MATH

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The Surprising Link Between an 1851 Chess Tournament and Today's March Madness Bracket

The modern chess set is named after Howard Staunton, a chess master who popularized its use. But his lasting contribution to sports might be in one that wasn’t even invented by the time he died in 1874.

New Spacecraft Named After Katherine Johnson Honors the Pioneering NASA Mathematician

A cargo craft delivering supplies to the International Space Station has been named after Katherine Johnson, the influential "human computer" who helped send the first Americans to space.

These seemingly random digits can tell you a lot.

What Do the Numbers on Barcodes Mean?

Barcode scanners don’t need to register the number below the barcode, but it can tell you a lot about a product.

Grad Student Solves the Conway Knot, a Math Problem That Has Stumped Experts for 50 Years

It took University of Texas grad student Lisa Piccirillo less than a week to write a proof that solved the famous Conway Knot.

5 People Who Were Amazingly Productive In Quarantine

It's not a myth: William Shakespeare really did write 'King Lear' during the plague. From Edvard Munch to Isaac Newton, here are a few more people who made the most of being isolated.

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Why Is There a Leap Day?

Happy leap year! You can thank Julius Caesar and his buddies for bringing them to Europe more than 2000 years ago.

100 Things We Learned in 2019

From findings about space and parasites to new discoveries in math and ancient civilizations, 2019 was a big year.

A Simple Way to Figure Out How Many Lights You Need for Your Christmas Tree

Don't get stuck struggling with a ball of green cords year after year. Here's how to buy and store only the lights you need to make your Christmas tree shine.

Science Finds a Better Way to Calculate 'Dog Years'

The old method of multiplying your dog's age by seven no longer applies. Here's a more accurate way of assessing your pet's lifespan.

Nobel Prize Awarded to John Nash, Subject of A Beautiful Mind, Is Available to Bid On

John Nash—known for his work on game theory, his struggles with schizophrenia, and his biopic 'A Beautiful Mind'—won a Nobel Prize in 1994. Now, his award is going up for auction.

Some Mathematicians Think the Equal Sign is On Its Way Out

Goodbye equality, hello equivalency: A growing number of mathematicians is skeptical that the equal sign holds up to new math models.

Honey Bees Can Understand the Concept of Zero

Zero is an idea even young children struggle with, but bees are one of the few animal species that can figure it out.

How to Parallel Park Perfectly in One Try, According to Math

Here are four easy steps to make sure your parallel parking experience isn’t the stuff of nightmares.

Peter Dinklage stars as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones

Math Says Tyrion Lannister Is Game of Thrones's Real Star

In 2016, a team of mathematicians crunched the numbers and determined that Peter Dinklage's character is the true star of the show.

For the First Time Ever, a Woman Has Won the Abel Prize—Math's Version of the Nobel Prize

Karen Uhlenbeck has become the first woman to win the Abel Prize for her achievements in mathematics, capping a long and storied career.

Google Engineer Calculates Pi to 31 Trillion Digits, Sets New World Record

Pi, a.k.a. the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, is infinite. But a Google engineer has calculated the first 31 trillion digits of the figure just in time for Pi Day.

10 Fascinating Facts About Pi

Darren Aronofsky’s debut feature is a manic flash through conspiratorial surrealism and number theory—and was inspired by ant hills.

Why Has More Than One Person Solved Einstein's Equations?

Unlike simple equations like the quadratic equation, most equations do not have nice, simple, general solutions.

Which Game of Thrones Characters Will Survive Season 8? Scientists Calculated the Odds

With an estimated death toll of 150,966 over seven seasons, the odds probably aren't in your favorite character's favor.

Want More Pizza in Your Life? Order One 18-Inch Pie Instead of Two 12-Inch Pies

A better deal on pizza, brought to you by math.

Gladys West, a Pioneer of GPS Technology, Receives One of the Air Force's Highest Honors

The mathematician laid the groundwork for technology we all use today.

Watch: The Brilliant Life of Ada Lovelace

On Ada Lovelace Day, celebrate the woman who wrote the first computer program.

15 Female Mathematicians Whose Accomplishments Add Up

Their world-altering contributions include making hospitals safer, laying the groundwork for the computer, and advancing space flight.

How Did They Measure the Height of Mt. Everest?

It's not as simple as whipping out a really big tape measure.

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