Take in Mind - Page 9 of 13 - Science for the curious. Popular science for people who love riddles, mysteries, culture and non-standard thinking

A Mad Tea-Party

June 22, 2020 By Leonid Livshits

Dear Take in Mind readers! In our recent article, “Let’s have a cup of coffee” I sang praises of a so wonderful and delicious drink,Read More

Screen Maestro: about the auditory Kuleshov effect

June 12, 2020 By Leonid Livshits

Good day, our dear readers! One of my good friends, Davide C. Cocco, is a very talented composer who recently participated in the Westworld ScoringRead More

When a Legend Becomes Reality. Part II. The Ancient GPS

June 9, 2020 By Samyon Ristov

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, a famous Science Fiction author, and inventor, once said that “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. The amazing storyRead More

Popular Dog-Human Phrasebook

June 4, 2020 By Leonid Livshits

Good day, our dear readers! Today, June 5th, is marked in our calendars as the World Environment Day. However, the moment I’m starting to thinkRead More

When a Legend Becomes Reality. Part I. Vikings’ Magical Powers

May 31, 2020 By Samyon Ristov

Not every legend is a myth, some of them are true. Such were the Vikings and their magical powers. The Vikings, Nordic people who livedRead More

Let’s have a cup of coffee

May 29, 2020 By Leonid Livshits

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Really, why not? Please, ladies and gentlemen,Read More

Ancient Geometry – 10,000 Years Before Pythagoras

May 23, 2020 By Inna Freikman

Once you start exploring the astounding achievements of ancestors you just cannot stop. Most recently, we admired the amazing achievements of the ancient inhabitants ofRead More

About woman’s guesses and man’s confidence

May 19, 2020 By Leonid Livshits

Introduction Once upon a time, there lived an old man with his old woman. The man often scolded his wife, accusing her of doing nothingRead More

Alice in Mathland

May 15, 2020 By Samyon Ristov

Math is everywhere, it’s in the nature, engineering, and the basis of modern civilization – keeping that in mind it won’t come as a surpriseRead More

Fables of Leonardo Da Vinci – Part V

May 11, 2020 By Administrator

The Stone & the Steel One day a flint stone struck by the steel turned upon it, surprised and indignant, and said: “What’s the matterRead More

Scientific Humor

About man’s fidelity!

…and there is another story. Once Thomas Edison’s wife told him: “Darling, you are so tired! Go somewhere, relax, have a rest, enjoy your time…” Edison listened to his wife’s wise advice, instantly packed up, and disappeared somewhere… The next day she found the inventor… in his own laboratory, where he actually spent the previous day and night, working with enthusiasm. To her surprised question, happy Edison replied: “Oh my, I’ve rested so well!”

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was a famous American inventor and businessman

Take a look

Once upon a time, a Brahmin (sage) invented the game of chess to teach the cruel Raja (the ruler) to treat his subjects well. In that game, the “Raja” (the name of one of the chess pieces) is the head of the state. If the “Raja” is captured, then his state ceases to exist. In case of danger, the “Raja” cannot survive without his faithful defenders and assistants – other figures.

The Raja was amazed by the game, understood its meaning, and promised not to oppress his subjects in the future. He then asked the Brahmin to choose the greatest reward he may wish for. The Brahmin replied that he wants to be rewarded with… wheat, but based on the following calculation: put one grain on the first cell of the chessboard, two on the second, four on the third, eight on the fourth, etc., doubling the number of grains on each subsequent cell.

The Raja, seeing that there are only 64 cells on the board, was surprised at the insignificance of the request. He decided that it’ll take about one or two sacks of wheat to fulfill it and gave the order to issue the reward immediately. Soon, the court mathematicians reported that the Raja would have to give so many grains, for which it would be necessary to sow the entire Earth, and the grown wheat would be enough to feed the whole population of Earth for 100 years.

Of course, the Raja could not fulfill his hasty promise and received another wise lesson from the inventor of the game of chess.

— A folk tale. Retold in the book “A complete course of chess: 64 lessons for beginners and not very experienced player”s, by S.B. Gubnitsky, M.G. Khanukov, S.A. Shedey.

The photo (own work) illustrates the second part of the fable, about exponential growth. In some variations, rice is requested instead of wheat, but in the photo, Wild Rice is used. The chess pieces’ positions are not random but positioned as in one of the first known chess riddles. In fact, it’s not even a chess riddle, but a Mansuba, a Shatranj problem, composed by Abu Na’im al Khadim (9th century). Shatranj is an old form of chess, with very similar rules. The differences in the rules don’t affect the riddle. White to move, and mate in three.

An easier view of the riddle is available in the first comment. Can you solve one of the oldest chess riddles?

Image source: Own work.

Think about

A few words about imagination

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ― Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist.

The great German mathematician David Hilbert (1862–1943) noticed that one of his students had started missing his lectures. When he asked for the reason, he was told that the student had left mathematics in favor of poetry. “Ah, yes,” said Hilbert, “I always thought he didn’t have enough imagination for mathematics…”

It is strange that only extraordinary men make the discoveries, which later appear so easy and simple. Georg Lichtenberg (1742 – 1799) was a German experimental physicist.

“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself.” Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian astronomer, mathematician, physicist, and philosopher.

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” — Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931) was an American inventor and businessman.