Latest Articles
Mathematicians Seal Back Door to Breaking RSA Encryption
Digital security depends on the difficulty of factoring large numbers. A new proof shows why one method for breaking digital encryption won’t work.
In the Universe of Equations, Virtually All Are Prime
Equations, like numbers, cannot always be split into simpler elements.
Amateur Mathematician Finds Smallest Universal Cover
Through exacting geometric calculations, Philip Gibbs has found the smallest known cover for any possible shape.
New Proof Shows Infinite Curves Come in Two Types
Alexander Smith’s work on the Goldfeld conjecture reveals fundamental characteristics of elliptic curves.
Without a Proof, Mathematicians Wonder How Much Evidence Is Enough
A new statistical model appears to undermine long-held assumptions in number theory. How much should it be trusted when all that really matters is proof?
A Proof About Where Symmetries Can’t Exist
In a major mathematical achievement, a small team of researchers has proven Zimmer’s conjecture.
Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room
A visual prank exposes an Achilles’ heel of computer vision systems: Unlike humans, they can’t do a double take.
Why Mathematicians Can’t Find the Hay in a Haystack
In math, sometimes the most common things are the hardest to find.
Tinkertoy Models Produce New Geometric Insights
An upstart field that simplifies complex shapes is letting mathematicians understand how those shapes depend on the space in which you visualize them.