Latest Articles
Why Is This Basic Computer Science Problem So Hard?
Computer scientists have long used vector addition systems to model how certain programs work, but they didn’t have a full understanding of how complicated they could be. Recent work has finally pinned it down, showing that these problems are far more complicated than they seem.
How a New X-Ray Technique Sees Black Holes
Astrophysicist Erin Kara explores black holes by carefully tracking the gas and plasma swirling near their event horizons.
Decoding Math’s Most Famous Fractal
Mathematicians working in the field of complex dynamical systems are patiently unraveling the Mandelbrot set’s mysteries and may be on the verge of solving a fundamental conjecture that would allow them to describe the set completely.
The Math Hiding in Plain Sight
Sarah Hart, the professor of geometry at Gresham College, sees symmetry everywhere.
2023’s Biggest Breakthroughs in Math
In 2023, mathematicians improved bounds on Ramsey numbers, a central measure of order in graphs; found a new aperiodic monotile; and discovered a new upper bound to the size of sets without 3-term arithmetic progressions.
P vs. NP – The Greatest Unsolved Problem in Computer Science
Can some problems stump even the most powerful of computers? Computational complexity theorists study questions like this hoping to determine the limits of a computer’s powers.
Unlocking the Secrets of Our Circadian Rhythms
The trailblazing work of the biochemist Carrie Partch has revealed crucial details about how clock proteins in our cells produce our daily circadian rhythm.
How to Build a Telescope to See the Early Universe
Cynthia Chiang describes the experiments she hopes will illuminate the early universe.
Math’s Famous Map Problem: The Four-Color Theorem
David Richeson discusses the history and significance of the four color theorem.