Topic: German teenager solves puzzle thought impossible

[Anders]

But he says he's no genius.

Damn furreigners, coming here to solve our puzzles...

[Shibboleth]

I hate to say I told you so but...

This... this is exactly why I said that it was a bad idea to tear down the Berlin wall.

[Citizen Skeptic]

But he says he's no genius.

Damn furreigners, coming here to solve our puzzles...

Soon they'll take all your puzzles.

[MisterMarc]

That could be the most poorly constructed news article I've ever read. It's just a long string of one-sentence paragraphs. Plus there is absolutely NO useful information about what the kid actually did in that article. In one sentence it says that scientists have been unable to solve these mystery problems, and in another it says they could previously only do it with a computer. Toss in the fact that this is a Mail article, and I'm not putting much stock in this story.

[DK]

Dude, seriously, can you warn folks when you're linking to the Daily Fail? I really, really try to avoid clicking on anything to do with them. Starve them of the ad-revenue clicks.

[Unlimited]

he is currently sitting his exams early.
Modestly Shouryya has pointed out he has weak points as a mathematician, and says he is not as competent in sport.

[Hanes]

So... what did he solve?

[Citizen Skeptic]

A puzzle thought impossible. Sheesh.

[ting-bu-dong]

The title translates to 'analytical solution to two unsolved problems in fundamental particle dynamics'. Plus, it's Jugend Forscht which is like a national level science fair which is very prestigious, and it's in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences in Dresden. So despite being a Daily Fail article the story checks out.

So... what did he solve?

Zwei Probleme aus der klassischen Mechanik haben mehrere Jahrhunderte mathematischer Bemühung getrotzt. Im ersten Problem handelt es sich darum, die Trajektorie eines schräg geworfenen Körpers im erdnahen Schwerefeld und Newton'schen Strömungswiderstand zu berechnen. Das zugrundeliegende Kraftgesetz wurde bereits von Newton (17. Jhd.) entdeckt. Beim zweiten Problem ist das Ziel die Beschreibung einer Partikel-Wand-Kollision unter Hertz’scher Kollisionskraft und linearer Dämpfung. Die Kollisionskraft wurde bereits 1858 von Hertz hergeleitet, eine lineare Dämpfungskraft ist seit Stokes (1850) bekannt.

It's about two problems in classical mechanics. The first deals with the trajectory of and drag on an object inserted askew into the Earth's gravitational field. The second deals with a collision between a particle and a wall involving something called a Hertz collision and linear dampening.

[Ah.hell]

So, did he cut it open with a sword?

[superdave]

I've read through some physics forums about this kid.  It sounds like what he did was indeed very impressive for a highschool or even college level student, maybe even grad level, but by no means did this unlock any particular mystery of the universe.

[Shadow Of A Doubt]

All well and good, but can he tell us how fucking magnets work?

[jomike]

In one sentence it says that scientists have been unable to solve these mystery problems

Baffled, they were!

All well and good, but can he tell us how fucking magnets work?

[Shibboleth]

I'll be impressed when he can explain where all of the pan flute players come from that sell their crappy CD's in the mall.