When the MBTA (Boston's Public Transportation authority) introduces a
new line, the topology of the network become so complex that a train
vanishes...lost in some fourth dimensional properties of the network.
The mathematics in this story is not always accurate. In particular,
I disagree with the statment that a Möbius strip always has one
singularity and a Klein bottle has two. (In fact, the standard
versions of these topological curiosities are non-singular manifolds.)
Maybe the author is confusing the "twisting" required to make these objects
from two-sided 2-dimensional objects with singularity.
Apparently, this story was made into a movie!
Reprinted in Fantasia Mathematica.
| Contributed by
walter leight
"I read this story when it first came out -- more than a half century ago -- and recalled it in a conversation today, leading me to this web site and an opportunity to vote. Clearly, it was memorable!" |
| Contributed by
Dan Jensen
"It has been many years since the one and only time I read "Subway". I can't recall any particular details of the story, except the main plot. That is why I only gave it a "3" on your scale. I do remember that when I read it as a young teen (I'm now in my mid 40s) I thought it was a very good story, and it introduced me to the unusual world of topology. Whenever I see an M.C. Escher print, I am reminded of this story. I'd like to re-read it from an adult point of view, if I could find it again." |
| Contributed by
Patrick T. Ayers
I read this story once accidentally (I don't recall how I found it) and was intrigued by it greatly.
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| Contributed by
Jack Gjovaag
Suspend belief and ignore the mathematical flubs and it is an interesting science fiction story, about as good as most in this typically mediocre genre.
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| Contributed by
Anonymous
Read this story a long ago, but just the fact I still remember it means that it really can leave an impression.. Math is not at all accurate, but the idea is intriguing enough to let you think about it a while, which is what counts.
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| Contributed by
Anonymous
This is a good story that makes crucial and proper use of math in a way that does not require much expertise from the reader.
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| Contributed by
Maurizio Dagradi
I've read this [story] in the 70's, when I was a boy, and I loved it.
Although the story stays vague on how a subway network, even if grown extremely complex, could trigger multidimensional behaviours, the atmosphere you breath while reading the novel is very intriguing and fascinating. It led me to learn some topology, and I was amazed.
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| Contributed by
Rich
I keep re-discovering this story in anthologies every 15 or 20 years. I love it! My very first exposure to it, though, was actually as a story in one of the Marvel Comic anthologies in the 60's. I was delighted the first time I discovered the original story.
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| Contributed by
Anonymous
The math may not be accurate, but the story couldn't exist without the math in question, so I gave it a 4 on that. 5 for literary quality-- I read it in an old anthology I found at a yard sale and loved it.
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| Contributed by
Fred W
Read this as a kid and loved it at the time. Opens a child's mind to many possibilities. Would like to read it again and see how I relate to it these many years later.
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