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Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

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Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#111

Post by kragen »

VMG wrote: post #108
kragen wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I notice you don't seem to have dared to say you disagree — would you say that the point of consciousness is to make money?

No. But there are things besides money and math. Like photography!

I thought the point of photography was primarily so that you (people, in general, not necessarily just you individually) could look at the photos, i.e., experience them consciously, and secondarily to consciously experience the process of photography itself. But perhaps you have a different reason for considering photography worthwhile, other than the conscious experience of the photographs and of the photography process? Or do you consider photography to be a good-in-itself, even if nobody ever sees the photos or experiences the process of taking them?

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#112

Post by justinclift »

kodachi wrote: post #97
mykowebhn wrote: post #25

> After months of working on solving the problem, Rafael González recalls, “I remember one morning I was making myself a slice of bread with Nutella, when suddenly, I said out loud: Mothers! It is there!” > He then ran to his computer and started programming the idea. When he executed the solution and saw that it worked, he says he jumped all over the place. It is unclear whether he finished eating the Nutella bread.…

I wonder that programming language he used. Many ideas are lost because we don't have something to write it on. That's the good thing about the so-called 'scripting languages' that IMO reduce the latency between idea and its materialization.

If you're really curious, maybe ask?

Shouldn't be too hard to figure out appropriate contact details. :)

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#113

Post by aalleavitch »

VMG wrote: post #102
kragen wrote: post #94

There are various people speculating on the economic significance of this solution, which, to me, is rather missing the point. It's like measuring the significance of the excavation of Tutankhamen's† tomb by the tourist revenues of museums. The point of economics is that it keeps us alive so we can do math and also think in other ways; the point of consciousness is not to make money. I don't think there is any econom…

> The point of economics is that it keeps us alive so we can do math The most hacker news comment I read all year

I love it, though. Perhaps the more general statement “the point of economics is that it keeps us alive so we can appreciate beauty” would be more universally agreed to.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#114

Post by justinclift »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #75

This is a seriously awesome piece of work. The mathematics in the paper are pretty dense but if you're ok with vector calculus its not too bad. The implication here is that you can build lenses that have a consistent focal plane across their entire surface. A pair of glasses made this way would have crystal clear vision regardless of your 'look' direction (as an example). It also suggests that you could build lenses…

Is this the kind of thing that will have an effect on optics in ray tracers?

"Real world" simulation optics I'm meaning (eg for material design/prototyping), more than gamer oriented. ;)

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#115

Post by kragen »

NeedMoreTea wrote: post #90
jjeaff wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hazelnut spread is one of those things that is much more commonly referred to as the brand name. No one says "Reynolds wrap" they say "aluminum foil". No one says "hazelnut spread", they say Nutella. No one says "resealable sandwich bags", they say ziploc bags.

Most people would just say "sandwich" unless the spread is somehow critical to the tale. I know it's a quote, but it sounds most odd to me as most people I know don't really brand drop in conversation. Coke is probably the big exception there... TIL what ziploc bags are. Just called "sandwich bags" here. Cling film isn't "sarran wrap" here either. :)

There used to be a distinction in the US: Saran Wrap was made of Saran and was much less oxygen-permeable than other cling films as a result. In a development that represents some kind of evidence about trademark law, Saran Wrap in the US is no longer made of Saran, due to concerns about plasticizers leaching into food; but it is still sold as "Saran Wrap". Here in Argentina, I can still get cling film made of PVDC, just not Saran-brand PVDC.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#116

Post by aasasd »

soganess wrote: post #58
hyperpallium wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This raises the perennial question of whether product placement is a legitimate source of funding for fundamental scientific research. After placing an ice-cube in my delicious glass of refreshing coca-cola brand carbonated beverage, I yelled Eureka! and jumped out of the bath. Is that really how it happened? Is it not inconsistent with the pursuit of truth?

It's really natural, on first mention, to refer to something using a member of the degenerate set of its most unique identifier, right? From that point on, to avoid repetition, mix in antecedents or generic names. Brands exploit this mechanic in language so that any time a, thereto unknown, good has to be addressed, that identification become advertising. It shifts from being a unique identification of an object/item…

It's just a writing device, in this case. The contrast of mundane detail and the high calling. Used all the time, e.g. NYT's style has pretty much devolved to the formula “begin with the details, then introduce the central topic.”

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#117

Post by thaumasiotes »

kragen wrote: post #94

There are various people speculating on the economic significance of this solution, which, to me, is rather missing the point. It's like measuring the significance of the excavation of Tutankhamen's† tomb by the tourist revenues of museums. The point of economics is that it keeps us alive so we can do math and also think in other ways; the point of consciousness is not to make money. I don't think there is any econom…

> It's like measuring the significance of the excavation of Tutankhamen's† tomb

> † Or Tutankhaten, as we used to call him.

This is a rare case where the name change is original to the foreign subject. Akhenaten, the heretic Pharaoh, threw out the traditional religion of Egypt and replaced it with monotheistic worship of the aten, the sun-disc. This didn't go over well -- after Akhenaten died, the traditional system reestablished itself, various records were "corrected", and Tutankhaten's name was changed, during his own lifetime, to something more traditional. Unlike his father, Tutankhamen didn't have the political power to maintain the heresy.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#118

Post by kragen »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #117
kragen wrote: post #94

There are various people speculating on the economic significance of this solution, which, to me, is rather missing the point. It's like measuring the significance of the excavation of Tutankhamen's† tomb by the tourist revenues of museums. The point of economics is that it keeps us alive so we can do math and also think in other ways; the point of consciousness is not to make money. I don't think there is any econom…

> It's like measuring the significance of the excavation of Tutankhamen's† tomb > † Or Tutankhaten, as we used to call him. This is a rare case where the name change is original to the foreign subject. Akhenaten, the heretic Pharaoh, threw out the traditional religion of Egypt and replaced it with monotheistic worship of the aten, the sun-disc. This didn't go over well -- after Akhenaten died, the traditional system…

Yeah, I meant it's what we called him when he was a kid.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#119

Post by Tossrock »

kodachi wrote: post #97
mykowebhn wrote: post #25

> After months of working on solving the problem, Rafael González recalls, “I remember one morning I was making myself a slice of bread with Nutella, when suddenly, I said out loud: Mothers! It is there!” > He then ran to his computer and started programming the idea. When he executed the solution and saw that it worked, he says he jumped all over the place. It is unclear whether he finished eating the Nutella bread.…

I wonder that programming language he used. Many ideas are lost because we don't have something to write it on. That's the good thing about the so-called 'scripting languages' that IMO reduce the latency between idea and its materialization.

It was Mathematica, they provide the code in the paper.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#120

Post by andygreenwell »

justinclift wrote: post #114
ChuckMcM wrote: post #75

This is a seriously awesome piece of work. The mathematics in the paper are pretty dense but if you're ok with vector calculus its not too bad. The implication here is that you can build lenses that have a consistent focal plane across their entire surface. A pair of glasses made this way would have crystal clear vision regardless of your 'look' direction (as an example). It also suggests that you could build lenses…

Is this the kind of thing that will have an effect on optics in ray tracers? "Real world" simulation optics I'm meaning (eg for material design/prototyping), more than gamer oriented. ;)

Expect to see an implementation included in subsequent releases of Code V and Zemax.
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