What is it about rhythm, pattern, and synchronization that fascinate us?
How do pacemaker cells in a heart synchronize? How can thousands of
people unconsciously walk in step? There are so many recurring patterns in
nature like ripples in sand and the stripes of a zebra. In speaking with
musicians, mathematicians, and psychologists, filmmaker Tess Girard explores the idea of rhythm and what it means to us.
Participants in the program:Steven Strogatz, Mathematician, Professor of Applied Mathematics, Cornell University. Author of
Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order, published by Hyperion, 2008.
Nonlinear Dynamics And Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering, published by Westview Press, 2001.
Philip Ball, Science Writer.
Author of
Flow: Natures Patterns: A Tapestry in Three Parts, published by Oxford University, 2009.
The Music Instinct: How Music Works and Why We Can't Do Without It, published by Oxford University Press, 2010.
Branches: Natures Patterns: a tapestry in three parts, published by Oxford University Press, 2009.
Shapes: Natures patterns: a tapestry in three parts, published by Oxford University Press, 2009
Caroline Palmer, Psychologist, Professor, Department of Psychology, McGill University, Director, Sequence Production Lab, McGill University
Charles Spearin, Musician - Broken Social Scene, Do Make Say Think,
The Happiness Project.
Special thanks to
The Hylozoists and
Paul Aucoin for providing music for the show.
Related Websites:The Heart of the Beat is loosely based on a film of similar material and subject matter called
A Simple Rhythm, by
Tess Girard. For more information visit her
website.
Steven Strogatz' TED talk on Sync