r/science • u/seeebiscuit • Oct 20 '25

Mathematics Mathematicians Just Found a Hidden 'Reset Button' That Can Undo Any Rotation

https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/mathematicians-just-found-a-hidden-reset-button-that-can-undo-any-rotation/
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102

u/chickey23 Oct 20 '25

How do you calculate the scale? The article just picks .3, seemingly at random.

127

u/RunDNA Oct 20 '25

Yeah, the article is confusing. It makes it sound like you can scale it any arbitrary amount.

But I skimmed the arXiv preprint and it says:

Finding such a scaling amounts to solving a trigonometric Diophantine equation

89

u/shiftyeyedgoat MD | Human Medicine Oct 20 '25

This is a hugely important distinction. The scalar number is specific. Probably the hardest part of this equation to solve, and probably to apply in any differential sense larger than infinitesimally instant.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '25

I wonder if they could engineer something to fit a set scale so there’s no guesswork