This is a news story, published by Quanta Magazine, that relates primarily to Mahler news.
For more Mahler news, you can click here:
more Mahler newsFor more physics news, you can click here:
more physics newsFor more news from Quanta Magazine, you can click here:
more news from Quanta MagazineOtherweb, Inc is a public benefit corporation, dedicated to improving the quality of news people consume. We are non-partisan, junk-free, and ad-free. We use artificial intelligence (AI) to remove junk from your news feed, and allow you to select the best science news, business news, entertainment news, and much more. If you like physics news, you might also like this article about
hexagonal tiles. We are dedicated to bringing you the highest-quality news, junk-free and ad-free, about your favorite topics. Please come every day to read the latest hollow shapes news, circle packing news, physics news, and other high-quality news about any topic that interests you. We are working hard to create the best news aggregator on the web, and to put you in control of your news feed - whether you choose to read the latest news through our website, our news app, or our daily newsletter - all free!
hexagonsQuanta Magazine
•81% Informative
In the 1920s , mathematicians began wondering: What’s the worst shape to pack? In other words, what shape forces you to leave the largest gaps, even if you pack it in the best possible way.
The worst known shape is the seven -sided regular heptagon, though mathematicians are nowhere close to being able to prove it's the worst.
In 2017 , after a decade of on-and-off work, Hales posted a preprint that offered a sort of blueprint for a proof.
He proposed using a branch of mathematics called optimal control theory to explore flip-flopping structures.
The pair hadn't quite reached Mahler ’s first step, but recognized that they were close to breaking down two steps.
The proof of Mahler ’s first conjecture is a 260 -page exploration of the subject.
It details a dizzying array of candidate structures and uses a far greater range of theory than even Hales initially imagined would be necessary.
The work has yet to be peer reviewed, but mathematicians who have informally reviewed the work said they had confidence in the result.
VR Score
87
Informative language
90
Neutral language
47
Article tone
informal
Language
English
Language complexity
45
Offensive language
not offensive
Hate speech
not hateful
Attention-grabbing headline
not detected
Known propaganda techniques
not detected
Time-value
long-living
External references
4
Source diversity
3
Affiliate links
no affiliate links