Plus.Maths.org
List by Author: Rachel Thomas
From dancing alone, to dancing together 
Many materials around us are oxides – such as rocks, window glass and some of the materials used in your computer. These materials may seem hard and rigid, but mathematics reveals a hidden flexibility that can explain many of their properties.
El duende flamenco de Paco de Lucía 
The funeral of the great flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía this week reminded us of the mathematical and musical reasons we love flamenco.
Why are we here? 
David Sloan calculates how likely it is that our Universe exists. He explains to us how, and why the answer can help shape our theories of physics.
Establishing the philosophy of cosmology 
Do the dramatic advances in cosmology in the last century herald a new golden age of philosophy? A new collaborative project between cosmologists and philosophers is leading the way.
Does it pay to be nice? – the maths of altruism part i 
Does it pay to be nice? Yes, it does. And we're not just talking about that warm fuzzy feeling inside, it pays in evolutionary terms of genetic success too. We talk to Martin Nowak about how the mathematics of evolution prove that being nice is unavoidable.
Does it pay to be nice? – the maths of altruism part ii 
It does pay to be nice if you repeatedly deal with the same person. Martin Nowak explains why cooperation also wins in matters of reputation, neighbourliness and family. But can evolutionary game theory save the world?
John Conway - discovering free will (part II) 
In this, the second part of our interview, John Conway explains how the Kochen-Specker Theorem from 1965 not only seemed to explain the EPR Paradox, it also provided the first hint of Conway and Kochen's Free Will Theorem.
John Conway – discovering free will (part I) 
On August 19, 2004, John Conway was standing with his friend Simon Kochen at the blackboard in Kochen’s office in Princeton. They had been trying to understand a thought experiment involving quantum physics and relativity. What they discovered, and how they described it, created one of the most controversial theorems of their careers: The Free Will Theorem.
John Conway – discovering free will (part III) 
In this, the third part of our interview, John Conway continues to explain the Free Will Theorem and how it has changed his perception of the Universe.
Proof of the Kochen-Specker Theorem 
In this appendix we give a gist of the proof of the Kochen-Specker Theorem.
The only way is up: constructing the Heron Tower 
Looking out to Canary Wharf, to the arch at Wembley Stadium, and down onto the Gherkin, the 700 people working on the construction site of the Heron Tower in London had one of the best views in London. Plus was lucky enough to speak to two engineers involved in building the tower and asked how maths was involved in the construction of such an impressive addition to the London skyline.
How the velodrome found its form 
The Velodrome, with its striking curved shape, was the first venue to be completed in the London Olympic Park. Plus talks to structural engineers Andrew Weir and Pete Winslow from Expedition Engineering, who were part of the design team for the Velodrome, about how mathematics helped create its iconic shape.