Did you read about the Russian that solved a previously unsolvable math problem? Apparently the solution can help scientists to determine the shape of the universe. Now. I’m obviously no scientist, but this raises several questions for me.
Number 1: I thought the universe was infinite? Do infinite things have a shape?
Number 2: Why the hell do we care what shape it is? Oh. Wait. Maybe that’s why I’m not a scientist.
I hope it turns out that the universe is shaped like a rhombus. The word ‘rhombus’ has a nice spacey sort of feel to it. On second thought, it'd be cool if its shape has an eerie similarity to Abe Lincoln's profile or something. I'd be really irked, though, if it looked like Paris Hilton. She annoys the crap out of me.
What I found especially fascinating was towards the end of the article where it said that the Clay Mathematics Institute in Cambridge placed a bounty on seven unresolved math equations. The presence of bounties injects a sense of sexiness into a field on which my previous thoughts can be depicted as follows:
Accountants are to Business as Mathematicians are to Science.
I think we can all agree that astrophysicists are the bad-asses of the scientific community. I guarantee you that they frequently have to dig through piles of strewn girls’/guys’ panties to exit their laboratories.
So, the Russian solved the Poincare Conjecture and will likely receive a million dollars as his reward. This leaves six more equations out there with bounties on their heads. I read through all of them and couldn’t think of any quick solutions, so it appears that this won’t be my ticket to early retirement. But, perhaps you could give it a try.
-those Equations arE Kind of hard
About Me
- EEK
- For some reason I always make this face when I'm drunk. It looks like the sort of expression someone would wear right before they mugged you or possibly peed themselves.
Currently Reading
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
and
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Currently Viewing
A Streetcar Named Desire
3 comments:
Rhombus is clearly the coolest sounding word. I'm surprised that some automaker hasn't picked up on it for the name of a SUV or mini-van: "Hey guys, let's head out to the beach in my new Toyota Rhombus!"
It's funny, but when I initially wrote it, a sentence later I thought, 'Wait! There can be girl astrophysicists! And some astrophysicists are likely to be gay!'
So I went back and inserted "guys' panties" just to cover all of my neurotic bases. I stand by that decision.
Neil's comment about the Rhombus being a good car name is so dead on. Although I do like it that Honda has a car they named the Joy Machine and Isuzu has one they named the GIGA 20 Light Dump. Actually, the Isuzu one troubles me, but only a little.
Maybe the universe will turn out to be shaped like the Virgin Mary. If it is, I'm going to try to auction it on eBay.
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