Archive

By chopping up large numbers into smaller ones, researchers have rewritten a fundamental mathematical speed limit.

The astrophysicist Janna Levin reflects on the newly unveiled, first-ever photograph of a black hole.

New studies revise ideas about the symbiosis that gave mitochondria to cells and about whether the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes was one cell or many.

Astronomers will soon take their first glance at the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet. Sarah Hörst is writing the guidebook for these exoplanetary explorers, one that will reveal what a distinctive atmosphere says about the world underneath.

In a world seemingly filled with chaos, physicists have discovered new forms of synchronization and are learning how to predict and control them.

Just how fast can the fastest human run? This adapted book excerpt from Infinite Powers reveals how calculus helps us investigate the nature of motion and change.

Researchers have just released hacker-proof cryptographic code — programs with the same level of invincibility as a mathematical proof.

These games combine quantum entanglement, infinity and impossible-to-calculate winning probabilities. But if researchers can crack them, they’ll reveal deep mathematical secrets.

Two new studies show that the brain’s navigation system changes how it represents physical space to reflect personal experience.