The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine.
The best perk of Alberto Maspero’s job, he says, is the view from his window. Situated on a hill above the ancient port city of Trieste, Italy, his office at the International School for Advanced Studies overlooks a broad bay at the northern tip of the Adriatic Sea. “It’s very inspiring,” the mathematician said. “For sure the most beautiful view I’ve ever had.”
Italians call Trieste la città della bora, after its famed “bora” wind, which blows erratically down off the Alps and over the city. When the bora is strong enough, it drives the