Are there any recent advances in Maths that have real world applications?

[Gerenuk]

Can you think of some recent advances in Maths (i.e. an physics undergrad won't know) that are at least vaguely related to some real world applications (i.e. life would be harder without them)?
Some new tools, tricks or methods?
Maybe some new concept apart from algorithmic improvements for speed.

 

[micromass]

Wavelets. It basically revolutionized the field of data processing, and it caused images and movies to take up less space.

It's still a very, very, very popular area of research!

 

[Gerenuk]

Thanks. Interesting!
I once read something about basic wavelets and it seemed a simple idea. But I guess I have to read more about it.
Good suggestion :)

 

[mike21]

Does anyone know if i can construct-compose time-series consist of wavlets? e.g. if i have as data a characteristic wave height and a wave length i can produce time-series with Fourier transform which equals of a superposition of sinus waves. i want to do the same but with wavelets. possible?

 

[gsal]

Gerenuk: cryptography?

 

[Guffel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percolation_theory"