What is the most important scientific question of our time? [more inside]
posted by Demogorgon on Oct 12, 2009 - 44 answers

What textbook can I use to learn General Relativity, including the associated math? [more inside]
posted by DU on Jul 6, 2009 - 22 answers

Wanting to leave academia after astrophysics PhD (oscillations in atmospheres of rotating starts, planets and discs). Need some feedback, tags, hints, keywords, that I should search in google and some suggestions of where my skills (look in the extended explanation) would be appreciated. [more inside]
posted by gradstu1980 on Nov 9, 2008 - 11 answers

Why are sine waves considered "pure" tones? Why do we consider sinusoids the building blocks of periodic functions? [more inside]
posted by phrontist on Jun 28, 2008 - 35 answers

My cousin's four year old son is obsessed with things like quarks and infinity. He insists to his mother that infinity is the last number. She isn't so sure, and wants to know more about things like strangeness. I don't want to determine this kid's future, but it seems fun to feed his curiosity. And since my wife's babysitter was Murray Gell-Mann, the responsibility has fallen partially on my shoulders to help answer his questions. What kinds of information can you recommend that I give to his mother so that she, an attorney and not a mathematician, and her son can learn more about this information. In particular, what kinds of books, games, and projects would introduce him to other neat ideas in mathematics and physics?
posted by billtron on Feb 16, 2008 - 27 answers

E8: what's in it for me? (inspired by this post) [more inside]
posted by Quietgal on Nov 16, 2007 - 6 answers

I would like to relearn some calculus on my own. Please recommend the best book for the purpose. [more inside]
posted by perissodactyl on Sep 10, 2006 - 16 answers

Is there a mathematical formula relating time and memory? [more inside]
posted by bru on Jan 31, 2006 - 16 answers

How do we know the mathematical models of physics — equations modeling the universe — apply across the universe, to data we collect about the universe that may be billions of years old? (What would be the process for verifying this?) [more inside]
posted by Rothko on Dec 2, 2005 - 22 answers

When reading a book about Newton V's Leibniz recently, it occurred to me that great advances in Science often seem to occur in tandem, ie two unrelated persons or groups often arrive at a breakthrough at roughly the same time. Is this true? Can anyone think of some other examples? Can anyone explain why this may be the case?
posted by kev23f on Nov 19, 2004 - 21 answers

I'd like to read a readable, yet not dumbed-down account of the current state of quantum physics, addressing the famous paradoxes and directions modern research is taking. Any recommendations? [more inside] [more inside]
posted by evinrude on Dec 18, 2003 - 11 answers