2021 in Review
Latest Articles
New ‘Superdiffusion’ Proof Probes the Mysterious Math of Turbulence
Turbulence is a notoriously difficult phenomenon to study. Mathematicians are now starting to untangle it at its smallest scales.
How Did Geometry Create Modern Physics?
Geometry may have its origins thousands of years ago in ancient land surveying, but it has also had a surprising impact on modern physics. In the latest episode of The Joy of Why, Yang-Hui He explores geometry’s evolution and its future potential through AI.
How the Universe Differs From Its Mirror Image
From living matter to molecules to elementary particles, the world is made of “chiral” objects that differ from their reflected forms.
Introducing The Quanta Podcast
Exploring the distant universe, the insides of cells, the abstractions of math, the complexity of information itself and much more, The Quanta Podcast will be a tour of the frontier between the known and the unknown.
The Fastest Way Yet to Color Graphs
Researchers have devised a scheme for painting the edges of a graph that’s almost as speedy as possible.
Finding Beauty and Truth in Mundane Occurrences
The physicist Sidney Nagel delights in solving mysteries of the universe that are hiding in plain sight.
The Molecular Bond That Helps Secure Your Memories
How do memories last a lifetime when the molecules that form them turn over within days, weeks or months? An interaction between two proteins points to a molecular basis for memory.
Dimension 126 Contains Strangely Twisted Shapes, Mathematicians Prove
A new proof represents the culmination of a 65-year-old story about anomalous shapes in special dimensions.
Will AI Ever Understand Language Like Humans?
AI may sound like a human, but that doesn’t mean that AI learns like a human. In this episode, Ellie Pavlick explains why understanding how LLMs can process language could unlock deeper insights into both AI and the human mind.