complexity

Mark Braverman has won the Abacus Medal for a mathematical approach to solving problems while sharing as little information as possible.

Complex systems go! The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics.

You are faced with a difficult problem, it is not easily solved. How do you feel? Well, if you are Avi Wigderson, one of the winners of the 2021 Abel Prize, you are very happy!

Maria Bruna has won a Whitehead Prize for finding a systematic way of simplifying complex systems.

In this podcast we explore how ants have helped humans to solve some very difficult problems.

Sophie tells us how computer algorithms that, in theory, are hopelessly inefficient, perform extraordinary well in practice.

Find out how these humble animals have inspired computer algorithms to solve complex real-world problems.

In time for pancake day here's a problem about flipping pancakes. It turns out to be surprisingly hard.

The Nevanlinna prize winner Constantinos Daskalakis explains why equilibrium may be unattainable and why it's good to be constructive.

Daskalakis tells us about the work he is being honoured for, which involves complexity theory, game theory, online dating and traffic jams.

The pioneering mathematician talks about his work, computer science and artificial intelligence.

We talk to pioneering mathematician Stephen Cook, who came up with the concept of NP-complete problems, about his work, computer science, and artificial intelligence.

  • Want facts and want them fast? Our Maths in a minute series explores key mathematical concepts in just a few words.

  • What do chocolate and mayonnaise have in common? It's maths! Find out how in this podcast featuring engineer Valerie Pinfield.

  • Is it possible to write unique music with the limited quantity of notes and chords available? We ask musician Oli Freke!

  • How can maths help to understand the Southern Ocean, a vital component of the Earth's climate system?

  • Was the mathematical modelling projecting the course of the pandemic too pessimistic, or were the projections justified? Matt Keeling tells our colleagues from SBIDER about the COVID models that fed into public policy.

  • PhD student Daniel Kreuter tells us about his work on the BloodCounts! project, which uses maths to make optimal use of the billions of blood tests performed every year around the globe.