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Mathematics

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Teen Mathematicians Tie Knots Through a Mind-Blowing Fractal

November 26, 2024

Three high schoolers and their mentor revisited a century-old theorem to prove that all knots can be found in a fractal called the Menger sponge.

Q&A

Mathematical Thinking Isn’t What You Think It Is

November 18, 2024

The mathematician David Bessis claims that everyone is capable of, and can benefit greatly from, mathematical thinking.

New Elliptic Curve Breaks 18-Year-Old Record

November 11, 2024

Two mathematicians have renewed a debate about the fundamental nature of some of math’s most important equations.

How Is AI Changing the Science of Prediction?

November 7, 2024

With lots of data, a strong model and statistical thinking, scientists can make predictions about all sorts of complex phenomena. Today, this practice is evolving to harness the power of machine learning and massive datasets. In this episode, co-host Steven Strogatz speaks with statistician Emmanuel Candès about black boxes, uncertainty and the power of inductive reasoning.

A person laying on a bunkbed resembling a graph

Math’s ‘Bunkbed Conjecture’ Has Been Debunked

It was intuitive, even obvious. It was also wrong.

Math Is Still Catching Up to the Mysterious Genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan

October 21, 2024

Born poor in colonial India and dead at 32, Ramanujan had fantastical, out-of-nowhere visions that continue to shape the field today.

Big Advance on Simple-Sounding Math Problem Was a Century in the Making

October 14, 2024

A new proof about prime numbers illuminates the subtle relationship between addition and multiplication — and raises hopes for progress on the famous abc conjecture.

When Data Is Missing, Scientists Guess. Then Guess Again.

October 2, 2024

Across the social and biological sciences, statisticians use a technique that leverages randomness to deal with the unknown.

Mathematicians Discover New Shapes to Solve Decades-Old Geometry Problem

September 20, 2024

Mathematicians have long wondered how “shapes of constant width” behave in higher dimensions. A surprisingly simple construction has given them an answer.

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