An old problem, restated by Martin Gardner in 1959, asked if six cigarettes that can be placed so that each touches the other. Gardner was surprised by fifteen readers discovering that actually seven cigarettes can be arranged with that condition . Some years later, in 1968, Littlewood raised the question if it possible in 3-space […]
It is possible that we know more about the cause of skin cancer than about any other type of cancer. The link between sun exposure (UV radiation) and the development of skin cancer is solidly established. And yet, the incidence of this disease is increasing year after year with a steepest slope than any other […]
Humanities & Social Sciences • Science • Technology • Weekly Selection
Ancient Antikythera wreckage holds treasure trove of artifacts Researchers excavating the 2,000-year-old wreckage of the Antikythera in Greece have found a treasure trove ancient goods. “The evidence shows this is the largest ancient shipwreck ever discovered,” said marine archaeologist Brendan Foley. The wreckage was discovered more than a century ago but the current excavation has […]
‘Yo soy yo y mi circumstancia, y si no la salvo a ella no me salvo yo’ José Ortega y Gasset (Meditaciones del Quijote, 1914) In my first article for Mapping Ignorance I stated that “destiny” was an unrealistic concept disproved by the scientific evidence. However, it could be possible that this is not completely […]
The Big Bang Theory is one of the most robust theories ever made, if not the most. It also has become one of the greatest shows of our time, and I am not talking about the TV show with the same name -which is also one of the greatest TV shows of our time, just […]
Building machines which mimic the capacities of biological brains –and of the human brain in particular– is one of the main challenges of modern science. With the fast development of computer speed and power in the second half of the past century, this goal seemed, in the early days of artificial intelligence, simply a matter […]
Humanities & Social Sciences • Science • Technology • Weekly Selection
Giant lava plain on moon likely due to tectonic stretching, not impact The massive plain of solidified lava on the moon, known as Oceanus Procellarum, wasn’t caused by an asteroid impact as previously thought, according to a study published in Nature. Instead, researchers say, the volcanic basalt was formed by tectonic stretching, according to data […]
Think about just thinking. Not doing anything else but thinking. It´s not rocket science, right? In fact, the ability to engage in conscious thoughts is a distinctive feature of human kind. We’ve been doing it for quite some time then. But still, to be with oneself is a hell of a task. Let your mind […]
Materials science is becoming more and more an interdisciplinary field in which almost every traditional subject has its say. Disciplines such as biology, medicine, computational design, architecture or even music, painting or sculpture converge on this open-minded host. As a result, new inspiring research is coming from so many different fronts, brought together by their […]
Everyone has heard the sound of the crack of a whip, at least in movies or TV serials like “El Zorro: The man with the whip” (1954). A shock wave is created by the supersonic motion of the tip of the whip in the air . Whipping is a typical fluid instability of an accelerating […]