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.
The quantum Hall effect is a curious phenomenon: not only does it make effects from quantum physics visible in the macroscopic world, it also links physics to the pure mathematical area of topology. 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.
Gravitational waves have provided a wealth of information about black holes. But could other objects be hiding in this data too? Researchers are exploring this idea, which may also help resolve the mystery of dark matter.
Join us in a wavy dance from the very small to the very large with theoretical physicist David Tong!
Find out how random shapes shed light on one of the hardest problems in physics.
Groups are staples in mathematics and group theory is often described as the study of symmetry. But what does that mean? Find out with Justin Chen!
Could there be a fifth force of nature hitherto unknown to science? Find out with physicist Ben Allanach in this episode of Maths on the move.
