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geometry

A graphed cubic equation separates 16th-century scientists Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia, and Gerolamo Cardano
Quantized Columns

The Sordid Past of the Cubic Formula

By David S. Richeson
June 30, 2022
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The quest to solve cubic equations led to duels, betrayals — and modern mathematics.

Seifert surfaces formed from closed loops.
topology

Special Surfaces Remain Distinct in Four Dimensions

By Kevin Hartnett
June 16, 2022
Read Later

For decades mathematicians have searched for a specific pair of surfaces that can’t be transformed into each other in four-dimensional space. Now they’ve found them.

An illustration of a person walking across a surface with many holes.
topology

Unimaginable Surfaces Discovered After Decades-Long Search

By Leila Sloman
June 2, 2022
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Using ideas borrowed from graph theory, two mathematicians have shown that extremely complex surfaces are easy to traverse.

An illustration of a polyhedral shape being folded flat.
geometry

Father-Son Team Solves Geometry Problem With Infinite Folds

By Rachel Crowell
April 4, 2022
Read Later

The result could help researchers answer a larger question about flattening objects from the fourth dimension to the third dimension.

geometry

An Ancient Geometry Problem Falls to New Mathematical Techniques

By Steve Nadis
February 8, 2022
Read Later

Three mathematicians show, for the first time, how to form a square with the same area as a circle by cutting them into interchangeable pieces that can be visualized.

Quantized Academy

Why Triangles Are Easy and Tetrahedra Are Hard

By Patrick Honner
January 31, 2022
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The triangle angle sum theorem makes working with triangles easy. What happens when you can’t rely on it?

2021 in Review

The Year in Math and Computer Science

By Bill Andrews
December 23, 2021
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Mathematicians and computer scientists answered major questions in topology, set theory and even physics, even as computers continued to grow more capable.

geometry

Mathematicians Transcend Geometric Theory of Motion

By Kelsey Houston-Edwards
December 9, 2021
Read Later

More than 30 years ago, Andreas Floer changed geometry. Now, two mathematicians have finally figured out how to extend his revolutionary perspective.

Color photo of Ana Caraiani in a black coat standing on a bridge
Q&A

The Mathematician Who Delights in Building Bridges

By Steve Nadis
November 17, 2021
Read Later

Ana Caraiani seeks to unify mathematics through her work on the ambitious Langlands program.


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