Math

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Math

    Quark Park

    Math-inspired and science-related artworks enliven an imaginatively landscaped sliver of parkland.

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Math

    Designer Decimals

    Fractions can yield amazingly familiar decimal expansions.

    By Ivars Peterson
  3. Math

    Mining the Yesternet

    Digital records allow social scientists to study online communities and the diffusion of innovation.

    By Ivars Peterson
  4. Math

    The Great Tile Debate

    For subway flooring, why switch from hexagonal to square tiles?

    By Ivars Peterson
  5. Math

    Swirling Seas, Crystal Balls

    A remarkable geometric shape made up of a sequence of triangles leads to a host of intriguing forms and mobile structures.

    By Ivars Peterson
  6. Math

    Knots in Proteins

    Knotted proteins are rare but more than just random occurrences.

    By Ivars Peterson
  7. Math

    Messiness Rules: In high dimensions, disorder packs tightest

    In high dimensions, disorderly arrangements of spheres pack together more densely than orderly arrangements do.

    By Julie Rehmeyer
  8. Math

    The Eclipse That Saved Columbus

    An eclipse prediction in a book of astronomical tables helped Columbus out of a jam.

    By Ivars Peterson
  9. Math

    Math Factor Radio

    Listen in on some math radio and browse for science songs.

    By Ivars Peterson
  10. Math

    Euler’s Bridges

    A well-known puzzle about bridges led to a pioneering paper in topology.

    By Ivars Peterson
  11. Math

    Does Defense Win Championships?

    In pro football, a good defense doesn't generally trump a good offense.

    By Ivars Peterson
  12. Math

    Pancake Sorting

    Flipping pancakes to stack them according to size can be a tricky business.

    By Ivars Peterson