Perhaps you recall The Martian, the story of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars trying to survive long enough to be rescued. His journey home involves driving for weeks in a solar-powered rover from his mission location to the launch site for the next mission's return trip. There's a part in the book (but not the movie) where a dust storm threatens to slow him down enough to miss his rendezvous. He needs to go around it, but he doesn't know where it is or where it's moving. In general, he wants to move towards … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Maze Runner – The Slime Mold Trials
maze
Science Corner: Finding Your Way Through Math
Topology is a standard topic in mathematics; topiary less so. That's why I thought it was pretty cool to read about a mathematician-designed maze in celebration of the Abel Prize. At least, I like the idea in principle; I might feel differently after a couple of hours of wandering. Still, it is a nice little metaphor. Math, like many intellectual pursuits, involves twists and turns and blind alleys. Although unlike mazes, there are no deterministic algorithms guaranteed to get you out (eventually). So making progress … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Finding Your Way Through Math