Murder on the Einstein Express and Other Stories

verfasst von: Harun Šiljak

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buchreihe : Science and Fiction

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This collection of stories touches upon many genres: Normed Trek is a clever and witty Alice-in-Wonderland-type narrative set in the realm of mathematical analysis, The Cantor Trilogy is a dystopia about the consequences of relying upon computer-based mathematical proofs, In Search of Future Time bears the flavor of Tales from Arabian Nights set in the future, and – last but not least - Murder on the Einstein Express is a short, non-technical primer on probabilities and modern classical physics, disguised as a detective story.

Written primarily for an audience with some background or a strong interest in mathematics, physics and computer science (in particular artificial intelligence), these stories explore the boundaries between science and fiction in a refreshingly unconventional fashion. In the Afterthoughts the author provides some further insights and annotations.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

First Story

Frontmatter

Normed Trek

Abstract

At the moment of t = 0, we arrived in the space B. Our group (denoted G) was small, but commutative with respect to addition, composed of different non-negative elements. The trajectory that lead us to this space was class \(C^{\infty }\), smooth and continuous. The mission for the group remained unknown, although given implicitly.

Harun Šiljak

Second Story

Frontmatter

Cantor Trilogy

Abstract

Previously unpublished letter found in Hastings Institute Museum inside one of the books owned by J. L. Hastings, signed by certain Gyrgy Molnar. Footnotes and comments by Jennifer Misley, Hastings Curator.

Harun Šiljak

Third Story

Frontmatter

In Search of Future Time

Abstract

“Seryozha, I just came to finish the story.” Gadarine was a tall, beautiful Armenian girl whose sister, Milena, I had a chance to meet a year ago in a caligraphy class. Milena was drawn in my memory with long and slim lines of the caligraphic masterpieces I saw in her sheets. On the other hand, Gadarine was all about strict lines of Piet Mondrian and clean shades. Gadarine was an art historian, De Stijl expert. When I entered the small study room that evening, passing under paintings of Klimt, Schiele, Kokoka, Dali and a rough sketch by Picasso (a present given to my father in allegedly better days), I was thinking about a story she started exactly a week ago. The story was supposed to be about art.

Harun Šiljak

Fourth Story

Frontmatter

Murder on the Einstein Express

Abstract

I have always enjoyed writing. The fact I am not good at it couldn’t stop me, since I had the will and thought it’s enough. However, the publishers would soon prove me wrong. What I hated the most was the repeated rejection of a story about thought experiments in physics I was so proud of. Sci-Fi editors didn’t understand it, scientists thought it was inappropriate, so it had no place to go.

Harun Šiljak

The Science Behind the Fiction

Frontmatter

Afterthoughts

Abstract

Most of the puzzles, allusions and homages can be directly understood from the text of the stories. However, there might be a need for explanation of a few things separately, in case the reader would like some extra clues. Consider this a walkthrough – and beware, spoilers ahead.

Harun Šiljak

Titel: Murder on the Einstein Express and Other Stories
verfasst von: Harun Šiljak
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-29066-9
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29065-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29066-9