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Dudeney's 120-year-old dissection puzzle solution proves optimal

In 1907, the English author and mathematician Henry Ernest Dudeney posed a puzzle: Can any equilateral triangle be cut into as few pieces as possible that will fit together to form a perfect square? Four weeks later, he presented ...

Nessie loves a sunny summer's day—how anecdotes become data

New research from the University of St Andrews has used a database of Loch Ness Monster reports to translate anecdotes into data, shedding light on statistical biases and the importance of defining the right information for ...

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Mathematics
Risk it or kick it? Research analyzes NFL coaches' risk tolerance on fourth down
Mathematics
The butterfly effect: This obscure mathematical concept has become an everyday idea, but do we have it all wrong?
Mathematics
Spanish 'running of the bulls' festival reveals crowd movements can be predictable, above a certain density
Mathematics
Kids use different math skills at work vs. school, India study shows
Mathematics
Barbecue grill approach helps researchers understand puzzling Rayleigh–Bloch waves
Mathematics
Parents' math anxiety linked to lower numeracy skills in children
Mathematics
Scientists map the mathematics behind how we create and innovate
Mathematics
Simple mathematical model predicts development of cultural structures observed in human societies
Mathematics
Art analysis: 2D multifractal tools examine Jackson Pollock's expressionism
Mathematics
Mathematical technique 'opens the black box' of AI decision-making
Mathematics
English children lag behind in geometry, but parents can help them learn through play
Mathematics
Mathematicians develop new method to forecast natural phenomena and detect early cancer development
Mathematics
Historian explains how economics research stumbled under Soviet regime, while mathematics thrived
Mathematics
How does a hula hoop master gravity? Mathematicians prove that body shape matters
Mathematics
Researcher calculates Santa's speed on Christmas Eve—and this is what it would do to Rudolph's nose
Mathematics
Algebraic geometry offers fresh solution to data center energy inefficiency
Mathematics
How prepared are we for another pandemic? Study provides mathematical insights into airborne viral transmission
Mathematics
Can deep learning techniques predict sudden state transitions in nonlinear dynamical systems?
Mathematics
String figures shed light on cultural connections and the roots of mathematical reasoning
Mathematics
How much faster is a knight than a king? A mathematical study reveals the exact ratio

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Other
Saturday Citations: The universe doesn't care about your precious standard model
Cell & Microbiology
Dendritic spines: The key to understanding how memories are linked in time
Astronomy
Euclid opens data treasure trove, offers glimpse of deep fields
Materials Science
Researchers pioneer groundbreaking light-driven method to create key drug compounds
Plants & Animals
Experiments show gray seals can monitor their own blood oxygen levels to prevent drowning
Materials Science
Eco-friendly detergent made from wood and corn shows promise
Astronomy
Cosmic anomaly hints at frightening future for Milky Way
Evolution
Origin of life: How a special group of single-celled organisms laid the foundation for complex cells
Cell & Microbiology
Scientists witness living plant cells generate cellulose and form cell walls for the first time
Quantum Physics
An experimental test of the nonlocal energy alteration between two quantum memories
Plants & Animals
Two bees or not two bees? How wild bees feel the sting of honeybee competition
Social Sciences
A transition point in romantic relationships may signal the beginning of their end
General Physics
Scientists measure the spin-parity of charm baryons for the first time
Quantum Physics
Wireless terahertz cryogenic interconnect minimizes heat-to-information transfer in quantum processors
Plants & Animals
Massive, long-lived trees discovered in the Tanzanian rainforest are a new species
Evolution
Deadly bacteria have developed the ability to produce antimicrobials and wipe out competitors, scientists discover
Ecology
Insecticides may contribute to bigger problems with certain weeds
Optics & Photonics
Compact solid-state laser system generates 193-nm vortex beam for the first time
Planetary Sciences
A NASA spacecraft will make another close pass of the sun
Environment
New insights into formation of anthropogenic organic aerosols suggest greater region impact

Want to solve a complex problem? Applied math can help

You can probably think of a time when you've used math to solve an everyday problem, such as calculating a tip at a restaurant or determining the square footage of a room. But what role does math play in solving complex problems ...

Soft cells: Rounded tile shapes echo those found in nature

Tiles that fill two- and three-dimensional spaces with no gaps—including triangles, squares, hexagons, cubes, and other polyhedra—are typically designed with sharp corners and flat faces (straight edges).

Mathematicians model a puzzling breakdown in cooperative behavior

Darwin was puzzled by cooperation in nature—it ran directly against natural selection and the notion of survival of the fittest. But over the past decades, evolutionary mathematicians have used game theory to better understand ...