Not for the faint of art. |
Complex Numbers A complex number is expressed in the standard form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is defined by i^2 = -1 (that is, i is the square root of -1). For example, 3 + 2i is a complex number. The bi term is often referred to as an imaginary number (though this may be misleading, as it is no more "imaginary" than the symbolic abstractions we know as the "real" numbers). Thus, every complex number has a real part, a, and an imaginary part, bi. Complex numbers are often represented on a graph known as the "complex plane," where the horizontal axis represents the infinity of real numbers, and the vertical axis represents the infinity of imaginary numbers. Thus, each complex number has a unique representation on the complex plane: some closer to real; others, more imaginary. If a = b, the number is equal parts real and imaginary. Very simple transformations applied to numbers in the complex plane can lead to fractal structures of enormous intricacy and astonishing beauty. |
Final April entry for "Journalistic Intentions" [18+]... Storage Plastic and the Pacific Garbage Patch Hopefully everyone has heard of the Pacific Garbage Patch by now. Though technically it's not a patch but a gyre, and while the imagery makes you think there's just an unbroken layer of plastic soda bottles and whatnot in some sort of big island-looking thing, the reality is much worse: it's mostly microplastics, and you can't really see much of it. Though there probably are a few floating islands. And sea monsters. There are always sea monsters. The gyre is kind of like a black hole for floating plastics: they can get in, but being surrounded by currents, they can't get out, and so they just sit there and rotate like a galaxy (I might be mixing metaphors). But it makes me wonder. What if it was a bunch of macroscopic, non-degrading, floating plastics? I mean, that would be bad too, sure, but if the patch were dense enough, maybe some enterprising person could... clean it up? Nah, we're talking evil genius here. Glue the pieces together (using epoxy or some other adhesive that could stand up to corrosive salt water) and build a raft on it. Glue the lids onto the storage boxes for extra flotation. The plastic isn't going anywhere, so we might as well make it useful, right? Someone could claim it. Build their own country. Get married. Have kids. Garbage Patch Kids. Come on, you know you want to. |