Dr. Larry Norton of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York has noticed patterns in the way cancer spreads. He is advocating a higher degree of mathematical study for researchers who are delving into the disease. He argues that by taking a quantative approach, oncologists can create and analyze equations that may model the growth of tumors, the spread of cancer cells throughout the body and their resistance to treatment therapies.
Month: February 2010
You Can Do It!
Anyone who has spent time trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube knows it can be frustrating. (How quickly you can turn order into chaos, never to return to order….) But with a little help from the makers of the cube, you might learn to do it. And quickly impress your friends.
A new web site celebrating the Rubik’s Cube’s 30th anniversary offers "secrets" to solving the puzzle. Take a look, and your trophy shelf may soon proudly display that long-unsolved puzzle you’ve had, fully restored to its original six-color-sided glory.
Building a Better Bridge
For centuries, we humans have been building big bridges. And just when we thought we had the science and math figured out to span waterways most efficiently, we may be in for some new discoveries.
Matthew Gilbert, a structural engineer in the United Kingdom, with his team of researchers, has developed a numerical optimization program that could help us build large suspension bridges even more effectively. Read more from Science.
Solving the Case … with Math
A math professor at Dartmouth College has found an interesting way to bring two of his interests–math and art–together. Using mathematical problem solving techniques, Daniel Rockmore is helping to detect art forgeries. Read the story from NPR.