Math
- Math
Doctors flunk quiz on screening-test math
Many doctors, and the news media, don’t understand that because of the statistics of screening tests, a test with 90 percent accuracy can give a wrong diagnosis more than 90 percent of the time.
- Math
Our Mathematical Universe
Math is everywhere: medicine, sports, banking, gambling, National Security Agency espionage.
- Math
Goldberg variations: New shapes for molecular cages
Scientists have figured a way to iron out the wrinkles in a large class of molecular cages.
- Math
There’s something suspicious about using statistics to test statistics
The use of statistics to validate medical studies suffers from flaws of faulty assumptions.
- Math
To make science better, watch out for statistical flaws
Study denying that most medical research papers are wrong may turn out to be wrong.
- Science & Society
In a nuclear attack, there’s no avoiding the brutal math
Knowing a few key numbers could help save your life if a nuclear bomb drops.
- Math
Tomorrow’s catch
A biologist who formerly applied his mathematical talents in finance has developed new ways of predicting the ups and downs of fish populations.
- Computing
Materials’ light tricks may soon extend to doing math
A simulation paves the way toward metamaterials that can perform ultrafast complex mathematical operations using light waves.
- Math
Year in Review: Progress made toward twin prime proof
A surprising advance sparks a flurry of work on the mathematical conjecture.
- Math
Twin primes and prime bunches in mathematicians’ crosshairs
For second time this year, a mathematician makes a major advance toward proving a long-standing conjecture.
- Math
Rise of Big Data underscores need for theory
Big Data can help scientists cope with complex systems, but only with an appreciation of its limits and recognition of the need for theoretical modeling.
- Math
Why Big Data is bad for science
Big Data is supposed to be a scientific bonanza, but it challenges the capabilities of computer science, statistical tests and perhaps calls for revamping the scientific method itself.
