MAKE: Blog: HOW TO - Generate and identify random knots in a piece of string

HOW TO - Generate and identify random knots in a piece of string

Project 1 Fig 1 Janu 2008
The latest Citizen Scientist has a great article about knots Dorian M. Raymer! -

What governs the annoying formation of random knots in strings, cords, and garden hoses? Mathematicians have studied knots for more than a century, but only in the abstract. As physicists, we have also found this to be an interesting physics problem. What is a knot? How many different knots exist? How do knots form? The word knot has several meanings. Colloquially, a knot refers to a string that is tangled or interlaced with itself or another strand of rope.

HOW TO - Generate and identify random knots in a piece of string - Link.

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Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Jo on January 9, 2008 at 4:31 PM

I don't care how long it's been studied. I still think string theory is a sham.

:rimshot:

Posted by: bobbo on January 11, 2008 at 12:08 AM

while string theory utilizes knot theory, they are not at all equivalent

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