Science in Brief: October’s Most Intriguing discoveries
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A software engineer’s exhaustive search for the perfect Boggle board-yielding a record-breaking score of 3,625 points-headlines a collection of captivating research that might have slipped under the radar this month. From the microscopic structure of pasta to the geological puzzles of Mars, October’s science news offers a diverse range of compelling insights.
This monthly roundup highlights research that demonstrates the power of both meticulous observation and innovative computation. These stories, while varied in subject matter, underscore the ongoing human drive to understand the world around us, from the everyday objects we interact with to the distant landscapes of othre planets. Here are six notable studies that caught our attention.
The Quest for the Ultimate Boggle Board
Software engineer dan Vanderkam recently published a preprint on the physics arXiv detailing his accomplished attempt to identify the Boggle board configuration with the highest possible score. His solution, pictured, achieves 3,625 points and includes over 1,000 possible words, with “replastering” as the longest. Vanderkam told the Financial Times, ”As far as I can tell, I’m the only person who is actually interested in this problem.”
previous attempts to optimize Boggle boards date back to 1982, achieving a score of 2,195. While Vanderkam’s board was suspected to be optimal, proving it required a novel approach. He grouped board configurations by similar patterns and established upper bounds to eliminate less promising candidates,employing what he describes as an old school “branch and bound” technique. His detailed documentation, including the code used, is available on his blog.
Other Notable Research from October:
* Spaghetti Showdown: Researchers investigated the microstructural differences between regular and gluten-free spaghetti.
* snakes in Motion: Stunning photography captured snakes exhibiting remarkable agility and speed.
* Martian Mysteries: Scientists continue to unravel the formation of gullies on the surface of Mars.
