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  1. Math

    Guessing Secrets

    Analyzing an intriguing variant of the familiar game of 20 questions provides insights into Internet communication.

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Math

    Rainbow Randomness

    The branch of pure mathematics known as Ramsey theory concerns the existence of highly regular patterns in sufficiently large sets of randomly selected objects, whether they are gatherings of people, piles of pebbles, stars in the night sky, or sequences of numbers generated by the throw of a die. Jacob Licht Patterns can arise out […]

    By Ivars Peterson
  3. Animals

    Nephews, Cousins . . . Who Cares? Detecting kin doesn’t mean favoring them

    New tests of the amazing nose power of Belding's ground squirrels has solved a 25-year-old puzzle about doing dangerous favors for relatives.