Welcome to Plus magazine!
Fighting the coronavirus
As the world prepares for the worst, we explore the maths that can help us stop a pandemic.
A strange definition of perfect
Perfect numbers have foxed mathematicians for over 2000 years. Here's a quick look at the long struggle to find them.
Less is more: The quest for minimal surfaces
For over 250 years minimal surfaces have been playing hide and seek with mathematicians. But what are they and why are they interesting?
Election special
Was the Brexit result fair? Will the general election be fair? Can any election ever be fair? Find out more about the maths of democracy with these articles.
Maths: The next generation
What do young researchers in maths and computer science work on? We find out at the Heidelberg Laureate Forum 2019. From crime scene investigation to theoretical investigations of computer algorithms, the range is wide.
The power of ants
Find out how these humble animals have inspired computer algorithms to solve complex real-world problems.
Our changing picture of gravity
We look back over how our picture of gravity has changed Image courtesy NASA.
Synchronised swimming
How do green algae manage a perfect breaststroke even though they haven't got a brain? The maths of synchronisation explains and even sheds light on evolution.
Our theory of very nearly everything: the particles
What is everything made of?
Rise of the machines?
Machine learning is the most important recent development in artificial intelligence. Find out how it works, what it can do, where it comes from and whether it's ethical with this collection of articles.
Metallic numbers: Beyond the golden ratio
You've heard of the golden ratio. But have you heard of the silver ratio, the bronze ratio, indeed the whole infinite family of metallic siblings? If not then read this.
Football sweepstakes: Levelling the playing field
With just a few months to go until the UEFA European Cup, here's how you can make your office sweepstake a lot fairer and more exciting.
Maths in a minute: Hawking radiation
Nothing, not even light, can escape from a black hole. Or can it? Find out about one of Stephen Hawking's most radical results.
Maths in a minute: The information paradox
The laws of nature say that information can never be lost, so what happens when a black hole swallows it? Explore a mystery that intrigued Stephen Hawking until the end of his life.
Why are sunsets red?
Wim Hordijk provides the answer with a look at the maths and physics of waves.
Perfectly even
After 2000 years of searching we only know of 51 perfect numbers and they're all even. What else do and don't we know about these rare and precious jewels of maths?
Perfectly odd
Nobody has ever found an odd perfect number. So do they exist at all and, if yes, what do they look like?
Sharing cakes
How should you share the profits of a deal to make sure everyone gets their fair due? This ancient puzzle shows the answer is not always obvious.