Physics of video games topic of next Southeastern Science on Tap presentation
Tuesday, January 24, 2017 
by: Rene Abadie
PHYSICS OF VIDEO GAMES – Southeastern Associate Professor of Physics Rhett Allain will discuss the role of physics in video games at the next Science on Tap presentation Feb. 7 at Tope La Catering in Hammond.
HAMMOND – Most people do not realize the tremendous amount of physics that goes into
creating video games, explains a Southeastern Louisiana University physics professor.
The role of physics in video games will be the focus of the next Science on Tap
lecture presented by Southeastern Louisiana University’s Department of Biological
Sciences on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
Associate Professor of Physics Rhett Allain is the featured speaker at the presentation
scheduled at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering, 113 East Thomas St. in Hammond. The lecture
is free and open to all ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
“Many people are familiar with the popular game Angry Birds for mobile phones.
The basic idea is to fling some birds toward structures with pigs in the hopes of
knocking them over,” said Allain.
But is there real physics in a game like this? Allain’s presentation will demonstrate
simple experiments in the game to learn the methods that model the motions of these
birds as well as activities in other video games. “And we’ll discuss how this can
be used as a method to explore the scientific process,” he added.
Allain is a frequent contributor to magazine WIRED magazine and maintains a physics-oriented
page on the publication’s website, wired.com/category/dotphysics/. A former physics consultant for the television show “Mythbusters,” he currently
serves as a consultant for the popular CBS show “MacGyver.”
For information on this or future Science on Tap presentations, contact the Department
of Biological Sciences at 985-549-3740.
