This year's Nobel Prize for Physics brings together the physics of materials with one of our favourite areas of maths – topology. In this final article in a series, we asked Fiona Burnell to explain the maths behind the work, and how it may help lead to quicker and smaller electronics, and even the elusive quantum computer.

This year's Nobel Prize for Physics brings together the physics of materials with one of our favourite areas of maths – topology. This is the second in a series of articles where we asked Fiona Burnell to explain the maths behind the work, and how it may help lead to quicker and smaller electronics, and even the elusive quantum computer.

This year's Nobel Prize for Physics brings together the physics of materials with one of our favourite areas of maths – topology.

This is the second in a series of two articles in which Ian Short looks at topology using topographical features of maps. Find out about Jordan curves and winding numbers with the help of hermits, lighthouses and drunken sailors.