12.7.06

String Theory

WEBSITE/S OF THE WEEK

hml would like to make a public service announcement: Thinking is Good Exercise.


For the past few days we have been using our pea brains to try and understand String Theory for you all. We thought it might be nice if we could give you a simple explaination for what it is but we are just getting ourselves, ahem, tied up in knots. let's just say it has alot to do with Theoretical Physics and Supersymmetry. We were lucky enough to find the Official String Theory Website which attempts in very basic language to explain this complex brain teaser.

For those of you wanting a craftier approach Math Cats has some great patterns for creating your own string art. We know it is aimed at 5th graders but that is our spiritual age and we thought it was neato! We are soooo glad there isn't going to be a test on this at the end of the week.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Were you folks spirograph fans as kids? I'm still waiting for mine for Christmas, but a friend had one, and I would get lost for hours drawing these kinds of patterns with coloured pens. Aren't they wonderful?
ps. someone tried to explain string theory to me once, but it went in one ear and out the other, rather like a piece of string might. regards, you're Serial Lurker.

Florence Forrest said...

Here's a book to look out for, "Encounters with the Infinite: geometrical experiences through active contemplation" by H. Keller-von Asten, 1971. This will take you deep, very excellent. And look out for "Symmography: Linear Thread Design" by Laura Sarff and Jan Harem, 1979. The Orginal Star Trek, often had episodes that had some amazing String Art in the background too:)

Anna Davern said...

I have a spirograph I picked up at (you guessed it) a garage sale. You're welcome to borrow it any time ladies. ps, I've been wintering on the mooring of late but ventured out yesterday and have just posted the spoils.
anna