Free Republic

Mathematics has been called the language of the universe. Scientists and engineers often speak of the elegance of mathematics when describing physical reality, citing examples such as π, E=mc2, and even something as simple as using abstract integers to count real-world objects. Yet while these examples demonstrate how useful math can be for us, does it mean that the physical world naturally follows the rules of mathematics as its "mother tongue," and that this mathematics has its own existence that is out there waiting to be discovered? This point of view on the nature of the relationship between mathematics and...

A black high school student in New Jersey who claimed he received racist text messages demanding him to drop out of a student government election sent the messages to himself, a school official confirmed to TheBlaze Tuesday. “The police have confirmed the student had sent the text messages to himself,” Saint Peter’s Prep vice principal James Horan told TheBlaze Tuesday morning. Horan said in a statement the school is happy to finally put the issue behind them, and “now considers the case closed.”

WASHINGTON — National Intelligence Director James Clapper is apologizing for telling Congress earlier this year that the National Security Agency does not collect data on millions of Americans. In a letter to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, Clapper says his answer was “clearly erroneous.” Leaks by NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden have revealed the NSA’s sweeping data collection of U.S. phone records and some Internet traffic every day, though U.S. intelligence officials have said the programs are aimed at targeting foreigners and terrorist suspects overseas. Clapper was asked in March if the NSA gathered “any type of data at...

Comments in Middle East border on bizarre... Bill Clinton (in Qatar) called the cartoon depictions of Muhammad published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last fall "totally outrageous cartoons against Islam," ... In fact, the cartoons are pretty tame stuff -- the Islamic prophet is not shown as dirty, drooling, shaped like an animal or engaged in any unsavory acts, all standard for cartoon depictions of Jews in the modern Arab press. Mr. Clinton is entitled to his opinion, of course, though one wonders why he would want to gin up more hostility toward the West with an inflammatory characterization of...

Kerry 'invented Christmas in Cambodia claim' By David Rennie in Washington (Filed: 12/08/2004) For the first time, Sen John Kerry, the Democratic presidential challenger, has been left floundering by allegations that he invented a key episode of his decorated wartime service in Vietnam - a central plank of his election platform. Mr Kerry has fought off charges for several years that he did not deserve all the medals he won in Vietnam, which included a Bronze Star and Silver Star for gallantry, and three Purple Hearts for combat wounds. John Kerry: Vietnam record central to his election bid Crewmates from...

Austria claims to have invented tartan kilts Tartan kilts have become fashionable in Austria after archaeologists claimed the country invented them. Many Austrian stores are now selling "traditional Austrian" kilts and sporrans as well as lederhosen. The Austrian claim is based on the discovery of what they claim is the oldest piece of tartan in the world.The host of the Austrian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire is the latest convert to the trend. Armin Assinger turned up at the studio wearing one of the Carinthian kilts. Thomas Rettl, whose clothing company is based close to where scraps...

Debate over who invented first phone hushed up for 50 years By Roger Highfield, Science Editor (Filed: 01/12/2003) Evidence of a 50-year-old cover-up to curb public debate over whether a German science teacher invented the first telephone rather than the Scot Alexander Graham Bell has been discovered in the Science Museum, London. Alexander Graham Bell Tests conducted after the Second World War on a primitive German telephone that predates Bell's by 13 years were suppressed by a prominent businessman, ensuring that there would be no debate over whether the Scot really deserved to be called the father of modern communications....

The Making of a Comeback The painful 2000 election behind him, Al Gore warns that Bush is leading America into deep trouble. Is that a message that will win the White House in 2004?

Stone age man invented beer before making bread, says expert Archaeologists have found that man first discovered alcohol in 9000 BC, more than 5,000 years earlier than previously thought. According to The Sun they reckon pottery was invented because man needed a mug to hold his beer. Until now researchers have assumed the first human settlements, which appeared in the Middle East, were built around farming and growing corn for food. But archaeologist Merryn Dinely, of Manchester University, told the paper that corn was turned into malt, the main ingredient for making beer. Dr Dinely found that almost all ancient...

Chinese invented numbers, researcher claims A Singapore researcher believes the Chinese invented the numerical system, not Arabs and Indians, as is commonly thought. India and Arabia came up with the written symbols, but China invented a system involving bamboo rods which could express any number. Lam Lay Yong believes the Chinese were adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing at least 1,000 years before anyone else. A retired National University of Singapore mathematics professor, Dr Lam, 66, told The Straits Times the universal system using the numbers one to nine - known as the Hindu-Arabic system - had its roots in the...