There's a show airing on PBS this week that may interest some of you -- NOVA: Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension
What do movie special effects, the stock market, and heart attacks have in common? They are connected by a revolutionary new branch of math called fractals, which changed the way we see the world and opened up a vast new territory to scientific analysis and understanding. Meet the mathematicians who developed fractals from a mere curiosity to an approach that touches nearly every branch of understanding, including the fate of our universe.
On a related note, here's a video with Nassim Nicholas Taleb and Benoit B. Mandelbrot, who's considered the 'father of fractals' and Taleb's mentor. In it they say that the current financial situation may the worst since the American Revolution.
And for even more extra credit see Mandelbrot's book The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Risk, Ruin & Reward
Thanks for the link to the video. I read the Black Swan earlier this year and it singlehandedly changed my view of market risk (plus it is an entertaining and quick read).
My pleasure James. I still need to read that book
Yes, thanks for this link. Though being a fractal fiend, I have never heard the man himself speak.
I never managed to get into Talebs books, though really enjoyed reading The Misbehaviour of markets.