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Mathematics
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Solution: ‘When Probability Meets Real Life’
When our brains don't have a good intuition for reasoning with numbers, explicit probabilistic thinking can lead to improved decision-making.
Scant Evidence of Power Laws Found in Real-World Networks
A new study challenges one of the most celebrated and controversial ideas in network science.
When Probability Meets Real Life
When faced with a difficult decision, should you go with your gut or carefully calculate the attendant risks?
The Argument Against Quantum Computers
The mathematician Gil Kalai believes that quantum computers can't possibly work, even in principle.
How Math (and Vaccines) Keep You Safe From the Flu
Simple math shows how widespread vaccination can disrupt the exponential spread of disease and prevent epidemics.
Solution: ‘Triangulation and Motion Sickness’
A method for estimating distances in sailing and astrophysics helps explain why riding on buses and boats can make us nauseous.
What Makes the Hardest Equations in Physics So Difficult?
The Navier-Stokes equations describe simple, everyday phenomena, like water flowing from a garden hose, yet they provide a million-dollar mathematical challenge.
In Praise of Simple Problems
The mathematician Richard Schwartz finds the hidden depth lurking in simple mathematical puzzles.
How Triangulation Leads to Knowledge
What does measuring distances in sailing and astrophysics have to with motion sickness?