They Fell Off: When Your Algorithm Is 0.0000000000000000000000000000000001% Better

They Fell Off: When Your Algorithm Is 0.0000000000000000000000000000000001% Better
algorithms-memes, computer-science-memes, mathematics-memes, optimization-memes, traveling-salesman-memes | ScienceHumor.io

Computer scientists spent decades using the Christofides algorithm for the traveling salesman problem, which was "good enough" with its 50% longer-than-optimal paths. Then some academic madlads created a new algorithm that's technically better by 10-34% - a number so ridiculously small it's practically zero. It's like bragging you're taller than someone by one atom! The meme perfectly captures that "technically correct but utterly useless improvement" energy that haunts theoretical computer science. Breaking through psychological barriers while being completely impractical is peak academia.

More Like This