Mathematics

Mathematicians have broken through a long-standing barrier in the study of “minimizing surfaces,” which play an important role in both math and physics.

Marijn Heule turns mathematical statements into something like Sudoku puzzles, then has computers go to work on them. His proofs have been called “disgusting,” but they go beyond what any human can do.

In the mid-19th century, Bernhard Riemann conceived of a new way to think about mathematical spaces, providing the foundation for modern geometry and physics.

After more than three centuries, a geometry problem that originated with a royal bet has been solved.

The math of even the simplest ocean waves is notoriously uncooperative. A team of Italian mathematicians has made major advances toward understanding it.

The amplituhedron, a shape at the heart of particle physics, appears to be deeply connected to the mathematics of paper folding.

Using a relatively young theory, a team of mathematicians has started to answer questions whose roots lie at the very beginning of mathematics.

Two mathematicians have proved that a straightforward question — how hard is it to untie a knot? — has a complicated answer.

Climate science is the most significant scientific collaboration in history. This series from Quanta Magazine guides you through basic climate science — from quantum effects to ancient hothouses, from the math of tipping points to the audacity of climate models.