Column

  1. Math

    Primal Surge

    The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search has netted its eighth champion.

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Math

    Super Bowl Crashes

    Should you stay off the road immediately after the Super Bowl telecast is over?

    By Ivars Peterson
  3. Math

    Super Bowl Crashes

    Should you stay off the road immediately after the Super Bowl telecast is over?

    By Ivars Peterson
  4. Math

    Knot Divided in Snow

    The Möbius strip gets embedded in a knotty block of snow.

    By Ivars Peterson
  5. Math

    Thirteen Spades

    Poor shuffling can distort play in the game of bridge.

    By Robert Potter
  6. Math

    Going with the Crowd

    Choosing a restaurant can pack them in.

    By Ivars Peterson
  7. Math

    Artful Routes

    Finding the shortest routes linking cities can also produce intricate continuous-line portraits.

    By Ivars Peterson
  8. Math

    Sphere Worlds

    Painting on spheres offers a novel perspective on the world.

    By Ivars Peterson
  9. Math

    Pennies in a Tray

    Packing pennies in circular trays can lead to intriguing mathematical complexities.

    By Ivars Peterson
  10. Math

    Cruise Control and Traffic Flow

    Adaptive cruise control can help smooth out traffic flow.

    By Ivars Peterson
  11. Math

    Cruise Control and Traffic Flow

    Adaptive cruise control can help smooth out traffic flow.

    By Ivars Peterson
  12. Math

    The Iced Foot Effect

    Does calling a timeout as a defensive strategy to "ice" a kicker in football actually reduce the chances of a successful field goal kick?

    By Ivars Peterson