Finding language to describe the undiscovered
Originally written for University of
Toronto Scarborough Experience
Mathematics is the true and universal language of science –and sometimes it runs ahead of its subject matter. Over and over again, exercises in pure mathematics have been found to describe aspects of physical reality from the spiral shapes of seashells to the trajectory of sub-atomic particles.
In a sense, research into mathematics is the boldest research of all, because it can help the human mind come to grips with phenomena that are beyond description or normal understanding.
The world as a collection of random processes
“In the 19th century, the prevalent view was that the world is deterministic and by looking at it today, you can tell how it will look tomorrow,” says Dr. Balint Virag, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Scarborough and Canada Research Chair holder. “Today, most scientists think of the world as a collection of random processes interacting with each other. As a mathematician, part of my job is to understand these processes, learn the laws and develop a language other sciences can use.”
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| Math and Mother Nature: mathematics can describe an astonishing array of natural phenomena, from weather patterns to the shape of seashells. |
Developing an improved language for science
“These studies have applications at several levels,” explains Dr. Virag. “However, the most important use of this type of mathematics is to develop an improved language for other sciences. So, in a sense, my real endeavour is expanding the language of science.”