Articles

  • article

    Cosmic sound

    Taking apart the CMB picture using the maths of sound.
  • article

    Cosmic peaks

    Some of the Universe's most important secrets are hidden in the shape of a beautiful undulating curve: the power spectrum of the cosmic microwave spectrum. This article explains how.
  • article

    The cosmic soup

    To understand the why the cosmic microwave background tells us so much about the Universe, you first need to understand what created it: sound waves travelling through the early Universe.
  • article

    The cosmic afterglow

    The cosmic microwave background is the earliest light we can see in the Universe. So important is this baby picture of the Universe, it's been involved in two Nobel Prizes. Why?
  • news
    front page icon

    Abel Prize 2018: the power of asking good questions

    Rachel Thomas

    In 1967 a 30-year-old American mathematician, still in the early stages of his career, wrote a 17 page letter to the eminent French mathematician André Weil. The covering note that he sent with the letter said:

    "After I wrote [this letter] I realized there was hardly a statement in it of which I was certain. If you are willing to read it as pure speculation I would appreciate that; if not – I am sure you have a waste basket handy."

    off
    Read more about...
    Abel prize
    number theory
    harmonic analysis
    Fermat's Last Theorem
    front page order
    0
    front page text

    Robert Langlands has been awarded the 2018 Abel Prize for his "visionary programme".

  • article

    Crystal clear

    From communication technology to LCD displays: crystals are a hugely important part of modern life. Find out more about them with this article.
  • article

    Getting electrical

    How do you make a stealth aircraft that's invisible to radar? An area of maths called random matrix theory holds the answer.
  • article

    Invisibility cloaks

    Fully functioning invisibility cloaks are closer to becoming a reality than you might think. Here's a quick look at the maths and science involved in producing them.
  • article

    Let's rock

    Rock and its use for tools and buildings has shaped human civilisation. Here's an introduction to the maths of rocks.