Articles

From restaurants to climate change We live in a world full of information and it's a statistician's job to make sense of it. In this article Dianne Cook explores ways of analysing data and shows how they can be applied to anything from investigating diners' tipping behaviour to understanding climate change and genetics.
Unreasonable effectivenessWhen it comes to describing natural phenomena, mathematics is amazingly — even unreasonably — effective. In this article Mario Livio looks at an example of strings and knots, taking us from the mysteries of physical matter to the most esoteric outpost of pure mathematics, and back again.
Constructive mathematicsIf you like mathematics because things are either true or false, then you'll be worried to hear that in some quarters this basic concept is hotly disputed. In this article Phil Wilson looks at constructivist mathematics, which holds that some things are neither true, nor false, nor anything in between.
Outer space: Another Christmas CarolWhat Dickens thought about statistics
Sun
A new kind of singing starThe Sun is no longer singing solo and is now part of a stellar choir
butterfly
Born from broken symmetryThe 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded.
foam
Swimming in mathematicsThe mathematics of foam coats Olympic swimming venue
Understanding uncertainty: How long will you live?

Well, no-one knows exactly, but using stats you can make a good guess. This article tells you how and has an interactive life expectancy calculator. Do you dare to find out?
Editorial

Election issues
Kissing the frog: A mathematician's guide to matingWhat's your strategy for love? Hold out for The One, or try and avoid the bad ones? How long should you wait before cutting your losses and settling down with whoever comes along next? John Billingham investigates and saves the national grid in the process.
Mathematics and democracy: Approving a presidentMuch criticism has been levelled at the US voting system, and with this being election year, we're bound to hear more of it. In this article Steven J. Brams proposes an alternative voting system that could help make things more democratic.
Digital artComputer-generated art is on the rise, and with it comes a further blurring of the boundaries between maths and art. Lewis Dartnell looks at some stunning examples.