Physicists Uncover New Solution for Cosmic Collisions.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-10 January 2008-Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Physicists Uncover New Solution for Cosmic Collisions(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:10012008

Troy, N.Y. -- It turns out that our math teachers were right: being able to solve problems without a calculator does come in handy in the "real" world. Two theoretical physicists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have used what they call "pen-and-paper math" to describe the motion of interstellar shock waves -- violent events associated with the birth of stars and planets.

The findings, published recently in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, could provide astronomers with important information on the history of the solar system, the formation of stars,...