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Proof Finds That All Change Is a Mix of Order and Randomness
All descriptions of change are a unique blend of chance and determinism, according to the sweeping mathematical proof of the “weak Pinsker conjecture.”
Solution: ‘A Drunkard’s Walk in Manhattan’
City blocks help illustrate why walking randomly tends to take you away from your starting point.
A Drunkard’s Walk in Manhattan
Why is it that when you walk randomly, the more you walk, the farther you get from your starting point?
Air Traffic Control for Random Surfaces
Mathematicians have had a hard time finding commonalities in large groups of random shapes — until recently.
A Unified Theory of Randomness
Researchers have uncovered deep connections among different types of random objects, illuminating hidden geometric structures.
Mathematicians Discover Prime Conspiracy
A previously unnoticed property of prime numbers seems to violate a long-standing assumption about how they behave.
Solution: ‘Information From Randomness?’
The counterintuitive solution to this month’s puzzle raises philosophical questions about randomness and information.
Can Information Rise From Randomness?
Quanta’s new puzzle column asks you to believe the seemingly impossible — that you can win at a number guessing game with absolutely no information.