Mathematics

A surprising new proof is helping to connect the mathematics of infinity to the physical world.

Greatness was always expected of Ken Ono. But as he struggled with his parents’ expectations, he found solace and inspiration in the life of two-time college dropout — and mathematical genius — Srinivasa Ramanujan, the subject of the film The Man Who Knew Infinity.

The Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska has solved the centuries-old sphere-packing problem in dimensions eight and 24.

A previously unnoticed property of prime numbers seems to violate a long-standing assumption about how they behave.

At 86, Britain’s preeminent mathematical matchmaker is still tackling the big questions and dreaming of a union between the quantum and the gravitational forces.

Three years ago, a solitary mathematician released an impenetrable proof of the famous abc conjecture. At a recent conference dedicated to the work, optimism mixed with bafflement.

Computer scientists are abuzz over a fast new algorithm for solving one of the central problems in the field.

A new breakthrough that bridges number theory and geometry is just the latest triumph for a close-knit group of mathematicians.

Machine learning works spectacularly well, but mathematicians aren’t quite sure why.