links for 2009-05-30

"The first and simplest answer would be ânoâ."

Awesome origami art, and science as well.

Everybody with a blog has a book deal these days...

"In an old joke, two noblemen vie to name the bigger number. The first, after ruminating for hours, triumphantly announces "Eighty-three!" The second, mightily impressed, replies "You win."

A biggest number contest is clearly pointless when the contestants take turns. But what if the contestants write down their numbers simultaneously, neither aware of the otherâs? To introduce a talk on "Big Numbers," I invite two audience volunteers to try exactly this."