[LeafStorm]

When I took Calculus III, Z was up. When I took Engineering Physics the same semester, Y was up.

According to legend, this is why the Math and Physics departments hate each other.

[bulte-rs]

So the difference between Math and Physics can be described as a single rotation matrix?

[carbonik]

I thought it was coming from the fact Nobel's wife had an affair with a mathematician. Thus explaining why there is no Nobel Price for Mathematics.

[dagw]

There are several reasons to believe that that urban legend isn't true. One of them being that Nobel was never married.

[mynameisfiber]

With the right rotation, any direction can be pointing "up".