Math Seminar talk
Wednesday, Jan. 22 | 4-5 p.m. | BR 268
Please join us for the first Math Seminar talk of the semester this Wednesday January 22, 2020 at 4pm in BR 268. Dr. Adam M. Goyt will be speaking on the Banach-Tarski Paradox.
The Banach-Tarski Paradox says that one can divide a three-dimensional sphere into a finite number of pieces and reassemble them to form two spheres, each the same size as the original one. This incredibly counter-intuitive theorem has interested mathematicians since its publication in 1924. The proof of the Banach-Tarski paradox requires the controversial Axiom of Choice, uses the fact that there are set of points whose measure cannot be determined, and depends heavily on properties of infinity. We will discuss these challenging parts of the proof, and discuss some theoretical physics that may give evidence of the Banach-Tarski paradox in the real world.