Math
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- 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.
- Science & Society
Science puzzles no longer so puzzling
This year, researchers solved the riddle of mysterious radio bursts, the Erdös discrepancy problem and an elusive acid.
