PULLMAN, Wash. If insects are the predominant creatures on Earth, why aren’t they giants? How do they tote loads much larger than themselves? Why can some walk on water? Why do humans fear them?Award-winning teacher and professor of entomology Carol Anelli will help students understand whether physical forces and laws apply to insects at the final fall semester Common Reading Tuesdays lecture, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, in Todd 116, on the Washington State University Pullman campus.
In addition to her presentation, entitled “Physics for Bugs: Why Insects Can Scale Walls and Do Other Amazing Things,” WSU Registrar Julia Pomerenk will address the weighty topic of gravity in a complementary poetry reading.
Common Reading Tuesdays is the name of the weekly lecture series featuring faculty and other experts on topics related to the Common Reading book, being used in many first-year classes by freshmen and other students on campus. The 2011-12 book, “Physics for Future Presidents,” is by University of California-Berkeley retired professor Richard A. Muller, who visited campus in September to present the annual invited lecture.
The spring semester lineup of Common Reading Tuesdays speakers is available on the website at http://CommonReading.wsu.edu.