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The Strange Second Life of String Theory
String theory has so far failed to live up to its promise as a way to unite gravity and quantum mechanics. At the same time, it has blossomed into one of the most useful sets of tools in science.
Solution: ‘A Drunkard’s Walk in Manhattan’
City blocks help illustrate why walking randomly tends to take you away from your starting point.
A Drunkard’s Walk in Manhattan
Why is it that when you walk randomly, the more you walk, the farther you get from your starting point?
Solution: ‘Puzzles Inspired by Ramanujan’
What can the mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan teach us about number theory through mathematical structures involving infinity?
Air Traffic Control for Random Surfaces
Mathematicians have had a hard time finding commonalities in large groups of random shapes — until recently.
Moonshine Master Toys With String Theory
The physicist-mathematician Miranda Cheng is working to harness a mysterious connection between string theory, algebra and number theory.
A Unified Theory of Randomness
Researchers have uncovered deep connections among different types of random objects, illuminating hidden geometric structures.
Three Puzzles Inspired by Ramanujan
Insights from the mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan give us a number of ways to explore the infinite.
A Bird’s-Eye View of Nature’s Hidden Order
Scientists are exploring a mysterious pattern, found in birds’ eyes, boxes of marbles and other surprising places, that is neither regular nor random.