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Quanta Magazine | Science and Math News

Courtesy of Samuel Jinglian Li

Latest Articles

number theory

Behold Modular Forms, the ‘Fifth Fundamental Operation’ of Math

By Jordana Cepelewicz
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Modular forms are one of the most beautiful and mysterious objects in mathematics. What are they?

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By Jordana Cepelewicz
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Cynthia Chiang on the McGill University campus. She is perched on a concrete wall, wearing a purple shirt and gray jeans, and the Montreal skyline is in the background.
Q&A

The Experimental Cosmologist Hunting for the First Sunrise

By Sarah Scoles
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To catch even a whiff of the universe’s earliest epochs — an age of darkness, and one of new light — Cynthia Chiang builds her own equipment. Then she deploys it at the ends of the Earth.

neural networks

The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI

By Steve Nadis
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Some modern image generators rely on the principles of diffusion to create images. Alternatives based on the process behind the distribution of charged particles may yield even better results.

developmental biology

What Makes Life Tick? Mitochondria May Keep Time for Cells

By Viviane Callier
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Every species develops at its own unique tempo, leaving scientists to wonder what governs their timing. A suite of new findings suggests that cells use basic metabolic processes as clocks.

quantum computing

Machine Learning Aids Classical Modeling of Quantum Systems

By Lakshmi Chandrasekaran
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By using “classical shadows,” ordinary computers can beat quantum computers at the tricky task of understanding quantum behaviors.

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A modular form is shown as a distorted, rainbow-hued dome atop concentric circles.

New Proof Distinguishes Mysterious and Powerful ‘Modular Forms’

By Jordana Cepelewicz

Elliptic Curves Yield Their Secrets in a New Number System

By Kevin Hartnett
Color photo of Ana Caraiani in a black coat standing on a bridge

The Mathematician Who Delights in Building Bridges

By Steve Nadis

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biodiversity

‘Species Repulsion’ Enables High Biodiversity in Tropical Trees

By Veronique Greenwood
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geometry

A Tower of Conjectures That Rests Upon a Needle

By Jordana Cepelewicz
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On its surface, the Kakeya conjecture is a simple statement about rotating needles. But it underlies a wealth of mathematics.

quantum physics

Physicists Observe ‘Unobservable’ Quantum Phase Transition

By Charlie Wood
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Measurement and entanglement both have a “spooky” nonlocal flavor to them. Now physicists are harnessing that nonlocality to probe the spread of quantum information and control it.

geometry

The Biggest Smallest Triangle Just Got Smaller

By Leila Sloman
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A new proof breaks a decades-long drought of progress on the problem of estimating the size of triangles created by cramming points into a square.

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By Max G. Levy
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Today’s language models are more sophisticated than ever, but they still struggle with the concept of negation. That’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

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About Quanta Magazine

Illuminating basic science and math research through public service journalism.

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Quanta Magazine is committed to in-depth, accurate journalism that serves the public interest. Each article braids the complexities of science with the malleable art of storytelling and is meticulously reported, edited and fact-checked. Launched and funded by the Simons Foundation, Quanta is editorially independent — our articles do not reflect or represent the views of the foundation.

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