mechanics

Outer space: Cushioning the blow
Where's the sweet spot?
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The story of the Gömböc
A Gömböc is a strange thing. It looks like an egg with sharp edges, and when you put it down it starts wriggling and rolling around as if it were alive. Until quite recently, no-one knew whether Gömböcs even existed. Even now, Gábor Domokos, one of their discoverers, reckons that in some sense they barely exists at all. So what are Gömböcs and what makes them special?
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Going up in the world
Mathematicians explain how plants climb
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Defying gravity: The uphill roller
What goes up must come down — or does it? Find out how to cheat gravity with Julian Havil.
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Outer space: Wagons Roll
The concept of a speed limit seems a simple one - until you think what can happen when a speed camera clocks a rotating wheel...
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Old problem, new spin

Have you ever noticed what happens when you spin a coin on a table? As the coin starts to fall over and roll on its edge, its spin gets faster and faster until it suddenly stops altogether.

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  • 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.

  • Climate change: How can maths help?

    As COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, kicks off we look at how maths can help understand the climate crisis.

  • The travelling salesman
    map

    How do you create dramatic film out of mathematics? We find out with writer and director Timothy Lanzone.

  • Disease modelling for beginners

    Mathematics plays a central role in understanding how infectious diseases spread. This collection of articles looks at some basic concepts in epidemiology to help you understand this fascinating and important field, and set you up for further study.

  • Maths in a minute: Conditional probability

    Find out why the formula we use to work out conditional probabilities is true!

  • A disappearing number
    scene from play
    We talk about a play that explores the fascinating mathematical collaboration between the mathematicians GH Hardy and Srinivasa Ramanujan.