Monthly Archives: March 2006
Cranking it up
The National Academy of Sciences has decided to recognize a “paper of the year” published in its Proceedings. Surprisingly, the first paper to be anointed in this way is by a student. Even more surprising, it’s a mathematical paper. Why … Continue reading
Posted in mathematics
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Today’s catch
Every morning I go fishing in the arXiv. Or at least that’s the way I’ve been thinking about this daily ritual: I cast my net over the waters and look to see what strange and wonderful creatures I’ve brought up … Continue reading
Posted in mathematics, physics, science
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An early crop of Sudoku
The invention of the puzzle we now call Sudoku is generally credited to Howard Garns, an architect from Indianapolis. His first puzzles, which were known then as Number Place, were published in 1979. But now a curious precedent has turned … Continue reading
Posted in games, mathematics
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Old Man River
Luna B. Leopold, the foremost American student of rivers and the landscapes they create, died February 23 at age 90. I never met him, but I’ve been a follower and a fan of his work, which I first encountered in … Continue reading
Posted in science
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My protest against the tyranny of time
But now I’m back, and the announcement you are reading at this moment should be followed—or is it preceded?—by several more posts in short order. Actually, to tell the truth, I’ve gone nowhere geographically, but I’ve been busy finishing a … Continue reading
Posted in modern life
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Library daze
I used to play hooky at the library. That tells you what kind of reckless, rebellious youth I was. When I skipped school, I would take the subway downtown and spend the day in the sunstruck Science and Industry room … Continue reading
Posted in modern life
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