Articles

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Maths in a minute: Voronoi diagrams

We look at a crafty mathematical device which, among other things, has helped people understand what causes cholera.
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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.
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Maths in a minute: Social distancing

How should people arrange themselves for maximal socialising at a safe distance?
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Myths of maths: The Monty Hall problem

This puzzle is famous because the accepted answer is counter-intuitive. But is it always correct?
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Myths of maths: The four colour theorem

It'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.
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Myths of maths: The golden ratio

The golden ratio has many amazing properties. But is it really a secret of nature and the epitome of beauty?
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Maths in a minute: The information paradox

Explore a mystery that intrigued Stephen Hawking until the end of his life.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Perfectly odd

Nobody has ever found an odd perfect number. So do they exist at all and, if yes, what do they look like?
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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.