WISE Presentations -- the pig -- June 2001

Understanding the Pig

Mount Sinai WISE Project
By Melissa Berman and Rebecca Rodbart
Spring 2001


Here you can see the pig resting peacefully on the surface of this black saucer. However, this is all just an illusion done by maniuplating light!


This is a conspiracy! How is this done??


This illusion is done by using two concave mirrors facing each other. As the light shines into the saucer object, the light is concentrated at the center of the mirror due to the concave shape. The image of the pig is then shown backwards and upside down to the innocent and rather naive onlooker who attempts to touch the pig.



But wait! I still don't understand!


Well then maybe this experiment that
we conducted will help you understand


When we started to uncover the mystery of the "seemingly there" pig, the first step we took was to understand the device that the pig was in, the device that was actually creating the illusion. What this device consists of is two saucer shaped halves covered on the inside with a highly reflective mirror. The top half has a hole on top and the bottom holds the pig.


Because of the unique curved shape, the pig can be reflected ... Not sure how?


Then take a look at this ...




The pig is the focal point of the light in this diagram. Light coming into the saucer device hits the pig and reflects off of it, hitting the top saucer of the device. This ray is then reflected into the bottom saucer by a parallel ray. The reflection of this parallel ray isn't parallel though and will exit the device via the hole in the top saucer thus showing the "pig mirage."


If that seemed as easy as pie for you to understand, then check out this site.


However, if you don't understand it all that well or don't like math matrices, then take a look at the experiments we conducted. We even violated some campus laws, but don't worry, no pigs were hurt in the process, but I can't say much for Rebecca's finger ....



Here's a picture of the the bottom half of the device.
Notice its saucer, concave shape and shininess.



Light can be focused into a powerful ray, which is visible
on this piece of paper



Because of the unique shape, we were able to concentrate
the light into a powerful ray, so powerful that we began
lighting paper on fire.



Although the concentrated power of the light could ignite
paper, Rebecca thought it a W.I.S.E. idea to place her
finger there anyway for the sake of science.



Here, the lighted paper was dropped to the ground but began
to re-light itself shortly after. However the situation
remained under control and the Stony Brook Physics building
is still standing.



Later we stumbled upon this ...