Author Archives: Sung Lee

Are We Alone in the Universe After All?

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Sung Lee

In the movie Contact (which is based on the novel with the same title by Carl Sagan), Ellie Arroway (played by Jodie Foster) was speaking to a group of children: “I’ll tell you one thing about the universe, though. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space | Leave a comment

A Notable Quote on Richard Feynman

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Sung Lee

From Freeman Dyson, “Disturbing the Universe”, Harper & Row, New York, 1979: “Dick was also a profoundly original scientist. He refused to take anybody’s word for anything. This meant that he was forced to rediscover or reinvent for himself almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

$\sum_{n=0}^\infty e^{nix}$ is Cesàro Summable

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Sung Lee

Back when I was a Ph.D. student, a friend of mine (he was a Ph.D. student in physics studying laser optics) asked me if the series $\sum_{n=0}^\infty e^{nix}$ converges. I vaguely remember that his advisor needed to have a finite … Continue reading →

Posted in Summability Methods | 5 Comments

$1+2+3+4+\cdots=-\frac{1}{12}$?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Sung Lee

No, folks! I am not drunk nor I am pot-headed. Yet, I am about to discuss the crazy identity $$1+2+3+4+\cdots=-\frac{1}{12}.$$ No, I am not joking either. This is actually pretty serious mathematics and is also pretty serious stuff even to … Continue reading →

Posted in Foundations of Mathematics, Summability Methods | 4 Comments

Time Travel, Parallel Universes (Alternate Realities) and the Greys

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Sung Lee

Time Travel in Science Fiction It does not require a physicist to get excited about time travel. Time travel is one of the most popular themes in modern day science fiction genre. “The Time Machine, H. G. Wells, 1895″ is … Continue reading →

Posted in Time Travel | 4 Comments