All Stories by Ivars Peterson
- Math
Pi à la Mode
A potential link between two disparate mathematical fields—number theory and chaotic dynamics—could lead to a proof that every digit of pi occurs with the same frequency.
- Math
Mozart’s Melody Machine
Music publishing was a thriving trade during the latter part of the 18th century in Europe. Publishers vied with one another to print the works of the latest “hot” composer. Many of them looked for novel ways to entice new customers into their music shops. One such ploy was to publish systems that would allow […]
- Math
Mozart’s Melody Machine
Music publishing was a thriving trade during the latter part of the 18th century in Europe. Publishers vied with one another to print the works of the latest “hot” composer. Many of them looked for novel ways to entice new customers into their music shops. One such ploy was to publish systems that would allow […]
- Computing
New initiatives scale up supercomputing
Several government efforts aim to give researchers access to computing power in the range of 12 trillion operations per second or more.
- Computing
Web worms: Code Red to Warhol
Using an efficient infection strategy, a malicious programmer could deploy a rogue computer program far more voracious than the Code Red worm that struck on July 19.
- Math
Art of Pursuit
The simple mathematical concept of a pursuit curve can serve as the starting point for creating wonderfully intricate artistic designs. Four “bugs” chasing one another produce an intriguing pattern of nested, rotated squares. Courtesy of John Sharp. Pursuit curves based on a star-shaped polygon. Courtesy of John Sharp. Example of a pattern in which the […]
- Math
Art of Pursuit
The simple mathematical concept of a pursuit curve can serve as the starting point for creating wonderfully intricate artistic designs. Four “bugs” chasing one another produce an intriguing pattern of nested, rotated squares. Courtesy of John Sharp. Pursuit curves based on a star-shaped polygon. Courtesy of John Sharp. Example of a pattern in which the […]
- Math
Art of Pursuit
The simple mathematical concept of a pursuit curve can serve as the starting point for creating wonderfully intricate artistic designs. Four “bugs” chasing one another produce an intriguing pattern of nested, rotated squares. Courtesy of John Sharp. Pursuit curves based on a star-shaped polygon. Courtesy of John Sharp. Example of a pattern in which the […]
- Math
Art of Pursuit
The simple mathematical concept of a pursuit curve can serve as the starting point for creating wonderfully intricate artistic designs. Four “bugs” chasing one another produce an intriguing pattern of nested, rotated squares. Courtesy of John Sharp. Pursuit curves based on a star-shaped polygon. Courtesy of John Sharp. Example of a pattern in which the […]
- Math
Art of Pursuit
The simple mathematical concept of a pursuit curve can serve as the starting point for creating wonderfully intricate artistic designs. Four “bugs” chasing one another produce an intriguing pattern of nested, rotated squares. Courtesy of John Sharp. Pursuit curves based on a star-shaped polygon. Courtesy of John Sharp. Example of a pattern in which the […]
- Math
Pursuing Pursuit Curves
A pursuit curve is the path an object takes when chasing another object. Such a path might result from a fox pursuing a rabbit or a missile seeking a moving target. This set of superimposed “snapshots” shows the lines of sight at regular intervals of four “bugs” chasing one another, all moving at the same […]
- Math
Acoustic Residues
There’s a surprising mathematical ingredient in the sound of many performing artists and recording stars. It manifests itself in the form of clusters of panels hanging on the walls of recording studios, concert halls, nightclubs, and other venues. Sculpted from wooden strips separated by thin aluminum dividers, each panel consists of an array of wells […]
