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An almighty coincidence
Life is full of coincidences, but how do you work out if something is really as unlikely as it seems? In this article Rob Eastaway and John Haigh find chance in church and work out the odds.
Arithmetic, bones and counting
John Napier was a clever man indeed. Besides inventing the logarithm, he developed ingenious calculating devices that fully exploit the power of the positional system. In this article Chris Sangwin tells you how to make your own set of Napier's bones and perform mathemagic with an interactive checker board.
Frugal nature: Euler and the calculus of variations
Phil Wilson continues our series on the life and work of Leonhard Euler, who would have turned 300 this year. This article looks at the calculus of variations and a mysterious law of nature that has caused some scientists to reach out for god.
Outer space: Emergence
How does complexity arise from simplicity?
Euler's polyhedron formula
Leonhard Euler, the most prolific mathematician of all time, would have celebrated his 300th birthday this year. In this article, the second in a four-part series on Euler and his work, Abigail Kirk explores one of the formulae that carry his name.
What is the Area of a Circle?
You might know the famous formula for an area of a circle, but why does this formula work? Tom Körner's explanation really is a piece of cake, served up with a hefty estimate of pi.
Quantum geometry
One of the many strange ideas from quantum mechanics is that space isn't continuous but consists of tiny chunks. Ordinary geometry is useless when it comes to dealing with such a space, but algebra makes it possible to come up with a model of spacetime that might do the trick. And it can all be tested by a satellite. Shahn Majid met up with Plus to explain.
Non-Euclidean geometry and Indra's pearls
If you've ever redecorated a bathroom, you'll know that there are only so many ways in which you can tile a flat plane. But once you move into the curved world of hyperbolic geometry, possibilities become endless and the most amazing fractal structures ensue. Caroline Series and David Wright give a short introduction to the maths behind their beautiful images.
Maths in a minute
Want facts and want them fast? Our Maths in a minute series explores key mathematical concepts in just a few words.
The PEMDAS Paradox
It looks trivial but it keeps going viral. What answer do you get when
you calculate 6÷ 2(1+2)? David Linkletter explains the source of the confusion.
Inverse problems save the day
Inverse problems are mathematical detective problems. They can help solve crimes, are used in medical imaging, and much more.
Helping men with early prostate cancer
A new online tool developed with the help of statisticians enables patients to make informed treatment choices.
The Abel Prize 2019
Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck has been awarded the Abel Prize 2019!
A geometry for strings
If, as string theory suggests, the world is made of strings, then what does that mean for a geometry of points? Find out more in this video.
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