And it all began with a hobbyist “messing about and experimenting with shapes.”
Author: Siobhan Roberts
The Quest to Find Rectangles in a Square
A puzzle posted in an online community unlocked a wormhole within the basic shape.
A New Puzzle Turns Earth Into a Rubik’s Cube, but More Complex
Continental Drift is one of Henry Segerman’s latest efforts to make mathematics “real.”
They’re Taking Jigsaw Puzzles to Infinity and Beyond
In upstate New York, two algorithmic artists make wooden puzzles inspired by natural forms.
The Mysterious Dance of the Cricket Embryos
A team of biologists and mathematicians studied hours of video to learn how insects take shape in the egg. The secret is geometry.
How ‘Trustless’ Is Bitcoin, Really?
In myth, the cryptocurrency is egalitarian, decentralized and all but anonymous. The reality is very different, scientists have found.
Is This Some Kind of Code? You Can Solve the …
Erik and Martin Demaine, a father-and-son team of “algorithmic typographers,” have confected an entire suite of mathematically inspired typefaces.
The Latest Wrinkle in Crumple Theory
From studies of “geometric frustration,” scientists learn how paper folds under pressure.
You Can Help Break the Chain of Transmission
“Every time each of us stops, or even just delays, an infection is a small victory.”
Flattening the Coronavirus Curve
One chart explains why slowing the spread of the infection is nearly as important as stopping it.