in its delicious flesh, an oasis of refreshment from the outside inferno.

With each bite, I revelled in the interesting role this fruit played in Earth’s history. Legend has it that Isaac Newton experienced his “aha” moment, unraveling the mysteries of gravity, when an apple descended upon him as he sat beneath a tree. In Newton’s profound explanations of the universe’s laws, the concept of “Quantity of motion” emerged, shedding light on the intricate relationship between mass, velocity, and momentum.

In the physics lab, enveloped by the vibrant anticipation of the student world gearing up for a university weekend, my musings were abruptly interrupted by my friend John Ferreira. His directive was clear: “Record the velocity as I release the train on the track and capture the exit velocity as it hits the stationary train.” Affirmative, I replied, and thus began our experiment. Armed with Newton’s illuminating “Quantity of motion” law, we set out to prove the hypothesis that momentum is conserved in an elastic collision—an exploration into the captivating world of applied mathematics within the realm of physics.

For me, a stroll down the corridors of the mathematical universe was akin to a serotonin rush, a world I unabashedly loved and revelled in. Yet, I acknowledge that this numerical odyssey might not elicit the same fervour in others, as the world of mathematics is a diverse realm with varying degrees of affinity.

On numerous occasions, I’ve encountered individuals entertaining pursuits beyond the realms of passion for math, tossing out the sarcastic query, “Why do I need math in the real world?” The utterance of such a statement triggers a sly internal smile, as I navigate the intricacies of this profound conjecture.

Without intending to come across as condescending, I can’t help but suspect that very few neurons were consulted before this proclamation found its way into the conversation. Here, I harken back to luminaries like Newton and others, the master architects of our understanding of the world. Their cognitive breakthroughs laid the foundation upon which our intricate modern world now stands, a testament to the profound impact that mathematical insights have on shaping the complex world of our existence.

As we embark on aircraft journeys, envisioning the bliss of lounging on a white sand beach or immersing ourselves in the TikTok videos of children in Uganda dancing to the latest Bollywood beats, it’s crucial to recognise that none of these experiences unfold without the embrace of mathematics. It is in the engineers’ calculations that determine how an electron elegantly engages with a silicon chip that conjures the magical image of your grandchild waving from a distant corner of the world.

In the intricate tango of our universe’s fundamental physical laws, it is math that orchestrates the cosmic orchestra. January 28 marked the anniversary of an indelible tragedy—the Space Shuttle Challenger’s catastrophic explosion, claiming the lives of all seven astronauts just 73 seconds after takeoff.

Two vigilant engineers had calculated that the freezing temperatures at Cape Canaveral could compromise the O rings on the rocket booster, foreseeing the peril of an explosion. Despite their impassioned pleas, drowned in the cacophony of political and social pressures, the launch proceeded. Here, mathematics served as the messenger of danger, yet it was, as always, humanity’s choices that shaped history. In a disturbing revelation, the episode underscores that, at times, humanity’s kindness falters, overshadowed by selfish motives that reverberate tragically through our shared journey.