January « 2012 « Math Drudge

Researchers seek UK home for mathematics museum

By admin, on January 30th, 2012%

Geoff Wain, a mathematics educator at Leeds University, is promoting an initiative to organize a museum of mathematics in the U.K.

Wain notes the successful Mathematikum in Giessen, Germany, which opened in 2002 and now attracts 150,000 visitors per year, and the Museum of Mathematics in New York City, which is slated to open . . . → Read More: Researchers seek UK home for mathematics museum

Does probability refute evolution?

By David H Bailey, on January 22nd, 2012%

Introduction

Both traditional creationists and intelligent design scholars have invoked probability arguments in criticisms of biological evolution. They argue that certain features of biology are so fantastically improbable that they could never have been produced by a purely natural, “random” process, even assuming the billions of years of history asserted by geologists and astronomers. They . . . → Read More: Does probability refute evolution?

Borwein’s book Convex Functions selected as Outstanding Academic Title

By admin, on January 21st, 2012%

The new book Convex Functions by Jonathan M. Borwein and Jon D. Vanderwerff has been selected as one of the “Outstanding Academic Titles” for 2011 by Choice, the American Library Association’s library book review journal.

Here is an excerpt from a review written by John D. Cook and published by the Mathematical Association of America . . . → Read More: Borwein’s book Convex Functions selected as Outstanding Academic Title

Jean Bourgain and Terence Tao receive Crafoord Prize in mathematics

By admin, on January 20th, 2012%

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2012 Crafoord Prize to Jean Bourgain (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA) and Terence Tao (U.C. Los Angeles) “for their brilliant and groundbreaking work in harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, ergodic theory, number theory, combinatorics, functional analysis and theoretical computer science”.

As the Crafoord Prize website . . . → Read More: Jean Bourgain and Terence Tao receive Crafoord Prize in mathematics

Poor-quality math and computer science courses threaten technological leadership

By admin, on January 10th, 2012%

One would surely think that first-world nations, in a bid to retain leadership in science and technology, and to fend off the very real challenge of the “Asian tigers” (India, China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), would pull all stops to ensure that university students in mathematics, computer science and related fields obtain the very best education . . . → Read More: Poor-quality math and computer science courses threaten technological leadership

Moore’s Law and the future of science and mathematics

By admin, on January 2nd, 2012%

[Note: A condensed and revised version of this article was published here in The Conversation, an online forum of academic research headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.]

Introduction

What do iPhones, Twitter, Netflix, cleaner cities, safer cars, state-of-the-art environmental management and modern medical diagnostics have in common? They all are made possible by Moore’s Law.

Moore’s Law . . . → Read More: Moore’s Law and the future of science and mathematics

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