Constructing Modern Knowledge 2024 guest speaker Dr. Stephen Wolfram is a true renaissance man. Not only is he one of the most prolific mathematicians and computer scientists of our time, but his curiosity brings computational thinking to many other domains. While leading the development of Mathematica, Wolfram Alpha, Wolfram Language, and other software powering scientific revolutions, Dr. Wolfram somehow, manages to find the time and energy necessary to write timely books about real-world phenomena like the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th.
You and your students will find his new book, Predicting the Eclipse: A Multimillennium Tale of Computation, out of this world. Download or order the book today and turn the eclipse into an intergalactic learning adventure.
In this book you will learn how the problem of eclipses brought us some of the earliest exact science, the first known computer, contributions from many of the all-time greats of mathematics and physics, and critical technology for the space program. See how all this provides a clear, modern understanding of a phenomenon that has surprised and amazed throughout human history.
Don’t miss the rare opportunity to learn with Dr. Wolfram at Constructing Modern Knowledge 2024!
More eclipse resources
NASA Total Solar Eclipse website – As you would expect, NASA provides excellent resources such as an interactive map, resources, and more. This site has a handy chart of when the eclipse will start, reach totality, and end in local time zones.
Solar Eclipse Across America – The American Astronomical Society (AAS) website has particularly good resources on how to photograph or get video of the eclipse, and of course eye safety. Be sure to check out their roundup of shadow/pinhole projection techniques for capturing wonderful eclipse shaped shadows, which is a very safe (and fun) way to see the eclipse in action.
NSTA Eclipse Resources for Educators – The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) offers guides for teachers and administrators, plus handouts for parents and grade-leveled books and resources to support teaching and learning about eclipses and the solar system.