Knitting is Knotty... and Mathematical
In high school, we had a running joke about one of my classmates, who drove his mom’s Prius with the pink bumper sticker “knitting is knotty.” The gendered undertones of the joke aside (that a boy would have a bumper sticker about knitting *clutches pearls*), it turns out that there are many lessons to take from knitting. Knot theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with… you guessed it, knots. While the field can seem pretty abstract, its applications are quite real-world. For example, knot theory principles give us a clue to how DNA folds itself in our cells. Understanding protein folding is one primary key to understanding gene expression and function. Knot theory can also tell us how a molecule’s makeup and distribution in space give rise to its chemical and physical properties. One physicist, Dr. Elisabetta Matsumoto at Georgia Tech, is coming up with a comprehensive playbook for the field: she’s setting out to create a catalog of stitch types (of which there are many) to help scientists, manufacturers, and knitters alike hone their craft. Like the field of knot theory itself, Dr. Matsumoto’s research is interdisciplinary: she combines computer science and mathematics to train computers to think like a knitter. By taking into account factors like mathematical stitch details and yarn properties, the machine may be able to predict the mechanical properties of fabrics. One day, these discoveries may contribute towards futuristic technologies like human tissue engineering and wearable smart clothing. (Read more here.)
Natalie Wang is currently working on her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University as a Hodson Trust Scholar. Her research interests are in DNA damage and repair, as well as post-operative delirium in older patients. Natalie started volunteering with WIS PDX in 2019 as a member of the outreach and education team, and is now the producer and a co-host of WIS's podcast, WISterhood. When not listening to music or doom-scrolling on Twitter, she can be found checking closets for Narnia.