Math team solves the unsolvable E8

[Supreme Cmdr]

I can't believe it!!!. I'm so giddy, I wanna go back to kindergarten!!

If you're a math whiz like me, you'll understand. If not, move along please because you'll only find severe brain damage here.

[Guest]

A brief description in laymans terms of the benefits of solving this would be appreciated.

[Wolferz]

LOL Tac is the first fly on the flypaper.

[weegee_101]

E8 is one of the many algebraic Lie groups discovered in the 1890s. Its also the largest and one of the most useful Lie groups in theoretical physics, most importantly in string theory. I personally don't know enough about string theory to elaborate much further than that though.

[scrapilot]

The math sounds impressive. I wonder how many computers had to run at once to solve the problem. The fact that they knew exactly what combinations to try to solve the matrix is impressive. I think it shows we have the mathematical know how to solve many problems in chemistry and physics provided computers become cheap enough to solve hundreds or thousands of math problems like this.

Maybe if computers could be powerful enough to cheaply solve hundreds of matrixes like this on a regular basis, we could test theories to fill in the gaps for promising chemicals at the DNA level to make new medicines or novel fuels.

[aramike]

I'll be impressed when (if) the practical applications roll out.

[Protoford]

The E8.pdf is just pretty to look at.

http://aimath.org/E8/mcmullen.html