Generating random numbers
This is just an idea, don't throw rocks at me if someone else posted it before or if it turns out to be utter crap.
I've been thinking on how one could generate random numbers. My first thought was that you would need some complex algorithm then a few nights back I observed something in nature while waiting for a friend. It was snowing.
Looking for a while how the snow flakes were going every possible directions I realized that their movement was pretty random. At least it was to my eye. Let's imagine you have camera that's able to capture in perfect 3D images in HD. You could then get each flake's coordinates using adequate software that can identify objects into a 3D image.
There you go. Random number of snow flakes in a frame, random position of each snow flake in each frame. Add some external randomizer (like some wind) and you really get some interesting stuff.
Can someone confirm if there is even a small chance that at least two snow falls can be identical? Then my idea is utter crap 
September 22nd, 2010 - 02:52
I remember hearing a story about a Professor in statistics called Keith Worsley, who was in the yard of McGill University grabbing Maple leafs and noticing their uniqueness in shape. Thinking he could use them somehow to develop his random field theories. Someday, a neuroscientist suggested he should jump in neuroimaging, with its high dimensional data sets which were a perfect match for his ideas for statistical developments. The Random Field Theory is now widely applied in brain imaging thanks to Keith.
Your snow flakes made me remember Keith. I only met him once, when he visited my former department, but I saw at first glance that he was a true and honest genius.
May he rest in peace.
Good luck with your random numbers. It’s this kind of thought process that leads to great accomplishment.
Ian C