Motivation? Minimization is a large and old problem. In physics, some problems can be solved by noting that energy, momentum are conserved and maybe also mini

Motivation? Minimization is a large and old problem. In physics, some problems can be solved by noting that energy, momentum are conserved and maybe also minimized or action is minimized. In operations research, minimization is a central theme -- linear programming, Kuhn-Tucker conditions in nonlinear programming, dynamic programming, integer linear programming (early source of NP completness theory), etc. But more generally, it is nagging that something as simple as a soap bubble a child with some wire can create is so difficult to analyze with math. So, a guess would be that math needs some new techniques. However, none of that would motivate me to get involved with soap bubbles. I heard Almgren lecture, and then and to now I still am not interested in investing time in soap bubbles. Instead, I want a more visible and greater need.