Knot theory

Knot theory is a branch of topology inspired by observations, as the name suggests, of knots. But progress in the field does not depend exclusively on experiments with twine. Knot theory concerns itself with abstract properties of theoretical knots — the spatial arrangements that in principle could be assumed by a loop of string.

History

Knot theory originated in an idea of Lord Kelvin's (1867), that atoms were knots of swirling vortices in the æther. He believed that an understanding and classification of all possible knots would explain why atoms absorb and emit light at only the discrete wavelengths that they do. We now know that this idea was mistaken, that the discrete wavelengths depend on quantum energy levels).{{ref|Peterson}}{{ref|JimDavis}}

Related Topics:
Lord Kelvin - 1867 - æther - Absorb and emit - Wavelength - Quantum energy level

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Scottish physicist Peter Tait spent many years listing unique knots under the belief that he was creating a table of elements. When the Luminiferous æther was not detected in the Michelson-Morley experiment, vortex theory became completely obsolete, and knot theory fell out of scientific interest. Only in the past 100 years, with the rise of topology, have knots become a popular field of study. Today, knot theory finds applications in String theory, DNA replication and recombination, and in areas of statistical mechanics.

Related Topics:
Peter Tait - Michelson-Morley experiment - Vortex theory - Topology - String theory - DNA - Replication - Recombination - Statistical mechanics

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