Science

daaron

(763 posts)

13. See for me it comes down to "That's nice."

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:05 PM

Jun 2012

Quaternions couldn't be a more fitting example - I'm working my way up to a study of contractions of Lie algebras over a quaternion field this summer (prepping for the real thing come fall).

Whereas I have only a passing interest in any given invention or innovation, the mathematics that made it possible continues to interest me. It gets deep, and that's when it get's most interesting. My reaction to the latest gadget is, "That's nice," with a pat on the back. I'm more impressed with Mathsputin, TBH, than any possible application of the his proof of the Poincare' Conjecture (of which, no doubt, there are many).

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Breakthru in quantum computing: salty nanoscale bar magnets! [View all] daaron Jun 2012 OP

Plus, Bose-Einstein condensates are difficult. longship Jun 2012 #1

True that. It's all very tricksy business. daaron Jun 2012 #4

Translation: A minor discovery blown up by big words. DetlefK Jun 2012 #2

Not all that minor. daaron Jun 2012 #3

Skepticism and excitement are both legitimate responses caraher Jun 2012 #5

Excellent - I was hoping to provoke a thoughtful response --> daaron Jun 2012 #6

From nobody to nobody ;-) DetlefK Jun 2012 #7

Fair questions. daaron Jun 2012 #8

re DetlefK Jun 2012 #9

ok daaron Jun 2012 #10

It all boils down to one question: "So what?" DetlefK Jun 2012 #12

See for me it comes down to "That's nice." daaron Jun 2012 #13

Actually, quaternions can be handy in "real life" caraher Jun 2012 #14

Yep. Quaternions do have some applications --> daaron Jun 2012 #15

"The domain of mad scientists?" Oy, spare me. (nt) Posteritatis Jun 2012 #11