Alle afleveringen
373 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Pentagon Tiling Proof Solves Century-Old Math Problem
21 september 2017 · 11 min
A French mathematician has completed the classification of all convex pentagons, and therefore all convex polygons, that tile the plane. Lees meer
The post Pentagon Tiling Proof Solves Century-Old Math Problem first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Can Microbes Encourage Altruism?
31 augustus 2017 · 16 min
If gut bacteria can sway their hosts to be selfless, it could answer a riddle that goes back to Darwin. Lees meer
The post Can Microbes Encourage Altruism? first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Dark Matter Recipe Calls for One Part Superfluid
25 augustus 2017 · 15 min
A different kind of dark matter could help to resolve an old celestial conundrum. Lees meer
The post Dark Matter Recipe Calls for One Part Superfluid first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Puzzle of Clever Connections Nears a Happy End
20 juli 2017 · 12 min
The three young friends who devised the “happy ending” problem would become some of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century, but were never able to solve their own puzzle. Now it receives its first big breakthrough. Lees meer
The post A Puzzle of Clever Connections Nears a Happy End first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Thoughts of a Spiderweb
13 juli 2017 · 13 min
Spiders appear to offload cognitive tasks to their webs, making them one of a number of species with a mind that isn’t fully confined within the head. Lees meer
The post The Thoughts of a Spiderweb first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How to Quantify (and Fight) Gerrymandering
29 juni 2017 · 17 min
Powerful new quantitative tools are now available to combat partisan bias in the drawing of voting districts. Lees meer
The post How to Quantify (and Fight) Gerrymandering first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Long-Sought Proof, Found and Almost Lost
1 juni 2017 · 15 min
When a German retiree proved a famous long-standing mathematical conjecture, the response was underwhelming. Lees meer
The post A Long-Sought Proof, Found and Almost Lost first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A New Blast May Have Forged Cosmic Gold
18 mei 2017 · 12 min
For decades, researchers believed that violent supernovas forged gold and other heavy elements. But many now argue for a different cosmic quarry. Lees meer
The post A New Blast May Have Forged Cosmic Gold first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Why Did Life Move to Land? For the View
6 april 2017 · 10 min
The ancient creatures who first crawled onto land may have been lured by the informational benefit that comes from seeing through air. Lees meer
The post Why Did Life Move to Land? For the View first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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New Number Systems Seek Their Lost Primes
30 maart 2017 · 7 min
For centuries, mathematicians tried to solve problems by adding new values to the usual numbers. Now they’re investigating the unintended consequences of that tinkering. Lees meer
The post New Number Systems Seek Their Lost Primes first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Researchers Tap a Sleep Switch in the Brain
16 maart 2017 · 8 min
Powerful new experiments have uncovered some of the molecular underpinnings of sleep. Lees meer
The post Researchers Tap a Sleep Switch in the Brain first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Experiment Reaffirms Quantum Weirdness
9 maart 2017 · 10 min
Physicists are closing the door on an intriguing loophole around the quantum phenomenon Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.” Lees meer
The post Experiment Reaffirms Quantum Weirdness first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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To Live Your Best Life, Do Mathematics
2 maart 2017 · 6 min
The ancient Greeks argued that the best life was filled with beauty, truth, justice, play and love. The mathematician Francis Su knows just where to find them. Lees meer
The post To Live Your Best Life, Do Mathematics first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Dividing Droplets Could Explain Life’s Origin
23 februari 2017 · 12 min
Researchers have discovered that simple “chemically active” droplets grow to the size of cells and spontaneously divide, suggesting they might have evolved into the first living cells. Lees meer
The post Dividing Droplets Could Explain Life’s Origin first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Infant Brains Reveal How the Mind Gets Built
16 februari 2017 · 11 min
Is the brain a blank slate, or is it wired from birth to understand the world? Lees meer
The post Infant Brains Reveal How the Mind Gets Built first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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3-D Fractals Offer Clues to Complex Systems
9 februari 2017 · 12 min
By folding fractals into 3-D objects, a mathematical duo hopes to gain new insight into simple equations. Lees meer
The post 3-D Fractals Offer Clues to Complex Systems first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Grand Unification Dream Kept at Bay
2 februari 2017 · 13 min
Physicists have failed to find disintegrating protons, throwing into limbo the beloved theory that the forces of nature were unified at the beginning of time. Lees meer
The post Grand Unification Dream Kept at Bay first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Art of Teaching Math and Science
26 januari 2017 · 24 min
The impasse in math and science instruction runs deeper than test scores or the latest educational theory. What can we learn from the best teachers on the front lines? Lees meer
The post The Art of Teaching Math and Science first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Case Against Dark Matter
8 december 2016 · 18 min
A proposed theory of gravity does away with dark matter, even as new astrophysical findings challenge the need for galaxies full of the invisible mystery particles. Lees meer
The post The Case Against Dark Matter first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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What Sonic Black Holes Say About Real Ones
24 november 2016 · 13 min
Can a fluid analogue of a black hole point physicists toward the theory of quantum gravity, or is it a red herring? Lees meer
The post What Sonic Black Holes Say About Real Ones first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Giant Genetic Map Shows Life’s Hidden Links
17 november 2016 · 9 min
In a monumental set of experiments, spread out over nearly two decades, biologists removed genes two at a time to uncover the secret workings of the cell. Lees meer
The post Giant Genetic Map Shows Life’s Hidden Links first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How to Cut Cake Fairly and Finally Eat It Too
10 november 2016 · 10 min
Computer scientists have come up with a bounded algorithm that can fairly divide a cake among any number of people. Lees meer
The post How to Cut Cake Fairly and Finally Eat It Too first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Strange Dark Galaxy Puzzles Astrophysicists
27 oktober 2016 · 16 min
The surprising discovery of a massive, Milky Way–size galaxy that is made of 99.99 percent dark matter has astronomers dreaming up new ideas about how galaxies form. Lees meer
The post Strange Dark Galaxy Puzzles Astrophysicists first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Hacker-Proof Code Confirmed
20 oktober 2016 · 16 min
Computer scientists can prove certain programs to be error-free with the same certainty that mathematicians prove theorems. Lees meer
The post Hacker-Proof Code Confirmed first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Colliding Black Holes Tell New Story of Stars
13 oktober 2016 · 13 min
Just months after their discovery, gravitational waves coming from the mergers of black holes are shaking up astrophysics. Lees meer
The post Colliding Black Holes Tell New Story of Stars first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Neuroscience Behind Bad Decisions
22 september 2016 · 14 min
Irrationality may be a consequence of the brain’s ravenous energy needs. Lees meer
The post The Neuroscience Behind Bad Decisions first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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What No New Particles Means for Physics
15 september 2016 · 13 min
Physicists are confronting their “nightmare scenario.” What does the absence of new particles suggest about how nature works? Lees meer
The post What No New Particles Means for Physics first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Debate Over the Physics of Time
8 september 2016 · 21 min
According to our best theories of physics, the universe is a fixed block where time only appears to pass. Lees meer
The post A Debate Over the Physics of Time first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Biologists Search for New Model Organisms
18 augustus 2016 · 16 min
The bulk of biological research is centered on a handful of species. Are we missing a huge chunk of interesting biology? Lees meer
The post Biologists Search for New Model Organisms first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Neutrinos Hint of Matter-Antimatter Rift
11 augustus 2016 · 12 min
A hint that neutrinos behave differently than antineutrinos suggests an answer to one the biggest questions in physics. Lees meer
The post Neutrinos Hint of Matter-Antimatter Rift first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Bird’s-Eye View of Nature’s Hidden Order
5 augustus 2016 · 14 min
Scientists are exploring a mysterious pattern, found in birds’ eyes, boxes of marbles and other surprising places, that is neither regular nor random. Lees meer
The post A Bird’s-Eye View of Nature’s Hidden Order first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How Feynman Diagrams Almost Saved Space
28 juli 2016 · 13 min
Richard Feynman's famous diagrams weren’t just a way to do calculations. They represented a deep shift in thinking about how the universe is put together. Lees meer
The post How Feynman Diagrams Almost Saved Space first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Oracle of Arithmetic
21 juli 2016 · 14 min
At 28, Peter Scholze is uncovering deep connections between number theory and geometry. Lees meer
The post The Oracle of Arithmetic first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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New Life Found That Lives Off Electricity
7 juli 2016 · 10 min
Scientists have figured out how microbes can suck energy from rocks. Such lifeforms might be more widespread than anyone anticipated. Lees meer
The post New Life Found That Lives Off Electricity first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Simple Set Game Proof Stuns Mathematicians
17 juni 2016 · 16 min
A new series of papers has settled a long-standing question related to the popular game in which players seek patterned sets of three cards. Lees meer
The post Simple Set Game Proof Stuns Mathematicians first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How Neanderthal DNA Helps Humanity
9 juni 2016 · 10 min
Neanderthals and Denisovans may have endowed modern humans with genetic variants that helped them thrive in new environments. Lees meer
The post How Neanderthal DNA Helps Humanity first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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New Support for Alternative Quantum View
2 juni 2016 · 13 min
An experiment claims to have invalidated a decades-old criticism against pilot-wave theory, an alternative formulation of quantum mechanics that eliminates the most baffling features of the subatomic universe. Lees meer
The post New Support for Alternative Quantum View first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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New Evidence for the Necessity of Loneliness
26 mei 2016 · 13 min
A specific set of neurons deep in the brain may motivate us to seek company, holding social species together. Lees meer
The post New Evidence for the Necessity of Loneliness first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Tiny Tests Seek the Universe’s Big Mysteries
12 mei 2016 · 11 min
The search for exotic new physical phenomena is being led by huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider. But at the other end of the spectrum lie tabletop experiments — small-scale probes of hidden dimensions, dark matter and dark energy. Lees meer
The post Tiny Tests Seek the Universe’s Big Mysteries first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Secret Flexibility Found in Life’s Blueprints
5 mei 2016 · 12 min
A new study reveals that individual genes can create many different versions of the molecular machinery that powers the cell. Lees meer
The post A Secret Flexibility Found in Life’s Blueprints first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Physicists Hunt for the Big Bang’s Triangles
28 april 2016 · 26 min
The story of the universe’s birth — and evidence for string theory — could be found in triangles and myriad other shapes in the sky. Lees meer
The post Physicists Hunt for the Big Bang’s Triangles first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Debate Intensifies Over Dark Disk Theory
21 april 2016 · 14 min
In the new, free-for-all era of dark matter research, the controversial idea that dark matter is concentrated in thin disks is being rescued from scientific oblivion. Lees meer
The post Debate Intensifies Over Dark Disk Theory first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Mapping the Brain to Build Better Machines
14 april 2016 · 25 min
A project to decipher the brain’s learning rules could revolutionize machine learning. Lees meer
The post Mapping the Brain to Build Better Machines first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Sphere Packing Solved in Higher Dimensions
7 april 2016 · 22 min
The Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska has solved the centuries-old sphere-packing problem in dimensions eight and 24. Lees meer
The post Sphere Packing Solved in Higher Dimensions first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Beasts That Keep the Beat
31 maart 2016 · 22 min
New insights from neuroscience — aided by a small zoo’s worth of dancing animals — are revealing the biological origins of rhythm. Lees meer
The post The Beasts That Keep the Beat first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Life in Games
24 maart 2016 · 34 min
The mathematician John Horton Conway’s myriad accomplishments — including the Game of Life, sprouts and the surreal numbers — are the product of a mind at play. Lees meer
The post A Life in Games first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Mathematicians Discover Prime Conspiracy
24 maart 2016 · 26 min
A previously unnoticed property of prime numbers seems to violate a long-standing assumption about how they behave. Lees meer
The post Mathematicians Discover Prime Conspiracy first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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After Black Holes Collide, a Puzzling Flash
10 maart 2016 · 22 min
A satellite spotted a burst of light just as gravitational waves rolled in from the collision of two black holes. Was the flash a cosmic coincidence, or do astrophysicists need to rethink what black holes can do? Lees meer
The post After Black Holes Collide, a Puzzling Flash first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Quantum Secret to Superconductivity
3 maart 2016 · 24 min
In a virtuoso experiment, physicists have revealed details of a “quantum critical point” that underlies high-temperature superconductivity. Lees meer
The post The Quantum Secret to Superconductivity first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How to Build Life in a Pre-Darwinian World
25 februari 2016 · 29 min
Perhaps chemistry played a more instrumental role in the origin of life than scientists thought. Lees meer
The post How to Build Life in a Pre-Darwinian World first appeared on Quanta Magazine