From Points to Braids: Unraveling the Configuration Space

Hi Everyone! This video serves as an introductory lecture to the configuration space of points in the plane. To learn more about configuration spaces and braid groups, a good source is Braids, Links, and Mapping Class Groups by Birman. Go check out my dance film on the same topic if you have not seen it yet!    • Braiding Through Time -- a dance film   Thanks for watching! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0:00 - What is the configuration space? 6:23 - Some applications 9:58 - Defining the fundamental group 17:50 - The fundamental group of the configuration space 21:16 - The braid group 26:28 - Tying it together ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------