Beyond Euclid - #118
Welcome to Beyond Euclid #118, the newsletter for the best mathematics and science stuff of the week. I am Ali, and I curate cool math and science stuff every week to help you have a better week.
š° Happy Friday, everyone! The 118th issue ofĀ Beyond Euclid, your weekly deep dive into the fascinating and ever-evolving world of mathematics is ready. This week passed super fast, and I shared the previous issue yesterday.
Anyway, if you appreciate the work I do, please consider being a paid subscriber. I truly value your support. While reading this issue, you can listen to Za Milena J from Moriarty.
ā¢ I love bees. And I wish a honeybee might have been my geometry teacher. These creatures are essential pollinators that support ourĀ planet'sĀ delicate ecosystem. That's why I have curated 12 beautiful books about these remarkable insects.Ā
In the Muslim's sacred text, the Quran, beesĀ are honored inĀ Surah An-Nahl, also known as 'The Bee.'Ā It is in this chapter that theĀ Quran reflects on bees' miraculous nature, emphasizing their disciplined way of life and the purity of the honey they produce, which is mentioned as a source of healing for humanity.
ā¢ Imagine a number that is equal to the cube of the sum of its digits. We call them Dudeney numbers. Du-de-ney. It is fun to say Du-de-ney.
ā¢ Herbert Bayerās Chromatic intersection, 1966. I love the German obsession with geometric patterns.
ā¢ I think we are so lucky because Bertrand Russell's Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy exists. It is really a valuable book for beginners. For me, it is like an old friend.
Wittgenstein once said, "Russell's books should be bound in two colors, those dealing with mathematical logic in red ā and all philosophy students should read them; those dealing with ethics and politics in blue ā and no one should be allowed to read them."
ā¢ Yuki KawaeāsĀ videos are also the definition of oddly satisfying. He is designing mesmerizing geometric patterns in his zen garden. If you need some peaceful time now, stop doing anything and watch Yuki Kawae make patterns in the sand. And I have no idea why these Japanese zen garden kits are expensive.
ā¢ These beautifully designed AI glasses made me look. I have been wearing glasses for 25 years and I think I found my new pair. Brilliant Labs' Frame AI glasses offer augmented reality and artificial intelligence capabilities, thanks to OpenAI collaboration. The eyewear is designed as a pair of glasses and can translate languages, recognize images, and provide users with real-time information.
ā¢ French fries are a cheerful food that makes you forget all your worries. You probably like some types of fries more than others. Chris Williams made this 3D modeling of various fry shapes, illuminating why this might be. Below, I have shared my delicious french fries recipe.
Slice the potatoes 1/2 inch thick. This french fry cutter is a monster that makes your life much easier. Then, soak them in water for overnight. Then, rinse them under cold water in a wire strainer the next day. Shake the wire strainer well so that all the drops fall off. Then, put them in your air fryer and add a few drops of olive oil. Two months ago, I got this Philips air fryer, and it makes no sound. It is extremely quiet!
ā¢ The dark forces officially don't want us to be happy. Cocoa prices have hit an all-time high of $5,874 per metric ton this week. The price surge is due to drier temperatures caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon in West Africa, where three-quarters of the world's cocoa is produced. This has resulted in a nearly 40% increase in futures prices since the beginning of the year.
ā¢ Here is some utterly interesting information. Babies are not born with freckles, which typically emerge around age 2-3. Freckles are a genetic trait caused by UV exposure interacting with the MC1R gene, most common in people with red hair. Sun exposure causes melanin increase, leading to freckle formation, but one does not need sunburn to develop freckles. The presence of freckles indicates sun sensitivity, though freckles themselves generally do not become cancerous.
ā¢ Although the Moon's size doesn't change, sometimes the Moon appears larger near the horizon. I was wondering the reason behind this, and today, I learned that it is an optical illusion caused by the brain's visual processing. You can remove the illusion by bending over and looking through your legs or standing on your head. The exact cause of the Moon illusion is still unknown. Still, theories involve how the brain perceives relative distances and expected sizes of objects near the horizon, as well as the possible role of foreground objects in providing visual cues that alter perception.