The branch of pure mathematics known as Ramsey theory concerns the existence of highly regular patterns in sufficiently large sets of randomly selected objects, whether they are gatherings of people, piles of pebbles, stars in the night sky, or sequences of numbers generated by the throw of a die.
Jacob Licht
Patterns can arise out of randomness in a variety of ways.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.