The Neuroscience of Speed Dating

Caltech researchers have used speed-dating experiments to identify which parts of the brain are involved in making snap judgements.

This is really cool, but if the test subjects were Caltech undergrads, then I'm afraid that the whole experiment might have to be thrown out. :)

(Tip of the cap to whoever does Facebook posts for California Institute of Technology.)

Community Detection and Dating?

The Oxford press release about my new community-detection article in Science has now been picked up by a dating advice website. WTF?

I think I'll try to solve the classical problem first.

In the latest tales from the arXiv, I present quantum dating.

Title: Quantum Dating Market

Authors: O.G. Zabaleta and C.M. Arizmendi

Abstract: We consider the dating market decision problem under the quantum mechanics point of view. Quantum states whose associated amplitudes are modified by men strategies are used to represent women. Grover quantum search algorithm is used as a playing strategy. Success is more frequently obtained by playing quantum than playing classic.


Comment: Um, I think that there is a quantum cuteness paper that really ought to have been cited. :)

A social network possibly worth analyzing

My collaborators and I should totally mine the data from this website and go to town on it.

If one can study the social network of superheroes in the Marvel Universe (I'm pretty sure there's a published version of this, but I can't find it at the moment) or the rap star collaboration network, then I think this is fair game. :)

Deviating from the Norm: Valentine's Day Edition

I'm one day late on this, but Arcane Gazebo's post reminded me of a thought I've had occasionally over the last few years and this is an appropriate time to share it:

I'm just wondering, but am I the only one who thinks it's easier to tell a Nobel Laureate that he (or she) should have shared his (or her) Nobel Prize with someone else than it is to ask someone else on a date?

Tales from the ArXiv: Dating Edition

This recent arXiv post caught my eye:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\\
Paper: physics/0703189
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:21:21 GMT (19kb)

Title: Paradoxical Way for Losers in a Dating Game
Authors: C. M. Arizmendi
Categories: physics.soc-ph
Comments: 6 pages, 3 figures, MEDYFINOL06
Subj-class: Physics and Society
\\
We study the dating market decision problem in which men and women repeatedly
go out on dates and learn about each other. We consider a model for the dating
market that takes into account progressive mutual learning. This model consists
of a repeated game in which agents gain an uncertain payoff from being matched
with a particular person on the other side of the market in each time period.
Players have a list of preferred partners on the other set. The players that
reach higher rank levels on the other set preferences list have also higher
probability to be accepted for dating. A question can be raised, as considered
in this study: Can the less appreciated players do better? Two different kinds
of dating game are combined "a la Parrondo" to foster the less attractive
players. Optimism seems to be highly recommendable, especially for losers.
\\ ( http://arXiv.org/abs/physics/0703189 , 19kb)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In closing, I'd like to draw your attention to the last sentence of the abstract: Optimism seems to be highly recommendable, especially for losers.

That sentence is my quote of the day...