Science Teachers

Association of Nigeria

Mathematics

Pi seems a good random number generator - but not always the best
Physicists have completed a study comparing the "randomness" in pi to that produced by random number generators. They have found that while sequences of digits from pi are indeed an acceptable source of randomness, pi's digit string does not always produce randomness as effectively as manufactured generators do.
cboutin@purdue.edu
Purdue University

African grey parrot is first bird to comprehend numerical concept akin to zero
A Brandeis Univesity researcher has shown that an African grey parrot with a walnut-sized brain understands a zero-like concept -- an abstract notion that humans don't typically understand until age 3 or 4, and that can significantly challenge learning-disabled children.
gardner@brandeis.edu
Brandeis University

Yale's Margulis wins 2005 Wolf prize for mathematics
The Prize Committee for Mathematics of the Wolf Foundation has unanimously selected Gregory A. Margulis, Erastus L. DeForest Professor of Mathematics at Yale as recipient of the 2005 Wolf Prize in Mathematics for his exceptional contributions to algebra and his creative synthesis of ideas and methods from different areas of mathematics.
janet.emanuel@yale.edu
Yale University

Elegant shape of Eiffel Tower solved mathematically by U. of Colorado professor
An American engineer has produced a mathematical model explaining the elegant shape of the Eiffel Tower that was derived from French engineer Gustave Eiffel's writings regarding his own fears about the effects of wind on such a structure.

Weidman@colorado.edu
University of Colorado at Boulder

Software tool finds 'needles' in data 'haystacks'
A new software tool developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology makes it possible to find chemical 'needles' in data 'haystacks' without having to know anything about the 'needle' in advance. The new software should be especially useful for analyzing ultrapure metals--recently shown to have superior strength, corrosion-resistance and other properties--and for monitoring nanoscale semiconductor fabrication.
gail.porter@nist.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

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