This is the second in a series of posts about the maths of Star Trek. Part I covered the probability of survival while wearing a red shirt.
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Art for a maths department
I don’t think the university maths department I work in has enough art in it. I have gazed covetously upon the walls of other departments I visit, covered with beautiful mathematically-inspired paintings and inspirational posters, serving as a backdrop to cabinets full of geometrical curiosities. I recently suggested to our Head of School that we could buy some art, and he said “That’s a good idea. Send me some suggestions.”
I was pretty delighted with that response, so I spent an enjoyable hour trawling the internet for art that would inspire and enrich our students and staff. We don’t really have anywhere obvious to put sculptures, so I wanted something you can hang on a wall. I had no idea how much money the Head of School was thinking of spending, so I assumed the worst and tried to stick to cheap posters and prints as a starting point. I wasn’t just looking for art – anything to decorate the walls, even if it ends up teaching the students something, is desirable.
My first port of call was my Arty Maths blog. I’ve been collecting nice bits of art that invoke or involve maths (and not art created purely to represent maths) for almost two years now. Unfortunately, it turns out I’ve almost exclusively been collecting sculptures and video works. That meant I had to do some googling!
Because I found some nice things, and in case anyone else is tasked with decorating a maths department and needs ideas, here’s what I found:
The Maths of Star Trek: The Original Series (Part I)
As you may well know, Star Trek was a science fiction TV show in the late 1960s. It featured futuristic technology and science fiction ideas such as warp drives, transporters, strange new worlds, time travel, and green alien space babes. And the possibility of all these things has, in the past, been discussed by experts, and nerds, in great detail. Especially that last one about green space babes.
But dammit, I’m a mathematician, not a physicist. So, instead of talking about the science of Star Trek yet again, what about the maths of Star Trek? After all, Star Trek is science fiction, but there is no such thing as maths fiction – so any mathematics featured on the show is sure to be on firmer ground. Right? Or as Spock himself says in ‘The Conscience of the King’;
SPOCK: Even in this corner of the galaxy, Captain, two plus two equals four.
Should we even expect much maths to feature on a simple space adventure show? In fact, many interesting mathematical ideas were raised during the show’s short run of 79 episodes, including; the probability we are alone in universe; a paradox that upset 20th century mathematicians as well as 23rd century androids; the mathematics of alien and Earth biology; and the most important question of all – when on a dangerous away mission, does the colour of your shirt really affect your chances of survival?
Hemisphere by Bálint Bolygó
These drawings were made using a series of finely balanced pendulums that follow the curvature of the hemisphere and thus able to make intricate harmonic curves on the surface. By interacting with these self-built contraptions, the artist is able to build up a constellation of patterns on the hemispherical surface. The resulting objects are reminiscent of three-dimensional stellar maps or cosmological diagrams.
[youtube url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9zpWTujXM]
Manchester MathsJam writeup, April 2013
MathsJam this month fell on the day before my birthday, which meant not only was our ‘Jam well supplied with birthday cake, but there was a jubilant mood only aided by the presence of some puzzles I’d written for my birthday party. Everyone had a good crack at the maths-related one, and found it entertaining (see: future Puzzlebombs, where said puzzles will almost certainly feature).
Puzzlebomb Presents: Special 1
As part of Puzzlebomb’s commitment to bringing you all puzzles, all the time, we present a special one-off edition, containing a mildly topical cryptic crossword compiled by one of our regular puzzle setters. Enjoy! Solutions will be posted in roughly a month from now.
Rhombus System by The Fundamental Group
[vimeo url=https://vimeo.com/39648092]
Rhombus System by The Fundamental Group.
via NotCot.org