The sheer number of variables and logical conditions makes some computing problems seem intractable. Statistical physics, normally used to study huge groups of interacting particles, can supply powerful tools to crack them.
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Selman, B. A hard statistical view. Nature 451, 639–640 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/451639a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/451639a