So gross wie Manhattan
This is a picture of the root system of type E8, projected from 8 dimensions down to 2. Picture by John Stembridge, based on a drawing by Peter McMullen. Mathematicians have mapped the inner workings of one of the most complicated structures ever studied: the object known as the exceptional Lie group E8. This achievement is significant both as an advance in basic knowledge and because of the many connections between E8 and other areas, including string theory and geometry. The magnitude of the calculation is staggering: the answer, if written out in tiny print, would cover an area the size of Manhattan. Mathematicians are known for their solitary work style, but the assault on E8 is part of a large project bringing together 18 mathematicians from the U.S. and Europe for an intensive four-year collaboration. More at: http://www.aimath.org/E8/