#Letters to the Editor — June 13, 2021

#Letters to the Editor — June 13, 2021

“#Letters to the Editor — June 13, 2021” Fix mask hysteriaKarol Markowicz succinctly captures the irrationality that has large numbers of people who are vaccinated against COVID still behave as though they are in mortal danger of contracting the disease every time they step into a public place (“Please, NY: Unmask,” June 9). In my…

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#Oregon promotes teacher program to subtract ‘racism in mathematics’

#Oregon promotes teacher program to subtract ‘racism in mathematics’

“#Oregon promotes teacher program to subtract ‘racism in mathematics’” The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) recently encouraged teachers to register for training that encourages “ethnomathematics” and argues, among other things, that White supremacy manifests itself in the focus on finding the right answer. An ODE newsletter sent last week advertises a Feb. 21 “Pathway to…

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#New mathematical method shows how climate change led to fall of ancient civilization

“#New mathematical method shows how climate change led to fall of ancient civilization” This figure shows the settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization during different phases of its evolution. RIT Assistant Professor Nishant Malik developed a mathematical method that shows climate change likely caused the rise and fall of the ancient civilization. Credit: Rochester Institute…

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#The mathematical magic of bending grids

“#The mathematical magic of bending grids” A curvy shape created from a flat grid. Credit: Vienna University of Technology, TU Vienna An amazing construction method for curved structures was developed at TU Wien (Vienna): With a flick of the wrist, flat grids become a 3-D shape. How can you turn something flat into something three-dimensional?…

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#Mathematicians unravel a thread of string theory

“#Mathematicians unravel a thread of string theory” Example of a cross-section of K3 surface in 3-space, similar to a model Utah State University and University of Missouri-St. Louis mathematicians used to examine string dualities between F-theory and heterotic theory in eight dimensions. Credit: USU Simply put, string theory is a proposed method of explaining everything….

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