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Mathematics
number theory
Mathematicians Clear Hurdle in Quest to Decode Primes
Paul Nelson has solved the subconvexity problem, bringing mathematicians one step closer to understanding the Riemann hypothesis and the distribution of prime numbers.
mathematical physics
Euler’s 243-Year-Old ‘Impossible’ Puzzle Gets a Quantum Solution
A surprising new solution to Leonhard Euler’s famous “36 officers puzzle” offers a novel way of encoding quantum information.
information theory
Qubits Can Be as Safe as Bits, Researchers Show
A new result shows that quantum information can theoretically be protected from errors just as well as classical information can.
number theory
Mathematicians Outwit Hidden Number Conspiracy
Decades ago, a mathematician posed a warmup problem for some of the most difficult questions about prime numbers. It turned out to be just as difficult to solve, until now.
2021 in Review
The Year in Math and Computer Science
Mathematicians and computer scientists answered major questions in topology, set theory and even physics, even as computers continued to grow more capable.
combinatorics
Mathematician Hurls Structure and Disorder Into Century-Old Problem
A new paper shows how to create longer disordered strings than mathematicians had thought possible, proving that a well-known recent conjecture is “spectacularly wrong.”
geometry
Mathematicians Transcend Geometric Theory of Motion
More than 30 years ago, Andreas Floer changed geometry. Now, two mathematicians have finally figured out how to extend his revolutionary perspective.
Insights puzzle
Why e, the Transcendental Math Constant, Is Just the Best
The solution to our puzzle about Euler’s number explains why e pops up in situations that involve optimality.
information theory
Researchers Defeat Randomness to Create Ideal Code
By carefully constructing a multidimensional and well-connected graph, a team of researchers has finally created a long-sought locally testable code that can immediately betray whether it’s been corrupted.