Welcome to Plus magazine!
The agent perspective
What do we have over machines? A sense of agency
How can maths fight a pandemic?
How do mathematical models of Covid-19 work and should we believe them? We talk to an epidemiologist, who has been working flat out to inform the government, to find out more.
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.
Our changing picture of gravity
We look back over how our picture of gravity has changed Image courtesy NASA.
The power of ants
Find out how these humble animals have inspired computer algorithms to solve complex real-world problems.
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 human physiology and evolution.
Our theory of very nearly everything: the particles
What is everything made of?
Fantastic Fibonacci
Bees do it, rabbits do it, and luckily, we humans can do it too: explore the famous Fibonacci sequence! This collection of articles will tell you all you need to know.
Maths in a minute: "R nought" and herd immunity
What is herd immunity and what does it have to do with a number called R0?
The maths of COVID-19
Maths plays an essential role in fighting COVID-19, which is why the pandemic has featured a lot on Plus. Here is all our coverage at a glance.
The growth rate of COVID-19
We all now know about R, but sometimes it can be good to consider another number: the growth rate of an epidemic.
Going back to uni during a pandemic
What can maths tell us about how to make universities safe from COVID-19?
Understanding information
Information is supremely powerful, yet it can't be described by traditional physics. Constructor theory provides a potential answer.
Maths in a minute: N-bonacci sequences
You may have heard about the Fibonacci sequence, but what about N-bonacci, N-annaci, and infinacci? Find out more here!
Congratulations to Martin Hairer!
The mathematician Martin Hairer has been awarded the 2021 Breakthrough Prize for Mathematics which, apart from the accolade, comes with $3 million in prize money.
Life after the big Prize
We catch up with four giants of maths to see where their mathematical journey has taken them since winning prestigious prizes.