The power of mathematics to convey never-before-seen visuals has shone through in China's highest-grossing animated film "Ne Zha 2", said Russian mathematician and Fields Medal winner Andrei Okounkov.
According to ticketing platform Maoyan, the globe-spanning blockbuster has grossed 15.44 billion yuan -- or approximately 2.13 billion U.S. dollars in China, with 324 million tickets sold.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) aired on Saturday, Okounkov highlighted the mathematical work that went into producing the stunning 3D images and effects that have earned the film critical praise.
"That is fantastic work. There's incredible mathematics in producing even the real images. Then, when you go to images which are sort of based on the real ones, so, this whole fireball and all these kinds of waves of fire. That is very, very beautiful. But then maybe the next step is, you can also imagine, what it is like in the situation which you and I have not seen. They are imagining the shapes which are kind of really on the fringes of what modern physics can describe, really extreme energies, really extreme forces," he said.
"Mathematics has this potential because among other things, it's extremely rich. Mathematics describes so many different things and describes it in a way that you can imagine them, and you can plot them, even though I've never seen them. And so that's the power of mathematics," the mathematician added.
Imagery in Ne Zha 2 shows magic of mathematics: Russian mathematician
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
