Princeton pair sets world record in packing puzzle

Princeton - Princeton - Princeton researchers have beaten the present world record for packing the most tetrahedra into a volume. Research into these so-called packing problems have produced deep mathematical ideas and led to practical applications as well. Image: Courtesy of Torquato Laboratory ) -   - Finding the best way to pack the greatest quantity of a specifically shaped object into a confined space may sound simple, yet it consistently has led to deep mathematical concepts and practical applications, such as improved computer security codes. When mathematicians solved a famed sphere-packing problem in 2005, one that first had been posed by renowned mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler in 1611, it made worldwide headlines. Now, two Princeton University researchers have made a major advance in addressing a twist in the packing problem, jamming more tetrahedra - solid figures with four triangular faces - and other polyhedral solid objects than ever before into a space. The work could result in better ways to store data on compact discs as well as a better understanding of matter itself. In the cover story of the Aug.