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Surfer dude finds the theory of everything. (we hope)
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Surfer dude stuns physicists with theory of everything - Telegraph
Lisi's inspiration lies in the most elegant and intricate shape known to mathematics, called E8 - a complex, eight-dimensional mathematical pattern with 248 points first found in 1887, but only fully understood by mathematicians this year after workings, that, if written out in tiny print, would cover an area the size of Manhattan.
E8 encapsulates the symmetries of a geometric object that is 57-dimensional and is itself is 248-dimensional. Lisi says "I think our universe is this beautiful shape."
What makes E8 so exciting is that Nature also seems to have embedded it at the heart of many bits of physics. One interpretation of why we have such a quirky list of fundamental particles is because they all result from different facets of the strange symmetries of E8.
Lisi's breakthrough came when he noticed that some of the equations describing E8's structure matched his own. "My brain exploded with the implications and the beauty of the thing," he tells New Scientist. "I thought: 'Holy crap, that's it!'"
Finally!
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Signature depreciated.
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Way better than 'eureka'.
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I think he really said <keanu>woah.</keanu>, but just doesn't want to admit it.
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Location: Toronto
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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So this is the shape of our universe, eh?
Looks very ...new ageish
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: 46 & 2
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It's a Wheel of Light, also called a "Wheel within a wheel". Kabbalists have studied these of centuries.
Oh well, I suppose whatever comes around, goes around.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Australia
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Location: Hamburg
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***
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TL; DR
Seriously, where's the gloss/transperency?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Vacation.
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Somebody needs to put the bong down, dude.
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Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: 46 & 2
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Originally Posted by Doofy
Somebody needs to put the bong down, dude.
C'mon Doofy, you know it's just another point of convergence.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: South Detroit
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Originally Posted by moonmonkey
looks a bit 1980's.
Actually my mom used to make those in the 70s with string wrapped around nails in a board. She chose better colors though. Something tells me that if they DO ever discover a unified theory it will make sense to normal people and won't involve lots of dimensions etc.
Here's a picture that helps me understand what I'm looking at a little bit more.
(
Last edited by mrtew; Nov 18, 2007 at 12:33 AM.
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I love the U.S., but we need some time apart.
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