Computer science

The biological world is computational at its core, argues computer scientist Leslie Valiant.

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

Three computer scientists have solved a problem central to a dozen far-flung mathematical fields.

The physical nature of computers might reveal deep truths about their uniquely powerful abstract abilities.

A theorem for coloring a large class of “perfect” mathematical networks could ease the way for a long-sought general coloring proof.

A major advance in computational complexity reveals deep connections between the classes of problems that computers can — and can’t — possibly do.

In the drive to safeguard data from future quantum computers, cryptographers have stumbled upon a thin red line between security and efficiency.

A recent cryptographic breakthrough has proven difficult to put into practice. But new advances show how near-perfect computer security might be surprisingly close at hand.

Computers can translate French and prove mathematical theorems. But can they make deep conceptual insights into the way the world works?