Issue 53 of Plus - http://plus.maths.org/issue53/index.html?nl=0

If you are looking for something to while away the holiday, then this issue 
has plenty of ideas for you! We explore the power of origami to solve 
ancient (and very modern) problems, find the maths in fashion, and marvel 
at the complexities of church bell ringing. But it's not all fun and games, 
as we investigate the controversies surrounding breast screening and the 
maths behind drug-induced hallucinations,  find out how to predict the 
impact of natural catastrophes, and contemplate a strange figure in the sky.


In this issue...

* Understanding uncertainty: Breast screening, a statistical controversy

One in nine women will get breast cancer in her lifetime, and it seems 
sensible to screen women for breast cancer to treat them as early as 
possible. But, as David Spiegelhalter explains, screening is a 
controversial issue.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/risk/index.html?nl=0

* The power of origami

We've all heard of origami. It's all about making paper birds and pretty 
boxes, and is really just a game invented by Japanese kids, right? Prepare 
to be surprised as Liz Newton takes you on a journey of origami, maths and 
science.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/features/newton/index.html?nl=0

* Ringing the changes

Did you know that church bell ringers have to memorise sequences of several 
thousand numbers, and that it can take up to 18 hours to translate these 
sequences into perfect bell ringing? Burkard Polster and Marty Ross explain 
why, and explore the maths behind bell ringing.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/features/polsteross/index.html?nl=0


* Uncoiling the spiral: Maths and hallucinations

Think drug-induced hallucinations, and the whirly, spirally, 
tunnel-vision-like patterns of psychedelic imagery immediately spring to 
mind. But it's not just hallucinogenic drugs that conjure up these 
geometric structures. People have reported seeing them in near-death 
experiences, following sensory deprivation, or even just after applying 
pressure to the eyeballs. So what can these patterns tell us about the 
structure of our brains?

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/features/hallucinations/index.html?nl=0

* How long is a day?

The obvious answer is 24 hours, but, as Nicholas Mee discovers, that would 
be far too simple. In fact, the length of a day varies throughout the year. 
If you plot the position of the Sun in the sky at the same time every day, 
you get a strange figure of eight which has provided one artist with a 
source for inspiration

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/features/mee/index.html?nl=0

* Modelling catastrophes

Hardly six months go by without a natural disaster striking some part of 
the globe. While it's next to impossible to predict these catastrophes, let 
alone prevent them, mathematical modelling gives a way to prepare for their 
impact. Shane Latchman explains.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/features/latchman/index.html

* Career interview: Fashion designer

Sandy Black, Professor of Fashion and Textile Design, has combined her love 
of art and design with her love of mathematics in her career as a knitwear 
designer. Sandy talks to Plus about the mathematics in fashion, knitting, 
and how science and fashion could make the world a better place.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/interview/index.html?nl=0

* Teacher package: Proofs

The notion of proof lies at the very heart of maths: it's when it comes to 
proving things that mathematicians let lose their genius and creativity, 
and in the process often discover unexpected surprises or deep 
philosophical issues. But proofs can also be daunting. So to help you and 
your students along, we've brought together a range of Plus articles on 
proofs.

http://plus.maths.org/issue53/package/index.html?nl=0

But wait, there's more!

* Clock confusion
http://plus.maths.org/issue53/puzzle/index.html?nl=0

* Seven things everyone would like to know about the Universe
http://plus.maths.org/issue53/editorial/index.html

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Happy reading, merry Christmas and a great new year from the Plus team!


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