In higher dimensions, the problem gets harder. It has been solved in dimension four, as well as in dimensions 8 and 24, where mathematicians have been able to optimally pack spheres into gorgeously symmetrical lattice structures. But in all other dimensions, where more space appears between the spheres, the problem remains open. Mathematicians have instead… Continue reading Mathematicians Discover New Way for Spheres to ‘Kiss’
Tag: Quantum Stuff
The Myth that Musicians Die at 27 Shows How Superstitions Are Made
November 4, 2024 4 min read The Myth that Musicians Die at 27 Shows How Superstitions Are Made Famous people who die at age 27, such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse, get even more famous because of the mythology surrounding that number—an example of how modern folklore emerges By Rachel Nuwer edited… Continue reading The Myth that Musicians Die at 27 Shows How Superstitions Are Made
Heat Destroys All Order. Except for in This One Special Case.
Sunlight melts snowflakes. Fire turns logs into soot and smoke. A hot oven will make a magnet lose its pull. Physicists know from countless examples that if you crank the temperature high enough, structures and patterns break down. Now, though, they’ve cooked up a striking exception. In a string of results over the past few… Continue reading Heat Destroys All Order. Except for in This One Special Case.
These Bird Nests Show Signs of an Architectural ‘Culture’
November 5, 2024 2 min read These Bird Nests Show Signs of an Architectural ‘Culture’ Culture may play a role in how birds build collectively in the Kalahari Desert By Gennaro Tomma edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier White-browed Sparrow-Weaver nests and roosts. Wolfgang Kaehler/Alamy Stock Photo From long and winding migration flights to intricate songs… Continue reading These Bird Nests Show Signs of an Architectural ‘Culture’
Concept Cells Help Your Brain Abstract Information and Build Memories
He knew that his observation of one neuron firing didn’t mean there was only one neuron for every concept. If that were true, “the chance of finding it would be close to zero,” he said. “I used to joke that, if this were the case, I should quit science and start gambling because I would… Continue reading Concept Cells Help Your Brain Abstract Information and Build Memories
The Jagged, Monstrous Function That Broke Calculus
Calculus is a powerful mathematical tool. But for hundreds of years after its invention in the 17th century, it stood on a shaky foundation. Its core concepts were rooted in intuition and informal arguments, rather than precise, formal definitions. Two schools of thought emerged in response, according to Michael Barany, a historian of math and… Continue reading The Jagged, Monstrous Function That Broke Calculus
New Book-Sorting Algorithm Almost Reaches Perfection
Computer scientists often deal with abstract problems that are hard to comprehend, but an exciting new algorithm matters to anyone who owns books and at least one shelf. The algorithm addresses something called the library sorting problem (more formally, the “list labeling” problem). The challenge is to devise a strategy for organizing books in some… Continue reading New Book-Sorting Algorithm Almost Reaches Perfection
Climate Is on State Ballots This Election
CLIMATEWIRE | Some of this election’s most important battlegrounds for climate policy have nothing to do with the Electoral College. Governors’ mansions, legislatures and even climate policy itself are on the ballot across the country. In Washington state, voters will render an up-or-down verdict on one of the country’s most aggressive systems for cutting emissions.… Continue reading Climate Is on State Ballots This Election
In the Middle Ages, Your Zodiac Sign Decided Your Days
Rachel Feltman: These days, science and magic are generally thought of as being diametrically opposed: fact versus fiction, reason versus fantasy, modern sensibilities versus archaic misconceptions. But that hasn’t always been the case. For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. My guest today is Larisa Grollemond, assistant curator in the Manuscripts Department at the… Continue reading In the Middle Ages, Your Zodiac Sign Decided Your Days
Misinformation Really Does Spread like a Virus, Epidemiology Shows
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. We’re increasingly aware of how misinformation can influence elections. About 73% of Americans report seeing misleading election news, and about half struggle to discern what is true or false. When it comes to misinformation, “going viral” appears to… Continue reading Misinformation Really Does Spread like a Virus, Epidemiology Shows