Mathematics

The “pinball” model of a slipping fault line borrows from the mathematics of avalanches.

The legendary mathematician, who died on April 11, was curious, colorful and one of the greatest problem-solvers of his generation.

Freeman Dyson — physicist, mathematician, writer and idea factory — died on February 28, but his vitality lives on.

A landmark proof in computer science has also solved an important problem called the Connes embedding conjecture. Mathematicians are working to understand it.

The laws of physics imply that the passage of time is an illusion. To avoid this conclusion, we might have to rethink the reality of infinitely precise numbers.

Mathematicians have figured out how to expand the reach of a mysterious bridge connecting two distant continents in the mathematical world.

When 50 mathematicians spend a week in the woods, there’s no telling what will happen. And that’s the point.

“Rainbow colorings” recently led to a new proof. It’s not the first time they’ve come in handy.

In our mind’s eye, the universe seems to go on forever. But using geometry we can explore a variety of three-dimensional shapes that offer alternatives to “ordinary” infinite space.