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Suf Sanin

@sufsanin

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Kingston
Rnd 2024
Queen's Physics/Math 2029

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বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের প্রথম বছর শেষ হল। সময় কেটে গেল সংখ্যা বিহীন অংকে। উত্তরের চেয়ে উত্তরে পৌঁছানোর পথ জানাটাই ‘অংক’। আর “আমার এই পথ চাওয়াতেই আনন্দ!”

First year of university ends! Time slipped through doing maths which had no numbers. The answer wasn’t important. What mattered was the road taken to the answer. Here’s to more roads not (yet) taken! by @sufsanin

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5 months ago

The three numbers in the 1st image are solutions to a math equation. You may ask “What kind of bizarre equation have solutions that large?" It's deceptively simple. Before scrolling to the 3rd image, try guessing what the equation might be.
It was posted on Reddit with the caption “95% of people cannot solve this!” That estimate would be quite generous. But why does such a simple question have such a complicated solution? I was fortunate to have that answered by none other than my favourite professor–Dr. Mike Roth.
While the problem looks like it can be solved by basic algebra, the solution is much deeper. Dr. Roth began with simple techniques, such as setting a=b=c, and using brute force computation. But the talk quickly moved to elliptic curves, a topic taught to senior undergraduates.
He mentioned that if we solely relied on computers to do the problem by trying out every number till it finds a solution - it would take about 2x10^218 times the age of the universe to find the smallest values. This really shows how much more powerful mathematical reasoning is than brute force computation. Interestingly, the equation has infinite solutions, and the numbers on the board correspond to the SMALLEST solution.
What I always appreciate about Dr. Roth is that he is excited to talk about mathematics and he is happy to give his time to students. Every one of his lectures is a work of art – he teaches math like a story waiting to unfold. One particular example was his lecture on the epsilon delta definition of limits, which is a notoriously difficult concept to understand. He would present us with a possible formulation on the board which would look completely reasonable. But then he would poke holes in it showing how fatally flawed it was. He continued until finally reaching the formal definition of a limit. He told us to imagine a devilish advocate or annoying sibling finding flaws in whatever you say. He joked that for some, there may not be a difference between the two.
Lectures like these remind me how beautiful mathematics truly is, how simple questions can hide such complexities, just like how unassuming characters often have the most fascinating stories to tell. by @sufsanin

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7 months ago

Earlier this year, I atteded a colloquium on neural networks by Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton. At the end, someone stood up and asked a compelling question on Hebb’s law. That someone was Dr. Ram Murty. Last week, I had the chance to attend his talk.
I study physics and math, yet I hold keen interest in literature and philosophy. His lecture wove them. Dr. Murty began by likening Artificial Intelligence 'Frankenstein', one of my favourite literary works. The juxtaposition gives me hope. Frankenstein’s creature is not inherently evil. He is benevolent. However, he is harshly mistreated. He resents those who refuse to accept him, turning him towards a dark path. This shows that AI can be a friend or a foe, depending on how we use it.
Dr. Murty gradually shifted toward a deeper, unsettling question – a discussion that tested the limits of reasoning itself. The talk was my first exposure to Gödel’s idea - in axiomatic systems, there exists a mathematical statement that cannot be proven or falsified. I was in awe. I have always been fascinated by arguments about determinism. Discussion on causality and free-will often drift to mathematics, to physics, not to mention quantum mechanics. This is partly why I chose to study those subjects. I felt I couldn’t meaningfully understand or contribute to these ideas without learning the mathematics behind them.
Hearing about Gödel's theorem made me reflect. If the universe is governed by a set of equations, can we be certain that we can solve them? Prove them? Roger Penrose’s 'The Emperor’s New Mind' was mentioned repeatedly. Dr. Murty’s each reference made it feel less like a citation and more like an invitation. After hearing about Penrose’s book discussed alongside Gödel and the limits of formal reasoning, I feel I must read it.
Applying mathematics to the real world always involves uncertainty. We approximate irrational numbers. There are equations without analytical solutions forcing us to rely on numerical methods. Quantum Physics speaks in probabilities. Turbulence and the three-body problem further question the predictability of nature. Even if the universe is written in math, does that mean we can read the script? by @sufsanin

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7 months ago

Fractals of the year by @sufsanin

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9 months ago

For me, Ustadji, you are never gone.

The middle of last year, I promised myself- I would write something at the beginning of the new year. Why? Because by then I had already attended concerts, meet, and even learn from some of the greatest musicians- Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Ustad Sukhvinder Singh, and Ustad Shahbaz Hussain, all in the span of a few months. I wanted to write about how thankful I was.
I am still thankful. However, I intended to write with a happy note. I cannot anymore as the maestro I interacted with first in 2024 was Ustad Zakir Hussain.
It was 27th of March in Kingston, Ontario—a chilly evening with the temperature around 5 degrees Celsius. I remember walking into the concert, completely unfazed by the chill, filled with nothing but excitement to hear Ustadji’s music. He was playing with Ustad Sabir Khan on Sarangi and Debopriya Chatterjee on the flute. After they finished their mesmerizing alap, I remember Ustadji's first ‘ta’ which resonated throughout the hall. What perplexed me- how he created such overwhelming sound with what seemed to be a slight touch on the tabla. At the beginning of the performance he was playing bols on pakhwaj-tabla with open hands which I never heard him do before. Another thing pleasantly shocking to me was that he would play the sharp ‘tick’ bol on the pakhwaj with great ease, something I was struggling to do at the time. I could do it on a regular tabla, but the sound just didn’t come on a pakhwaj no matter what I tried.
At a time they even switched from playing ektaal to teentaal (change time signatures) seamlessly without stopping the melody, something which I cannot comprehend to this day. I haven’t seen anyone do something like this since. When Ustadji played solo, his fingers danced like they always have. Usually dancers dance in response to music, but here it's the 'dance' itself that made the music happen.
After the concert, I saw a group of people outside in the corridor waiting to meet Ustadji. I had a math test the next morning but I said to myself ‘who cares’ and joined them.
CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS and REPLIES by @sufsanin

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2 years ago

Pandit Anindo Chatterjee's playing always filled me with awe, and showed me how great the instrument tabla can really be. I still cannot believe .. I got to learn and receive blessings from the same person who inspired me to learn the instrument in the first place. by @sufsanin

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2 years ago

Experiencing a solar eclipse was ILLUMINATING. Even though the sky was somewhat cloudy, it did not lessen the GRAVITY of the event. Especial thanks to my dad for taking all the photos and for gifting me with a solar binocular. taken in Kingston, Ontario by @sufsanin

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3 years ago

Feeling grateful to have experienced such a mesmerizing concert and receive Ustadji's blessings. The tunes and rhythms are still echoing in my ears. by @sufsanin

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3 years ago

There's no place like home by @sufsanin

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3 years ago

Please watch till the end
This is the best demonstration of tabla. Just look at his insanely swift finger movements by @sufsanin

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4 years ago

Everyone: Wow look how beautiful the water is.
Me a complete nerd: Wow look how I am creating a sine wave by moving my hand up and down. by @sufsanin

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4 years ago

#schlierenimaging
What you see right here is called schlieren imaging. This is an optical system which allows you to see currents in fluids (mainly gasses). This technique uses a roughly parabolic mirror to focus light onto a camera or the eye. The parabolic mirror produces the image in a special manner. The reason we can see these currents, is because the flow of fluid bends the light, but our eyes aren't sensitive enough to notice that. But this effect is amplified over a large distance which makes it possible to see air currents. In this video I am lighting a lighter and you can clearly see the hot air around the flame rising; you can also see how the currents coming from two lighters interact with each other which is really cool. This technique has numerous applications. Scientists often use this method to determine the aerodynamics of a car or plane, using a slow motion camera you can also visualize sound waves and a scientist even showed how masks can help block the air currents of a sneeze or cough traveling too far. by @sufsanin

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4 years ago