18 top mathematicians in the world solve the most complicated mathematical structures.
Author: Source: Sina Time: 2007-03-210:14: 23
On the 20th, Beijing time, according to the British Times, eight top mathematicians from all over the world/kloc-0 made unremitting efforts for four years to complete the calculation process of "E8", one of the most complicated mathematical structures in the world. If the data generated by the whole calculation process are listed on paper, the required paper area can cover the whole of Manhattan.
"E8" has puzzled the mathematics field 120 years.
For four years, these 18 scientists have been locked in the laboratory, and all their thoughts have been spent on one of the most attractive mathematical calculations known to mankind. Although the calculation result of E8 can't be applied immediately, ordinary people may need the help of a doctor of mathematics to understand its ins and outs. Nevertheless, this group of mathematicians have solved the mathematical problem that has plagued the mathematical community 120 years and was once regarded as an "impossible task".
E8 is an example of a Lie group. Lie group theory was put forward by the Norwegian mathematician Sophus Lie in the19th century, which is used to explain the phenomenon that symmetric objects can move at will and keep their shapes unchanged. For a simple example, when a three-dimensional sphere rotates around an axis, its shape is unchanged from any angle. E8 explains the symmetry of 57-dimensional objects, and one of the reasons is only known to advanced mathematicians-E8 itself has 248 dimensions.
Jeffrey Adams, a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland and the head of the research project, said: "This is a bit like human genetic engineering. The purpose of this project is to draw a DNA map containing all the genetic information of a person. What we need to do is to "draw" the structure of E8 and show all its different manifestations. If some people think we are crazy, to some extent, they are right. But this is, after all, the highest-level math problem and the most interesting thing I can think of. "
The calculated data can be played continuously for 45 days through MP3.
One of the main problems of E8 computing is that the amount of data generated by this group of mathematicians is surprisingly huge. It took them only two years to work out the calculation formula for the computer. In the next three years, they want to find a computer with super computing power to complete the calculation. Finally, Sage, the supercomputer of Washington University, took 77 hours to get the answer.
Human genetic engineering needs one billion bytes of disk storage space, while E8 needs 60 billion bytes. If these spaces are used to store MP3 players, they can be played continuously for 45 days. Although there is no indication that E8 has any practical application, Professor Adams believes that it may help physicists to explain some of the problems they face. E8 was originally the product of physical string theory. Some physicists believe that E8 plays a vital role in explaining the theory of matter. Perhaps one day in the future, this calculation will help physicists uncover the mysteries of the universe.
David Vogan, a professor of mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said: "This is a huge project, which requires great efforts, but it is endless fun. Just like climbing a mountain. People who climb halfway up the mountain eventually want to climb to the top of the mountain. Being able to participate in such work is an honor and a blessing. "