Issue 50 of Plus - http://plus.maths.org/issue50/index.html
This is the 50th issue of Plus and to celebrate, we've made it
especially big. We explore the incredibly life-like images generated
by computers as well as medieval frescoes, find chaos in fluid flows
and prime numbers in a sieve, meet the "English Galileo" and a man
who's into geeky pop, and learn about the dangers of bacon sandwiches.
Plus the usual regular features including book reviews, a puzzle and
podcasts. In this issue...
* Understanding uncertainty: 2845 ways of spinning risk
Would you prefer a game with a 90% chance of winning, or one with a
10% chance of losing? You might scratch your head and say it's the
same thing, and you'd be right, but research has shown that people's
perception of risk is surprisingly vulnerable to the way it's
presented. In this article David Spiegelhalter and Mike Pearson
explore how risk can be spun and there's an interactive animation for
you to have a go yourself.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/risk/index.html
* It's all in the detail
The computer animation used in movies and games is now so lifelike, it
is very hard to believe that you are actually watching a surface built
from simple shapes of triangles. Phil Dench tells Plus how he uses
mathematics to help bring these models to life.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/dench/index.html
* Sine language
As an electronic musician Oli Freke has always been fascinated by sine
waves, so much so that he's created a song based on them for the
Geekpop festival, which is currently taking place on the Web. In this
article he explores his song, touching on ancient Greek mythology,
strange piano tunings and Johann Sebastian Bach.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/freke/index.html
* Restoring profanity
In 1979 decorating work in a house in Vienna revealed a set of
medieval frescoes depicting a cycle of songs by a 13th century poet,
who was particularly fond of satirising the erotic relationships
between knights and peasant maidens. The frescoes are of great
historical significance, but they are badly damaged. In this article
Carola Schönlieb explores how mathematicians use the heat equation to
fill in the gaps.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/schoenlieb/index.html
* Births and deaths in fluid chaos
Describing the motion of fluids is a huge and unsolved mathematical
problem. There are equations that seem to describe it well, but their
complete solution is way beyond reach. But could there be a simpler
method? The physicist Jerry Gollub tells Plus about a new discovery
which combines experiment with sophisticated maths.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/gollub/index.html
* Sundaram's Sieve
The prime numbers are the atoms amongst the integers, and while we
know that there are infinitely many of them, there's no general
formula that generates them all. Julian Havil looks at a little-known
algorithm that sieves out all primes up to a given number, which is
astonishing in its simplicity.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/havil/index.html
* Thomas Harriot: A lost pioneer
It's International Year of Astronomy and all eyes are on Galileo
Galilei, whose astronomical observations 400 years ago revolutionised
our understanding of the Universe. But few people know that Galileo
wasn't the first to build a telescope and turn it on the stars. That
honour falls to a little-known mathematician called Thomas Harriot,
who excelled in many other ways too. Anna Faherty takes us on a tour
of his work.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/features/faherty/index.html
* Career interview: Mathematics educator and author
If you're worried that a mathematics degree might limit your career
options, then there couldn't be a better person to talk to than Steve
Hewson. Find out how his varied career has taken him from the lofty
heights of theoretical physics, via the trading floor of a major
investment bank, into the maths classroom, and has also seen him
writing his very own maths book.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/interview/index.html
* Teacher package: Geometry
From the geometry of Euclid to the shape of the Universe - geometry
is a vast field. We've got plenty of articles exploring geometry from
all angles, so have a look and take your pick.
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/package/index.html
But wait, there's more!
* Play some Russian roulette
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/puzzle/index.html
* Find out why length matters in sport
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/outerspace/index.html
* And read about what Plus is up to
http://plus.maths.org/issue50/editorial/index.html
But we're not done yet!
There's a new podcast episode: Lewis Carroll in numberland - the
mathematical work of Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll
http://plus.maths.org/podcasts/PlusPodcastMarch09.mp3
***************
Support Plus - make a difference to mathematics
http://plus.maths.org/support.html
We are currently running a campaign to raise the funds we need for
the continued development and production of Plus beyond 2009. As you
may know, Plus receives no statutory funding and is entirely
supported by grants and donations from organisations and individuals
committed to the public understanding of mathematics. Unfortunately,
our core funding runs out in March 2009, and we are actively seeking
further funds to sustain the future of Plus. If you're interested in
helping us, then please visit http://plus.maths.org/support.html
where you'll find three easy ways to give to Plus.
Thank you for your support!
Happy reading (and listening) from the Plus team!
**********
If you received this message you have subscribed yourself to the
PLUS-ANNOUNCE mailing list via our website. If you do not wish to
remain on
the list please visit:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=plus-announce&A=1
and follow the instructions to leave the list.
If you have any comments on this newsletter, or Plus Magazine, please
contact us at [log in to unmask] - we are always happy to hear from
our
readers!
Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be interested.
|
