Abstract / Synopsis
Creativity amidst constraints is a hallmark of the STEM researcher. It is precisely what is required to see what has never been seen. It is also at the core of creative mathematics, more commonly called “research”. We in the 21st century tell ourselves that science and story are separate enterprises. One goal of this article is to tell parts of the human story—featuring Shakespeare, Tycho Brahe, visiting stars, Little Green Men, and modern astrophysics—that might erode belief in that duality and illustrate why dissolving the artificial barriers between talents within individuals is to the benefit of ourselves, our students, and society.
Curious about how one of the greatest plays in English literature may be related to the man whose work made possible Kepler’s discovery of the laws of motion of the planets in our solar system? Ever wondered who was the world’s first known science fiction writer? Read on.
DOI
10.5642/jhummath.201702.17
Recommended Citation
Sheila K. Miller, "Shakespeare, a Supernova, and a Little Green Man Walk into a Mathematics Classroom," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 7 Issue 2 (July 2017), pages 340-354. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.201702.17. Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol7/iss2/17
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