Unlocking Pi Through Quantum Physics by IISc physicists
The discovery of a new series representation for the irrational number pi has emerged from research into quantum scattering of high-energy particles, offering a simpler way to extract pi from complex calculations. This breakthrough comes from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), where scientists delved into string theory to explain certain physical phenomena.
A Historical Connection
This new formula remarkably aligns with the pi representation suggested by 15th-century Indian mathematician Sangamagrama Madhava, who recorded the first-ever series for pi. The study, led by postdoctoral researcher Arnab Saha and Professor Aninda Sinha from the Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP), was recently published in Physical Review Letters.
Serendipitous Discovery
“Our primary focus was not to find a new way to look at pi,” says Professor Sinha. “We were exploring high-energy physics in quantum theory, aiming to develop a model with fewer and more precise parameters to understand particle interactions. Discovering a new perspective on pi was an exciting surprise.”