Content about “

public understanding of mathematics

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What are the challenges of communicating from the frontiers of mathematical research, and why should we be doing it?

Tom Irving tells us about providing a bridge between policy and mathematics during the pandemic, the importance of transparency, and discussing the R number at the hair dressers.

There are many ways of explaining technical ideas, and using a range of strategies can give the most intuitive understanding.

If you're interested in maths events for a general audience, then try the new Pop Math international events calendar!

Our favourite communicator of risk talks about the statistics of COVID-19, the quality of government briefings, and how to counter misinformation.

Does the famous Fibonacci sequence always appear in sunflower seed heads?

We talk to Shajay Bhooshan about his design for the new maths gallery at the Science Museum London.

Soon you will be able to step inside a mathematical space and experience the beauty and importance of maths!

One of our favourite mathematicians, Marcus du Sautoy, will receive the 2014 Christopher Zeeman medal for the promotion of mathematics to the public.

Stephen Hawking was once told by an editor that every equation in a book would halve the sales. Curiously, the opposite seems to happen when it comes to research papers. Include a bit of maths in the abstract (a kind of summary) and people rate your paper higher — even if the maths makes no sense at all.

The 6th European Congress of Mathematics, which took place in Krakow at the beginning of July, wasn't just about mathematicians talking to each other. On the streets of Krakow maths buskers were entertaining the public, handcuffing innocent Krakowians, constructing emergency pentagons and reading minds. So what is maths busking all about? We caught up with Sara Santos, the director of the project, and one of her volunteers to find out.

Imaginary is an interactive mathematics exhibition that inspires the imagination with beautiful images. And what is more exciting it allows anyone to step into the world of maths and play with beautiful mathematical surfaces, symmetry and much more. We went along to the Imaginary Barcelona conference, which brought together people involved in the original exhibition in Germany and its recent successful run throughout Spain.