Follow on twitter: @thatsmaths
Tricycles with three square wheels, each a different size. Image from the Museum of Mathematics, New York.
Imagine trying to cycle along a road with a wavy surface. Could anything be done to minimise the ups-and-downs? In general, this would be very difficult, but in ideal cases a simple solution might be possible. Continue reading ‘Wonky Wheels on Wacky Roads’
Theodor Benfey’s periodic table (1964) [image Wikimedia Commons].
The twelve-line topological proof of Euclid’s Theorem by Hillel Furstenberg.
Theorem (Euclid): There are infinitely many prime numbers.
Euclid’s proof of this result is a classic. It is often described as a proof by contradiction but, in fact, Euclid shows how, given a list of primes up to any point, we can find, by a finite process, another prime number; so, the proof is constructive.
Part II: Stationary Mountains and Travelling Waves
Jule Charney (1917–1981) and Philip Drazin (1934–2002).
Atmospheric flow over mountains can generate large-scale waves that propagate upwards. Although the mountains are stationary(!), the waves may have a component that propagates towards the west. In this post, we look at a simple model that explains this curious asymmetry.
ThatsMaths 