Articles

Myths of maths: The four colour theoremIt's one of mathematics' most famous results: every "map" can be coloured using at most four colours. What it doesn't usually apply to, however, are real maps.

Myths of maths: The golden ratioThe golden ratio has many amazing properties. But is it really a secret of nature and the epitome of beauty?

Maths in a minute: The information paradoxExplore a mystery that intrigued Stephen Hawking until the end of his life.

Maths in a minute: Hawking radiationNothing, not even light, can escape from a black hole. Or can it? Find out about one of Stephen Hawking's most radical results.

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.

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 oddNobody has ever found an odd perfect number. So do they exist at all and, if yes, what do they look like?

A strange definition of perfectPerfect numbers have foxed mathematicians for over 2000 years. Here's a quick look at the long struggle to find them.

Why are sunsets red?The answer comes from the physics of waves.

Metallic numbers: Beyond the golden ratioYou've heard of the golden ratio but have you heard of the silver ratio? And all its other cousins called the metallic numbers? Read this article to meet the family!

Metallic numbers: Fibonacci and moreFrom Fibonacci to spirals: explore the mathematical wonders of metallic numbers.

Less is more: The quest for minimal surfacesFor over 250 years minimal surfaces have been playing hide and seek with mathematicians. But what are they and why are they interesting?