A Plentiful Potpourri

Lotsa leftovers that didn't make it into Math-Frolic this week (probably be even more today, but this list is already long enough):

1)  A "near-miss" in mathematics (a constructed polyhedron that doesn't exist; h/t Patrick Honner):
http://isohedral.ca/a-new-near-miss/

2)  Andrew Gelman, pessimistically, on the 'too big to fail' problem of journal retractions:
http://andrewgelman.com/2016/02/22/its-too-hard-to-publish-criticisms-and-obtain-data-for-replication/

Near the end he writes:"So unfortunately I don’t think it’s possible. Reform would be great, post-publication review is great, but I think we just have to give up on retraction. The system is just too big to fail." And he compares previously published work as "potentially a junk bond supported by toxic loans and you shouldn’t rely on it."

3)  This week, Quanta Magazine (in a tweet) passed along a link to these animated math videos:
http://www.3blue1brown.com/

4)  Maria Popova (of "Brainpickings") paying tribute to mathematics this week:
https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/02/22/james-joseph-sylvester-mathematics-address/

5)  Dave Finkel TEDTalk video (recommended by James Tanton) on math education:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytVneQUA5-c

6)  Probability and coincidences in the popular press (interesting Atlantic piece):
http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/02/the-true-meaning-of-coincidences/463164/

7)  Andrew Gelman again, this time looking at some statistics in the press being mangled (I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you!) re: Valentine's Day spending:
http://andrewgelman.com/2016/02/24/29068/

8)  A little update on Zipf's Law:
http://phys.org/news/2016-02-mathematical-law-gutenberg-texts.html

9)  Solving the Kadison-Singer problem by bridging disciplines:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/how-outsiders-cracked-50-year-math-mystery/

10)  Bertrand's Paradox has been written about many times; what I found intriguing in this post  though is the very last "Final remark," almost off-handedly mentioning that the author was working on yet another possible solution to the 3 that are usually given:
http://thatsmaths.com/2016/02/25/bertrands-chord-problem/

11)  h/t to Cathy O'Neil for highlighting this interesting-looking new book of math essays:
http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-21473-3
(Cathy's post here:  http://tinyurl.com/zvfhrbu )

12) Some 'bamboozlers' with ping pong balls and infinity:
https://plus.maths.org/content/ping-pong-balls-and-super-powers

13)  You say you've mastered Rubik's Cube... well, take it a notch up with Sudoku Cube (h/t Cliff Pickover):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku_Cube

14)  Samuel Hansen's "Relatively Prime" podcast is seeking funding for a 3rd successful season of mathematical stories (just couple of wks. left on Kickstarter campaign):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/386612592/relatively-prime-season-3
(check it out!)

15)  Perhaps quantum computing can wait... an NP-complete problem solved using biology!:
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/02/np-complete-problem-solved-with-biological-motors/

16)  I'll finish out, venturing over to physics again, with Brian Greene explaining gravitational waves to Stephen Colbert (quite good actually):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajZojAwfEbs&feature=youtu.be


Potpourri BONUS! (extra NON-mathematical links of interest):

1)  The brave new world of Google and Facebook...:
https://aeon.co/essays/how-the-internet-flips-elections-and-alters-our-thoughts

2)  If you missed this story from NPR about the "Jolly Roger Telephone Company," well you ought give it a listen (I'd call it a feel-good story):
http://www.npr.org/2016/02/25/468149405/jolly-roger-telephone-company-uses-software-to-entrap-telemarketers