Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around uncommon and notably brief publications in the field of physics and mathematics, with participants sharing examples and recalling similar works. The scope includes theoretical reflections on the nature of brevity in academic writing.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant mentions a publication by Sommer and Hipple as potentially the shortest ever, prompting a discussion on brevity in academic papers.
- Another participant references a blog discussing a very short math paper by Conway, which consists of only two words and a diagram.
- A participant recalls a famous telegram exchange that exemplifies extreme brevity in communication.
- Someone shares a link to what they claim is the shortest abstract they have encountered in a publication.
- Another participant describes a math paper that demonstrates a probable prime is composite by simply publishing its factorization, emphasizing its unusual brevity.
- A participant humorously anticipates a future paper that could be succinctly proven with a simple phrase, suggesting it could be relevant to another work on E8.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants share various examples of short publications and express interest in the topic, but no consensus is reached on what constitutes the "shortest" or most unusual publication.
Contextual Notes
Some contributions reference external links and examples that may not be universally recognized or verified, leaving room for interpretation regarding the criteria for brevity.
Who May Find This Useful
Readers interested in the nature of academic writing, brevity in scientific communication, or historical examples of unusual publications in physics and mathematics.
