Host: LSU Department of Physics & Astronomy

Location: EBRPL Main Library in the Teen Meeting Room, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA

"A World Too Small to See: Microplastics, Micromachines, and the Hidden Lives of Tiny Particles" presented by Dr. Bhuvnesh Bharti, Associate Professor, Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University.

What can a tiny piece of plastic have to do with a cloud? Can we build machines smaller than the width of a human hair? In this talk, we will explore a world of particles too small to see with our eyes, yet capable of having a big impact on our lives. I will share how our research investigates microplastics in the environment, including how sunlight changes their surfaces and how they can help water freeze into ice. We will also discover how electric and magnetic fields can make tiny particles move, organize into patterns, and work together and how we are learning to transform them into micromachines that carry cargo or capture pollutants. Along the way, we will see how engineering, physics, and environmental science are applied together to answer puzzling questions and create new fascinating possibilities.