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Mathematics

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The Atomic Theory of Origami

October 31, 2017

By reimagining the kinks and folds of origami as atoms in a lattice, researchers are uncovering strange behavior hiding in simple structures.

Best-Ever Algorithm Found for Huge Streams of Data

October 24, 2017

To efficiently analyze a firehose of data, scientists first have to break big numbers into bits.

The Math Behind Gerrymandering and Wasted Votes

October 12, 2017

Simple math can help scheming politicians manipulate district maps and cruise to victory. But it can also help identify and fix the problem.

Visionary Mathematician Vladimir Voevodsky Dies at 51

October 11, 2017

Voevodsky’s friends remember him as constitutionally unable to compromise on the truth — a quality that led him to produce some of the most important mathematics of the 20th century.

Solution: ‘Are Genes Selfish or Cooperative?’

September 29, 2017

Puzzle solvers rediscovered a simple mathematical result of Mendelian genetics and weighed in on a Richard Dawkins metaphor.

Moonshine Link Discovered for Pariah Symmetries

September 22, 2017

A type of symmetry so unusual that it was called a “pariah” turns out to have deep connections to number theory.

Are Genes Selfish or Cooperative?

September 14, 2017

Can you discover a simple mathematical result of Mendelian genetics that describes how genes interact with each other?

Mathematicians Measure Infinities and Find They’re Equal

September 12, 2017

Two mathematicians have proved that two different infinities are equal in size, settling a long-standing question. Their proof rests on a surprising link between the sizes of infinities and the complexity of mathematical theories.

Q&A

Why Math Is the Best Way to Make Sense of the World

September 11, 2017

To tell truth from fiction, start with quantitative thinking, argues the mathematician Rebecca Goldin.

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