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How To See In Four Dimensions

Posted by timothy on from the wrinkle-in-time-time dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Think it's impossible to see four-dimensional objects? These videos will show you otherwise. Some mathematicians work with four-dimensional objects all the time, and they've developed some clever tricks to get a feeling for what they're like. The techniques begin by imagining how two-dimensional creatures, like those in Edwin Abbot's 'Flatland,' could get a feeling for three-dimensional objects. When those techniques are transferred up a dimension, the results are gorgeous."

9 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Scientology? by hansraj · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why is the story tagged scientology?

    1. Re:Scientology? by Ilgaz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I see a flash scientology , rather very big ad at bottom of article and in "videos", there are Google Adsense ads mentioning scientology youtube channel.

      It could be related to people who sees those ads (must be scientific terms used triggering them) and think the site is Scientology supported. It could be possible but it could be the adsense only too.

      BTW Google Adsense advertising Scientology Youtube channel is not really a good, pretty sight. What next? Doubleclick ads too?

  2. did this years ago... by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://shambala.net/3d/tess3d1.gif

    1. Re:did this years ago... by doombringerltx · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The article linked to in TFS fairly crummy, but following through leads to the full videos which are really good. I even sent it to a non-math nerd friend. Its worth a look for anyone who had little trouble imagining geometric shapes in Rn. God knows that was me when I had classes that delt with that. Eventually I was like "Fuck it. It doesn't have to make sense, just get to where you can pull it off on the final." Plus its doing a good job of showing multiple methods to represent it, past what your gif shows. Right now I'm only a few chapters in, so I hope it keeps up the quality.

  3. Interacting is the easiest way to learn by Eighty7 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I played around with this applet a few months ago. After some practice, getting out & hitting the ball becomes easy. Getting back in is only slightly harder & I still can't hit the point reliably.

  4. Re:Easy to see in four dimensions by MrNaz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I "visualize" four dimensions and more often, when programming and setting up multi-dimensional arrays of more than three dimensions.

    All one has to do is acknowledge that adding a dimension simply adds a range of points that map to every single point in the (n-1) dimensional range. So, the easiest way to visualize a four dimensional cube is to simply imagine multiple identical cubes, side by side, for as many as the range has been specified. Five dimensions is a flat square arrangement, six is a cube arranged array of cubes, and so on. This way, an infinite number of dimensions can be visualized. Perhaps the term "mental addressing" is more appropriate a name for this mental method.

    The limit is, of course, this only works directly for finite and discrete arrays. I find it can be extrapolated to use non-discrete spectra, but describing the way that works in my head will not be possible using this clumsy tool we call "language".

    --
    I hate printers.
  5. Re:Easy to see in four dimensions by cheater512 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yeah I've had arrays with double digit dimensions.
    I think my record is 16 or so.

    I dont know why but I work with them incredibly easily.
    Without them its like programming with a hand tied behind your back.

    Cant visualize them at all, I can work with them though.

  6. Try Salvia by Nick+Ives · · Score: 4, Interesting

    One of the most common sensations (along with the sense of absolute terror at being ripped into a void in space/time) is the feeling of moving through between more than 3 dimensions of space. In my travels I usually feel like I'm spinning and being folded in about 7 different dimensions before my visions start to settle.

    To anyone who decides to take me seriously, make sure you have a sober sitter :)

    --
    Nick
  7. Re:Just so we are clear... by smellotron · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd argue that it's encoded onto a 1-dimensional stream of bits. The main difference being that an encoding can be used to reconstruct the original, whereas a projection by definition loses information.