Math
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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MathEvidence-based medicine lacks solid supporting evidence
Saving science from its statistical flaws will require radical revision in its methods
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MathTop 10 ways to save science from its statistical self
Saving science from its statistical flaws will require radical revision in its methods.
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MathScience is heroic, with a tragic (statistical) flaw
Science falls short of its own standards because of the mindless use of ritualistic statistical tests.
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Science & SocietyNash’s mind left a beautiful legacy
The death of game theory pioneer John Nash ends a dramatic story of genius.
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Science & SocietyHere’s what game theory says about how to win in semifinals
Game theory informs competitors facing off in a semifinal whether to go all out or save energy for the final.
By Andrew Grant -
MathComputer program rivals top poker players in complex card game
A computer program held its own against the world’s best heads-up no-limit Texas Hold’em poker players.
By Andrew Grant -
MathResearch can’t be right with ‘Statistics Done Wrong’
Fraud in science gets a lot of attention and condemnation — as it should. But fraud isn't that interesting compared to all the errors that scientists commit unintentionally.
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Science & SocietyJohn Nash, Louis Nirenberg share math’s Abel Prize
John Nash and Louis Nirenberg will receive the 2015 ‘Nobel of mathematics’ for their work on partial differential equations.
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MathP value ban: small step for a journal, giant leap for science
Peer-reviewed journals have largely insisted on P values as a standard of worthiness. But now the editors of one journal have banned the statistical tool.
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LifeLife’s origin might illustrate the power of game theory
Game theory math can describe molecular competition and cooperation, perhaps providing clues to the origin of life.
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ComputingArtificial intelligence conquers Space Invaders, Pong, Q*bert
With a single algorithm, a computer can learn dozens of classic video games, researchers from Google DeepMind in London report.
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EarthMineral hunting, mob math and more reader feedback
Readers ask about Earth's most abundant mineral and discuss the notoriously unpredictable behavior of pedestrians.