3D shadow of a 4D object

[starchaser]

http://www.sciencenewsdaily.org/story-7409.html

 

[trasnanadtonnta]

That's MENTAL. Is it kind of like the things aren't any different to how we thought they were, it's just that this is a fourth way that mathematicians can talk about them, or is it like actually some kind of 'invisible' component to things around us? Could there be hundreds more dimensions? What is a dimension like?

 

[trasnanadtonnta]

I realise the point of the post is the representation in statue form, but this fourth dimension stuff is news to me, so I'm asking anyway. Sue me.

 

[starchaser]

its apparently mathematically correct . it really is a shadow of a 4D object.

in a 4d universe, shadows would be in 3d.

cos , in our 3d universe, shadows are only 2d.

but that sculpture, to me anyway, is proof that maths is cool. even if it is hard.. its cool and beautiful at the same time.

 

[trasnanadtonnta]

Beauty is truth, truth beauty -that is all/
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

That lovely little thing of Keats', old boy. We had it at school, don't you know.

 

[starchaser]

indeed.

maths is the most beautiful thing on our planet. even though i cant understand half of it...

 

[I will yeah]

http://www.sciencenewsdaily.org/story-7409.html

Looks like a big cubic zirconium ring they sell on QVC Shopping channel to me.

In fact it's only $49.99 including delivery.

 

[I will yeah]

To be honest I think that looks a bit tacky BUT it's quite like the harmonographical representation of a minor sixth (say the interval from Ab to the C below it) which is a ratio (in 2D, of course) of 8:5. It's also a little like a compound major third, 5:2.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

It looks like a Celine Dion high-note.

 

[St_Cyrill_of_Tyrrenhaes]

I haven't read the article or paid particular attention to the sculpture but this shouldn't be hugely surprising. A geometer will tell you that a shadow of a D-dimensional object is simply a projection of the object onto a (D-1)-dimensional surface. Therefore it's reasonably straightforward to develop shadows of four-dimensional objects as three-dimensional images if you're willing to forego our intuitive notion of a shadow as something that's necessarily two-dimensional.

Cool looking yoke though.

 

[Ciotóg]

I can imagine this thing drawing a bit of a cult following.

I know of a group of mathematicians who regularly meet in a secret location. They stand in front of a board with the equation e^(-i * PI) = -1 on it - a simple equation with four of the basic mathematical symbol on it. They hum gently and chant the equation aloud. They're all quite insane of course.