06/05/2025
On Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 ARPICO was pleased to welcome an engaged audience to the Museum of Vancouver for the second installment of Six Great Ideas That Changed Science and the World, a captivating lecture by Emeritus Professor Douw Steyn (UBC’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences). With a career spanning over four decades, Prof. Steyn has contributed extensively to the fields of air pollution meteorology and atmospheric modeling. A recipient of UBC’s Killam Teaching Prize and the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences Mentorship Medal, he is also the author of Introduction to Atmospheric Modelling, published by Cambridge University Press.
Following the success of the first part of this series, Prof. Steyn continued his exploration of transformative scientific breakthroughs by illuminating three additional ideas that have profoundly reshaped our understanding of the universe—and our place in it: Quantum Mechanics, Relativity, and Mathematics.
Prof. Steyn guided attendees through the early 20th-century challenges that gave rise to quantum mechanics, including the ultraviolet catastrophe, the observation of spectral lines of hydrogen gas, and the photoelectric effect. These puzzles spurred the foundational insights of Einstein, Bohr, and De Broglie, leading to a radical rethinking of matter and energy. Today, this abstract revolution underpins everything from LED lights to quantum computing and nuclear technology.
The lecture then turned to Einstein’s theory of relativity, which dismantled the long-standing belief in absolute space and time. Drawing from the famous Michelson-Morley experiment and the counterintuitive implications of time dilation and space contraction, Prof. Steyn illustrated how relativity reshaped our four-dimensional conception of a curved spacetime—and paved the way for technologies like GPS and satellite navigation.
Finally, Prof. Steyn celebrated the foundational role of mathematics in science, highlighting its dual role as both a precise language and a creative force. He brought to life the centuries-long story behind Fermat’s Last Theorem, a deceptively simple equation with a deep legacy. Its eventual proof by Andrew Wiles—after years of solitary, unpublished work—offered a powerful example of mathematical persistence and the enduring lineage from Pythagoras to Fermat to Wiles.
Throughout the evening, Prof. Steyn emphasized that these were not merely abstract concepts but revolutionary ideas behind real, consequential technologies. Each breakthrough ushered in applications that continue to shape modern life, from atomic clocks to the digital infrastructure that underpins our world.
A lively Q&A followed, allowing the audience to reflect further on the history and impact of these ideas. The event concluded with a warm reception around refreshments and a convivial atmosphere of discussion and curiosity.
ARPICO extends its sincere thanks to Prof. Steyn for his illuminating and thought-provoking talk, and to all who attended and contributed to the success of the evening. We look forward to welcoming you to our next event in the 2025 fall season.
