Pure mathematics has a habit of eventually becoming useful. This series of articles explores an example: the rise of category theory in physics and the quest to build quantum computers.
Category theory, which has previously been described as "abstract nonsense" turns out to be just the language we need to describe materials that may help us build quantum computers. Find out more in this article.
What does water feeding to ice have to do with symmetry? This article provides an answer and begins to tell the astonishing story of how theory once denounced as "abstract nonsense" may help us build quantum computers.
We experience phase transitions every day, but they are some of the most dramatic events nature presents us with. Here's a quick introduction.
Tom Hutchcroft has won a prestigious EMS Prize at the European Congress of Mathematics 2024, for work on mathematical models that can help us figure out phase transitions.
Fields Medallist Duminil-Copin's work in statistical physics brings together his two loves – maths and physics.
