What billiard balls reveal about computers and the limits of prediction
When is a billiard ball not a billiard ball? When mathematicians get involved and view a popular game as a model computer.
Mathematics news
Mathematician challenges a 2,000-year-old legend about the Parthenon's optical illusions
One of Athens' crowning jewels is the Parthenon, a classical temple on the Acropolis that overlooks the Greek capital. According to legend, many historians, textbooks and tour guides say the ancient Greek architects who designed ...
Some disagreement makes groups more trustworthy, mathematical framework finds
When humans are making decisions, they are known not to rely solely on their own considerations and the evidence available to them. Past behavioral science and psychology studies have shown that people are often also influenced ...
More than half of adults in US say they lack basic statistical understanding
From the daily weather forecast to a baseball player's batting average to an individual's risk of developing lung cancer, understanding statistics can help people in the United States navigate their lives, according to Mark ...
Mathematics
Aug 21, 2026
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Quantum Latin squares cannot solve Euler's 36 officers problem without entanglement
Latin squares are arrangements of symbols in a grid in which every symbol appears exactly once in each row and column. These symbol arrangements, which were first studied more than three centuries ago, are now widely used ...
AI may not make us stupid, but relying on it could weaken the skills built through practice
The worry of becoming stupid isn't new; it dates back to the time of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who insisted that writing would destroy memory and weaken the mind. Then came calculators, GPS and computers, all of which ...
Physicists and AI model Claude 'collaborate' to prove a 10-year-old jamming conjecture
A mathematical problem that had remained unsolved for more than 10 years in the physics of complex systems has finally been resolved through an unusual collaboration: one involving two theoretical physicists and an artificial ...
Mathematics
Jul 1, 2026
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How languages recycle parts of words to avoid confusion
Many languages recycle words, giving them different meanings. For example, in English, "run" can mean to move quickly but also to manage something, like "run a company." In Spanish, "lengua" is both the word for tongue and ...
How a Richard Feynman formula could explain your dining habits in a new city
One of the dilemmas facing anyone in a new and unfamiliar city is where to dine out. You might consult guides, speak to locals, check reviews, and ultimately, try your luck. But if you're there for a while, at some point ...
Mathematician solves origami donut efficiency challenge with fewest folds
Most people wouldn't think that it would take rigorous mathematical proof to show how many folds it takes to make a donut shape out of paper. Yet, no one could quite figure it out until recently.
