CoM | Maps of Strange Worlds: Beyond the Four-Color Theorem

In 1852, a math student posed a deceptively simple-sounding question: if you want to color a map so that bordering regions always have different colors, how many colors do you need?  This opened a rabbit hole that has kept mathematicians, computer scientists, and philosophers occupied for over a century, igniting a fundamental debate about how we know what is true.  The central result of this exploration is the Four-Color Theorem.

If your rabbit hole takes a proverbial right turn at Albuquerque, you find a collection of worlds more complex than our own, worlds where aspiring map makers need many more than four colors.  We will take a tour of these worlds through artists’ renditions in yarn, beads, ceramics, and other media.  The journey features visual and conceptual delights for all audiences, regardless of mathematical background.