Hello and welcome AQUILAnauts to this , our Mysterious Maths
issue .
Before you get stuck in , let ’ s do an interesting test . Go to page 11 and check out our Seeing Circles puzzle . I ’ ll wait .
Done it ? Great . I ’ m going to let you into a secret – this puzzle , or a similar version of it , is quite famous . It ’ s called the Ebbinghaus illusion . Which is the biggest circle , do you think ? How many of them are identical ? Tricky isn ’ t it .
You might imagine that all humans will struggle with this puzzle in similar ways . Actually , research suggests that ’ s not the case . Scientists think that the outcome of this test can vary depending on the culture and background of the person doing the test .
If you ’ re from an urban society , you will probably struggle with the Ebbinghaus illusion . At the very least , you ’ ll find it perplexing , you might even find it a little annoying ( sorry ). If , however , you happen to have been brought up with the Himba people of southwest Africa , you may not find it that difficult at all . The Himba people tend to use their powers of focus and perception differently to their towny counterparts . Professor of Psychology , Jules Davidoff , thinks this is down to their very traditional , rural , semi-nomadic lifestyle . The Himba don ’ t spend as much of their time inside houses , surrounded by hard angles and corners . It ’ s also very important to them that they ’ re able to tell individual cattle apart by their markings . They can therefore focus right in on smaller details OR look at the bigger picture . Urban people ’ s brains , on the other hand , are generally not as good at focusing on tiny differences . Amazing , right ?
You wanted mysterious maths ? You got it .
Freya Hardy , Ed
We hope you have a magnificent March , but don ’ t get too carried away . We ’ ll need you back here in April in time for our chock-a-block CHOCOLATE issue !
What ’ s your number ? Did you know that , although our species is about 300,000 years old , we only invented numbers 20,000 years ago ? I know , right ? Amazing ! So where do numbers even come from , then ? Calculata ’ s here to find out .
Cereal thriller This month Polly ’ s making her own crop circles . Oh no . You thought … no , I meant miniature ones ! Haven ’ t you heard of the Countryside Code ?
Something to sink your teeth into Check out this page of munch-able maths morsels .
The truth is out there Are humans alone in the universe ? And , if not , how many alien planets might be out there ? Calculata ’ s exploring the outer reaches of space and getting to grips with the Drake equation . Now that ’ s what I call a roamin ’ numeral !
Muffin to see here Did you know that we live in an ever-expanding universe ? That ’ s right . Everything in space is moving away from everything else . What ’ s more , the further away it is , the faster it ’ s moving . Harvey ’ s learning all about redshift , by baking some redshift raisin cakes . Oi ! Harvey ! Save me one of those will y … too late . They ’ ve already disappeared . See ? Told you .