I have two options that might offer the ideal. Mathematically meaningful results,
but with meaningful contribution from people involved. There is more detail below.
1) Metrics for shapes, given a collection of closed curves which two are closer in shape?
2) Aesthetics of mathematical objects
best wishes
Edmund
Option 1 builds on a growing area of research with a large number of potential applications,
from differentiating between diseased and healthy tissue to classifying galaxies (as pointed
out this currently needs humans). For an overview of the mathematics, see this paper by
Mumford and Michor:
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/math/pdf/0605/0605009v2.pdf
This research is based on the assumption that there is a metric on shapes that humans can
perceive and that we can define mathematically. The research could look at this question.
Showing people collections of shapes and asking which are "closer". Collecting the data
could analyse whether what people perceive really is a metric, and give data to test the
mathematical models against.
From an educational point of view ideas like metric can be introduced that are no complex
but mathematically deep and not well known.
Colin Cotter at Imperial college, is a UK researcher working on these questions who would be
able to provide further details and possibilities: <[log in to unmask]>
Option 2 Would aim to put out the message of the importance of taste and beauty in the
study of mathematics. To pursue this an interesting question is whether people can breed
interesting mathematical phenomena. The model might be similar to the Blind Watchmaker
programs that Richard Dawkins put out many years ago; however by using a system that is
Turing complete there is the potential to create any possible image. A suitable system might
be Talysis by Paul Prudence: http://www.transphormetic.com/2_talysis2/talysis01.htm
On 6 Apr 2011, at 04:48, Marcus du Sautoy wrote:
> I have the chance to suggest a maths project to BBC Lab UK which we could run alongside the BBC2 TV series that I am currently filming called The Code.
>
> BBC Lab UK is a fantastic citizen science project getting people involved in doing real science. You can take a look at the sort of projects they've already done: http://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/
>
> I wondered if anyone had some really good ideas for a project that would get people doing real mathematics. At it's best these experiments generate genuine new research. I think it is important that we find a project which doesn't just involve using someone's spare computer time like the GIMPS project. That's the computer doing the maths not the person. Something like the Galazy Zoo project where you need human eyes to classify galaxies is an excellent model because a computer can't do what humans can do.
>
> I think mathematics is a difficult nut to crack as far as a genuine citizen science project goes. Tim Gowers had an interesting attempt via his blog but I think he is the first to admit that ultimately it came down to a group of hard-core mathematicians who stayed the course. But it might be worth looking at his experience for ideas. Check out http://polymathprojects.org/ and http://gowers.wordpress.com/
>
> Anyway, any ideas people have that could get some maths being done on the BBC Lab UK site would be brilliant.
>
> Thanks
>
> Marcus.
>
>
>
>
> Marcus du Sautoy
> Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford.
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On the dead limb Edmund Harriss
squats a crow - University of Arkansas
autumn night. [log in to unmask]
http://www.mathematicians.org.uk/eoh
Basho 1644-94
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