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Mathematics

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The Oracle of Arithmetic

June 28, 2016

At 28, Peter Scholze is uncovering deep connections between number theory and geometry.

Simple Set Game Proof Stuns Mathematicians

May 31, 2016

A new series of papers has settled a long-standing question related to the popular game in which players seek patterned sets of three cards.

Mathematicians Bridge Finite-Infinite Divide

May 24, 2016

A surprising new proof is helping to connect the mathematics of infinity to the physical world.

Q&A

A Life Inspired by an Unexpected Genius

May 19, 2016

Greatness was always expected of Ken Ono. But as he struggled with his parents’ expectations, he found solace and inspiration in the life of two-time college dropout — and mathematical genius — Srinivasa Ramanujan, the subject of the film The Man Who Knew Infinity.

Sphere Packing Solved in Higher Dimensions

March 30, 2016

The Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska has solved the centuries-old sphere-packing problem in dimensions eight and 24.

Mathematicians Discover Prime Conspiracy

March 13, 2016

A previously unnoticed property of prime numbers seems to violate a long-standing assumption about how they behave.

Q&A

Michael Atiyah’s Imaginative State of Mind

March 3, 2016

At 86, Britain’s preeminent mathematical matchmaker is still tackling the big questions and dreaming of a union between the quantum and the gravitational forces.

Hope Rekindled for Perplexing Proof

December 21, 2015

Three years ago, a solitary mathematician released an impenetrable proof of the famous abc conjecture. At a recent conference dedicated to the work, optimism mixed with bafflement.

Landmark Algorithm Breaks 30-Year Impasse

December 14, 2015

Computer scientists are abuzz over a fast new algorithm for solving one of the central problems in the field.

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