Latest Articles

Behold Modular Forms, the ‘Fifth Fundamental Operation’ of Math

September 21, 2023

Modular forms are one of the most beautiful and mysterious objects in mathematics. What are they?

Q&A

The Experimental Cosmologist Hunting for the First Sunrise

September 20, 2023

To catch even a whiff of the universe’s earliest epochs — an age of darkness, and one of new light — Cynthia Chiang builds her own equipment. Then she deploys it at the ends of the Earth.

The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI

September 19, 2023

Some modern image generators rely on the principles of diffusion to create images. Alternatives based on the process behind the distribution of charged particles may yield even better results.

What Makes Life Tick? Mitochondria May Keep Time for Cells

September 18, 2023

Every species develops at its own unique tempo, leaving scientists to wonder what governs their timing. A suite of new findings suggests that cells use basic metabolic processes as clocks.

Machine Learning Aids Classical Modeling of Quantum Systems

September 14, 2023

By using “classical shadows,” ordinary computers can beat quantum computers at the tricky task of understanding quantum behaviors.

‘Species Repulsion’ Enables High Biodiversity in Tropical Trees

September 13, 2023

Because tree seedlings don’t grow as well when close to their parents, more tree species can be packed into tropical forests.

A Tower of Conjectures That Rests Upon a Needle

September 12, 2023

On its surface, the Kakeya conjecture is a simple statement about rotating needles. But it underlies a wealth of mathematics.

Physicists Observe ‘Unobservable’ Quantum Phase Transition

September 11, 2023

Measurement and entanglement both have a “spooky” nonlocal flavor to them. Now physicists are harnessing that nonlocality to probe the spread of quantum information and control it.

The Biggest Smallest Triangle Just Got Smaller

September 8, 2023

A new proof breaks a decades-long drought of progress on the problem of estimating the size of triangles created by cramming points into a square.

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