4 ms·

Kalid, I just read your article on Prime numbers (not-quite randomly selected from the homepage). I just wanted to say how well written I found it - even beyond

Kalid, I just read your article on Prime numbers (not-quite randomly selected from the homepage). I just wanted to say how well written I found it - even beyond the technical side of things, your writing style, tone, and humility ("if I didn't mess it up") are fabulous.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
kalid 12y ago
Thank you Jacob, I really appreciate it. I try to imagine that I'm writing to a younger version of myself, who hasn't seen the material yet. It helps me remove potential anxiety about not knowing everything, or trying to impress -- there's no reason to deceive yourself about what you do or don't know.
- JadeNB 12y ago
  Since we've mentioned the article, I can't help asking about a particular tit-bit that caught my attention --what do primes have to do with quantum mechanics?
  - kalid 12y ago
    Definitely not an expert, but I found a few good articles on this (just updated the article): http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/prime_numbers_get_hitched/ http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/prime_numbers_get_hi... Nice summary: http://carbonatoms.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/prime-numbers-are-directly-related-to-quantum-physics/ http://carbonatoms.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/prime-numbers-ar... Primes appear to be zeroes of the Reimann Zeta Function. Nature loves minimizing energy, so there might be some reason the Zeta Function models how atoms behave. Then, primes are the most "stable orbits" or have a similarly useful property. Super high level, but I think it's interesting.
    - JadeNB 12y ago
      Thanks! I am a mathematician, so am fine with the discussion of the 𝜁 function. I get the impression that de Sautoy is overselling the connexion a little bit in his zeal to make an analogy, but (1) I don't know the area, and so shouldn't really comment, and (2) it's interesting even if it's oversold.

4 ms·

Kalid, I just read your article on Prime numbers (not-quite randomly selected from the homepage). I just wanted to say how well written I found it - even beyond

by JacobAldridge 12y ago

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
kalid 12y ago
Thank you Jacob, I really appreciate it. I try to imagine that I'm writing to a younger version of myself, who hasn't seen the material yet. It helps me remove potential anxiety about not knowing everything, or trying to impress -- there's no reason to deceive yourself about what you do or don't know.
- JadeNB 12y ago
  Since we've mentioned the article, I can't help asking about a particular tit-bit that caught my attention --what do primes have to do with quantum mechanics?
  - kalid 12y ago
    Definitely not an expert, but I found a few good articles on this (just updated the article): http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/prime_numbers_get_hitched/ http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/prime_numbers_get_hi... Nice summary: http://carbonatoms.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/prime-numbers-are-directly-related-to-quantum-physics/ http://carbonatoms.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/prime-numbers-ar... Primes appear to be zeroes of the Reimann Zeta Function. Nature loves minimizing energy, so there might be some reason the Zeta Function models how atoms behave. Then, primes are the most "stable orbits" or have a similarly useful property. Super high level, but I think it's interesting.
    - JadeNB 12y ago
      Thanks! I am a mathematician, so am fine with the discussion of the 𝜁 function. I get the impression that de Sautoy is overselling the connexion a little bit in his zeal to make an analogy, but (1) I don't know the area, and so shouldn't really comment, and (2) it's interesting even if it's oversold.