Matts law of fours All things that interest me lately scream 4.Eg.Quantum computing in bio-chemistry ,an article by mark Buchanan,the question arises:might bio-chemistry process a quantum computation? Its long been wondered why the 4 letter code for DNA when binary ought to be more efficient. An algorithm by lov Grover suggested to apoorva Patel that the very basis of all life relies on quantum computers to copy its DNA and put together its proteins.The grover algorithm gives an exact formula for the number of Quantum attempts,Q,needed to find one specific element in a database of N things.It turns out that if N=4,then Q=1 In other words a quantum computer can distinguish between 4 distinct possibilities with just one attempt. If 4 bases doubled the speed of replication it would be selected for.Biology exploits quantum possibilities in photosynthesis so its not to far fetched to wonder about quantum events in living cells.On the back page of my latest NS theres some interesting stories on the creation of the first ruler.How were the earliest straight tools produced? Mathematicians such as al Kempe were fascinated.The challenge to design a mechanism consisting of a number of rigid links joined by simple hinges that would constrain one point to move along a perfect straight line.James Watt's approximate solution used just 4 links.A mathematically accurate using 8 solved the problem in 1864.This was done by a french army engineer,charles-nicholas-Peaucellier. While mathematical models that make sense are Islands in a sea of uncertainty,(veronica Becher,university of Buenos Aires.)and the law on the Island of Dr Moreu remains not to go on all fours.Four leaf clovers keep popping up.Cilia that resemble them,originally developed at Stanford and proposed for docking micro satellites by a university of washington team can be seen at Smart materials and structures,vol 10,p 1176. Four seasons,four horsemen,four stroke motors,Ill think of more,Im shure,four legs good!FORE!