2021’s Biggest Breakthroughs in Physics

The zoologist Arik Kershenbaum of the University of Cambridge discusses convergent evolution, animal communications and why life throughout the universe may have certain common features.

Po-Shen Loh discusses his approach to coaching the United States International Mathematical Olympiad team and reveals what he believes to be the major problem with math education.

To understand what epidemiological models can tell us, it helps to first understand what they can’t. In this comprehensive explainer, we break down how epidemiological models are built and dispel some of the common misunderstandings about their applications.

Matthew Genge shows explains to read the history of our solar system in the language of cosmic dust.

Christine Darden describes what it was like working at NASA in the 1960s and how she became an authority on minimizing sonic booms.

Frank Wilczek discusses the work that led to his Nobel and the inherent beauty of physical law.

Alex Kontorovich, professor of mathematics at Rutgers University, breaks down the notoriously difficult Riemann hypothesis in this comprehensive explainer.

In 2020, the study of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was undoubtedly the most urgent priority. But there were also other major breakthroughs in the life sciences.

For mathematicians and computer scientists, 2020 was full of discipline-spanning discoveries and celebrations of creativity.