Mathematical Digest

"Aromatics do the twist," by David M. Lemal. Nature, 18/25 December 2003.

This article summarizes the work of organic chemists D. Ajami, O. Oeckler, A.Simon, and R. Herges, whose research (published in the same issue, "Synthesisof a Möbius aromatic hydrocarbon," page 819) shows that aromaticmolecules---isolated for the first time---have the topology of a Möbiusstrip.

--- Annette Emerson