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How Math Has Changed the Shape of Gerrymandering
New tools make it possible to detect hidden manipulation of maps.
New Proof Finds the ‘Ultimate Instability’ in a Solar System Model
For the first time, mathematicians have proved that planetary orbits in a solar system will always be unstable.
An Applied Mathematician With an Unexpected Toolbox
Lek-Heng Lim uses tools from algebra, geometry and topology to answer questions in machine learning.
The New Math of Wrinkling
A comprehensive mathematical framework treats wrinkling patterns as elegant solutions to geometric problems.
Surprising Limits Discovered in Quest for Optimal Solutions
Algorithms that zero in on solutions to optimization problems are the beating heart of machine reasoning. New results reveal surprising limits.
How Wavelets Allow Researchers to Transform, and Understand, Data
Built upon the ubiquitous Fourier transform, the mathematical tools known as wavelets allow unprecedented analysis and understanding of continuous signals.
How Big Data Carried Graph Theory Into New Dimensions
Researchers are turning to the mathematics of higher-order interactions to better model the complex connections within their data.
Turing Patterns Turn Up in a Tiny Crystal
The mechanism behind leopard spots and zebra stripes also appears to explain the patterned growth of a bismuth crystal, extending Alan Turing’s 1952 idea to the atomic scale.
A Number Theorist Who Connects Math to Other Creative Pursuits
Jordan Ellenberg enjoys studying — and writing about — the mathematics underlying everyday phenomena.