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Mathematics

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The Mathematics of Juggling

May 24, 2017

Juggling has advanced enormously in recent decades, thanks in part to the mathematical study of possible patterns.

Solution: ‘Friday the 13th’

April 26, 2017

There’s more than one good way to bring order to our unruly, seemingly arbitrary calendar.

A Simple Visual Proof of a Powerful Idea

April 13, 2017

Ramsey’s theorem predicts a surprising (and useful) consistency in the organization of graphs. Here’s a simple visual proof of how it works.

How to Use a Sphere to Talk to Mars

April 12, 2017

To avoid garbled messages, mathematicians might translate them into geometric form.

A New Path to Equal-Angle Lines

April 11, 2017

Equiangular lines are an elemental part of geometry. Mathematicians have discovered a tighter limit on the number of such lines that exist in every dimension.

Is It Friday the 13th Again?

April 6, 2017

How our society defines years, months and weeks can seem frustratingly arbitrary. Can you bring order to our unruly calendar?

Physicists Attack Math’s $1,000,000 Question

April 4, 2017

Physicists are attempting to map the distribution of the prime numbers to the energy levels of a particular quantum system.

How to Quantify (and Fight) Gerrymandering

April 4, 2017

Powerful new quantitative tools are now available to combat partisan bias in the drawing of voting districts.

Quantum Questions Inspire New Math

March 30, 2017

In order to fully understand the quantum world, we may have to develop a new realm of mathematics.

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