Math
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Math
Hidden Figures highlights three black women who were vital to the U.S. space program
"Hidden Figures" tells the untold story of the "human computers" who were essential to the launch of the U.S. space program.
- Animals
Animals give clues to the origins of human number crunching
Guppies, dogs, chickens, crows, spiders — lots of animals have number sense without knowing numbers.
- Physics
Units of measure are getting a fundamental upgrade
New units based on fundamental properties of the universe will make measurements more precise.
- Computing
Shayan Oveis Gharan finds the shortest route to success
Theoretical computer scientist Shayan Oveis Gharan has identified connections between unrelated fields to tackle the traveling salesman problem.
- Math
Website tests predictive powers of the hive mind
Metaculus.com asks people to make predictions about the likelihood of future events.
- Math
Courts’ use of statistics should be put on trial
Bayesian statistics offer a useful tool for avoiding fallacies in legal reasoning.
- Computing
New technique produces real randomness
A new technique makes it easier for computers to roll the dice.
- Math
Despite misuses, statistics still has solid foundation
In "The Seven Pillars of Statistics Wisdom," Stephen Stigler lays out the basic principles of statistics.
- Math
Claude Shannon’s information theory built the foundation for the digital era
Claude Shannon, born 100 years ago, devised the mathematical representation of information that made the digital era possible.
- Animals
Math models predict mysterious monarch navigation
Researchers have come up with a series of equations to predict how monarchs use their eyes and antennae to figure out how to get to Mexico.
- Math
Mathematicians find a peculiar pattern in primes
Consecutive prime numbers don’t behave as randomly as mathematicians assumed.
- Math
Experts issue warning on problems with P values
A report from the American Statistical Association warns against misinterpretation and misuse of a common statistical test.
