Every year on March 14, people use a mathematical symbol as an excuse to eat pie. It’s also an excuse for gratuitous math puns. Which, in case you didn’t solve the equation yet, our napkin science above means “imaginary number – 8 – sum – pi” or “I ate some pie.” Yes, we went there. And so did others: Check out our list of Pi Day science articles worth taking a slice from.
The following pieces explore the many dimensions of a single mathematical symbol: π. We've provided the link, some context, and our favorite quote from each article. Enjoy!
Crust Science
"The Food Lab: The Science of Pie Dough"
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt from Serious Eats is the author of "The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science." In this article on pie dough, he explores what makes the perfect, flaky, melt in your mouth, kind of crust. But this isn't the gossip of ladies at the county fair; this is the chemistry of crust.
"Turns out the science of pie crust is really not all that complex, and once you get a grasp of what's really going on in between those flaky layers, then making the perfect crust becomes a matter of smarts, not luck."J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Debatable Constant
"On Pi Day, Let's Gawk at the Beauty and Controversy of the Math Constant."
Eyder Peralta from National Public Radio's The Two-Way discusses both the merits and pitfalls of pi. For some, like mathematician Carlos Castillo-Chavez, pi initiates people to the great wonder and mystery of mathematics. Others like Vi Hart, a YouTube star and so-called recreational mathematician, say the constant is confusing and outdated. Listen to the story and check out the videos.
"Yeah, pie can be fun and I'd never deny you your desserts, but maybe try some real food every once in a while.Vi Hart
Proteins and Alcohol
"The scientific reason you should put booze into your pies "
Besides Pi Day, there are other holidays where pie takes center stage. Rachel Feltman runs the Washington's Post Speaking of Science blog, and in this December 24 post she gets into the chemistry of not just flakes--make it cold, folks--but also why a bit of vodka helps, too.
"When water is added to wheat flour, the proteins inside the flour connect to form networks of gluten. That's great for dense baked goods like bagels, but you want to limit that interaction in a flaky dessert."Rachel Feltman
And finally, in our own VP of Research office, staff held its 5th Annual Pi Day Pie Contest. Staff baked or purchased pies, which they brought in for judging on Pi Day, March 14, 2016.
At 11 a.m., judging begins. For the first fifteen minutes, pies are judged on appearance only. (Which feels like a long time to wait to eat pie, by the way.) Then, at precisely 11:15, the pies are sliced and everyone takes a bite — or more — of as many pies as they can handle. The crowd votes on the tastiest pie and the prettiest pie.
This year’s contestants are (from left to right) Chocolate Ricotta, Coconut Creme, Chocolate Salted Caramel Oreo, Cranberry Apple, Cherry Berry Jumble, Individual Mint Mojito, Peach Raspberry, Pumpkin with Chocolate Chips, and Chocolate.
What do the winners get for winning? Bragging rights for a year and the confidence to compete next year.
Winners of the Best Looking Prize
Winners of the Best Tasting Prize
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Comments