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The Accidental Astrophysicists

Posted by kdawson on from the all-math-to-me dept.

An anonymous reader recommends a ScienceNews story that begins: "Dmitry Khavinson and Genevra Neumann didn't know anything about astrophysics. They were just doing mathematics, like they always do, following their curiosity. But five days after they posted one of their results on a preprint server, they got an email that said 'Congratulations! You've proven Sun Hong Rhie's astrophysics conjecture on gravitational lensing!'... Turns out that when gravity causes light rays to bend, it can make one star look like many. But until Khavinson and Nuemann's work, astrophysicists weren't sure just how many. Their proof in mathematics settled the question."

8 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Suprise! by cobaltnova · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mathematics results are physically relevant. News at 11.

    1. Re:Suprise! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      No way. Mathematics is merely applied logic.

    2. Re:Suprise! by Mr.+Beatdown · · Score: 5, Funny

      Logic is merely applied reality.

      --
      My fellow Americans, let's restore the death penalty for child rapists. Let's do it . . . for the children.
    3. Re:Suprise! by nategoose · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mathematics is merely applied magic.

  2. Re:Accidental My Ass by Manfre · · Score: 2, Funny

    It happens more often than you think. Parents, tell your daughters to watch out for slippery ground. They may be the next one to slip and fall on a penis.

  3. To update Clarke by xactuary · · Score: 2, Funny

    OMFG! It's full of stars!

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    Say hello to my little sig.
  4. Further proof ... by three333 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... that xkcd is right: http://xkcd.com/435/

    --
    Three is my favourite number
  5. Am I the only one by PakProtector · · Score: 1, Funny

    who thought that this was about Penzias and Wilson?

    I mean, C'mon.

    I'm thuper thereal, guys!

    --

    Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
    man: no entry for woman in the manual.
    "Qua!?"