Maths in a minute

Want facts and want them fast? Our Maths in a minute series explores key mathematical concepts in just a few words. From symmetry to Euclid's axioms, and from binary numbers to the prosecutor's fallacy, learn some maths without too much effort.

Maths in a minute: Einstein's general theory of relativity
sun
What would happen if the Sun suddenly exploded? Einstein wondered the same thing, and completely changed our understanding of the Universe.
Maths in a minute: Symmetry
We all instinctively recognise symmetry when we see it, but describing it in words is harder than you might think.
Maths in a minute: The second law of thermodynamics
ice cubes
Our messy desk is proof of the second law of thermodynamics...
Maths in a minute: Expectation
icon
Why the expected outcome of rolling a die is 3.5.
Maths in a minute: Boolean algebra
Meet the algebra at the heart of your computer!
Maths in a minute: Simplifying circuits
Claude Shannon's ingenious insight linking physical circuits with Boolean algebra paved the way for modern computing.
Maths in a minute: The central limit theorem
Opinion polls, election forecasts, testing new medical drugs — none of these would be possible without the central limit theorem.
Maths in a minute: n-body problems
Why too many bodies present a problem.
Maths in a minute: Bayes' theorem
bayes
It would be foolish to ignore evidence. Luckily Bayes' theorem shows us how to take it in into account.
Physics in a minute: What's the problem with quantum gravity?
dice
At the heart of modern physics lurks a terrible puzzle: the two main theories that describe the world we live in just won't fit together.
Maths in a minute: The power of powers
The powers of x can work magic.
Maths in a minute: Continued fractions
Continued fractions reveal the good, the bad and the beautiful side of numbers.