Message #3329

From: mananself@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Research Project
Date: Wed, 06 Apr 2016 19:04:49 -0700

I have a PhD only in engineering. So my answers don’t represent professional mathematicians.

1. I don’t think puzzles make people smarter. But there is research showing people engaging in puzzles have a lower risk of Alzheimer:
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease#Lifestyle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease#Lifestyle and that’s the best I know. You can dig into wikipedia’s references if you like.
   

On the other hand, only those people with interests in math play math-related puzzles. Therefore naturally puzzlers are more likely to have higher education or more scientific interests. If 4D puzzles become a required course in school, I don’t think it’ll make the population smarter.

1. 4D puzzles are for fun! It’s a toy and a hobby. It’s also a good channel to meet other people with similar interests. That’s how people in this group meet.
   

1. I don’t think many mathematicians work on topics related to 4D puzzles nowadays. I only know Prof Erik Demaine, and his ex-student Bob Hearn (are you in this group?) publish about puzzles. But I don’t know if they published specifically about high dimensional puzzles. Check out the professors page: http://erikdemaine.org/ http://erikdemaine.org/ Once you have their papers maybe you can follow their references and dig out more.
   

Nan