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Mathematics

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A Magical Answer to an 80-Year-Old Puzzle

October 1, 2015

Using crowd-sourced and traditional mathematics research, Terence Tao has devised a solution to a long-standing problem posed by the legendary Paul Erdős.

A New Map Traces the Limits of Computation

September 29, 2015

A major advance in computational complexity reveals deep connections between the classes of problems that computers can — and can’t — possibly do.

A Tricky Path to Quantum-Safe Encryption

September 8, 2015

In the drive to safeguard data from future quantum computers, cryptographers have stumbled upon a thin red line between security and efficiency.

A New Design for Cryptography’s Black Box

September 2, 2015

A recent cryptographic breakthrough has proven difficult to put into practice. But new advances show how near-perfect computer security might be surprisingly close at hand.

A Life in Games

August 28, 2015

The mathematician John Horton Conway’s myriad accomplishments — including the Game of Life, sprouts and the surreal numbers — are the product of a mind at play.

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The Connoisseur of Number Sequences

August 6, 2015

For more than 50 years, the mathematician Neil Sloane has curated the authoritative collection of interesting and important integer sequences.

Famous Fluid Equations Are Incomplete

July 21, 2015

A 115-year effort to bridge the particle and fluid descriptions of nature has led mathematicians to an unexpected answer.

The Nine Schoolgirls Challenge

June 9, 2015

Solve this variation of Thomas Kirkman’s famous 1850 puzzle by arranging girls in walking groups. And think fast — the clock is ticking.

A Design Dilemma Solved, Minus Designs

June 9, 2015

A 150-year-old conundrum about how to group people has been solved, but many puzzles remain.

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