Does math exist outside of Numb3rs?

[omphale23]

We've had a few threads dealing with specific news/articles in math, physics, astronomy, etc. and it seemed that we could do with something to combine this sort of information. That way, we won't lose discussions and articles that drop to the bottom of the boards, and everyone will know where to look for the *hottest* science events, or just things that strike people as interesting. I'm going to go looking for existing threads and link them here as well.

So, to get the ball rolling (thanks for the advice, prbabe!):

The 2005 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics are...

http://nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/2005/press.html

[omphale23]

Existing threads:

Fingerprint technology errors, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=854

Kepler's theories, cosmic solids, and puzzles, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=918

Primes and code breaking and qubits, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=992

Shortwave numbers, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1018

Fun with algorithms, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1048

Rubik's cube competition, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1150

Predicting crimes, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1595

Women and science, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1598

Human Consciousness, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1704

The Chudnovskys, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1718

Lego algorithms, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1737

Mathematical formulas in everyday life, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1794

Credit card scanning technology, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1813

Singing physics professors, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1878

Mental illness and creativity, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1906

Kevin Bacon algorithms, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1929

How Numb3rs fans classify the money in their wallets, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1980

PBS programs about Einstein, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996

Fractal books, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2008

Mathematica music, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2044

Dimensionality, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2045

Ulcers and Nobel, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2078

Black hole mapping, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2085

Influenza, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2097

Other related threads:

Mathworld classroom, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1688

Fractals and Feigenbaum's constant sources, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2008

What do numbers mean to Charlie? at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2026

Math games, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2039

Technical reading, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2135

Math books, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4335

The Numb3rs Book Club, at
http://www.fanrush.com/forums/showthread.php?t=524

I think that's all of them. Did I miss any?

[omphale23]

Article links in this thread:

2005 Nobel in physics, at
http://nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/2005/press.html

Slowing light, at
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69033,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

More women in science, at
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2005/10/04/sally-girls-science-cz-eb_1005sally.html

[fadedambition]

A very neat concept. :)

[Lisa]

Good idea! To put it all in one place. :)

[janet-a]

i'm not sure i buy all this "slowing down light" stuff, but now that i'm seeing it a little more often i guess there's something to it.....


http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69033,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

[Lisa]

i'm not sure i buy all this "slowing down light" stuff, but now that i'm seeing it a little more often i guess there's something to it.....


http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69033,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1 (http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69033,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1)

Wow - that has truly vast implecations. Can you imagine what could be done with a quantum computer?

[omphale23]

Especially if they can somehow combine the trapping photons stuff with the colors research--it wouldn't need to be a binary system, would it?

They don't really talk much about HOW they slow light down. Just that they do. Does anybody have a reference for that part of the work?

[rbriggs]

Especially if they can somehow combine the trapping photons stuff with the colors research--it wouldn't need to be a binary system, would it?

They don't really talk much about HOW they slow light down. Just that they do. Does anybody have a reference for that part of the work?

Not that I fully grasp this, but is this what you're looking for?

To slow down the light, the researchers used a silicate crystal doped with a rare-earth element called praseodymium (http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele059.html). Laser (http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/lasers/mainpage.html) light pulses fired at the crystal are normally absorbed and don't pass through, Sellars said. But when a secondary laser was directed at the crystal, it became transparent, allowing light from the first laser to move through.

To store the light, the secondary laser was switched off, so the original light pulse was trapped. The secondary laser was directed onto the crystal once again to release the pulse.

[omphale23]

Not that I fully grasp this, but is this what you're looking for?

Yes--guess I didn't read it carefully enough. :rolls eyes:

[janet-a]

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2005/10/04/sally-girls-science-cz-eb_1005sally.html

[omphale23]

My knee-jerk responses to the above:

1. What do they mean, however? Social science isn't real science?

2. Those numbers are really low. I feel like I should have done my part and stuck with my first major.

3. I'm not sure that improving the ratio of women to men in the sciences would cultivate geniuses. Most geniuses don't get pressured out of their chosen field. Not even the girls.

4. Computer, defense, and pharma industries are the ones doing heavy recruiting. Nobody else is looking for scientists, or nobody else is important enough to be mentioned?

5. *rant imminent* Interesting how they can't decide if girls are discouraged or make a choice. I remember when I lost interest in science. My middle school required the girls to take home ec, and it conflicted with either the honors science or the honors math class. You could take one or the other, but the boys could take both because industrial tech was scheduled at a different time. Nobody noticed I was good at math and science again until the PSAT, and by then I'd decided to be a lawyer. Which does that count as? *rant over*

6. I somehow doubt that one event is going to overcome the problem. The mission accomplished is cute, but a little premature.

Right, that was refreshing. Nobody ask me what I think of Larry Summers. :)

ETA: I thought I saw a book thread around here. Can anyone get me the link to it? I'd like to add it to the list. Thanks!

[omphale23]

Right, H5N1 has been all over the news lately. I promise not to rant about it (it's already on my blog, and I get to rant in RL come November), but I did want to point this out:

http://about.upi.com/products/health_business/UPI-20051005-011130-3944R

This strikes me as a phenomenally bad idea, and a situation where the possible benefits of the research are vastly outweighed by the dangers. Any comments?

[janet-a]

ok, i think i get the quantum com puting one, but the wave/particle thing is making my eyes spin in opposite directions.

http://www.spacewar.com/news/physics-05zk.html

http://www.spacewar.com/news/physics-05zl.html

[omphale23]

The wave / particle thing is kind of sad--I always liked the dual nature of light, and this seems to take some of the magic out of it.

And switching from physics to health: Avian influenza in Europe and polio in Minnesota, here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20051014-16403900-bc-healthwrap.xml

[fadedambition]

Argonne National Labs has developed a diamond-nanotube

http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2005/news050830.html

[janet-a]

Argonne National Labs has developed a diamond-nanotube

http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2005/news050830.html


oooh!! skyhooks! :)

ok not in my lifetime or yours, but it's a start.

[omphale23]

That's awesome--but I am wondering at the phrase "a novel form of carbon." Are they sure it's new, or is it just the first time it's been created in a lab?

[fadedambition]

That's awesome--but I am wondering at the phrase "a novel form of carbon." Are they sure it's new, or is it just the first time it's been created in a lab?

Well as the article states it is a composite. I am hard thought of any composite material that exists in nature. So when they say it is "a novel form of carbon" it would seem to mean that this is the first time it is being seen period. Now that isn't to say in some how some place some where this form of carbon could exist naturally, but I am hard strung to think of any scenario where any useful composite actually exists in nature. Even the mighty buckyball doesn't seem to exist in nature, but we can do great things with it in a lab! ;) :)

[omphale23]

Makes sense. Strange wording, but okay.

[janet-a]

more along the same lines:


http://www.spacedaily.com/news/materials-05zx.html


(pretty cool stuff. :cool: )

[janet-a]

possible understatement of the century here... :rolleyes:

from today's federal register:

SUMMARY: We are adding reconstructed replication competent forms of the
1918 pandemic influenza virus containing any portion of the coding
regions of all eight gene segments to the list of HHS select agents and
toxins. We are taking this action for several reasons. First the
pandemic influenza virus of 1918-19 killed up to 50 million people
worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 deaths in the United States.
Also, the complete coding sequence for the 1918 pandemic influenza A
H1N1 virus was recently identified, which will make it possible for
those with knowledge of reverse genetics to reconstruct this virus. In
addition, the first published study on a reconstructed 1918 pandemic
influenza virus demonstrated the high virulence of this virus in cell
culture, embryonated eggs, and in mice relative to other human
influenza viruses. Therefore, we have determined that the reconstructed
replication competent forms of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus
containing any portion of the coding regions of all eight gene segments
have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.

http://cryptome.org/cdc102005.txt

[omphale23]

Well, that's something at least.

I found this via boing boing:

fixing wobbly table legs with mathematics, in Nature:

http://www.nature.com/news/2005/051024/full/051024-3.html

ETA: arrgh. stupid subscription wall. well, it was there.

[janet-a]

*still* gives me a headache.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/01/science/01prof.html?pagewanted=print

(go to bugmenot.com for a login)

[omphale23]

Some fun with quantum chaos:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051107081113.htm

[fadedambition]

CDC now taking shipping orders for Spanish Flu ;) :P

http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2005/11/09/260535.html

[janet-a]

-banging head on desk-

[janet-a]

on creativity and mental illness:



Children of bipolar parents more creative
STANFORD, Calif., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have shown for the first time that children of bipolar parents score high on creativity indices.


Researchers said a sample of children who either have or are at high risk for bipolar disorder, which was formerly called manic-depressive illness, score higher on a creativity index than so healthy children.

"I think it's fascinating," said Dr. Kiki Chang, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and co-author of the paper. "There is a reason that many people who have bipolar disorder become very successful, and these findings address the positive aspects of having this illness."

Dr.Terence Ketter, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and a study co-author, published a 2002 study showing healthy artists were more similar in personality to individuals with bipolar disorder -- the majority of whom were on medication -- than to healthy people in the general population.

Ketter said he believes bipolar patients' creativity stems from their mobilizing energy that results from negative emotion to initiate some sort of solution to their problems. "In this case, discontent is the mother of invention," he said.

The study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20051108-20084200-bc-us-bipolarsmart.xml

[janet-a]

-blink-

Bush's Formula For 'Math-Rock'
The Unconventional Brit Confounds in 'Aerial'

By J. Freedom du Lac
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 9, 2005; Page C05

That Kate Bush: She's so formulaic!

Okay, not really , given the British songstress's well-known penchant for unconventionality.



After 12 years of silence, Kate Bush has finally released 16 new tracks on "Aerial." (By Trevor Leighton)




But still: Not even five minutes into her long-overdue double album, "Aerial," we find the idiosyncratic artist singing tenderly about a man "with an obsessive nature and deep fascination for numbers/and a complete infatuation with the calculation of pi." To illuminate her point, Bush then transforms the digits that make up the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter into one of the most atypical if strangely compelling choruses in recent memory.

"Threeeeeeee/Point-one four one five niiiiinne," she purrs in that swooping, otherworldly three-octave voice of hers. "Two six five three five eight nine seven nine three twooooo," etc., ad (nearly) infinitum.

Indeed, by the time the jazzy, atmospheric song, "Pi," ends, Bush has carried the titular mathematical constant out to more than 100 decimal places. And yet, you somehow find yourself wanting to hear more.

For those about to math-rock, Kate Bush salutes you.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110801609.html

[omphale23]

CDC now taking shipping orders for Spanish Flu ;) :POf course they are. Why not? What could *possibly* go wrong?

Janet, saw the stuff on mental illness and creativity--weird that it is just a week after an (off-topic) conversation here about ADD and creativity.

[janet-a]

Of course they are. Why not? What could *possibly* go wrong?



-waving arms in air in agitation-

don't these people watch Numb3rs??! :eek:










;)

[omphale23]

-waving arms in air in agitation-

don't these people watch Numb3rs??! :eek:

Obviously not. What's wrong with them?

[prayleen]

Bumping this thread for Ttn

[omphale23]

Heh.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-11/uosc-scs112805.php

[janet-a]

-giggle-

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,69726,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

[omphale23]

Well, now I want a cyclotron for Christmas.

Favorite quotes:

"Some of the neighbors who are upset about the cyclotron have started calling it SHAFT -- Swank's high-energy accelerator for tomography," attorney Alan Tesche said. "Part of what's got everyone so upset is we're not sure when it's going to arrive on the barge. We know Anchorage is gonna get the SHAFT, but we just don't know when."

and

"Our neighbors here at Fermilab like us," said Dixon. "But then, our particle accelerator is not installed in a living room."

[janet-a]

that was the general consensus at another board i posted that to. :D

and now in other news--ferget syncing the VCR to the local PBS station-! ;)

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05l.html

[fadedambition]

For those interested in Quantum computing:

http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/1105/news/byte.html?1133470239046

[janet-a]

tuesday, PBS, a thing on fractals and m-sets; check your local listings.

[lizabethe_517]

Thanks for the info, janet!

[janet-a]

"damn, where did i put that photon? ...no, the other one...."

more on the quantumverse:

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/physics-05zu.html

[janet-a]

mathematical signatures in art

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.12/rembrandt_pr.html