Math

Number theorists have been trying to prove a conjecture about the distribution of prime numbers for more than 160 years

Better predictions of how cracks grow can make machines and structures more reliable

Try to solve a traveling salesman’s directional dilemma

Mathematicians picked the most dazzling, thought-provoking and compelling equations they know

Myths and legends surround the origins of these numbers

Fields Medalist Terence Tao explains how proof checkers and AI programs are dramatically changing mathematics

Experts have only started to crack the tricky twin prime conjecture

Ada Lovelace’s wisdom about the first general-purpose computer can be found buried in the appendix of another paper

Mathematicians are working on ways to use their field to tackle major social issues, such as social inequality and the need for gender equity

Despite their performance, current AI models have major weaknesses: they require enormous resources and are indecipherable. Help may be on the way

The most common test of statistical significance originated from the Guinness brewery. Here’s how it works

An infinite number of random events can produce just about anything if you have quintillions of years to wait