Can physics influence world trade?

Abstract

The aim of our study is to demonstrate the possibilities of forming students’ interdisciplinary thinking using the analysis of real events. In March 2021, maritime traffic in the Suez Canal was blocked for six days by a container ship. It led to delays in the delivery of goods of approximately 400 million dollars per hour. To analyze this event we used knowledge from seven areas of science: physics, geography, chemistry, engineering, geology, astronomy, economics. The use of an integrated approach made it possible to formulate the consequences of the accident, determine the possible causes of the accident, and substantiate the expediency of the methods of rescue operations. We analyzed only the given facts in news from a scientific point of view. Our analysis does not draw any final conclusions. Project-based learning is proposed as a teaching method in our case. It involves independent work with various sources of information, analysis and systematization of facts from various branches of science, compilation of a list of key words for each branch of science, formulation of conclusions. These skills are useful for the formation of interdisciplinary thinking.