The Burnt Pancake Problem — a mathematical problem whose history Simon Singh recently put in context, in an article in The Guardian — can be attacked by using bacteria. This paper explains how: “Engineering bacteria to solve the Burnt Pancake Problem,” Karmella A. Haynes [pictured here], Marian L. Broderick, Adam D. Brown, Trevor L. Butner, […]
Tag: problem
The problem of artificial precision in theories of vagueness
Vincenzo Marra points his finger more or less exactly at a simply difficult question: “The problem of artificial precision in theories of vagueness: a note on the role of maximal consistency,” Vincenzo Marra, arXiv:1306.4369, June 18, 2013. The author is at Universita degli Studi di Milano, Italy. (Thanks to investigator K.P. Hart for bringing this […]
Imprecise engineering: launching boats,
A small compendium of videos of engineering moments — boat launches — that were slightly miscalculated: BONUS (June 4, 2012): “New York Barge Driver Smashes Wing of Enterprise“
How to (try to) stop a machine
This video documents an unplanned experiment in engineering and human nature. Workers at a construction site contemplate how to arrest a machine that will not stop spinning. Then more workers join in the contemplation… (Thanks to investigator Ralph Enders for bringing this to our attention.) BONUS: Researchers at the University of Minnesota physics department write, […]
