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E8 Structure Decoded

Posted by Hemos on from the get-it-down-on-paper dept.

arobic writes "A group of mathematicians from US and Europe succeeded in mapping the E8 structure, an example of a Lie group. These were developed by the well-known mathematician Sophus Lie (pronounce Lee) in the last century and are used for many applications, mainly in theoretical physics. This is an important breakthrough as it could help physicists working on Grand Unified Theories (aka GUTs)."

9 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. iPod by slashdottinitup · · Score: 3, Funny
    FTFA:

    The magnitude and nature of the E8 calculation invite comparison with the Human Genome Project. The human genome, which contains all the genetic information of a cell, is less than a gigabyte in size. The result of the E8 calculation, which contains all the information about E8 and its representations, is 60 gigabytes. This is enough to store 45 days of continuous music in MP3-format.
    Hear that? That's the sound of Apple's iPod marketing finally reaching absolute ubiquity.

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  2. Pronounce... by spazmolytic666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pronounce it "Lee-eh"; At least that is how I would do it as a Scandinavian.

    It's PRINCESS "Lee-eh" you insensitive clod!

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  3. Re: Pronounce it "Lee-eh" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pronounce it "Lee-eh"; At least that is how I would do it as a Canadian.
  4. Amusing quote from article by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "The result of the E8 calculation, which contains all the information about E8 and its representations, is 60 gigabytes. This is enough to store 45 days of continuous music in MP3-format."

    Because we know physicsts and mathematicians that would be interested in this problem would have no idea how a computer works and have to translate it into teenager speak.

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  5. Vogan mathematics... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    is, of course the third worst in the universe.

  6. I'm no mathemtician but... by east+coast · · Score: 4, Funny

    So now we're going to have truth and lie tables?

    Stop this crazy planet. I want to get off!

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  7. Re:Representation Theory by pushing-robot · · Score: 3, Funny

    The fact that a (finite) computer calculation can help determining an infinite list of representation is very nice.

    Sadly, Mr. Vogan was later lynched by a rampaging mob of respectable physicists who had finally realized that the one thing they really couldn't stand was a smartass.

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  8. Re:Not a Lie Group. by haakondahl · · Score: 4, Funny
    From TFA: Mathematicians study symmetries in higher dimensions. E_8 has 248 dimensions. "What's attractive about studying E_8 is that it's as complicated as symmetry can get. Mathematics can almost always offer another example that's harder than the one you're looking at now, but for Lie groups E_8 is the hardest one," Vogan said.

    Mine goes to E_11.

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  9. Re:Not a Lie Group. by Alsee · · Score: 5, Funny

    E8 is not a Lie Group. E8 is the biggest Lie Group.

    It seems somebody flunked basic set theory. :D

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