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Mathematics

Insights puzzle

Finding Zen in the Art of Puzzle Solving

By Pradeep Mutalik
March 26, 2021
Read Later

Readers used their Zen-like puzzle solving skills to discover hidden insights.

A graphic showing improvements in the speed of matrix multiplication
algorithms

Matrix Multiplication Inches Closer to Mythic Goal

By Kevin Hartnett
March 23, 2021
Read Later

A recent paper set the fastest record for multiplying two matrices. But it also marks the end of the line for a method researchers have relied on for decades to make improvements.

Abel Prize

Pioneers Linking Math and Computer Science Win the Abel Prize

By Kevin Hartnett
March 17, 2021
Read Later

Avi Wigderson and László Lovász won for their work developing complexity theory and graph theory, respectively, and for connecting the two fields.

Quantized Academy

The Mysterious Math of Perfection

By Patrick Honner
March 15, 2021
Read Later

Enter the world of perfect numbers and explore the mystery mathematicians have spent thousands of years trying to solve.

algorithms

New Algorithm Breaks Speed Limit for Solving Linear Equations

By Kevin Hartnett
March 8, 2021
Read Later

By harnessing randomness, a new algorithm achieves a fundamentally novel — and faster — way of performing one of the most basic computations in math and computer science.

Quantized Columns

Isadore Singer Transcended Mathematical Boundaries

By Daniel S. Freed
March 4, 2021
Read Later

A former graduate student reflects on how Isadore Singer, who died on February 11, brought together mathematicians, physicists and anyone else interested in the deeper connections between diverse fields.

A house of cards propped up by a letter i, the unit of imaginary numbers.
quantum physics

Imaginary Numbers May Be Essential for Describing Reality

By Charlie Wood
March 3, 2021
Read Later

A new thought experiment indicates that quantum mechanics doesn’t work without strange numbers that turn negative when squared.

An illustration showing Steven Strogatz at a microphone, surrounded by a swirl of icons representing different subjects.
The Joy of x

New Season of <i>The Joy of x</i> Podcast Explores Scientists’ Inner Lives

By Ellen Horne
March 2, 2021
Read Later

In a second season of enlightened conversations, Steven Strogatz and leading researchers nourish our pandemic-starved minds.

geometry

Statistics Postdoc Tames Decades-Old Geometry Problem

By Erica Klarreich
March 1, 2021
Read Later

To the surprise of experts in the field, a postdoctoral statistician has solved one of the most important problems in high-dimensional convex geometry.


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