Soliton: A New Wave at the Maison Poincaré!
Since its opening on September 30, 2023 in the Latin Quarter of Paris, the Maison Poincaré has aspired to spark scientific curiosity in everyone—girls and boys alike—by making science accessible to the most underserved audiences. With a permanent exhibition and a temporary exhibition space, the museum has set itself the mission of welcoming more than 20,000 students each year starting from 8th grade, with particular attention given to young people from priority education networks.
As part of this mission, the Maison Poincaré has expanded the activities offered to the public by introducing an original hands-on exhibit: a mechanical soliton!
Un soliton, qu'est ce que c'est ?
A soliton is a kind of wave—an astonishing one—that travels while keeping its shape and speed over long distances, even after interacting with other waves. This type of wave appears in various fields, from ocean waves to optical fibers and magnetic fields. What makes solitons fascinating is their stability: they behave almost like solid objects, unaffected by external disturbances. Scientists study them closely, as they provide a foundation for understanding complex phenomena in oceanography (such as tidal bores, tsunamis, and rogue waves), nonlinear optics, quantum mechanics, and more., etc.
The Mechanical Soliton at the Maison Poincaré
The Maison Poincaré’s Soliton is a unique interactive exhibit, located in the “Modeling” section of the museum, within the area dedicated to the theme “Spectra and Waves.” It is installed just beneath the interactive experiment on vibrating strings, which illustrates the concept of linear waves, commonly observed in acoustics.
The Soliton at the Maison Poincaré is inspired by the mechanical soliton designed in the laboratory of physicist Thierry Dauxois. It consists of a chain of pendulums connected by a long spring. By setting the pendulums in motion at one end, a soliton wave is triggered, allowing visitors to observe the propagation of this nonlinear wave—without the need for water or computers.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Maison Poincaré now has its very own Soliton. A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for this invaluable support!
