Steve Trettel, University of San Francisco
The subjectivity of color perception has fascinated both children and philosophers since antiquity. Indeed, I recall as a child asking myself "do I see 'red' the same as my friend?” and "do television shows look true-color to my dog?" Perhaps surprisingly, while these may seem equally philosophical and unanswerable, the second is actually a precise mathematical question in disguise! In this talk, we will analyze color vision mathematically, and use the power of linear algebra to answer questions such as "why are there three primary colors?", "why do we see 6 colors in a rainbow, but birds see 14?" and of course, "what does a television set look like to a dog?"
_____________________
Zoom Link for Spring 2023 M*A*TH Colloquium Talks (Zoom will open at approximately 3:45 before each talk)
The M*A*T*H Colloquium is our weekly public lecture series. Talks are on Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. in Darwin 103 and on Zoom; see link above (first four talks are on Zoom only). Maps to and of campus are available. A parking permit is required to park on campus, and is available for $5.00 at machines in the parking lots. Talks are otherwise free.
The M*A*T*H Colloquium has been in operation during every semester since Fall, 1974. See below for previous posters.
